Newcomers: simplify your life with a KOHO account

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Marie-Ève Leclerc
Marie-Ève Leclerc Marie-Ève Leclerc
Marie-Ève, Web Director at Milesopedia, is an expert in budget travel and a slow travel enthusiast. Specializing in Aeroplan, Scene+, and Marriott Bonvoy programs, she spends nearly six months a year abroad, making travel her way of life. Constantly seeking the best waves to surf, excellent coffee, and strategies to extend her travels, she is often found in coworking spaces with fellow digital nomads or by the sea, watching the sunset.
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KOHO
To the point Find out about KOHO, an account designed for newcomers to Canada, with prepaid Mastercard, cash back and international transfers.

Moving to Canada comes with its own set of challenges, including opening a bank account. KOHO offers a simple and flexible solution, specially designed for newcomers. Through its mobile application, KOHO offers a cash-back account, a prepaid Mastercard, an international money transfer service and even a credit-building tool. In this article, find out how KOHO can help you get off to a good start in Canada.

Exclusive offer: Get KOHO Everything Plan free for 2 months

With this new exclusive offer for new clients, get the KOHO Everything Plan free of charge for 2 months. Enter the code “EARNKOHO” when you apply.

The KOHO Everything plan allows you to obtain, among other things, travel benefits:

  • No FX fees;
  • Free eSIM (3GB/month) ;
  • Travel Insurance.

But also, everyday benefits:

  • 2% cash back on groceries, eating & drinking, and transportation;
  • 0.5% cash back on all other purchases;
  • 4% interest on your entire balance (eligible for CDIC protection up to $100,000) ;
  • Up to 6.5% extra cash back at selected merchants.

And that’s not all. The Everything Plan allows you to take advantage of the full potential of your KOHO account, with other benefits such as :

  • Credit Building for just $5 / month (to build your credit history);
  • Instant e-Transfers;
  • Unlimited Transactions;
  • Save with features like RoundUps and Savings Goals.

Take advantage of this offer today!

KOHO - Open a Spend and Save account

When you arrive in Canada, you’ll need to open a debit account with a payment card, so you can safely deposit your money and carry out all kinds of transactions, such as paying bills. This will also enable you to avoid using your expensive foreign payment card.

How do you find your way through all the offers from financial institutions dedicated to newcomers? Look no further, we’ve got the solution to make your life easier! In 2024, Milesopedia awarded the prize for “Best Card for Newcomers” to the KOHO Essential Prepaid Mastercard®, which is linked to a budgeting application.

Before revealing the advantages of this card, it is essential to know the particularities of Canadian cards:

  • Debit card: linked to your bank account. It allows you to pay for purchases in most shops and withdraw cash from ATMs. Your expenses are deducted directly from your bank account;
  • Credit card: not linked to your bank account. It gives you the opportunity to pay for goods and services, by taking advantage of a cash advance from a financial institution or business. So you’ll need to pay them back quickly, or risk paying high interest charges.

The KOHO application is smart: it takes just a few minutes to open a spending and savings account, with automatic approval, linked to this card.

You’ll even have proof of Canadian address, with printable bank statements. Any questions? Customer support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

KOHO - Choose a plan to suit your needs

KOHO plans start at $0 per month and include a 30-day free trial to see if it’s right for you.

Discover the KOHO plans by clicking on the plan names below:

KOHO Prepaid Mastercard® Essential Plan

Special Offer:

  • Enter the code MILESOPEDIA when you apply for your card
  • Get $20 when you open a KOHO account and make your first purchase within 30 days of signing up.

The features of the KOHO Prepaid Mastercard with the Essential Plan are as follows:

  • Earn 1% cash back on on groceries, eating & drinking, and transportation
  • Accepted at Costco
  • Get 2% interest on your spending and savings account. Your funds will also be eligible for CDIC insurance. Interest rates are annual, calculated daily, paid monthly and may be changed at any time without notice.
  • Automate your savings with Goals and RoundUps. Rounding off every purchase allows you to set aside savings, while goals make it easier to save for the things that make you happy.
  • Lock in savings with Vault that keeps the funds you don’t want to spend separate from your spendable balance
  • Create custom budgets and track your spending habits. Know where you’re at in real time with instant notifications every time you spend.
  • Strengthen your credit rating with our 6-month Credit Enhancement Program for only $10/month
  • Get access to a cash advance of up to $250 at 0% interest with KOHO Cover

KOHO Prepaid Mastercard Extra Plan

Special offer:

  • Enter the code KOHOMILES when applying for your card.
  • Get 3 months of Extra Plan for free ($18 off per month) and $20 cash back

The KOHO Prepaid Mastercard with Extra Plan (formerly KOHO Premium Prepaid Mastercard) gives you more cash back:

  • 1.5% on food, drinks, groceries, and transportation
  • 0.25% on all other purchases
  • Up to 5% cash back at selected partner merchants

Your funds earn 2.5% interest (calculated daily, paid monthly) and are protected by CDIC. The card is also accepted at Costco.

For your travels, take advantage of zero FX fees on foreign purchases.

Choose between two payment options for the Extra Plan:

  • $18/month, billed monthly
  • $144/year, billed annually (equivalent to $12/month)

KOHO Prepaid Mastercard® Everything Plan

Special offer:

  • Enter the code EARNKOHO when applying for your card.
  • Get 2 months of the Everything Plan for free

The KOHO Prepaid Mastercard with Everything Plan gives you more cash back:

  • 2% on food, beverages and bills
  • 0.5% on all other purchases
  • Up to 5% cash back at selected partner merchants

Your funds earn 3.5% interest (calculated daily, paid monthly) and are protected by CDIC. The card is also accepted at Costco.

For your travels, enjoy zero conversion charges on foreign purchases and one free withdrawal per month from international ATMs.

Choose between two payment options for the Everything Plan:

  • $22/month, billed monthly
  • $177/year, billed annually (equivalent to $14.75/month)

KOHO - Building a credit history

Credit history is essential in Canada. Simply put, it reflects your financial health, and shows how well you’re managing your money and paying off your debts on time.

Who can view your credit file? A person or company may ask to see your credit file, with your consent. Applicants include :

  • A financial institution for a loan ;
  • A landlord for a rental property;
  • An employer for hiring formalities.

A score is assigned to you based on your repayment habits. This is called the credit score and ranges from 300 to 900.

The lower your score, the more difficult it will be to access credit, whether it’s a loan or a service that requires a credit report check.

As a newcomer, the financial history of your country of origin is not accessible. That’s why it’s so important to build a good credit history and be visible on the Canadian credit scene.

Credit Building Program

How can KOHO help you? With KOHO’s Credit Building program, you can gradually build up your credit history. As soon as you register, you’ll receive a credit line that will appear in your credit file.

Each month, you’ll make payments to this account. KOHO, in turn, will report your payments to Equifax, one of Canada’s major credit bureaus. This way, you can improve your credit rating.

With the credit building program, you also have access to a financial coach and your credit file.

KOHO

KOHO - Save and earn interest

It’s a wise decision to set aside money for your projects or to deal with unforeseen events as soon as you arrive in the country.

Depending on the plan you choose, you’ll earn up to 4% interest with a KOHO High Interest Savings Account. That’s one of the best interest rates in Canada! Plus, there are no minimum balances or promotional rates. Interest is calculated daily on your entire balance and paid monthly.

The money deposited in the savings account is not locked in; you can use it as you need it. In addition to being eligible for CDIC protection up to $100,000.

koho 1

There’s another savings feature you’ll love: RoundUps. When you make a purchase with your KOHO card, the amount is rounded up to the nearest $1, $2, $5 or $10 (the choice is yours). The extra change goes into your savings account.

For example, if your purchase is $3 and you’ve chosen $5 as the rounding amount, KOHO will save you $2.

KOHO

KOHO - Get cash back

KOHO also offers a cash back program on your everyday purchases, the percentage of which varies according to the plan chosen:

Plan Cash back
Essential 1% unlimited cash back on groceries, transportation, food and drinks.
0% unlimited cash back on everything else.
Extra 1.5% unlimited cash back on groceries, transportation, food and drinks.
0.25% unlimited cash back on everything else.
Everything 2% unlimited cash back on groceries, transportation, food and drinks.
0.5% unlimited cash back on everything else.

You could also earn an additional 6.5% cash back at selected KOHO retail partners via the app.

KOHO - Send an international money transfer

KOHO’s international money transfer service lets you easily send money to recipients abroad, without having to visit a bank branch or Western Union office.

With this feature, you simply use the Canadian dollars you have in your KOHO account, convert them into one or more foreign currencies, then deposit them into the recipient’s bank account, wherever they may be in the world.

As a KOHO customer, you can send money via an international money transfer with no hidden fees and some of the best exchange rates on the market.

Bottom Line

KOHO is an excellent option for newcomers to Canada who want to manage their money easily, with no hidden fees.

With a cash-back account, a prepaid Mastercard, practical financial tools and a user-friendly mobile app, KOHO simplifies your day-to-day life from the moment you arrive.

Opening an account takes just a few minutes. It’s a simple first step to a successful start in Canada.

How do I deposit money into my KOHO account?

You can deposit money into your KOHO account by electronic transfer and automatic deposit.

How can I join KOHO?

To access KOHO services, simply opt for one of the KOHO plans: essential, extra or everything.

Is KOHO a good service?

It takes less than five minutes, with automatic approval, to open a KOHO account. The account offers a free, rechargeable prepaid card and an integrated mobile application.

How do I close my KOHO account?

You will need to open a chat session to request an account closure.

Come to discuss that topic in our Facebook Group!
Vincent Morin
Vincent Morin
Vincent reached financial independence and retired early (FIRE) at the age of 35. After a career in financial technologies for a large American investment bank, he founded Retraite101, a personal finance site that reaches more than 350,000 unique visitors per year and has more than 40,000 followers on social media. Passionate about personal finance, cycling, reading and gardening, he continues to write to inspire and motivate Quebecers to take charge of their finances.
All posts by Vincent Morin

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