RBC ION+ Visa vs BMO CashBack® World Elite® Mastercard®: Which one is better?

RBC ION+ Visa
3

BMO CashBack® World Elite® Mastercard®
4
Finly Rebate
N/A
Finly Rebate
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$425.98
RBC ION Avion
First Year Bonus Value
$70
RBC ION Avion
Annual Fee
$48
First Year Value
$447.98
$377.98 in years after
Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$500.78
First Year Bonus Value
$184
Annual Fee
$120
$0
First Year Waived
Finly Rebate
$75Exclusive Offer
First Year Value
$759.78
$380.78 in years after
Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
Insurance Included
Extended Warranty
Up to a yearPurchase Protection
90 daysMobile Device Insurance
$1,000
Insurance Included*
Extended Warranty
1 yearPurchase Protection
90 daysLost or Stolen Baggage
$500/person, $1,000 maximumBaggage Delay
$500/person, $1,000 maximum After 6 hoursCar Rental Damage & Theft
$65K up to 48 daysTravel Accident
$500,000Hotel Burglary Insurance
$1,000Emergency Out of province Medical
$5M up to 8 days per covered personFlight Delay
$500 After 4 hours delay
Extra Benefits
Gas Discount
save 3¢/L on fuel and always earn 20% more Petro-Points at Petro-CanadaExtra points
50 Be Well points for every $1 spent on eligible products at Rexall
Extra Benefits*
Gas Discount
Get up to 7 cents off per litre on Shell® fuel, only for BMO cardholders.Car Rental Discount
Save up to 20% on National Car Rental® and Alamo Rent A Car® and up to 5% on Enterprise Rent-A-Car® at locations worldwide using the Car Rental Booking toolAirport Lounge - Dragon Pass
Complimentary membership in Mastercard Travel Pass provided by DragonPass. As a member enjoy lounge access for a fee of just US$32 per person, per visit.Roadside Assistance
Including battery boosts, flat-tire change, lockout service and towing – a $69/year value.Hotel Booking Discount
Save up to 7% on your Booking.com prepaid hotel or property rental bookings at booking.com/mastercardcanada.Global Data Roaming plan
With FlexiRoam, stay connected around the world without a SIM card and get up to 15% off a Global Data Roaming plan plus up to 3GB of data, without any additional charges, if apply.
Interest Rates
Purchase:
20.99%
Cash Advance:
22.99%
Interest Rates*
Purchase:
21.99%
Cash Advance:
23.99%
Balance Transfer:
23.99%
Annual Fee
$48
Annual Fee*
$120
$0
First Year Waived
Income Required
Min Personal Income:
N/A
Min Household Income:
N/A
Income Required*
Min Personal Income:
$80,000
Min Household Income:
$150,000
Welcome Bonus
14,000 welcome Avion points (“Welcome Points”) will appear on your monthly credit card statement within sixty (60) days after your application has been approved, provided that your RBC ION+ Visa credit card account (“Credit Card Account”) remains open and in good standing at the time the Welcome points are credited to your account, “good standing” meaning that your Credit Card Account must not be past due for more than two (2) consecutive credit card account statement periods, closed, charged off or in credit revoked status.
Welcome Bonus*
Get up to 10% cash back in your first 3 months with an incremental cashback value of $194
Rewards Rate
- 3 points for every dollar in Grocery, Dining, Food Delivery, Rides, Gas, Electric Vehicle Charging, Streaming, and Digital Gaming & Subscriptions Purchases
- 1 point for everything else
Rewards Rate*
- 5% cash back on groceries (capped at $500 spending per statement, maximum of $25 in cashback per statement cycle)
- 4% cash back on daily transit (capped at $300 spending per statement, maximum of $12 in cashback per statement cycle)
- 3% cash back on gas (capped at $300 spending per statement, maximum of $9 in cashback per statement cycle)
- 2% cash back on recurring payments (capped at $500 spending per statement, maximum of $10 in cashback per statement cycle)
- 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
Loyalty Program
Loyalty Program*
N/A
Point Redemption Options
Most Optimal
Transfer to WestJet
1¢ / pointFinancial Products
0.83¢ / pointGift Cards
0.72¢ / pointMerchandise
0.7¢ / pointTravel
0.6¢ / pointStatement Credits (Cash)
0.58¢ / point
Point Redemption Options*
Not Applicable
Is this card worth it?
This card is not by any means one of our favorite cards. For an annual fee it offers almost no notable benefits, with many no annual fee credit cards offering much more. The points earned are fine, but given the inflexibility of ION Avion points, it's very hard to get good value for the points earned, and it's much easier to earn more and do the same with some other credit card reward programs.
Is this card worth it?
If you're seeking a cashback credit card, the BMO CashBack® World Elite® Mastercard® stands out for its excellent balance between rewards and benefits. It offers a robust rewards program and a comprehensive benefits list, making it a solid choice. The high first-year value is enhanced by the annual fee waiver, and those with a BMO Premium Chequing Account can enjoy continued fee waivers. While it's highly ranked for rewards alone, it may not be the absolute top choice if benefits are less important to you.
Pros
- Insurance coverage is very little for a card with annual fee. There are cards with no annual fee that offer even better benefits.
- Avion reward points are generally not very flexible and not as valuable if not used for WestJet travel; therefore, if that's not your plan, there are many better cards that can be used.
- The annual fee isn't justifiable based on the reward program this card offers.
Pros
- Offers one of the highest cashbacks on groceries and gas, two of the most frequently spent categories, compared to other credit cards in Canada.
- Includes roadside assistance, a rare but valuable benefit for people on the road.
- Provides a comprehensive list of insurance coverage and benefits.
- High first-year value.
Cons
- Bonus saving of 3 cents per liter on gas at Petro-Canada stations.
- 12,000 avion points welcome bonus.
Cons
- Does not include restaurant purchases as a reward category, which is one of the most important spending categories.
- Monthly limits on cash back could be higher


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