MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard® vs MBNA True Line® Gold Mastercard®: Which one is better?

MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard®
3.4

MBNA True Line® Gold Mastercard®
3.9
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$362.41
MBNA Rewards
First Year Bonus Value
$152.97
MBNA Rewards
Annual Fee
$0
First Year Value
$515.37
$362.41 in years after
Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
Rewards Breakdown
N/A
Insurance Included*
Extended Warranty
Up to a yearPurchase Protection
Up to 90 daysMobile Device Insurance
$1000
Insurance Included*
Extended Warranty
Doubled up to 1 yearPurchase Protection
90 days
Extra Benefits*
Car Rental Discount
10% off base rate of Avis Rent A Car and Budget Rent A Car in Canada and US and 5% internationallyAnnual Birthday Bonus
10% of the Points earned the 12 months prior to the primary cardholder's birthday month (up to a max 10,000 bonus points per year)
Extra Benefits*
Car Rental Discount
10% off base rate of Avis Rent A Car and Budget Rent A Car in Canada and US and 5% internationallyTrip and legal Assistance
Interest Rates*
Purchase:
19.99%
Cash Advance:
24.99%
Balance Transfer:
22.99%
Interest Rates*
Purchase:
10.99%
Cash Advance:
24.99%
Balance Transfer:
13.99%
Annual Fee*
$0
Annual Fee*
$39
Income Required*
Min Personal Income:
N/A
Min Household Income:
N/A
Income Required*
Min Personal Income:
N/A
Min Household Income:
N/A
Welcome Bonus*
5,000 bonus points for going paperless, 5,000 bonus points after spending $500 in 90 days, and 4 points†† for every $1 spent on eligible restaurant, grocery, digital media, membership and household utility purchases during the first 90 days. This offer is not available for residents of Quebec.
Welcome Bonus*
N/A
Rewards Rate*
- Earn 4 points†† for every $1 spent on eligible restaurant, grocery, digital media, membership and household utility purchases during the first 90 days (these earn rates apply until $10,000 is spent annually in the applicable category)
- 2 points‡ for every $1 spent on restaurant, grocery, digital media, membership and household utility purchases (these earn rates apply until $10,000 is spent annually in the applicable category)
- 1 point‡ for every $1 spent on all other eligible purchases
- Each year, you will receive Birthday Bonus Points‡ equal to 10% of the total number of Points earned in the 12 months before the month of your birthday, to a maximum Birthday Bonus each year of 10,000 Points
Rewards Rate*
- No rewards earned on purchases
- Standard Annual Interest Rates of 10.99% on purchases, 13.99% on balance transfers✪, and 24.99% on cash advances
- Use available credit on your credit card to transfer funds right to your chequing account.
- Around-the-clock-fraud protection
Loyalty Program*
Loyalty Program*
N/A
Point Redemption Options*
Most Optimal
Travel
1¢ / pointGift Cards
0.85¢ / pointStatement Credits (Cash) - World Elite
0.83¢ / pointMerchandise
0.8¢ / pointStatement Credits (Cash) - Platinum
0.5¢ / point
Point Redemption Options*
Not Applicable
Is this card worth it?
The MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus MasterCard is a solid no-annual-fee card choice with high returns on restaurant and grocery purchases, which are the most common spending categories for most people. Additionally, it offers one of the highest signup bonuses for a no-annual-fee card. However, there are two main considerations before choosing this card. If you are open to a card with an annual fee, many other cards offer better rewards. Furthermore, the points earned need to be used for travel to fully benefit from this card; otherwise, if you are not planning to use the points for travel, you are better off with a cashback or another type of card.
Is this card worth it?
A great card for having a permanently low interest rate on your purchases and balance transfers, however you do not earn any rewards.
Pros
- One of the best no-annual-fee credit cards in Canada, both in terms of rewards and signup bonus.
- Both restaurants and groceries, two of the most commonly spent categories, earn decent rewards.
- Great annual birthday bonus with up to $100 in value.
Pros
- Low purchase interest rate for people planning to put some balance on their credit card.
Cons
- Points must be used for travel otherwise the points won't have much value
- There are better alternative cards both for cashback and paid cards that have higher reward rates
Cons
- High cash advance interest rate at 24.99%
- No rewards earned on purchases
Legal