Amex Platinum Business vs National Bank Platinum Business Mastercard

Both business cards worked out on the same spending: rewards, welcome bonus, fees and perks, line by line.

amex platinum business
Finly rebate
$175

Business Platinum Card® from American Express

4.6

Get offer
National Bank Platinum Business Mastercard

National Bank Platinum Business Mastercard

3.6

Learn more

Worked out on a typical small business spending $4,000 a month. Enter yours to see your own numbers.

$164

First-year value

$418

$164

Every year after

$418

National Bank Platinum Business Mastercard is worth $253 more to your business in year one.

It stays ahead after that, by $253 a year.

How the first year adds up

Rewards and the welcome bonus in, the annual fee, FX fees and employee cards out, at your spending.

$1,143.42Better of the two
in American Express Membership Rewards points a year

Annual rewards

$722.76
in National Bank Rewards points a year
+ $0
not reached at this spending

Welcome bonus

+ $0
no welcome offer
− $799

Annual fee

Better of the two− $125
− $180
2.5% on $600/mo

FX fees

− $180
2.5% on $600/mo
$164.42

First-year value

Better of the two$417.76

Finly rebates are paid on top and aren't counted in these values.

Where each card earns

A year of your spending on each card, category by category, biggest spend first.

Amex Platinum Business earns more on 17 of your 17 categories.

$299.14Better of the two
at 1.25x

All Other Business Expenses

$12,600 a year

$189
at 1.5x
$146.15Better of the two
at 1.25x

US Dollar Purchases

$6,150 a year

$92.28
at 1.5x
$114Better of the two
at 1.25x

Recurring Bills & Subscriptions

$4,800 a year

$72
at 1.5x
$85.5Better of the two
at 1.25x

Gas & EV Charging

$3,600 a year

$54
at 1.5x
$85.5Better of the two
at 1.25x

Dining & Restaurants

$3,600 a year

$54
at 1.5x
$71.14Better of the two
at 1.25x

Office Supplies

$3,000 a year

$45
at 1.5x
$57Better of the two
at 1.25x

Phone, Internet & Cable

$2,400 a year

$36
at 1.5x
$42.64Better of the two
at 1.25x

Hotels

$1,800 a year

$27
at 1.5x
$42.64Better of the two
at 1.25x

Shipping & Courier

$1,800 a year

$27
at 1.5x
$42.64Better of the two
at 1.25x

Accounting & Bookkeeping

$1,800 a year

$27
at 1.5x
$29.18Better of the two
at 1.25x

Other Foreign Currencies (EUR, GBP, etc.)

$1,230 a year

$18.48
at 1.5x
$28.5Better of the two
at 1.25x

Electronics & Software

$1,200 a year

$18
at 1.5x
$28.5Better of the two
at 1.25x

Air Canada

$1,200 a year

$18
at 1.5x
$28.5Better of the two
at 1.25x

Transportation

$1,200 a year

$18
at 1.5x
$14.14Better of the two
at 1.25x

Other Airlines

$600 a year

$9
at 1.5x
$14.14Better of the two
at 1.25x

Car Rental

$600 a year

$9
at 1.5x
$14.14Better of the two
at 1.25x

Other Travel

$600 a year

$9
at 1.5x
$1,143.42Better of the two

Rewards in a year

$722.76

Welcome bonus

Each offer as the issuer words it, then which milestones your spending reaches.

Amex Platinum Business

  • Earn up to 120,000 bonus Membership Rewards® points
  • Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you charge $15,000 in net purchases to your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership
  • Plus, earn 40,000 points when you make a purchase between 15 and 17 months of Cardmembership
  • That’s up to $1,200 in statement credit that can be reinvested in your business

National Bank Platinum Business Mastercard

No welcome bonus right now.

Amex Platinum Business

Worth $0 at your spending

80,000 MR points when you spend $15,000 in the first 3 months

0 pts

40,000 MR points when you make a purchase in months 15-17 (card year 2)

40,000 pts

40,000 points when you make a purchase between 15 and 17 months of Cardmembership (card year 2)

40,000 pts

National Bank Platinum Business Mastercard

No welcome bonus to work towards right now.

Fees, rates and eligibility

What each card costs to hold and to use abroad, and who it's for.

$799

Annual fee

Better of the two$125
$250 per Platinum, $0 per Gold (max 99)

Employee cards

$50
2.5%

Foreign transaction fee

2.5%
American Express Membership Rewards

Rewards

National Bank Rewards
American Express

Network

Mastercard

Amex Platinum Business

Interest rates

Purchase:

21.99% - 30%1

Cash Advance:

21.99% - 30%1

1 This charge Card has both Due in Full and Flexible Payment Option balances. All Due in Full balances must be paid each month. Interest rate of 30% applies to each delinquent Due in Full charge. The Preferred rate of 21.99% applies to your Flexible Payment Option balance. If you have 2 separate Missed Payments in a 12 month period, the Flexible Payment Option rate for your account will be 25.99%. If you have 3 or more separate Missed Payments in a 12 month period, the Flexible Payment Option rate will be 29.99%. These rates are effective from the day account is opened.

Recommended credit score

300
Poor
693
Fair
743⁎
Good
790⁎
Very Good
833⁎
Excellent
⁎Estimates based on TransUnion scoring

Income required

Min Personal Income:

N/A

Min Household Income:

N/A

National Bank Platinum Business Mastercard

Interest rates

Purchase:

20.99%

Cash Advance:

22.99%

Balance Transfer:

22.99%

Recommended credit score

300
Poor
560
Fair
660⁎
Good
725⁎
Very Good
760⁎
Excellent
⁎Estimates based on Equifax scoring

Income required

Min Personal Income:

N/A

Min Household Income:

N/A

How each card earns

The earn rates and caps, as each issuer sets them.

Amex Platinum Business

  • 1.25x points per $1 spent on all purchases

National Bank Platinum Business Mastercard

  • Earn 1.5 points per dollar spent,6 with no purchase limit
  • Earn an additional 1.5 points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases with À la carte TravelTM agrency6
  • Combine your accumulated points with your personal National Bank rewards card

Insurance and perks

What both cards include comes first in each list.

Amex Platinum Business

Insurance

  • lost baggage

    Lost or Stolen Baggage

    $1,000
  • hourglass timer

    Baggage Delay

    $1,000
  • car insurance

    Car Rental Damage & Theft

    Yes
  • heart lock

    Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance

    $500,000
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    1 year
  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    90 days
  • hourglass timer

    Flight Delay

    $1,000

  • mobile device insurance

    Mobile Device Insurance

    $1,500
  • burglar

    Hotel Burglary Insurance

    $1,000
  • travel accident medical

    Travel Medical Insurance (64 & under)

    15 days
  • cancel airplane

    Trip Cancellation

    $1,500
  • pause

    Trip Interruption

    $1,500

Perks

  • concierge

    Concierge Services

    Personalized concierge at your service
  • discount

    Discount

    Your Business Platinum Card gets you savings on the seats you really want and lower fares on premium tickets with participating airlines
  • grwoth

    Interest on Balance

    Up to 55 interest-free days
  • Amex logo

    American Express® Experiences

    Access Front Of The Line® Presale & Reserved Tickets to some of your favourite concerts, theatre shows, and special offers with American Express® Experiences
  • star fall

    Status lift

    Earn Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status by spending $30,000 or staying 10 nights combined with 15 Elite Night Credits. Status retention depends on Marriott Bonvoy terms.
  • bed furniture

    Free Extra Night at Hotels

    Each year, 8-10 weeks after your anniversary, receive a Free Night Award for a Marriott Bonvoy room up to 35,000 points, valid for 1 year. Resort fees excluded.
  • travel

    Travel Credit

    Access a $200 Annual Travel Credit each year of your Cardmembership
  • border guard

    Nexus Program Rebate

    Access a $100 credit for NEXUS with your Cardmembership
  • alcohol cheers

    Airport Lounge - American Express Global Lounge

    Take full advantage of the American Express Global Lounge CollectionTM which unlocks access to over 1400 airport lounges worldwide. This includes The Centurion® Lounge network, Plaza Premium Lounges, and hundreds of other domestic and international lounges designed to enhance your travel experience. Terms and Conditions apply.
  • hotel

    Complimentary Hotel Benefits

    Enjoy Fine Hotels + Resorts benefits at over 1,600 properties worldwide like guaranteed late check-out, complimentary breakfast for two, and more with Business Platinum.
  • airport waiting room

    Priority Travel

    At Toronto Pearson Airport get Priority Security lane, Complimentary valet and 15% discount at the Express Park and daily park
  • mobile phone wifi

    Wireless Credit

    Up to $120 in statement credits each year. Spend $10 each month with eligible wireless providers month and get a $10 credit.
  • business briefcase

    Business Statement Credits

    Up to $500 in business statement credits. Enroll and earn statement credits on eligible purchases with $200 Dell statement credit, $300 Indeed statement credit.

National Bank Platinum Business Mastercard

Insurance

  • lost baggage

    Lost or Stolen Baggage

    $1,000
  • hourglass timer

    Baggage Delay

    $500
  • car insurance

    Car Rental Damage & Theft

    Up to 48 days
  • heart lock

    Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance

    $250,000
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    2 years
  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    180 days
  • hourglass timer

    Flight Delay

    $500

Perks

No extra perks.

Our take

Amex Platinum Business

The most premium business card in Canada, and priced accordingly at $799/year. You get 1.25x Membership Rewards points on everything, a massive welcome bonus of up to 120,000 points, and a deep roster of perks: airport lounge access, hotel elite status, statement credits, and comprehensive insurance. The value proposition only works if you travel frequently and use the perks — the earn rate alone doesn’t justify the fee. But for businesses that fly often, entertain clients, and want best-in-class coverage, the benefits can far exceed the cost. Amex acceptance gaps in Canada remain a consideration.

  • Optimize all purchases
  • Premium travel perks
  • Comprehensive insurance
  • Interest grace period
  • Business statement credits
  • High annual fee
  • Limited acceptance

National Bank Platinum Business Mastercard

A flat 1.5 points per dollar on everything, no caps, no category juggling. For businesses with varied spending that don’t want to think about optimizing categories, this card keeps it simple. The $125 annual fee is reasonable and the points never expire as long as your account is open. The trade-off is that you’re locked into National Bank’s À la carte Rewards for the best value — and the insurance and travel perks are minimal compared to what you’d get from premium cards at a similar price point. Best for businesses that value predictability over maximum return.

  • Earn 1.5 points per $1 spent with no purchase limit
  • Available regardless of company size or industry
  • Ability to combine points with a personal National Bank rewards card
  • $125 annual fee ($50 per additional card)
  • Points program is most valuable within National Bank’s rewards ecosystem
  • Limited insurance coverage compared to premium competitors

More business card comparisons

Each card against every other business card we review.

Legal


Amex Platinum Business

*Terms and conditions apply.


This charge Card has both Due in Full and Flexible Payment Option balances. All Due in Full balances must be paid each month. Interest rate of 30% applies to each delinquent Due in Full charge. The Preferred rate of 21.99% applies to your Flexible Payment Option balance. If you have 2 separate Missed Payments in a 12 month period, the Flexible Payment Option rate for your account will be 25.99%. If you have 3 or more separate Missed Payments in a 12 month period, the Flexible Payment Option rate will be 29.99%. These rates are effective from the day account is opened.


American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.

National Bank Platinum Business Mastercard

Little details that matter


Length of the welcome promotion
 

From March 4 to September 16, 2025.
 

Eligibility conditions
 

  • Sign up for a National Bank Platinum Business Mastercard® credit card during the promotion as a primary cardholder.
  • Not have held one of our business Mastercard credit cards from National Bank over the past 24 months as a business primary cardholder.
  • Keep the credit card account open until rewards points are paid.
  • Keep the account in good standing by complying with the conditions set out in the Cardholder Agreement for Mastercard®Business Cardsopens in a new tab until the rewards points are paid. For example, all minimum payments must be made on time.
  • Not be employed by National Bank or one of its subsidiaries.

Description of the promotion
 

Up to up to 60,000 rewards points after signing up and annual fees reimbursed for the first year for the primary cardholder and the first additional authorized user.
 

Annual fees
 

No annual fees for the first year for the primary cardholder and the first additional authorized user.
 

We will charge annual fees to the account of your new card and reimburse those fees to you. You will receive this reimbursement within five months of opening your account, provided that your account remains open. It will appear on your statement in the form of a credit.
 

To benefit from the annual fee discount for the first additional authorized user’s card, you must add it to the account opening request.  

Annual fees associated with cards for other authorized users are not eligible for this promotion. 

Points offered

Conditions

When points are awarded to the account

30 000

$5,000 in purchases in the first three months

At the end of the fifth month following the membership.

30 000

$20,000 in purchases per month for the first 12 months

At the end of the fifteenth month following the membership.

How total purchases are calculated

The calculation is for the total amount of purchases made through all cards linked to the account. The transactions not included in the calculation are set out in article 1.5 of the À la carte Rewards Planopens in a new tabTM.
 

Other conditions

  • You can only take advantage of the promotion once. 
  • Issuance of the card is subject to credit approval by National Bank of Canada. Other conditions apply to the issue of the card.
  • This promotion may not be combined with any other promotion or offer applicable to National Bank credit cards, nor is it retroactive.
  • This promotion may be modified or withdrawn without notice.

  • Points per $ spent6

$1 purchase = 1.5 points    You can earn points even faster by making your purchases through the À la carte Travel™ online agency.   

  • Travel discounts

The À la carte™ Rewards Plan gives you the freedom to travel without restrictions with the travel provider or carrier of your choice. For information on travel discounts, visit rewards.nbc.ca.

  • À la carte Travel

With the À la carte Travel™ online agency, reduce the cost of your packages and airline tickets by redeeming your points. Additionally, you can plan your entire trip by booking hotels, cruises, vehicles and other services.   

Discover the À la carte Travel Agencyopens in a new tab

  • Account credit 

Visit Plan rules for all the details.


Summary and insurance certificate

Consult the Purchase protection summaryopens in a new tab | Travel insurance summary | Insurance Certificate [PDF].
 

Compensation plan in the event of fraud

Up to $ 10,000 (see the Cardholder Agreement)
 

Purchase protection in the event of theft or damage 4

180-day purchase protection following the date of purchase
 

Extended warranty 4

Triple the manufacturer's warranty, up to 2 additional years
 

Flight departure delay insurance 4

Up to $500 per person (over 4 hours)
 

Baggage insurance in case of theft or loss 4

Up to $1,000 per person
 

Baggage insurance in case of delay 4

Up to $500 per person (over 6 hours)
 

Vehicle rental insurance 4

Against collision, theft or damage for a period of 48 days or less (theft of personal effects up to $2,000)
 

Travel insurance in case of accident aboard public transit 4

Up to $250,000
 

Safe online purchases

Mastercard® ID CheckTM is a service that protects you against fraud by verifying your identity when making online purchases.


Easy Savings Program 5

With the Mastercard Easy Savings Programopens in a new tab you automatically receive discounts on eligible purchases at participating merchants. For a list of participating merchants, go to mastercard.ca/easysavings.



Customer service or report a lost or stolen card

À la carte Rewards Centre


Insurance claim


Report fraudulent use by an authorized cardholder


Chargeback


®Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated. Authorized user: National Bank
 

®À LA CARTE REWARDS PLAN is a registered trademark of National Bank.
 

™À LA CARTE TRAVEL and À LA CARTE REWARDS are trademarks of National Bank of Canada. À la carte Travel is owned by Transat Distribution Canada Inc., holder of permit No. 753141 in Quebec.
 

1. Some restrictions apply. For more information, see the Rewards Plan section or the Points Earning Plan Rules.opens in a new tab
 

2. This coverage applies to purchases and rentals charged in part to the card, except out-of-province medical/hospital insurance for which the travel arrangements need not be charged to the card, and lost or delayed luggage insurance where all transportation costs must be charged to the card. This coverage applies to the primary cardholder, their spouse and/or dependent children when they (spouse and/or dependent children) travel with the primary cardholder. Extended warranty coverage applies to most new items purchased with the card, in Canada or abroad, as long as the manufacturer's warranty is valid in Canada. Certain conditions and restrictions apply. For more information and for details of your insurance coverage, please consult the insurance certificate associated with your cardopens in a new tab.
 

3. Grace period: No interest will be charged on purchases made during the month, provided the client pays the balance in full within twenty-one (21) days of the statement date. This grace period does not apply to cash advances or balance transfers. Minimum payment: If your account balance is lower than $10, you must pay the entire balance. If you reside in the province of Quebec, your minimum payment will correspond to 2.5% of the credit card account balance plus any overdue payment or $10, whichever amount is higher. If you are a business that chose the corporate responsibility, please refer to the cardholder agreement and account statement. Account statement: A statement is sent monthly.

 

Average balance

Annual interest rate

$500

$3,000

22.99%

$9.45

$56.69

20.99%

$8.63

$51.76

14.5%

$5.96

$35.75

11.7%

$4.81

$28.85


*Variable interest rate in effect on April 24, 2023.

4. Subject to credit approval from National Bank. The total of all amounts transferred cannot exceed $5,000.
 

5. Certain conditions apply. Visit mastercard.caopens in a new tab for more information. Refer to the credit card terms and conditions.
 

6. Certain restrictions apply. You must, therefore, first pay for your trip in full with an eligible credit card to redeem your points. Your travel credit will take effect approximately 72 hours after the exchange. For more information, consult the Rewards plan section or the Plan rulesopens in a new tab regarding how to earn points.


National Bank is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. If you apply and get approved for a National Bank Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from National Bank, which can be in the form of monetary payment.