Georgia Rose
Shannon Terrell
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Best for those seeking a no-fee card with flexible rewards points.
If you want a card without an annual fee 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
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Annual Fee$0
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Interest Rates20.99% / 21.99%20.99% on purchases, 21.99% on cash advances.
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Rewards Rate1x-2x Points2x on eligible hotel and car rental bookings, and 1x on all other eligible purchases.
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Intro Offer10,000 PointsEarn 10,000 Membership Rewards points when you spend $1,000 in the first three months. New cardmembers only.
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
The Amex Green 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?
Whether the Amex Green Card makes sense for you 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 card’s earn rates and rewards to make sure it’s a practical fit for your lifestyle.
American Express customer satisfaction ratings
- First in customer satisfaction: American Express ranks first in customer satisfaction with credit card issuers, according to J.D. Power’s 2023 Canada Credit Card Satisfaction Study.
- Poor Trustpilot rating: 1.5 out of 5 possible stars based on more than 3,800 customer reviews at the time of this writing.
- Poor Better Business Bureau rating: 1.08 out of a possible 5 stars, according to more than 400 customer reviews on the Better Business Bureau website, 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.
American Express Green Card rewards
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).
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. Amex suggests it is worth $100, which is the minimum value when redeemed through statement credits.
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 postal code.
- 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
If you are interested in a no-fee American Express credit card that earns rewards but favour cash back over points, you might consider the Amex SimplyCash Card. Here’s how it compares with the American Express Green Card.
| 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 |
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| Insurance coverage | Extended warranty and purchase protection. |
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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.
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 | 25.99% if you miss two payments within 12 months and 28.99% if you miss three payments within 12 months as of December 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 | |
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| 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.
Frequently asked questions about the American Express Green Card
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.
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