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Head-to-Head: American Express® Green Card vs Scotiabank American Express® Card

8 min read
Editorial integrity
Head-to-Head: American Express® Green Card vs Scotiabank American Express® Card
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American Express Canada and Scotiabank offer two cards for frequent travelers:

American Express® Green Card

American ExpressAmex Membership Rewards
Annual fee
$0
Our valuation
$170

Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$170Total$170Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.

Welcome offer
10,000 points
Apply Now

on American Express's website

Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).

Do you want a cash back credit card with no annual fee that earns travel points? Here’s an option for you: American Express® Green Card.

By signing up for the American Express® Green Card, you can earn 10,000 Membership Rewards Welcome Bonus Points when you charge $1,000 in purchases to your Card in the first 3 months of Cardmembership. This is a $100 value for travel or any purchase on the Card.

You can also transfer your points to airline partners (Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Flying Blue, etc.) and hotel partners (Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors).

For example, with this welcome offer, if you decide to transfer your Membership Rewards points to a partner loyalty program, you would have the choice of earning:

  • 10,000 Aeroplan points
  • 10,000 Avios points
  • 10,000 Flying Blue Miles
  • 12,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

That’s a nice welcome bonus for a credit card with no annual fee.

You’ll also have access to online promotional offers to earn points or rebates on your purchases with this no annual fee credit card.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

Legal

American Express is not responsible for maintaining or controlling the accuracy of the information published on this website. For full and up-to-date product information, click on the Apply now link. Terms and conditions apply.

Annual fee

Primary card$0
Additional card$0

Annual income required

Individual$0
Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$629
2nd Year Value$408

Transfer partners

  • AeroplanAirline
  • British Airways ClubAirline
  • Cathay Asia MilesAirline
  • Etihad GuestAirline
  • Marriott BonvoyHotel

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionUp to $1,000 / 90 days
Extended Warranty+1 years

Scotiabank American Express® Card

ScotiabankScene+
Annual fee
$0
Our valuation
$100

Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$100Total$100Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.

Welcome offer
Up to 10,000 points

Ends Nov 1, 2026

Apply Now

on Scotiabank's website

Terms of the offer

  • Earn 5,000 bonus Scotia Rewards points with your first $500 in everyday purchases in first 3 months◊
  • Earn one Scotia Rewards point on all eligible everyday purchases
  • Flexible Point Redemption
  • Rates, fees and other information are effective as of July 2, 2020. Subject to change.
   
Legal

1 Offer Descriptions and Conditions: The 10,000 bonus Scene+ points offer (the « Offer ») applies only to new Scotiabank American Express credit card accounts (the « Account ») opened between May 1, 2026, and November 1, 2026 (regardless of the date you apply for the Account), subject to the conditions below.

To be eligible for the 2,500 bonus Scene+ points (the « 2,500 Bonus Points Offer »), you must make eligible purchases totaling at least $250 within three months of the Account opening date. To be eligible for the additional 7,500 bonus Scene+ points (the « 7,500 Additional Bonus Points Offer »), you must make $1,000 in eligible purchases on your new Account during the first three months. Eligible purchases mean purchases, less refunds, returns, and any other similar credits, and exclude payments, cash advances (including balance transfers and quasi-cash transactions), interest charges, card fees, and other fees.

Fulfillment of the Annual Bonus: Bonus points will be credited to the Scene+ Account approximately eight weeks after you become eligible for a bonus, provided the Account is open and in good standing. In the case of a joint account with a primary borrower and a co-borrower, bonus points will be credited as follows: (i) the 2,500 bonus points and the 7,500 additional bonus points will be credited to the Scene+ Account linked to the account of the borrower who completed the transaction to reach the eligible purchase threshold ($250 or $1,000) within the appropriate timeframe (the first three months). If an additional cardholder completes the transaction to reach the eligible purchase threshold for the 2,500 bonus points or the 7,500 additional bonus points, the bonus points will be credited to the Scene+ Account linked to the primary borrower’s account. Points can be transferred between the Scene+ Accounts of a primary borrower, co-borrower, or additional cardholder by contacting Scene+. An account is in good standing if it is not overdue, does not exceed the credit limit, and the cardholder(s) have complied with the terms of the Revolving Credit Agreement applicable to the account. All other program terms continue to apply during the offer period. The offer may be changed, cancelled, or extended at any time without notice, and cannot be combined with any other offer.

Eligibility and Exclusions: You are not eligible for the offer if you are currently a primary or secondary holder of a Scotiabank personal credit card or have been within the last two years, including if you transfer your balance from an existing Scotiabank personal credit card account and if you are a Scotiabank employee. Subject to the exclusions mentioned above, Scotiabank small business credit cardholders are eligible for this offer.

Rates and Fees: There are currently no annual fees for the primary card and supplementary cards (including those issued for joint account holders and additional cardholders). The preferred annual interest rates currently applicable to the account are: 21.99% on purchases and 22.99% on cash advances (including balance transfers and quasi-cash transactions). All rates, fees, features, and benefits, as described in the application statement, are subject to change.

The Scotiabank American Express® Card is one of the best no-annual-fee credit cards in Canada.

For a limited time, you can earn up to 10,000 Scene+ points in the first three months, a value of up to $100 in travel (including Airbnb):

  • 2,500 Scene+ points after $250 spent in the first three months
  • 7,500 Scene+ points after $1,000 spent in the first three months

With the Scotiabank American Express® Card, you earn 3 points per dollar spent at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà by IGA, Voilà by Safeway, Chalo! FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les Marchés Tradition, Rachelle Béry and Co-Op.

You also earn 2 points per dollar on:

  • Grocery stores
  • Restaurants
  • Entertainment
  • Gas stations
  • Local transportation
  • Streaming services

And 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

These points can be redeemed against any travel purchase (flights, hotels, all-inclusives and even Airbnb) or with Scene+ partners.

Annual fee

Primary card$0
Additional card$0

Annual income required

Individual$12,000
Household$12,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 2xGroceries
  • 2xEntertainment
  • 2xRestaurants
  • 2xGas & EV
  • 2xTransit
  • 2xStreaming
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$610
2nd Year Value$343

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $500 / 1 years

They’re both no-annual-fee cards linked to American Express, and yet they’re not alike! Let’s see which one is the best.

Welcome bonus

The welcome bonus offered by each of these cards varies according to the promotions.

Here is how the current offer is structured:

Carte Verte American Express

With this welcome offer from this card , you can earn 10,000 Membership Rewards points:

  • 10,000 points when you charge your card $1,000 in net purchases in the first 3 months following card approval.

Based on our Membership Rewards points valuation (1.7 cents per point), this welcome bonus corresponds to a value of170 $.

Carte American Express de la Banque Scotia

With this welcome offer for the Scotiabank American Express® Card, you can earn up to 5,000 Scene+ points:

  • 2,500 Scene+ points after adding $250 to your Card in the first 3 months
  • 2,500 additional Scene+ points by spending a total of $1,000 in the first 3 months

Based on our Scene+ points valuation (1 cent per point), this welcome bonus corresponds to a value of50 $.

Advantage: American Express® Green Card

The American Express® Green Card offer gives many more points and more value than its compatriot.

Minimum income

Carte Verte American Express

The American Express® Green Card requires no minimum income.

Carte American Express de la Banque Scotia

The Scotiabank American Express® Card requires a minimum annual income of $12,000.

Advantage: American Express® Green Card

Like the vast majority of American Express cards, the American Express® Green Card requires no minimum income.

It should be noted, however, that the Scotiabank American Express® Card is also very affordable, with its low annual income requirement.

If you’re looking for travel benefits, but don’t have a very high income, either of these cards may be right for you.

Annual fee

Carte Verte American Express

The American Express® Green Card has an annual fee of $0.

Carte American Express de la Banque Scotia

The Scotiabank American Express® Card has an annual fee of $0.

Advantage : Draw

It’s so simple! You won’t need to pay an annual fee for these two cards.

Earning points

The American Express® Green Card and Scotiabank American Express® Card offer different point accumulations.

Carte Verte American Express

With the American Express® Green Card, you earn:

  • 1 point per dollar (value of 1.7 cents) on all ;
  • 2 points per dollar (value of 3.4 cents) for purchases from Amex Travel Services online (accommodation and car rental).
Carte American Express de la Banque Scotia

The Scotiabank American Express® Card allows you to earn :

  • 3 Scene+ points per dollar (i.e. 3 cents) for purchases at IGA, Rachelle Béry, Les Marchés Tradition, Voilà par IGA, Sobeys, Safeway, Foodland, Thrifty Foods, FreshCo and Chalo! FreshCo;
  • 2 Scene+ points (2 cents) per dollar spent at restaurants, dining, meal delivery, entertainment, grocery stores, gas and public transit ;
  • 1 Scene+ point per dollar (1 cent) for the remainder.
Scotiabank American Express® Card

For everyday spending, the Scotiabank American Express® Card is the best and will give you more.

Redeeming points

Loyalty programs are completely different:

As a result, the way points are used is different.

For travel

Carte Verte American Express

With the American Express® Green Card, you can apply its Membership Rewards points to reimburse any travel purchase charged to the card (airline tickets, hotels, Airbnb, car rentals, etc.), where 1,000 points = $10 in reimbursement.

You can also use the American Express fixed rate chart for specific flights.

The redeeming rate is 1,000 points = $20.

Carte American Express de la Banque Scotia

Scene+ points and travel:

You can apply them to travel purchases in two ways, thanks to the fixed redemption rate where 10,000 points = $100 credit:

  • Redeem points directly when booking travel with Scene+ Travel, administered by Expedia.
  • Make your own travel purchases as you wish and use your points to pay off the balance on your À la carte Travel card.
Advantage : Draw

The two ways of using points for travel are relatively similar for both cards.

For everyday shopping

Carte Verte American Express

With the American Express® Green Card, you can apply Membership Rewards points to everyday purchases charged to the card.

The redeeming rate is 1,000 points = $10.

You need to redeem a minimum of 1,000 points (i.e., a minimum of $10).

Carte American Express de la Banque Scotia

You can redeem 1,000 Scene+ points for a $10 discount at the IGA/Sobeys checkout.

Points can also be used to purchase gift cards on the Scotiabank/Scene+ website, from 1,000 to 1,400 points for a $10 discount.

Scene+ points can also be redeemed:

  • 500 points for a $5 discount at selected restaurants (Harvey’s, Swiss Chalet, etc.);
  • 100 points for $1 off movie tickets at Cineplex ;
  • 500 points for $5 off food and beverages at Cineplex, Rec Room and chips at Playdium ;
  • At least 14,500 points for a $100 statement credit on any card expense.
Advantage: American Express® Green Card

With the American Express® Green Card, whether you want to use your points for travel or any other purchase, you’ll get the same value: 1,000 points = $10 less for you to pay.

This is not the case if you want to use Scene+ points for statement credit on anything, where using Scene+ points is not advantageous at all.

Transfers to other programs

Carte Verte American Express

With the American Express® Green Card, you can transfer your points to other rewards programs:

Carte American Express de la Banque Scotia

You cannot transfer Scene+ points to other programs.

When your Scene+ points are in your Scene+ account, you have no other way out: you can only use them in the Scene+ program.

Advantage: American Express® Green Card

American Express® Green Card Membership Rewards points are highly flexible and can be transferred elsewhere at great savings.

This flexibility is not available with the Scotiabank American Express® Card.

The Benefits

Carte Verte American Express

With the American Express® Green Card, you enjoy the following benefits:

  • Card made from 99% recycled plastic;
  • Points redeemable for gift cards, merchandise and purchases on Amazon.ca ;
  • American Express instalment plan to pay for your purchases in monthly instalments.
Carte American Express de la Banque Scotia

The Scotiabank American Express® Card offers you the following benefits:

  • Insurance for mobile devices ;
  • Discounts of up to 25% at AVIS and Budget ;
  • Earn 3 Scene+ points for every dollar spent on Scene+ Travel hotel and car rental reservations charged to your card.
Advantage : Draw

It really depends on your lifestyle! It’s up to you to decide which card wins this round.

Insurance

InsuranceGreen Card American Expressscotiabank american express card
Buyer’s Assurance® Protection Plan1 additional year1 additional year
Purchase Protection® PlanUp to $1,000
90 days		Up to $1,000
90 days
Mobile Device Insurance–Up to $1,000
Advantage: Scotiabank American Express® Card

Insurances are similar, but the Scotiabank American Express® Card has convenient mobile device insurance.

Bottom Line

So? Which Card is the winner?

In the short term, the American Express® Green Card will give you more points up front with its welcome offer.

Over the longer term, the Scotiabank American Express® Card will earn you more points.

Carte Verte American Express

The American Express® Green Card is the best for these reasons:

  • Its welcome offer is even more attractive;
  • No minimum annual income required;
  • Its flexible points allow a multitude of possibilities;
  • It has a wide range of airline and hotel partners for transferring points.
Carte American Express de la Banque Scotia

The Scotiabank American Express® Card is a good compromise and stands out on its own:

  • Its insurance for mobile devices ;
  • Faster points accumulation.

American Express® Green Card

American ExpressAmex Membership Rewards
Annual fee
$0
Our valuation
$170

Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$170Total$170Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.

Welcome offer
10,000 points
Apply Now

on American Express's website

Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).

Do you want a cash back credit card with no annual fee that earns travel points? Here’s an option for you: American Express® Green Card.

By signing up for the American Express® Green Card, you can earn 10,000 Membership Rewards Welcome Bonus Points when you charge $1,000 in purchases to your Card in the first 3 months of Cardmembership. This is a $100 value for travel or any purchase on the Card.

You can also transfer your points to airline partners (Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Flying Blue, etc.) and hotel partners (Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors).

For example, with this welcome offer, if you decide to transfer your Membership Rewards points to a partner loyalty program, you would have the choice of earning:

  • 10,000 Aeroplan points
  • 10,000 Avios points
  • 10,000 Flying Blue Miles
  • 12,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

That’s a nice welcome bonus for a credit card with no annual fee.

You’ll also have access to online promotional offers to earn points or rebates on your purchases with this no annual fee credit card.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

Legal

American Express is not responsible for maintaining or controlling the accuracy of the information published on this website. For full and up-to-date product information, click on the Apply now link. Terms and conditions apply.

Annual fee

Primary card$0
Additional card$0

Annual income required

Individual$0
Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$629
2nd Year Value$408

Transfer partners

  • AeroplanAirline
  • British Airways ClubAirline
  • Cathay Asia MilesAirline
  • Etihad GuestAirline
  • Marriott BonvoyHotel

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionUp to $1,000 / 90 days
Extended Warranty+1 years

Scotiabank American Express® Card

ScotiabankScene+
Annual fee
$0
Our valuation
$100

Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$100Total$100Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.

Welcome offer
Up to 10,000 points

Ends Nov 1, 2026

Apply Now

on Scotiabank's website

Terms of the offer

  • Earn 5,000 bonus Scotia Rewards points with your first $500 in everyday purchases in first 3 months◊
  • Earn one Scotia Rewards point on all eligible everyday purchases
  • Flexible Point Redemption
  • Rates, fees and other information are effective as of July 2, 2020. Subject to change.
   
Legal

1 Offer Descriptions and Conditions: The 10,000 bonus Scene+ points offer (the « Offer ») applies only to new Scotiabank American Express credit card accounts (the « Account ») opened between May 1, 2026, and November 1, 2026 (regardless of the date you apply for the Account), subject to the conditions below.

To be eligible for the 2,500 bonus Scene+ points (the « 2,500 Bonus Points Offer »), you must make eligible purchases totaling at least $250 within three months of the Account opening date. To be eligible for the additional 7,500 bonus Scene+ points (the « 7,500 Additional Bonus Points Offer »), you must make $1,000 in eligible purchases on your new Account during the first three months. Eligible purchases mean purchases, less refunds, returns, and any other similar credits, and exclude payments, cash advances (including balance transfers and quasi-cash transactions), interest charges, card fees, and other fees.

Fulfillment of the Annual Bonus: Bonus points will be credited to the Scene+ Account approximately eight weeks after you become eligible for a bonus, provided the Account is open and in good standing. In the case of a joint account with a primary borrower and a co-borrower, bonus points will be credited as follows: (i) the 2,500 bonus points and the 7,500 additional bonus points will be credited to the Scene+ Account linked to the account of the borrower who completed the transaction to reach the eligible purchase threshold ($250 or $1,000) within the appropriate timeframe (the first three months). If an additional cardholder completes the transaction to reach the eligible purchase threshold for the 2,500 bonus points or the 7,500 additional bonus points, the bonus points will be credited to the Scene+ Account linked to the primary borrower’s account. Points can be transferred between the Scene+ Accounts of a primary borrower, co-borrower, or additional cardholder by contacting Scene+. An account is in good standing if it is not overdue, does not exceed the credit limit, and the cardholder(s) have complied with the terms of the Revolving Credit Agreement applicable to the account. All other program terms continue to apply during the offer period. The offer may be changed, cancelled, or extended at any time without notice, and cannot be combined with any other offer.

Eligibility and Exclusions: You are not eligible for the offer if you are currently a primary or secondary holder of a Scotiabank personal credit card or have been within the last two years, including if you transfer your balance from an existing Scotiabank personal credit card account and if you are a Scotiabank employee. Subject to the exclusions mentioned above, Scotiabank small business credit cardholders are eligible for this offer.

Rates and Fees: There are currently no annual fees for the primary card and supplementary cards (including those issued for joint account holders and additional cardholders). The preferred annual interest rates currently applicable to the account are: 21.99% on purchases and 22.99% on cash advances (including balance transfers and quasi-cash transactions). All rates, fees, features, and benefits, as described in the application statement, are subject to change.

The Scotiabank American Express® Card is one of the best no-annual-fee credit cards in Canada.

For a limited time, you can earn up to 10,000 Scene+ points in the first three months, a value of up to $100 in travel (including Airbnb):

  • 2,500 Scene+ points after $250 spent in the first three months
  • 7,500 Scene+ points after $1,000 spent in the first three months

With the Scotiabank American Express® Card, you earn 3 points per dollar spent at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà by IGA, Voilà by Safeway, Chalo! FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les Marchés Tradition, Rachelle Béry and Co-Op.

You also earn 2 points per dollar on:

  • Grocery stores
  • Restaurants
  • Entertainment
  • Gas stations
  • Local transportation
  • Streaming services

And 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

These points can be redeemed against any travel purchase (flights, hotels, all-inclusives and even Airbnb) or with Scene+ partners.

Annual fee

Primary card$0
Additional card$0

Annual income required

Individual$12,000
Household$12,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 2xGroceries
  • 2xEntertainment
  • 2xRestaurants
  • 2xGas & EV
  • 2xTransit
  • 2xStreaming
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$610
2nd Year Value$343

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $500 / 1 years

Frequently Asked Questions about Amex Green Card vs Scotiabank American Express Card head-to-head

Here are frequently asked questions in the milesopedia community about this card.

Which no-fee Amex card is better for everyday Canadian spending?

The Scotiabank American Express Card wins for pure earn rate on grocery and gas spending with up to 3 Scene+ points per dollar at participating grocery stores (Sobeys, IGA, FreshCo) and 2 points per dollar on dining, gas, transit and streaming.

The American Express Green Card earns just 1 Membership Rewards point per dollar base, but its 10,000-point welcome bonus (worth roughly $170 at airline transfer rates) is significantly stronger than the Scotia card’s 5,000 Scene+ points (~$50).

Bottom line: pick Scotia for ongoing earn, Amex Green for the welcome bonus and transfer flexibility.

Why is point flexibility a big deal between these two cards?

Membership Rewards points (Amex Green) transfer 1:1 to Aeroplan and at varying ratios to Marriott Bonvoy (1:1.2), British Airways Avios, Hilton Honors and Flying Blue. This unlocks premium-cabin redemptions worth 2 to 5 cents per point.

Scotia Scene+ points are locked to the Scene+ ecosystem:

  • Travel redemption at 1 cent per point via Scene+ Travel portal or Book Any Way
  • Cineplex movies, Sobeys/IGA grocery savings, Home Hardware
  • No airline or hotel transfer partners

For frequent travellers chasing aspirational redemptions, Amex Green’s transferability easily justifies the extra effort.

Do I need a high income for either of these cards?

No. Both cards are entry-level options:

Both are no-fee or low-fee cards designed as starter rewards cards or sidekicks to a primary premium card. Newcomers, students and first-time cardholders typically have an easier time being approved for the Amex Green, since Scotiabank generally requires an existing banking relationship or stronger credit history.

Can I hold both cards at the same time to maximize rewards?

Yes, and many Milesopedia readers do. A typical dual-card setup looks like:

  • Use the Scotiabank Amex at Sobeys, IGA and FreshCo for 3x Scene+ points
  • Use the American Express Green for travel-related spending and dining where Scotia’s 2x doesn’t apply
  • Pool Scene+ points for grocery/Cineplex redemptions and Membership Rewards for airline transfers

Both cards are no-fee or low-fee, so there’s almost no downside to holding both. American Express’s once-per-lifetime welcome bonus rule means you can’t repeat the Amex Green offer if you’ve held it before, but Scotia is more flexible.

Go further with American Express Membership Rewards

To maximize your Membership Rewards earning, check our complete American Express Membership Rewards program guide and our best American Express Membership Rewards credit cards ranking, updated monthly by the Milesopedia team.

Jean-Maximilien Voisine

Behind this article

Jean-Maximilien Voisine

894published articles

Jean-Maximilien Voisine is the President and Founder of Milesopedia, and one of the most recognised experts on rewards programs, credit cards and travel in Canada, France and the United States. A father of two, he has explored more than 100 countries, half of them as a family with his partner Audrey. A specialist in loyalty programs such as Aeroplan, American Express Membership Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy, Jean-Maximilien helps travellers maximise their benefits and turn their points into memorable experiences. His mission: to let everyone travel better and smarter across North America and Europe.

All articles by Jean-Maximilien Voisine

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