American Express® Green Card vs The Platinum Card®
Which one is better? Both cards worked out on the same spending: rewards, welcome bonus, fees and perks, line by line.
Welcome bonus
Each offer as the issuer words it. The numbers below show whether your spending reaches it.
The offer
The offer
Earn a Welcome Bonus of 10,000 points when you charge $1,000 in purchases to your Card in the first 3 months.
- Earn up to 100,000 Membership Rewards® points - that’s up to $1,000 towards a weekend away
- New Platinum® Cardmembers, earn 70,000 Welcome Bonus points after you charge $10,000 in net purchases to your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership
- Plus, earn 30,000 points when you make a purchase between 15 and 17 months of Cardmembership
What each card is worth
Rewards, the welcome bonus and any Finly rebate in, the annual fee and FX fees out, all on your spending.
Worked out on a typical $2,000 a month of spending. Enter yours to see your own numbers.
$611
First-year value
-$126
$421
Every year after
-$276
Amex Green is worth $736 more to you in year one.
It stays ahead after that, by $696 a year.
How the first year adds up
Annual rewards
$420.66
22,140 points a year
Welcome bonus
+ $190
first year only
Annual fee
− $0
no annual fee
First-year value
$610.66
Annual rewards
$523.26
27,540 points a year
Welcome bonus
+ $0
not reached at this spending
Annual fee
− $799
Finly rebate
paid by FinlyWealth
First-year value
-$125.74
Where each card earns
A year of your spending at each card's own reward rates, most first.
1xAll other purchases
22,140 pts
$420.66
2xFood and drinks
8,400 pts
$159.6
2xTravel
2,400 pts
$45.6
1xAll other purchases
16,740 pts
$318.06
Fees, rates and eligibility
What each card costs to hold and to use abroad, and who it's for.
Annual fee
Additional cards
Interest rates
Interest rates
Purchase:
21.99%1
Cash Advance:
21.99%1
1 If you have 2 separate missed Payments, the applicable rates for your account will be 25.99%. If you have 3 or more separate missed payments, the applicable rates will be 29.99%.
Purchase:
21.99% - 30%2
Cash Advance:
N/A2
2 This Charge Card requires full payment of the Due in Full balance each month, with a 30% interest rate on late payments. The Flexible Payment Option balance has a 21.99% interest rate, which increases to 25.99% after two missed payments and 29.99% after three or more within 12 months. A 21-day interest-free grace period applies to new transactions if the full balance is paid by the due date.
Recommended credit score
Recommended credit score
Income required
Income required
Min Personal Income:
N/A
Min Household Income:
N/A
Min Personal Income:
N/A
Min Household Income:
N/A
How each card earns
The earn rates and caps, as each issuer sets them.
- 1x point per $1 spent on all purchases
- 2x points per $1 spent on eligible dining & food delivery purchases (restaurant, fast food, coffee shop, food delivery)
- 2x points per $1 spent on eligible travel purchases (flights, hotels, tours and more)
- 1x point per $1 spent for all other purchases
Points and how we value them
Points become dollars at each card's best redemption. Here's the value we used, and every other way to spend them.
Loyalty program
Loyalty program
We count each point at 1.9¢ a point, what it's worth redeemed for Transfer to Airline Partners, its best value. Every dollar figure above uses that value.
We count each point at 1.9¢ a point, what it's worth redeemed for Transfer to Airline Partners, its best value. Every dollar figure above uses that value.
Point redemption options
Point redemption options
Most Optimal
Transfer to Airline Partners
1.9¢ / point
Fixed Point Travel Program
1.16¢ / point
Transfer to Hotel Partners
1.08¢ / point.svg)
Flexible Points Travel Program
1¢ / point
Statement Credits (Cash)
1¢ / point
Gift Cards
0.91¢ / point
Amazon.ca
0.7¢ / point
Merchandise
0.63¢ / point
Most Optimal
Transfer to Airline Partners
1.9¢ / pointFixed Point Travel Program
1.16¢ / pointTransfer to Hotel Partners
1.08¢ / pointFlexible Points Travel Program
1¢ / pointStatement Credits (Cash)
1¢ / pointGift Cards
0.91¢ / pointAmazon.ca
0.7¢ / pointMerchandise
0.63¢ / point
Insurance and perks
What both cards include comes first in each list.
Insurance
Insurance
Extended Warranty
Up to a year
Purchase Protection
90 days
Extended Warranty
1 yearPurchase Protection
120 days
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$1,000
Baggage Delay
$1,000.svg)
Car Rental Damage & Theft
Yes
Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
$500,000
Hotel Burglary Insurance
$1000
Travel Medical Insurance (64 & under)
15 days
Trip Cancellation
$2,500
Trip Interruption
$2,500Flight Delay
$1,000
Perks
Perks
Extra points
2 points on Amex Travel Online purchases
Amex Experiences™
With Amex Experiences™ and Front Of The Line® Amex Presale Tickets, American Express Cardmembers get access to amazing events in Canada
Extra points
Earn 2 points on Amex Travel Online purchases and extra points on American Express offers
Trip and legal Assistance
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Concierge Services
American Express® Experiences
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Status lift
Upgrade to Hilton Honors Gold StatusStatus lift
Upgrade to Marriott BonvoyTM Gold Elite status.svg)
Travel Credit
$200
Dining Credit
$200 at Select Restaurants
Nexus Program Rebate
$100 statement credit every 4 years
Airport Lounge - American Express Global Lounge
Take full advantage of The American Express Global Lounge CollectionTM which unlocks access to over 1,400 airport lounges worldwide. This includes The Centurion® Lounge network, Plaza Premium Lounges, and hundreds of other domestic and international lounges designed to enhance your travel experience. Terms and Conditions applyComplimentary Hotel Benefits
Enjoy complimentary benefits that offer an average value of $550 USD at over 1,600 extraordinary properties worldwide when you book Fine Hotels + Resorts
Priority Travel
At Toronto Pearson Airport get Priority Security lane, Complimentary valet and 15% discount at the Express Park and daily park
Our take
Why we like it
Why we like it
The American Express® Green Card is a great option for those looking for a no-frills card that earns rewards on all purchases without any annual fee or minimum income requirement. It's an accessible card with no cap on rewards, making it ideal for those who want to earn points without the higher costs and complexities of premium cards. However, it does come with lower rewards earnings across most categories and a modest welcome bonus.
If you're a frequent traveler, the Platinum card is an excellent choice. It's highly recommended for its extensive travel benefits, including unlimited lounge access for you and a guest at the American Express Lounge collection, making it the best card for lounge access in Canada. The card also offers unique perks not commonly found with other Canadian cards, such as status upgrades at Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton, dining and travel credits, concierge service, airport benefits, Nexus application reimbursement, and more. These benefits can more than offset the annual fee. However, if you don't travel often or are mainly looking for a card that maximizes rewards, this card may not be the best option for you.
Pros
Pros
- No spending limits
- Flexible redemption options
- VIP perks
- Eco-friendly plastic
- Instant decision. No credit impact.
- Most premium perks
- Dining and travel credits
- Unlimited airport lounge access
- Multiple redemption options
- Comprehensive coverage
- Luxurious metal card
- Instant decision. No credit impact.
Cons
Cons
- Lower reward rates
- Limited travel perks
- Limited acceptance
- High annual fee
- Limited acceptance
- Benefit limitations
More comparisons
Other cards we've put each of these up against.
vs Amazon Rewards Mastercard
vs Amex Aeroplan Reserve
vs Amex Aeroplan®
vs Amex Cobalt
vs Amex Gold
vs Amex Marriott Bonvoy
vs Amex SimplyCash
vs Amex SimplyCash™ Preferred
vs BMO CashBack World Elite
vs CIBC Costco Mastercard
vs MBNA Rewards World Elite
vs PC World Elite Mastercard
vs Rogers Red World Elite
vs Scotia Amex Gold
vs Scotia Momentum Visa
vs Scotiabank Passport
vs Simplii Financial Visa Card
Legal
*Terms and conditions apply.
If you have 2 separate missed Payments, the applicable rates for your account will be 25.99%. If you have 3 or more separate missed payments, the applicable rates will be 29.99%.
American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.
*Terms and conditions apply.
This Charge Card requires full payment of the Due in Full balance each month, with a 30% interest rate on late payments. The Flexible Payment Option balance has a 21.99% interest rate, which increases to 25.99% after two missed payments and 29.99% after three or more within 12 months. A 21-day interest-free grace period applies to new transactions if the full balance is paid by the due date.
American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.
