PC World Elite Mastercard vs SimplyCash™ Preferred Card from American Express: Which one is better?
PC World Elite Mastercard
3.1
RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE
SimplyCash™ Preferred Card from American Express
4.5
RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE*
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$271.16
PC Financial
Welcome Bonus
$100
PC Financial
Annual Fee
$0
First Year Value
$371.16
$271.16 in years after
Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$513.59
Welcome Bonus
$400
Annual Fee
$119.88
First Year Value
$793.71
$393.71 in years after
Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
Insurance Included
Emergency Out of province Medical
$1M, Up to 10 daysCar Rental Damage & Theft
Up to 31 daysPurchase Protection
90 daysExtended Warranty
Doubled up to a year
Insurance Included*
Emergency Out of province Medical
$1M, Up to 10 daysCar Rental Damage & Theft
Up to 31 daysPurchase Protection
90 daysExtended Warranty
Doubled up to a yearFlight Delay
$500Baggage Delay
$500Hotel Burglary Insurance
$500Lost or Stolen Baggage
$500Travel Accident
$100,000Mobile Device Insurance
$1000
Extra Benefits
Concierge Services
Identity Theft Assistance
Extra Benefits*
American Express Experiences
Interest Rates
Purchase:
21.99%
Cash Advance:
22.97%
Interest Rates*
Purchase:
21.99%2
Cash Advance:
21.99%2
Annual Fee
$0
Annual Fee*
$119.88
Income Required
Min Personal Income:
$80,000
Min Household Income:
$150,000
Income Required*
Min Personal Income:
N/A
Min Household Income:
N/A
Welcome Bonus
100,000 PC after approval of the application
Welcome Bonus*
You can earn a $40 statement credit for each monthly billing period in which you spend $750 on purchases with your card during the first 10 months.
Rewards Rate
Rewards Rate*
- 4% cash back on gas
- 4% cash back on groceries (maximum $1,200 annually)
- 2% cash back on all other credit card purchases
Loyalty Program
Loyalty Program*
N/A
Point Redemption Options
Groceries
0.1¢ / pointGas (Esso)
0.1¢ / point
Point Redemption Options*
Not Applicable
Is this card worth it?
This is a great card to have in your arsenal if you frequently shop at Shoppers Drug Mart®, Loblaw's owned chains, and ESSO and Mobil gas stations, as you will earn significant rewards in these categories. The additional benefits, such as out-of-province medical insurance, car rental damage insurance, and concierge service, are impressive and typically only come with cards that have annual fees; however, you can access these benefits for free with this card. We do not recommend using this as your primary credit card but as a supplement to another primary card, especially because there are no fees. This is because the rewards on purchases outside the mentioned shops are very average, and many other cards offer much more substantial rewards for general use.
Is this card worth it?
The Simply Cash Preferred is one of the best cashback credit cards in Canada. The base cashback rate of 2% is great for all purchases, but the 4% on groceries and gas, which are two of the highest expenses for most people is the cherry on top of their great cashback program.
Pros
- Out-of-province medical insurance, concierge service, and car rental damage insurance—benefits that are usually included with cards that have fees—are included with this card.
- Decent rewards on purchases at Shoppers Drug Mart®, Loblaw's owned chains, and ESSO and Mobil gas stations.
Pros
- Highest cashback rate on groceries and gas in Canada
- Great base cashback rate for all purchases
Cons
- Many other high-spend categories don't earn as many rewards. Shopping at any other grocery chains, gas stations, or pharmacies will only give the base reward rate, and restaurant purchases and purchases in other categories don't earn much either.
Cons
- For a card with an annual fee, the insurance coverage could have been higher
- American Express has a lower merchant acceptance compared to Visa or Mastercard
Other Comparisons
Other Comparisons
vs American Express Cobalt® Card
vs Rogers Red World Elite® Mastercard®
vs American Express Gold Rewards Card®
vs RBC ION+ Visa
vs Simplii Financial™ Cash Back Visa* Card
vs American Express® Green Card
vs MBNA Rewards World Elite® Mastercard®
vs Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite* Card
vs Amazon.ca Rewards Mastercard®
vs BMO CashBack® World Elite® Mastercard®
vs CIBC Costco Mastercard
vs Scotia Momentum® Visa* Card
Other Comparisons
Other Comparisons
vs American Express Cobalt® Card
vs Rogers Red Mastercard®
vs Rogers Red World Elite® Mastercard®
vs American Express Gold Rewards Card®
vs RBC ION+ Visa
vs Simplii Financial™ Cash Back Visa* Card
vs American Express® Green Card
vs Amazon.ca Rewards Mastercard®
vs Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card
vs BMO CashBack® World Elite® Mastercard®
vs CIBC Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card
vs CIBC Costco Mastercard
vs Scotia Momentum® Visa* Card
vs American Express® Aeroplan®* Card
vs SimplyCash® Card from American Express
vs American Express Platinum Card®
Legal