Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card

Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card

APPLY NOW
Scotiabank® Scene+ Visa Card

Scotiabank® Scene+ Visa Card

APPLY NOW

Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card vs Scotiabank® Scene+ Visa Card: Which one is better?


Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card

Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card

4.9


RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE*

300
Poor
560
Fair
660
Good
725
Very Good
760
Excellent

Scotiabank® Scene+ Visa Card

Scotiabank® Scene+ Visa Card

3.3


RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE*

300
Poor
560
Fair
660
Good
725
Very Good
760
Excellent

Rewards Breakdown

Annual Rewards

$644.5

Scene+


First Year Bonus Value

$400

Scene+


Annual Fee

$120


First Year Value

$924.5

$524.5 in years after

Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.

Rewards Breakdown

Annual Rewards

$245.65

Scene+


First Year Bonus Value

$50

Scene+


Annual Fee

$0


First Year Value

$295.65

$245.65 in years after

Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.

Insurance Included*

  • lost baggage

    Lost or Stolen Baggage

    $500/person, $1000/trip
  • hourglass timer

    Baggage Delay

    $500/person, $1,000/trip After 4 hours
  • car insurance

    Car Rental Damage & Theft

    $65K up to 48 days
  • heart lock

    Travel Accident

    $500K/person, $1M/occurrence
  • mobile device insurance

    Mobile Device Insurance

    $1,000
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    Up to 1 year
  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    90 days
  • burglar

    Hotel Burglary Insurance

    $1000/occurrence
  • travel accident medical

    Emergency Out of province Medical

    $1M, Up to 25 days
  • travel accident medical

    Emergency Medical Over 65

    $1M, Up to 3 days
  • cancel airplane

    Trip Cancellation

    $1500/person, $10000/trip
  • pause

    Trip Interruption

    $1500/person, $10,000/trip
  • hourglass timer

    Flight Delay

    $500/person

Insurance Included*

N/A

Extra Benefits*

  • exchange money

    No Foreign Transaction Fees

    Avoid the 2.5% foreign transaction fees incurred when spending in non $CAD
  • concierge

    Concierge Services

  • discount

    Discount

    Discount on PriorityPass Membership
  • Amex logo

    American Express® Experiences

Extra Benefits*

  • car rental

    Car Rental Discount

    25% off base rate of Avis Rent A Car and Budget Rent A Car

Interest Rates*

Purchase:

20.99%

Cash Advance:

22.99%

Balance Transfer:

22.99%

Interest Rates*

Purchase:

20.99%2

Cash Advance:

22.99%2

Balance Transfer:

22.99%2

Annual Fee*

$120

Annual Fee*

$0

Income Required*

Min Personal Income:

$12,000

Min Household Income:

$12,000

Income Required*

Min Personal Income:

N/A

Min Household Income:

N/A

Welcome Bonus*

Earn 20,000 bonus Scene+ points by making at least $2,000 in everyday eligible purchases in your first 3 months. Plus, for a limited time, you are eligible to earn a 20,000 Scene+ point bonus when you spend at least $7,500 in everyday eligible purchases in your first year.

Welcome Bonus*

Earn 2,500 bonus Scene+ points by making at least $250 in everyday eligible purchases in your first 3 months. You are eligible to earn an additional 2,500 Scene+ point bonus when you spend at least $1,000 in everyday eligible purchases in your first 3 months. Terms Apply.

Rewards Rate*

  • Earn 6x Scene+ points on every $1 you spend at Sobeys, Safeway, Freshco, Foodland and more
  • Earn 5x Scene+ points for every $1 you spend on dining, food delivery and other eligible grocery stores. Includes popular food delivery and food subscriptions.
  • Earn 5x Scene+ points for every $1 you spend in Canada eligible entertainment purposes. Includes movies, theatre and ticket agencies stores.
  • Earn 3x Scene+ points for every $1 CAD you spend in Canada on eligible gas and daily transit options. Includes rideshares, buses, subway, taxis and more
  • Earn 3x Scene+ points for every $1 CAD you spend in Canada on eligible select streaming services
  • Plus earn 1 Scene+ point for every $1 spent on all other eligible everyday purchases
  • Earn additional benefits + up to 4x Scene+ points for every dollar you spend on hotel bookings, car rentals, and things to do with Scene+ Travel, Powered by Expedia

Rewards Rate*

  • Earn 2x Scene+ points on every $1 you spend at Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, Foodland, participating Co-ops, Freshco and more
  • Earn 2x Scene+ points for every $1 you spend on Home Hardware, Home Building Center, Home Furniture locations in Canada and online at homehardware.ca
  • Earn 2x Scene+ points for every $1 you spend at Cineplex theatres or online at cineplex.com
  • Plus earn 1 Scene+ point for every $1 spent on all other eligible everyday purchases
  • Earn additional benefits + up to 4x Scene+ points for every dollar you spend on hotel bookings, car rentals, and things to do with Scene+ Travel, Powered by Expedia

Loyalty Program*

Loyalty Program*

Point Redemption Options*

  • entertainment popcorn

    Entertainment

    1¢ / point
  • travel - plane

    Travel

    1¢ / point
  • groceries

    Groceries (Sobeys)

    1¢ / point
  • food location

    Restaurants

    1¢ / point
  • online shop

    Merchandise

    0.76¢ / point
  • gift card

    Gift Cards

    0.74¢ / point
  • cash coins

    Statement Credits (Cash)

    0.7¢ / point

Point Redemption Options*

  • entertainment popcorn

    Entertainment

    1¢ / point
  • travel - plane

    Travel

    1¢ / point
  • groceries

    Groceries (Sobeys)

    1¢ / point
  • food location

    Restaurants

    1¢ / point
  • online shop

    Merchandise

    0.76¢ / point
  • gift card

    Gift Cards

    0.74¢ / point
  • cash coins

    Statement Credits (Cash)

    0.7¢ / point

Is this card worth it?

The Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card is one of our favorite cards. It has a very solid rewards program, earning one of the highest rewards among all credit cards in Canada. In addition, it offers comprehensive travel benefits, including the rare and valuable no foreign transaction fee benefit, making it a great and balanced credit card in terms of both rewards and benefits. The first-year annual fee waiver is the cherry on top, providing even greater value to cardholders.

Is this card worth it?

We like this card because it offers solid rewards with no annual fee, including the opportunity to earn up to 5,000 bonus Scene+ points within the first 3 months. With 2x Scene+ points on purchases at popular grocery stores, home improvement retailers, and Cineplex, plus 1x points on all other purchases, it's a great option for maximizing everyday spending.

Pros

  • No foreign transaction fee saves you 2.5% on all non-CAD purchases.
  • Rewards cover all high-spending categories, including food, groceries, entertainment, and gas.
  • Comprehensive coverage of all travel insurance.

Pros

  • No Annual Fee: Enjoy all the benefits without any yearly cost.
  • Universal Rewards: Earn rewards on every purchase, no matter where you shop.
  • Flexible Redemption: Redeem your rewards with a variety of options tailored to your needs.

Cons

  • The card network is American Express, which might not be widely accepted in some countries, making it a bit harder to use the no foreign transaction fee benefit.
  • Having a lounge pass would have made this card even more perfect, but there is access to a discount code for lounge access pass purchases.

Cons

  • Limited Accelerated Categories: Fewer opportunities to earn bonus points in specific categories.
  • Specific Grocery Partners: Rewards at grocery stores are limited to select partners.
  • Lacks Travel Insurance: Missing some of the common travel insurance coverages offered by other cards.

Legal


*See Card Provider's website and Card Application for complete card details, terms and current offers. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accuracy of information. Check here for full details and current product information.
2 Rates, fees and other information are effective as of March 3, 2025. Subject to change.

We may earn a commission for some of the products featured on this site. The content and reviews on FinlyWealth are independent and not influenced by advertisers. For the latest details on any product, please visit the advertiser's official website. The content provided on this website, including any credit card recommendations, is for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice. The owner and author(s) of this website are not financial, legal, or tax professionals. All views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and may not reflect the best choice for your unique situation. Always consult with a qualified professional before making any financial decisions. The owner and author(s) of this website shall not be held liable for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions in the content or any resulting actions taken by readers.

Copyright © FinlyWealth 2025 All Rights Reserved.