American Express® Green Card

BMO CashBack® World Elite®* Mastercard®*

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American Express® Green Card vs BMO CashBack® World Elite®* Mastercard®*

Which one is better? Both cards worked out on the same spending: rewards, welcome bonus, fees and perks, line by line.

2.8

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Finly rebate

$120

4.1

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Welcome bonus

Each offer as the issuer words it. The numbers below show whether your spending reaches it.

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.

Get up to $650 in value and the annual fees waived in the first year. Plus, get a 0% introductory interest rate on Balance transfers for 12 months with a 2% transfer fee.*

$650 in value is made up of:

Up to $480 Welcome Offer Cash Back: Receive $40 Bonus Cash Back when you spend a minimum of $2,000 on net card purchases per billing cycle in the first twelve (12) billing cycles after the account open date.*
$139: Annual Fee Waiver: The primary cardholder annual fee of $139 will be rebated in the first year and will appear as a fee and a credit on the primary cardholder’s first statement.*
$75 market value: Roadside Assistance: You will receive a complimentary membership in the Dominion Automobile Association (DAA) and the benefits of their BMO Roadside Assistance Program (Basic Coverage). Membership terms and plan features are described here: bmo.com/roadsideassistancebasic.*

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

$1,125

$421

Every year after

$386

BMO CashBack World Elite is worth $515 more to you in year one.

From year two, Amex Green pulls ahead by $34 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

1.9¢ a pointAmerican Express Membership Rewards, redeemed for Transfer to Airline Partners

Annual rewards

$525.28

cash back a year

Welcome bonus

+ $480

first year only

Annual fee

$139− $0

$139 from year two

Finly rebate

+ $120

paid by FinlyWealth

First-year value

$1,125.28

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

5%Groceries

$212.85

3%Gas

$64.8

2%Recurring Transactions

$48

4%Rental Car & Taxi, Public Transportation

$38.4

1%All other purchases

$142.23

Fees, rates and eligibility

What each card costs to hold and to use abroad, and who it's for.

Annual fee

$139

$0 the first year

Additional cards

$50

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%

Cash Advance:

23.99%

Balance Transfer:

23.99%

Recommended credit score

300

Poor

693⁎

Fair

743⁎

Good

790⁎

Very Good

833⁎

Excellent

⁎Estimates based on TransUnion scoring

300

Poor

560

Fair

660⁎

Good

725⁎

Very Good

760⁎

Excellent

⁎Estimates based on Equifax scoring

Income required

Min Personal Income:

N/A

Min Household Income:

N/A

Min Personal Income:

$80,000

Min Household Income:

$150,000

How each card earns

The earn rates and caps, as each issuer sets them.

1x point per $1 spent on all purchases

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*

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

American Express Membership Rewards

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.

Cash back: every dollar it earns counts as a dollar, so there's nothing to convert.

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

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

Nothing to redeem: it pays cash back.

Insurance and perks

What both cards include comes first in each list.

Insurance

Extended Warranty

Up to a year

Purchase Protection

90 days

Extended Warranty

1 year

Purchase Protection

90 days

Lost or Stolen Baggage

$500/person, $1,000 maximum*

Baggage Delay

$500/person, $1,000 maximum After 6 hours*

Car Rental Damage & Theft

$65K MSRP up to 48 days*

Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance

$500,000

Hotel Burglary Insurance

$1,000

Travel Medical Insurance (64 & under)

$5M up to 8 days per covered person*

Flight Delay

$500 After 4 hours delay*

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

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 tool.*

Airport 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

Complimentary Roadside Assistance Program*; Including battery boosts, flat-tire change, lockout service and towing – a $75/year value.*

Discount

Enjoy six months of Instacart+ and a $10 monthly Instacart credit when you enroll your eligible BMO Credit Card.*

Our take

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 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

No spending limits
Flexible redemption options
VIP perks
Eco-friendly plastic
Instant decision. No credit impact.

Impressive cashback rates
Rare roadside assistance
Comprehensive insurance and benefits
High first-year value

Cons

Lower reward rates
Limited travel perks
Limited acceptance

Lacks restaurant optimization
Low monthly cashback caps

More comparisons

Other cards we've put each of these up against.

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

BMO is not responsible for maintaining the content on this site. Please click on the Apply now link for the most up to date information.