Side by Side Credit Cards Comparison

Scotiabank Gold American Express® CardVSSimplyCash® Card from American Express

Which one is better?


Scotiabank Amex Gold

Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card


RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE*

300
Poor
560
Fair
660⁎
Good
725⁎
Very Good
760⁎
Excellent
⁎Estimates based on Equifax scoring

amex simply cash card

SimplyCash® Card from American Express


RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE*

300
Poor
693
Fair
743⁎
Good
790⁎
Very Good
833⁎
Excellent
⁎Estimates based on TransUnion scoring

Welcome Bonus

Earn up to $950 in welcome offers, first year rewards and savings value, and up to 50,000 bonus Scene+ points.1  

  • To be eligible for 30,000 bonus Scene+ points (the “30,000 Point Bonus”), you must have at least $2,000 in eligible purchases posted to your new Account in the first 3 months of the Account open date.
  • To be eligible for an additional 20,000 bonus Scene+ points (the “Additional 20,000 Point Bonus”), you must have at least $7,500 in eligible purchases posted to your new Account in the first year (12 months) of Account open date.

Offer Validity: July 2, 2026 – November 1, 2026

Welcome Bonus

In your first 3 months as a new SimplyCash® Card from American Express Cardmember, you can earn a bonus 5% cash back on all purchases (up to $2,000 in purchases). That’s on top of your everyday cash back earn rates. That’s up to $100 in bonus cash back.

Our Cash Offer

$150 $200 Cash Rebate offer from FinlyWealth

Promotional rebate expires on October 31, 2026

View Offer

Our Cash Offer

N/A

Rewards Breakdown

Rewards breakdown is not available for this card.

Rewards Breakdown

Rewards breakdown is not available for this card.

How to Earn Rewards

  • 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
  • Rates, fees and other information are effective as of July 2, 2026. Subject to change.

How to Earn Rewards

  • 2% cash back on eligible gas and grocery purchases in Canada (up to $300 cash back annually)
  • 1.25% cash back on all other eligible purchases

Insurance Included

  • heart lock

    Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance

    $500K/person, $1M/occurrence
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    Up to 1 year
  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    90 days

  • lost baggage

    Lost or Stolen Baggage

    $500/person, $1,000/trip
  • hourglass timer

    Baggage Delay

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

    Car Rental Damage & Theft

    $65K up to 48 days
  • mobile device insurance

    Mobile Device Insurance

    $1,000
  • burglar

    Hotel Burglary Insurance

    $1,000/occurrence
  • travel accident medical

    Travel Medical Insurance (64 & under)

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

    Travel Medical Insurance (65 to 75)

    $1M, Up to 3 days
  • cancel airplane

    Trip Cancellation

    $1,500/person, $10,000/trip
  • pause

    Trip Interruption

    $1,500/person, $10,000/trip
  • hourglass timer

    Flight Delay

    $500/person

Insurance Included

  • heart lock

    Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance

    Up to $100,000
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    1 year
  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    90 days or theft up to $1,000 per occurrence

Extra Benefits

  • exchange money

    No Foreign Transaction Fees

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

    Gas Discount2

    Get up to 12¢/L in value on fuel purchases at Shell stations
  • concierge

    Concierge Services

  • discount

    Discount

    Discount on PriorityPass Membership
  • Amex logo

    American Express® Experiences

Extra Benefits

  • Amex logo

    Amex Experiences™

    Access events and special offers curated for Cardmembers with Amex Experiences™

Interest Rates

Purchase:

21.99%

Cash Advance:

22.99%

Balance Transfer:

22.99%

Interest Rates

Purchase:

21.99%2

Cash Advance:

21.99%2

2 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%.

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

Loyalty Program

Loyalty Program

N/A

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

Not Applicable

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?

The SimplyCash® Card from American Express stands out for its no annual fee and strong cash-back earning potential, offering up to $100 in statement credits within the first 10 months. What makes it even more appealing are the unique perks, such as early access to concert tickets and extra layers of security for online shopping. These extra benefits, along with the affordability, make it a strong contender for those looking for a reliable cash-back card with no annual fee. It's an excellent choice for everyday spending while still enjoying exclusive Amex advantages.

Pros

  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Well-rounded rewards
  • Shell Fuel Savings
  • Comprehensive insurance
  • Flexible redemptions
  • Instant decision. No credit impact.

Pros

  • No annual fee
  • Attractive cashback rates
  • Exclusive Amex perks
  • Instant decision. No credit impact.

Cons

  • Limited acceptance
  • No lounge access
  • Annual fee

Cons

  • Annual cashback cap
  • Limited insurance
  • Lower acceptance

Legal


* Savings and point earn potential in first 12 months includes welcome offer value, first year point earn potential and foreign transaction fee savings as of May 22, 2026:


$300 in travel points (30,000 bonus Scene+ points) for new Scotiabank Gold American Express Card clients who spend $2,000 within the first 3 months 


$200 in travel points (20,000 bonus Scene+ points) when you spend $7,500 within the first 12 months 


$59 in foreign transaction fee savings based on average annual foreign spend per active account over the last 24 months (don't pay the 2.5% foreign transaction fee markup typically charged by other card issuers)


$398 in first year point earn potential (38,500 Scene+ points) on everyday purchases based on average annual spend per active account over the last 24 months with an average spend of 28% in 6X, 5X and 3X accelerator categories combined


Potential First Year Value = up to $957 (rounded down to $950)


Actual offers, savings and points earned will depend on individual card usage and eligibility for applicable offers. Conditions apply.


1. Offer Description and Conditions: The 50,000 Bonus Scene+ Points (the “Offer”) applies only to new Scotiabank Gold American Express credit card accounts (“Accounts”) opened between July 2, 2026 and November 1, 2026 (regardless of the date you apply for the Account) and is subject to the conditions below. 


To be eligible for 30,000 bonus Scene+ points (the “30,000 Point Bonus”), you must have at least $2,000 in eligible purchases posted to your new Account in the first 3 months of the Account open date. To be eligible for an additional 20,000 bonus Scene+ points (the “Additional 20,000 Point Bonus”), you must have at least $7,500 in eligible purchases posted to your new Account in the first year (12 months) of Account open date. Eligible purchases include purchases (less any refunds, returns or other similar credits) but do not include payments, cash advances (including balance transfers or cash-like transactions), interest, fees or other charges. 


Point Bonus Fulfillment: The applicable point Bonus(es) will be credited to the Scene+ account within approximately 8 weeks after qualifying for a Bonus, provided the Account is open and in good standing. For Joint Accounts with a Primary Borrower and Co-borrower, the applicable point Bonus will be credited as follows: (i) the 30,000 Point Bonus and Additional 20,000 Point Bonus will be credited to the Scene+ account linked to the Account of the borrower that completed the last transaction to meet the qualifying amount of eligible purchases (i.e., $2,000 or $7,500) in the appropriate time frame (i.e., first 3 months or first 12 months). If a supplementary cardholder completes the last qualifying transaction to meet the qualifying amount of eligible purchases for the 30,000 Point Bonus or the Additional 20,000 Point Bonus, the applicable point Bonus will be credited to the Primary Borrower’s Scene+ account linked to the Account. Points can be transferred between Primary and Co-Borrower or Supplementary Cardholder’s Scene+ accounts by contacting Scene+.  The Account is considered in good standing if it is not past due or over limit and the Cardholder(s) is not in breach of the Revolving Credit Agreement that applies to the Account.  All other terms and conditions of the Program Terms continue to apply during the Offer period. Offer may be changed, cancelled or extended without notice at any time and cannot be combined with any other offers. 


Eligibility and Exclusions: Individuals who are currently or were previously primary or secondary cardholders of a Scotiabank personal credit card in the past 2 years, including those that switch from an existing Scotiabank personal credit card, as well as employees of Scotiabank, are not eligible for the Offer. Subject to the above exclusions, Scotiabank small business credit cardholders are also eligible for the Offer.


Rates and Fees:  The current annual fee is $120 for the primary card and $29 for each additional card (including those issued to co-borrowers and supplementary cardholders).

The current preferred annual interest rates for the Account are: 21.99% on purchases and 22.99% on cash advances (including balance transfers and cash-like transactions). 

All rates, fees, features and benefits are outlined in the Application Disclosure Statement and are subject to change.


2. Get up to 7 cents per litre in instant fuel discounts for a limited time and earn up to 5 cents per litre in Scene+ points value with a Scotiabank Gold American Express Card linked to a Shell Go+ Account:

 

  • Instant 3 cents per Litre Discount on Fuel Purchases (All Grades): Receive an instant 3 cents per litre discount on purchases of fuel (all grades) (“Fuel Purchases (All Grades)”) at participating Shell locations in Canada when you use any eligible Scotiabank debit card or credit card linked to a Shell Go+ Account, up to a maximum of 1,000 litres per month per Scotiabank debit card and per Scotiabank credit card account. This total limit resets at the start of each new month per payment card account. This discount is subject to the Scotiabank Fuel Benefit Terms and Conditions.
  • Instant 4 cents per Litre Discount on Premium Fuel: Between May 26, 2026 and June 1, 2027 (“Promotional Period”), receive an instant 4 cents per litre discount on  purchases of V-Power® gasoline, or V-Power® diesel (“Premium Fuel Purchases”) at participating Shell locations in Canada when you use any eligible Scotiabank credit card that earns Scene+ points linked to a Shell Go+ Account, up to a maximum of 1,000 litres per month per credit card account. This total limit resets at the start of each new month per credit card account. This promotional offer, including the Promotional Period, may be changed, extended, or withdrawn at any time without notice. These promotional offer terms are in addition to the Scotiabank Fuel Benefit Terms and Conditions.  
  • Earn up to 5 cents per Litre in Scene+ points Value (Equivalent) on Fuel Purchases: Each time you use your linked Scotiabank credit card that earns Scene+ points on Fuel Purchases (All Grades) at participating Shell locations in Canada, you will earn at least 3 Scene+ point per $1 spent.  Plus, as a Scene+ Member you will also automatically earn 1 Scene+ point for each litre in Fuel Purchases (All Grades), and as a Shell Go+ member, automatically earn 1 additional Scene+ point for each litre in Premium Fuel Purchases, made with your linked Scotiabank credit card. This means that for every litre in fuel purchased with your linked credit card, you can earn the equivalent of up to 5 cents of redeemable Scene+ points value based on a redemption value of $10 for every 1,000 Scene+ points redeemed for fuel purchases at participating Shell locations.  Actual value may be lower depending on how you choose to redeem your Scene+ points. Earn and redemption limits may apply. See the Scene+ Program Terms and Conditions available at sceneplus.ca/terms-and-conditionsopens in a new tab for full details including redemption options and additional terms. 

 

Note: Highest value of 12 cents per litre assumes a Premium Fuel Purchase made with a Scotiabank Gold American Express Card linked to a Shell Go+ Account. Actual value will vary depending on payment card used and whether or not the card is linked, fuel grade purchased, and how you choose to redeem your Scene+ points.


Terms and conditions apply. 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.

*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.