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4.5

Best for those seeking a no-fee card with flexible rewards points.

If you want a card without annual fees and want to earn rewards points with flexible redemption options, the American Express Green Card may be a practical fit.

Learn more about our star rating methodology.

American Express® Green Card

Annual Fee

$0
Interest Rates

20.99% / 21.99%

20.99% on purchases, 21.99% on cash advances.
Rewards Rate

1x-2x Points

2x on eligible hotel and car rental bookings, and 1x on all other eligible purchases.
Intro Offer

10,000 Points

Earn 10,000 Membership Rewards points when you spend $1,000 in the first three months. New cardmembers only.

Apply Now

Why we like it

The American Express Green Card has a simple rewards program with an accelerated earn rate on hotel and rental car bookings, and it’s easy to transfer your points to other loyalty programs for maximum redemption value. Oh, and the card itself is made from 99% recycled plastic.

Pros

No limits on rewards spending, and more ways to redeem your points than other no-fee rewards credit cards on this list.
Cardholders who enjoy VIP treatment will enjoy access to a multitude of perks through American Express Experiences.

Cons

Reward earn rates are lower than some other no-fee credit cards.
Lacks some of the travel perks and insurance options offered by other cards.

Get the Card that lets you live in the moment while getting ready for the future.
The American Express® Green Card lets you go for it with every swipe or tap of your Card.
As a new American Express® Green Cardmember, you can earn a Welcome Bonus of 10,000 Membership Rewards® points when you charge $1,000 in purchases to your Card in the first 3 months of Cardmembership. That’s $100 towards groceries or concert tickets.
Earn 1x the points on Card purchases.
Charge an eligible purchase to your Card and redeem your Membership Rewards points for a statement credit (All eligible purchases: 1,000 points = $10 statement credit).
With American Express Experiences and Front Of The Line®, American Express Cardmembers get access to amazing events in Canada.
Transfer points 1:1 to several frequent flyer and other loyalty programs.
American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information click the Apply now link. Conditions apply.

American Express Green Card full review

The American Express Green Card is a no-fee credit card that earns American Express Membership Rewards points. Cardholders earn one reward point for each $1 spent on eligible everyday purchases.

Benefits of the American Express Green Card

This Amex card earns American Express Membership Rewards points and has no annual fee. It includes access to the American Express Experiences program, which offers opportunities to enjoy advanced film screenings, food festivals, private shopping experiences, and more. It also comes with extended warranty and purchase protection coverage.

Drawbacks of the American Express Green Card

The American Express Green Card doesn’t offer accelerated rates for categories like grocery store or travel spending, so it may take longer to accumulate points. Additionally, its insurance coverage is limited — it lacks travel, mobile device and rental car protection.

Who should get the American Express Green Card?

The Amex Green Card earns one American Express Membership Rewards point for each $1 spent on eligible everyday purchases. There are no accelerated earn rates for categories like grocery store or travel spending. This means the Amex Green Card is well-suited to those who plan to use their card for everyday spending.

Is the American Express Green Card worth it?

It depends on your spending habits. You don’t need to worry about recouping the cost of an annual fee, but you’ll want to consider the Amex Green Card’s earn rates and rewards to make sure it’s a practical fit for your lifestyle.

American Express customer satisfaction ratings

Third in customer satisfaction: American Express ranks third (and above industry average) in customer satisfaction with credit card issuers, according to J.D. Power’s 2022 Canada Credit Card Satisfaction Study.
Poor Trustpilot rating: 1.6 out of 5 possible stars based on more than 3,100 customer reviews at the time of this writing.
Poor Better Business Bureau rating: 1.06 out of a possible 5 stars, according to more than 300 customer reviews on the Better Business Bureau website, at the time of this writing. American Express is an accredited BBB business.
Poor Customer Service Scoreboard rating: 36.63 out of a possible 200, based on over 300 ratings at the time of this writing.

Amex Green Card eligibility

Who qualifies for the American Express Green Card?

To qualify for the American Express Green Card, you must be:

A Canadian resident.
At least the age of majority for your province or territory.

Approximate credit score needed for approval

Canadian credit card issuers rarely disclose required credit scores, which makes it hard to know your chances of approval when comparing credit cards. What we do know is that higher scores have better chances of approval — that’s true no matter what type of credit you’re applying for.

Want to learn more? Visit our “What Credit Score is Needed for a Credit Card?” page.

» MORE: How to Check Your Credit Score

American Express Green Card rewards

Welcome offer

Ongoing rewards

Card value

The Amex Green Card’s introductory offer includes up to 10,000 American Express Membership Rewards points when new cardholders spend at least $1,000 in their first three months of card membership (limited time offer, terms and conditions apply).

Amex suggests this intro offer is worth $100, which is the minimum value when redeemed through statement credits.

Earn one American Express Membership Rewards point for each $1 spent on eligible everyday purchases. Plus, earn one additional Amex Membership Rewards point per dollar spent on eligible hotel and car rental bookings booked through the Amex travel portal.

The total value of the Amex Green Card’s welcome offer depends on how you redeem the 10,000 points.

The American Express Green Card has additional benefits that deliver value. For example: the card comes with extended warranty and purchase protection insurance that could be worth thousands should you ever need it.

Point value breakdown

The value of an American Express Membership Rewards point varies on the redemption method you choose, but you can expect to get around 0.7-2 cents per point, according to NerdWallet analysis.

Up to 2 cents per point for flights, fine hotels and resorts booked via the American Express Fixed Points Travel Program.
1 cent per point for statement credits.
About 0.8 cents per point for gift cards.
About 0.7 cents per point for shopping with merchant partners.

How to apply for the Amex Green Card

You can complete the application for the Amex Green Card from the American Express website:

Select the Apply Now button from the American Express Green Card page on the American Express website.
Review the card’s terms and conditions and select Agree and Begin to continue.
Enter your personal details, including your full name, date of birth, phone number, email address and residential address.
Tell American Express about your finances, including your annual personal income, household income and employment details.
Choose a four-digit PIN.
Review the information you’ve supplied and submit your application.

American Express Green Card vs American Express SimplyCash Card

Both of these no-fee American Express credit cards earn rewards but earn rates and card perks vary.

	American Express Green Card	American Express SimplyCash Card
Annual fee	No annual fee	No annual fee
Reward type	American Express Membership Rewards Points	Cash back
Rewards rates	1 American Express Membership Rewards point for each $1 spent on eligible everyday purchases. 1 additional Amex Membership Rewards point per dollar spent on eligible hotel and car rental bookings booked through the Amex travel portal.	2% cash back on grocery store and gas station purchases. 1.25% cash back on everything else.
Insurance coverage	Extended warranty and purchase protection.	Extended warranty and purchase protection. Up to $100,000 of travel accident insurance.

Reasons you might want a different card

The Amex Green Card earns American Express Membership Rewards Points and offers numerous perks — all without an annual fee. But there are a couple of circumstances where it won’t be a practical fit:

You’d prefer a card that delivers a higher rate of rewards on your most frequent expenses, like groceries, gas, or travel.
You’d prefer a card with more robust insurance coverage.
You’d prefer to earn a different reward, like cash back or travel miles.

» MORE: Read our full review of the SimplyCash Preferred Card from American Express

American Express Green Card facts

American Express Green Card
Card Type	No-fee credit card
Interest Rates
Regular/purchase APR	20.99%
Cash advance APR	21.99%
Penalty APR	23.99% if you miss two payments within 12 months and 26.99% if you miss three payments within 12 months as of January 2023. This penalty APR will stay in place for 12 billing periods.
Fees
Annual fee	$0
Balance transfer	3% of the transaction amount.
Cash advance	$2.75 per transaction.
Foreign transaction	2.5% of the transaction amount.
Reward Earn Rates
Signup Bonus or Welcome Offer	New cardholders can receive up to 10,000 American Express Membership Rewards points by spending at least $1,000 in their first three months of card membership (limited time offer, terms and conditions apply).
Rewards and benefits	Cardholders earn one American Express Membership Rewards point for each $1 spent on eligible everyday purchases. Cardholders also earn one additional Amex Membership Rewards point per dollar spent on eligible hotel and car rental bookings booked through the Amex travel portal.
Other perks
	American Express Experiences: Gain special access to advanced film screenings, food festivals, private shopping experiences and curated offers through the American Express Experiences program. Amex Front of the Line: Skip the lineups at Toronto event venues like the Budweiser Stage and the Royal Alexandra Theatre. Exclusive lounges and bars: Enjoy exclusive American Express lounges when you visit the Princess of Wales and Ed Mirvish Theatres in Toronto. Transfer points: Transfer American Express rewards points to other loyalty programs, like Aeroplan, Avios and Marriot Bonvoy, for more redemption flexibility.
Insurance coverage
Extended warranty	Up to one additional year.
Purchase protection	90 days.

Rating Methodology

NerdWallet Canada rates credit cards according to overall consumer value and their suitability for specific kinds of consumers. Factors in our evaluation methodology include annual and other fees, rewards rates, the earning structure (for example, flat-rate rewards versus bonus categories), redemption options, bonus offers for new cardholders, introductory and ongoing APRs, and other noteworthy features such as airline or hotel perks or the ability to transfer points.

The American Express Green Card is a credit card. Purchases are made using borrowed funds, and any balance unpaid by the billing date is charged interest.

No, the American Express Green Card is made with 99% recycled plastic.

DIVE EVEN DEEPER

Best American Express Cards in Canada

Among the best American Express cards in Canada, you’ll find options for travel, cash back, business and more. Earn Aeroplan, Air Mile and Membership Rewards points.