Shannon Terrell
Beth Buczynski Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own.
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
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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 pros and cons
Pros
- No annual fee.
- Numerous point redemption option.
- Access to exclusive hotel, food and event experiences.
Cons
- Reward earn rates are lower than some other no-fee credit cards.
- Lacks travel perks and robust insurance offered by other cards.
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.
Is American Express reliable and secure?
American Express is one of the biggest card issuers in the world. If your card or card information is stolen, its Fraud Protection Guarantee ensures you won’t be held responsible for any charges.
Plus, American Express SafeKey technology safeguards your card information when shopping online with participating merchants. SafeKey confirms your identity with various verification protocols to prevent unauthorized use of your American Express credit card.
American Express customer satisfaction ratings
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, a survey of 6,478 cardholders in Canada. Card issuers were rated on their benefits and services, communication, card terms, customer support and rewards. The credit card issuers with the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the survey were Tangerine Bank and Canadian Tire.
- American Express had a Trustpilot rating of 1.6 out of 5 possible stars based on more than 2,900 customer reviews at the time of this writing.
- American Express had a 1.07 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 not accredited by the BBB itself.
- American Express had a Customer Service Scoreboard rating of 36.52 out of a possible 200, based on over 300 ratings at the time of this writing.
Amex Green Card details and eligibility
Who qualifies for the American Express Green Card?
You must be a Canadian resident and at least the age of majority for your province or territory to be eligible for the Amex Green Card.
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. It also means any score suggestion we make would be our best guess — which may not be accurate and could result in card application rejections. We don’t want that.
Suggesting that you’d need a “good” or “excellent” score is also confusing, because the meaning of those terms can vary depending on the rating system card issuers use.
Instead, we’ll tell you what we do know: 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
Income requirements
American Express doesn’t publicly disclose any annual income requirements for its Amex Green Card. You must provide your annual income during the application process, which may be a factor during card approval.
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.
How to know if the Amex Green Card is right for you
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.
Total value of the American Express Green Card
The welcome offer for the American Express Green Card includes up to 10,000 American Express Membership Rewards points. The total value of the offer will depend on how you redeem the 10,000 points. Amex suggests the intro offer is worth $100, which is the minimum value when redeemed through statement credits.
Now, you don’t get the 10,000 bonus points just for signing up. You must spend at least $1,000 within the first three months of card membership to unlock the welcome offer.
Outside its welcome offer, 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 to use it.
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.
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.
How to maximize the benefits of the Amex Green Card
Get the most from an Amex Green Card with the following tips:
- Spend $1,000 within the first three months. You’ll unlock the Amex Green Card’s welcome bonus of 10,000 American Express Membership Rewards points by spending at least $1,000 in your first three months of card membership.
- Use the Amex Express Travel portal. Cardholders earn one additional Amex Membership Rewards point per dollar spent on eligible hotel and car rental bookings booked through the Amex travel portal.
- Pay your credit card bill on time. If you fail to pay the minimum twice in 12 months, American Express will implement a penalty APR that will stay in place for 12 billing periods.
Alternatives to the American Express Green Card
The Amex Green Card is just one of many no-fee cards on the market. Other examples include the MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard, Scotia Momentum No-Fee Visa card and Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card.
Or perhaps you’d prefer to earn travel rewards? If that’s the case, check out the BMO AIR MILES Mastercard or the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card — both earn travel miles without an annual fee.
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 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. |
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. |
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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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