BMO® Ascend World Elite®* Business Mastercard®* vs National Bank Platinum Business Mastercard

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

BMO® Ascend World Elite®* Business Mastercard®*

BMO® Ascend World Elite®* Business Mastercard®*

4.2

Learn more
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.

$1,125

First-year value

$418

$306

Every year after

$418

BMO® Ascend World Elite®* Business Mastercard®* is worth $707 more to your business in year one.

From year two, National Bank Platinum Business Mastercard pulls ahead by $112 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.

$635
in BMO Rewards points a year

Annual rewards

Better of the two$722.76
in National Bank Rewards points a year
+ $670Better of the two
first year only

Welcome bonus

+ $0
no welcome offer
$149− $0Better of the two
$149 from year two

Annual fee

− $125
− $180
2.5% on $600/mo

FX fees

− $180
2.5% on $600/mo
$1,125Better of the two

First-year value

$417.76

Where each card earns

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

National Bank Platinum Business Mastercard earns more on 14 of your 17 categories, BMO® Ascend World Elite®* Business Mastercard®* on 3.

$126.63
at 1.5x

All Other Business Expenses

$12,600 a year

Better of the two$189
at 1.5x
$61.83
at 1.5x

US Dollar Purchases

$6,150 a year

Better of the two$92.28
at 1.5x
$48.24
at 1.5x

Recurring Bills & Subscriptions

$4,800 a year

Better of the two$72
at 1.5x
$96.48Better of the two
at 4x

Gas & EV Charging

$3,600 a year

$54
at 1.5x
$36.18
at 1.5x

Dining & Restaurants

$3,600 a year

Better of the two$54
at 1.5x
$80.4Better of the two
at 4x

Office Supplies

$3,000 a year

$45
at 1.5x
$64.32Better of the two
at 4x

Phone, Internet & Cable

$2,400 a year

$36
at 1.5x
$18.09
at 1.5x

Hotels

$1,800 a year

Better of the two$27
at 1.5x
$18.09
at 1.5x

Shipping & Courier

$1,800 a year

Better of the two$27
at 1.5x
$18.09
at 1.5x

Accounting & Bookkeeping

$1,800 a year

Better of the two$27
at 1.5x
$12.38
at 1.5x

Other Foreign Currencies (EUR, GBP, etc.)

$1,230 a year

Better of the two$18.48
at 1.5x
$12.06
at 1.5x

Electronics & Software

$1,200 a year

Better of the two$18
at 1.5x
$12.06
at 1.5x

Air Canada

$1,200 a year

Better of the two$18
at 1.5x
$12.06
at 1.5x

Transportation

$1,200 a year

Better of the two$18
at 1.5x
$6.03
at 1.5x

Other Airlines

$600 a year

Better of the two$9
at 1.5x
$6.03
at 1.5x

Car Rental

$600 a year

Better of the two$9
at 1.5x
$6.03
at 1.5x

Other Travel

$600 a year

Better of the two$9
at 1.5x
$635

Rewards in a year

Better of the two$722.76

Welcome bonus

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

BMO® Ascend World Elite®* Business Mastercard®*

  • Get over $1,500 in value.1
  • This includes up to 100,000 bonus BMO Rewards Points in your first year (that’s $669 in value).1
  • Earn 20,000 bonus BMO Rewards Points (a value of $135) when you make your first purchase.1
  • Earn 8,000 bonus BMO Reward Points from months 3-12 by spending a minimum of $3,000 each month (a value of up to $535).1

National Bank Platinum Business Mastercard

No welcome bonus right now.

BMO® Ascend World Elite®* Business Mastercard®*

Worth $670 at your spending

20,000 BMO Rewards Points on first purchase

20,000 pts

8,000 points per month when you spend $3,000+/month in months 3-12 (up to 80,000 total)

80,000 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.

$149
$0 the first year

Annual fee

Better of the two$125
$50

Employee cards

$50
2.5%

Foreign transaction fee

2.5%
BMO Rewards

Rewards

National Bank Rewards
Mastercard

Network

Mastercard

BMO® Ascend World Elite®* Business Mastercard®*

Interest rates

Purchase:

18.99%

Cash Advance:

23.99%

Balance Transfer:

23.99%

Recommended credit score

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

Income required

Min Personal Income:

$80,000

Min Household Income:

$150,000

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.

BMO® Ascend World Elite®* Business Mastercard®*

  • Get 4 points for every $1 you spend on gas, office supplies, cell phone and internet bill payments3,4
  • Get 1.5 points for every $1 you spend on all other card purchases3,4

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.

BMO® Ascend World Elite®* Business Mastercard®*

Insurance

  • lost baggage

    Lost or Stolen Baggage

    $1,000
  • hourglass timer

    Baggage Delay

    $500
  • car insurance

    Car Rental Damage & Theft

    Included
  • 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

    $500

  • car accident

    Car Rental Accident

    $200,000
  • burglar

    Hotel Burglary Insurance

    $1,000
  • luggage insurance

    Car Rental Personal Effects

    $1,000
  • luggage insurance

    Personal Effects

    $1,000
  • cancel airplane

    Trip Cancellation

    $2,500
  • pause

    Trip Interruption

    $2,000

Perks

  • alcohol cheers

    Airport Lounge - Dragon Pass

    complimentary membership to Mastercard Travel Pass provided by DragonPass, plus 2 free lounge passes a year.
  • gas station

    Gas Discount

    Get up to 7 cents off per litre on all your Shell®± fuel – just for being a BMO cardholder[9]

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

BMO® Ascend World Elite®* Business Mastercard®*

BMO’s strongest business points card, with 4x on gas, office supplies, and telecom — categories where most businesses naturally spend. That translates to roughly 2.7% return in those categories, which is competitive. The welcome bonus of up to 100,000 points (~$670 value) and first-year fee rebate make the first year especially strong. You also get airport lounge access and solid travel insurance. The weak spot is the 1.5x base rate on everything else and the annual spending caps on bonus categories. At $149/year, it works well for businesses that spend meaningfully on fuel, supplies, and phone/internet. Less compelling if your spending is spread across categories this card doesn’t bonus.

  • Impressive optimization
  • Generous welcome bonus
  • First-year fee rebate
  • Airport lounge access
  • Comprehensive coverage
  • Shell fuel discounts
  • Additional employee cards
  • High annual fee
  • Low base earn rate
  • Annual spending caps
  • High income requirements
  • Low point values
  • Additional cardholder fees
  • Limited bonus categories

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


BMO® Ascend World Elite®* Business Mastercard®*

1 a) The value of up to $1,520 could be earned in the first year of Account opening and is based on the combined total value of:

b) BMO Ascend World Elite Business Mastercard applications must be received between June 3, 2024 and December 13, 2025 (the “Offer Period”) to be eligible for this offer. 20,000 BMO Rewards points will be applied to your BMO Rewards Collector Account only after the first eligible Purchase is made on the account (less refunds and excluding cash advances, cash-like transactions, interest charges, fees, credit or debit adjustments) in the first 75 days after the account open date, as long your account is open and in good standing at the time you qualify for the points. 20,000 BMO Rewards first-use bonus points will be credited to your Collector Account within three (3) business days following the qualifying spend. Receive additional 8,000 BMO monthly Rewards points after you spend a minimum of $3,000 (less refunds and excluding cash advances, cash-like transactions, interest charges, fees, credit or debit adjustments) per month within month 3 – 12 (Month 3 starts on Day 76 and Month 12 ends Day 375) after the account open date, as long your account is open and in good standing at the time you qualify for the additional points. BMO Rewards monthly bonus points will be credited to your Collector Account within seven (7) business days following the qualifying $3,000 net monthly spend. The primary cardholder’s annual fee of $149 will be rebated in the first year and will appear as a fee and a credit on the primary cardholder’s first statement. The primary cardholder’s annual card fee applies after the first year and will appear on your account statement twelve (12) months after the account open date. Your credit card account must be open and in Good Standing at the time the annual card fee rebate is awarded. If an additional cardholder is added to the account within the first year, the Additional Card annual fee of $50 per card will be charged at a prorated rate and will not be waived or rebated. This offer is not available to current or former BMO Ascend World Elite Business Mastercard cardholders who reinstate a closed account or open a new account during the “Offer Period”. Existing BMO credit card cardholders who transfer into this product during the Offer Period are not eligible for this offer. If you cancel your card within ninety (90) days of account opening, the welcome bonus will be cancelled. If you receive points in error, we reserve the right to deduct them from your points balance. This offer may be withdrawn or changed without notice.

c) You can redeem for travel rewards at bmorewards.com or by calling the BMO Rewards Centre. Points can be used to cover any applicable taxes and fees. If you don’t have enough points to redeem a particular travel reward, you can top up the number of points you need by purchasing those points on your card. There is no maximum top up amount for travel rewards. There is no online booking fee. We charge fees plus applicable taxes for each phone reservation, modification or cancellation of a travel reservation. For fees, please see the Important Information enclosure that is provided with your BMO credit card and any notice that we may provide you. Supplier fees for each change or cancellation to your travel arrangements may also apply and will be disclosed at the time of booking based on your specific travel reservation. Booking fees, change fees and cancellation fees are non-refundable. All travel rewards are subject to availability. Additional points or cash can be used to pay for all or a portion of the flight taxes and fees or a higher value flight.


  • $149: The annual fee waiver for the first year.
  • $182: Complimentary membership ($68) in Mastercard Travel Pass provided by DragonPass and two complimentary passes ($32 each) at an approximate exchange rate of $1.38 USD as of November 1, 2023 ($132 USD = $182 CAD).
  • $520: Five free virtual care visits on Maple shared by you ($520 based on the approximate annual value of 5 GP).
  • $669: 100,000 BMO Rewards points based on the following requirements:
    • First-Use Bonus of 20,000 BMO Reward points earned when you make your first purchase with your card in the first 75 days after the account open date.
    • Monthly Bonus Offer: 8,000 BMO Reward Points per month when you spend at least $3,000 per month within month 3 – 12 (Month 3 starts on Day 76 and Month 12 ends Day 375) after the account open date.

3 You will earn 4 BMO Rewards points for each dollar you spend (up to an annual limit of $50,000) at gas stations, office supply stores, and on your cell phone/internet (phone) bill payments. The 4 BMO Rewards points includes the base earn rate of 1.5 BMO Rewards points for each dollar you spend and the bonus of 2.5 BMO Rewards points for each dollar you spend in qualifying gas, office or cell phone/internet purchases. To qualify for the bonus reward points, your purchases must be made at merchants classified in the Mastercard network as Service Stations (gas stations with or without ancillary services) and Automated Fuel Dispensers (Merchant Codes: 5541 & 5542), Stationery and Office Supply Stores (Merchant Codes: 5111 & 5943) and Cellphone/Internet billings (Merchant Codes: 4812, 4814 & 4816). Some merchants may sell similar products/services or are separate merchants who are located on the premises of these merchants but are classified in another manner, in which case this bonus earn would not apply. After you reach yearly cap of $50,000 in qualifying gas, office or cell phone/internet purchases, you will earn 1.5 BMO Rewards points for each dollar you spend on these purchases and on all other eligible purchases made with the card.


4 Subject to the BMO Rewards Terms and Conditions for Business, BMO Rewards points are calculated based on purchases of goods or services charged to the BMO Ascend World Elite Business Mastercard account, less any refunds or adjustments, rounded down to the nearest whole point. Cash advances (including purchases of foreign currency or travellers cheques), interest charges, fees, credit or debit adjustments and any amount other than purchases that may be charged to the account with the card, do not qualify for points. Bank of Montreal may establish other qualifying and nonqualifying transactions from time to time.


9 This offer is available only to AIR MILES collectors who have linked their BMO credit card with their AIR MILES collector account. To receive the savings at the pump, the eligible AIR MILES collector number must be connected to your BMO credit card and the eligible AIR MILES collector number must be valid at the time of the purchase transaction.
To qualify for the offer, eligible collectors with a BMO credit card:
Can receive their fuel discount at the pump once the customer input their AIR MILES collector number and complete the payment with the BMO credit or debit card that has been linked to their AIR MILES collector account.
BMO AIR MILES credit card holders with a valid AIR MILES collector account will receive an instant discount of $0.02 per litre on regular fuel (Shell Bronze and Shell Silver) and $0.07 per litre of premium fuel (Shell V-Power NiTRO+ or Shell V-Power NiTRO+ 91 or Shell V-Power NiTRO+ 93) at Shell (excluding Flying J locations) between March 18, 2024, to December 31, 2024, to a maximum of 1,000 litres in one month.
BMO non-AIR MILES credit card holders, including other BMO Mastercard and BMO Visa* holders must link their credit card to an existing or new AIR MILES collector account at airmilescardlink.ca/bmo-shell-benefit to be valid for this offer. The Opt-in process might take up to 5 days before the benefit is provided, then eligible AIR MILES collectors will receive an instant discount of $0.02 per litre on regular fuel (Shell Bronze and Shell Silver) and $0.07 per litre of premium fuel (Shell V-Power NiTRO+ or Shell V-Power NiTRO+ 91 or Shell V-Power NiTRO+ 93) at Shell (excluding Flying J locations) between March 18, 2024, to December 31, 2024, to a maximum of 1,000 litres in one month. This is a limited time offer and may be changed, extended, or withdrawn at any time without notice.
All BMO AIR MILES Mastercard credit card holders are automatically linked to their AIR MILES collector card, and thus, are automatically eligible for this offer.
All BMO non-AIR MILES Mastercard credit holders, by linking their BMO Mastercard to their AIR MILES collector card, are automatically enrolled in this Shell CPL offer and in other AIR MILES card-linked offers. To learn more about other AIR MILES card-linked offers, visit https://www.airmilescardlink.ca/.
BMO, AIR MILES, and Shell reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to suspend, disqualify, limit or revoke this offer to any person or account holder manipulating or otherwise abusing the process, fairness, integrity or operation of the offer. This offer will be in addition to any other offers available for you.
Shell and their affiliates are not liable or responsible for any of the services and products offered/provided by BMO. Please note that any information you provide directly to Shell or that Shell obtains about you as a Shell customer or participant will be governed by Shell’s Privacy Notice.
Offer is subject to the Terms and Conditions of your BMO Mastercard Cardholder Agreement or BMO Visa Cardholder Agreement.


BMO is not responsible for maintaining the content on this site. Please click on the Apply now link for the most up to date information.

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.