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Best National Bank Credit Cards

Best National Bank credit cards in Canada

Cameron Smonk

By Cameron Smonk

Fact Checked: Cory Santos

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Updated: January 15, 2025

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While it might not be a Big 5 bank, National Bank credit cards offer the best of big banks with the service you'd expect from your local branch.

National Bank, the sixth biggest bank in Canada, has some intriguing credit cards that you should consider. But how does National Bank's credit card line-up compare with other of Canada's best credit cards? Here’s a list of products you should consider adding to your wallet:

  • Why you can trust Money.ca's best National Bank credit cards in Canada list

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    Money.ca rates all credit cards on a numeric scale of 1 to 5 stars, with 1 being the lowest and 5 the highest rating, respectively. Money.ca’s proprietary scoring formulas break down the confusing language, complex points, rewards and earn rates to give you the real data that caters to your needs first, not ours.

    Our partnerships have no impact on our ratings, which are solely determined by the merits of each card. To learn more about how we researched and ranked these cards, read our full credit card review methodology.

Summary of picks

Summary of our top National Bank credit card picks

Card Best for Learn more
National Bank World Elite Mastercard Best overall Apply Now
National Bank mycredit Mastercard Best no annual fee Apply Now
National Bank ECHO Cashback Mastercard Best cash back Apply Now
Best overall

Best National Bank credit card overall

$1,153

First Year Value

$0

Annual Value

Welcome Bonus: Get up to $1,460 in benefits and rewards upon enrollment*

Learn More Apply Now On National Bank's Secure Site

Of all the travel cards I’ve reviewed, the National Bank World Elite stands out for its nearly unbeatable insurance offerings. It has comprehensive coverage for everything from trip cancellation to flight delays. It even offers 15 days of coverage for travelers between the ages of 65 to 75 – extremely rare for even the most coveted credit cards.

The National Bank World Elite Mastercard also offers pretty decent earning potential, up to 2x points (when you spend between $20,000 to $30,000 on it annually). On either side of that range, you rack up 1.25x points per dollar.

We love the National Bank World Elite for it's double points on purchases and the huge suite of insurance protections it provides cardholders. 

Best no fee

Best no annual fee National Bank card

up to 1% back

Welcome Bonus

$141

First Year Value

$0

Annual Value

Learn More Apply Now On National Bank's Secure Site

There’s nothing wrong with a no-fee, straightforward cash back card, and National Bank’s mycredit Mastercard is just such an example. In addition to eschewing the annual fee, the mycredit Mastercard offers some basic perks such as mobile device insurance and no limit on the amount of cash back you can earn. Plus, there’s no high credit score required to qualify, making it a decent entry-level option.

We love the National Bank mycredit for its lack of an annual fee, mobile device insurance and amiability of basic cash back rewards for average credit scores. 

Best cash back

Best National Bank cash back card

$237

First Year Value

$0

Annual Value

Learn More Apply Now On National Bank's Secure Site

This card is a bit of a standout, as it does a few things rare among cash back cards. First, it has a $30 annual fee, which is low compared to the premium cash back cards, but higher than a lot of the basic options. With that fee comes a few perks, including 1.5% cash back on gas, groceries and – notably – most online purchases, a feature lacking on many competing cards. This cash back rate only applies to purchases up to $25,000 per year, and then all purchases revert to the cards base rate of 1%.

What is National Bank?

What is National Bank of Canada?

In Canada you hear a lot about “The Big Six” banks – TD, Scotiabank, BMO, CIBC, RBC and National Bank. National Bank, based out of Montreal, manages $120+ billion in assets. While the head office is located in Quebec, it has branches all over Canada, and has international offices to serve Canadian and non-Canadian clients.

Benefits

Benefits of banking with National Bank

National Bank is considerably smaller than the other core five banks in Canada. But despite that, it offers a wide range of banking services and products such as chequing and savings accounts, lines of credit, mortgages, credit cards, investing and more. 

Benefits of banking with National Bank include the ability to bank in person or online, access to its robust offering of banking products and tapping into discounts that target different age groups, newcomers to Canada or professionals. National Bank also has a reputation as a strong and safe financial institution, consistently ranking on lists of the world’s strongest banks.

Types of card offers

Types of National Bank credit cards

There’s a number of Mastercard options available from National Bank that include: 

  • World Elite Mastercard: Our pick for a travel card with great insurance and decent point earning potential
  • World Mastercard: A premium card that earns up to 2x on purchases.
  • MC1 Mastercard: A no-fee, no-frills credit builder card, with no minimum income required to qualify
  • Syncro Mastercard: A low-interest credit card with a modest annual fee and purchase protection
  • Allure Mastercard: No-fee cash back card that has a welcome bonus and supports the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation
  • ECHO Cashback Mastercard: Low-fee cash back card that lets you earn money back on online purchases
Pros and cons

Pros and cons of National Bank of Canada credit cards

Pros

Pros

  • Rewards: National Bank cards may provide rewards in the form of points or cash back. À la carteTM Rewards apply towards several award options like plane or train tickets, hotel reservations, cruises, excursions, package tours car and cottage rentals.

  • Insurance: Select National Bank credit cards offer travel insurance that may rival what's available from the Big 5 or other banks.

  • Travel advice: National Bank's partnership with Transat gives you access to specialist advice and assistance.

Cons

Cons

  • No transfer partners: À la carteTM Rewards does not offer points transfers with hotel loyalty or frequent flyer programs.

  • Rewards: While National Bank cards offer rewards, the earn rates with those cards are typically lower than what you might find elsewhere.

What to look for

What to look for in a National Bank of Canada credit card

National Bank of Canada doesn’t overwhelm customers with credit card choice – you get to choose between a credit builder (or low interest) card for those looking to not expose themselves to much debt risk, a few cash back cards and a travel card option.

Consider your personal needs when picking a card. Do you plan on traveling and need insurance? The World Elite Mastercard may hold more appeal than the ECHO. But if you’re a big online shopper, it may be hard to beat the cash back bonus for online purchases offered by the ECHO.

Just remember, most National Bank cards have earning tiers, and cap earning bonuses over a certain annual spend amount. Make sure you’re tracking how much you spend so you can maximize all your bonuses within the appropriate tier. 

A la carte Rewards guide

À la carte Rewards guide

À la carte Rewards is the loyalty program of National Bank of Canada, offering cardholders many of the perks and benefits associated with a BIG 5 rewards program. The A la carte program lets you earn points on every dollar you spend with an eligible National Bank of Canada (*NBC) credit card. 

Do À la carte Rewards points expire?

No, A la Carte Rewards points don’t expire as long as your account is open and in good standing, meaning you aren’t behind on payments or subject to any penalty APR.

What are NBC À la carte Rewards points worth?

À la carte Rewards points are worth one cent per point. This valuation is based on the program's redemption rate of 10,000 points = $100.

How to redeem À la carte points

Like other loyalty programs, À la carte Rewards are redeemable for a wide selection of award options:

  • Statement credits to pay down your credit card bill
  • Applied to an existing NBC mortgage or another financial product
  • Charitable donations
  • Gift cards
  • Merchandise through the program’s boutique
  • Travel packages and discounts

If you don’t have enough points for a travel package, don’t worry. À la carte allows members to book travel with a combination of cash and points, meaning you won’t have to miss out on that dream trip because you’re a few points short.

You can easily redeem your points via the  À la carte Rewards website or by calling the program’s travel experts directly at 1-800-561-3653.

FAQs

FAQs

  • What is National Bank of Canada?

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    National Bank is the sixth largest bank in Canada. Based in Montreal, it offers a full suite of financial products and services, and caters to Canadians in most provinces, with a few locations internationally.

  • How many branches does National Bank have?

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    National Bank has 422 branches and nearly 1,000 automated banking machines (ABMs) across Canada.

  • Can I open an account with National Bank if I'm not a Canadian resident?

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    Yes, you can open a National Bank account, even if you’re not a Canadian resident. You may need to visit a branch to finalize the opening of your account, however.

  • Does National Bank offer online and mobile banking?

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    Yes, National Bank offers both online and mobile banking services, helping their customers bank from anywhere.

  • What investment services does National Bank provide?

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    National Bank offers a full suite of investment products, from mutual funds and ETFs to GICs.

  • Is National Bank CDIC insured?

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    Yes, eligible deposits to National Bank are covered up to $100,000 by the CDIC.

  • Does National Bank offer mortgages?

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    Yes, National Bank offers a range of mortgage products, such fixed rate and variable rate options, to suit your mortgage needs.

  • Can I get business banking services at National Bank?

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    Business banking is a core part of the National Bank offering, and they provide a comprehensive suite of business banking options.

  • Does National Bank have any special programs for newcomers to Canada?

    +

    Yes, National Bank offers discounts for newcomers, including a no fixed monthly fee for up to three years option for opening a basic bank account.

Cameron Smonk Freelance Writer

Cam is a content marketer with a passion for saving, financial independence, and pulling off elaborate credit card point schemes. He has worked in Fintech and Finserve (specifically Group Retirement) and loves researching and writing about finance.

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