RBC ION Visa vs PC World Elite Mastercard: Which one is better?
RBC ION Visa
2.7
PC World Elite Mastercard
2.3
Welcome Bonus
Get 6,000 Avion points upon approval
Welcome Bonus
Earn 20,000 points when you get approved.
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$258.39
RBC ION Avion
First Year Bonus Value
+
$35
RBC ION Avion
Annual Fee
-
$0
First Year Value
$293.39
$258.39 in years after
Based on a hypothetical $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$266
PC Financial
First Year Bonus Value
+
$20
PC Financial
Annual Fee
-
$0
First Year Value
$286
$266 in years after
Based on a hypothetical $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
How to Earn Rewards
- 1.5 points for every dollar in grocery, rides, gas, electric vehicle charging, streaming, digital gaming, subscriptions and more
- 1 point for all other purchases
How to Earn Rewards
- 45 points per $1 dollar spent at Shoppers Drug Mart® stores
- 30 points per $1 dollar spent at Atlantic Superstore, Extra Foods, Fortinos, Loblaws, Maxi, Maxi & cie, no frills, Provigo, Real Canadian Superstore, SaveEasy, SuperValu, valu-mart, Your Independent Grocer, Zehrs
- 20 points per $1 spent in PC travel
- 19 points per $1 dollar spent at ESSO and Mobil (it's 30 points per liter and the assumption of average gas price of $1.6 was made)
- 10 points per $1 dollar spent for everything else
Insurance Included
Extended Warranty
Up to a year
Purchase Protection
90 days
Insurance Included
Extended Warranty
Doubled up to a yearPurchase Protection
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Car Rental Damage & Theft
Up to 31 days
Emergency Out of province Medical
$1M, Up to 10 days
Extra Benefits
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Gas Discount
save 3¢/L on fuel and always earn 20% more Petro-Points at Petro-Canada
Extra points
50 Be Well points for every $1 spent on eligible products at Rexall
Extra Benefits
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Concierge Services
Identity Theft Assistance
Interest Rates
Purchase:
20.99%
Cash Advance:
22.99%
Interest Rates
Purchase:
21.99%
Cash Advance:
22.97%
Annual Fee
$0
Annual Fee
$0
Income Required
Min Personal Income:
N/A
Min Household Income:
N/A
Income Required
Min Personal Income:
$80,000
Min Household Income:
$150,000
Loyalty Program
Loyalty Program
Point Redemption Options
Most Optimal
Transfer to WestJet
1¢ / point
Financial Products
0.83¢ / point
Gift Cards
0.72¢ / point
Merchandise
0.7¢ / point
Travel
0.6¢ / point
Statement Credits (Cash)
0.58¢ / point
Point Redemption Options
Groceries
0.1¢ / pointGas (Esso)
0.1¢ / point
Is this card worth it?
We actually don't like this card. It neither offers great benefits nor rewards, even for a free card. It's a very average card with many better and worse alternatives, both paid and free.
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.
Pros
- Good savings on gas if you are a regular petro-Canada gas customer.
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.
Cons
- Insurance coverage is the most basic.
- Reward categories are not the best.
- Avion reward points are generally less valuable.
- Many other cards with no annual fee are available that are all-around better cards than ION Visa.
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.
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