BMO eclipse rise Visa Card review

Jan 27, 2025

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Overall rating

First year value

$266.2

Get this card if you:

  • want to quickly earn points on everyday spending
  • want flexible point redemption options
  • value a great welcome offer

Highlights

$266.2

First year value

20K points

Welcome bonus

Interest Rates

21.99%

Purchase APR

23.99%

Balance transfer APR

Eligibility

Poor

Recommended credit score

Quick overview of BMO eclipse rise Visa Card

I've always felt that BMO lags behind in the credit card game. When have they ever cracked seriously into the discussions of top points, cashback or any other cards? With that said, its eclipse rise Visa Card (stylized in lowercase just to drive me crazy) is a half-decent cash back card worth a glance if you're looking for a daily spender.

The high level is this – there are all sorts of ways to earn points, including 5x multipliers on recurring bill payments, dining and more. All this and more, with no annual fee. Nice! But there's always a catch, and this one is pretty straightforward – BMO reward points aren't great compared to other rewards, and you need a boatload to redeem them for anything more than a latte. Plus, you don't earn them on every dollar spent, which feels needlessly cruel.

Despite these considerations, the BMO eclipse rise Visa Card could be a draw for BMO enthusiasts. If you're one of them, here's what you need to know:

Who’s BMO eclipse rise Visa Card for?

The eclipse rise has a sort of “every person” appeal but is branded squarely to appeal to elder Gen Z and younger millennials, two groups particularly averse to capitalization. The eclipse rise competes squarely against cards like the Amex Cobalt for spend-happy urban professionals who like to dine out/order in and want to get something back in exchange. The distinguishing feature of the eclipse rise is the absence of an annual (or monthly) fee, which may add to its appeal for younger folks who are looking to be a bit more financially conscious. 

Pros and cons

Pros

Pros

  • Higher earn rates in everyday spending categories (dining, groceries, recurring bills)

  • No annual fee

  • Mobile device insurance

  • Bonuses for paying your bills on time

  • Balance transfer offer of 0.99% for 9 months

  • No income requirements

Cons

Cons

  • Point value could be stronger

BMO eclipse rise Visa Card welcome bonus

  • Get 20,000 points when you spend $1,500 in the first 3 months - that's a $133 value!
  • Get 0.99% for 9 months with a 2% fee

How to earn BMO rewards points on BMO eclipse rise Visa Card

Like a bunch of the other daily driver cards (I’m looking at you, Scotiabank Scene cards), the best way to earn points on the eclipse rise is spending frequently in the 5x categories of groceries, dining and takeout. This is somewhat disingenuous because, as I mentioned above, that multiplier only applies to every $2 spent, effectively nerfing it.

There’s other ways to earn though, including the nifty deal of 2,500 bonus points for paying off your balance on time, every time for the first year you have it. Plus, another 2,500 points if you cash in 12,000 points within your year to pay down your balance.

I absolutely love banks incentivizing good financial prudence rather than the opposite, which is far more common.

How to redeem BMO rewards

A travel card, the BMO eclipse rise is certainly not. Nonetheless, the BMO rewards program exchanges decently well for travel (the calculator on their application page estimates that a one-night hotel stay in Banff could be accomplished with as few as 26,000 points). 

There are various merchandise options, with the usual suspects of tools, tech and household products. But it seems like BMO wants you to pay with your points directly onto your balance, something they incentivize with their 2,500 bonus offer. The redemption here is pretty meh, with its marketing copy touting a latte could be paid with as few as 2,400 points. Woo hoo.

You can view and redeem your points easy-peasy on bmorewards.com, which offers a decent platform for points-powered window shopping. 

BMO eclipse rise Visa Card key benefits

  • $0 annual fee
  • Accelerated earn rate on popular spending categories
  • Point-driven incentives for good financial behaviour in the first year

BMO eclipse rise Visa Card insurance coverage

If you’re into insurance, there’s not much going on with the eclipse rise. Here’s all it’s got going on, and the list ain’t long:

  • Extended warranty: This card will add an extra 1 year onto the warranty for products purchased with it.
  • Purchase protection: The eclipse rise offers purchase protection for 90 days.
  • Mobile device insurance: $1,000 for one year for your mobile device – simple as that.

…aaaaand that’s it.

Extra benefits

  • Save up to seven cents per litre at Shell stations, a perk extended to all BMO cardholders.
  • Access the BMO PaySmart plan for one purchase annually under $1,000. In essence, it allows you to break a larger purchase up into several smaller payments that incur less interest.

BMO eclipse rise Visa Card eligibility criteria, “other” rates and extra fees

  • No personal or household income needs to be declared to apply for this card
  • Recommended credit score of 660+

How BMO eclipse rise Visa Card compares

BMO eclipse rise Visa Card vs. Scotiabank Momentum No-Fee Visa

5% cash back

Welcome Bonus

$271

First Year Value

$171

Annual Value

Welcome Bonus: Earn 5% cash back on all purchases for the first 3 months (up to $2,000 in total purchases); Plus, get a 0% introductory interest rate on balance transfers for the first 6 months. Expires Nov 01, 2025

Learn More Apply Now On Scotiabank's Secure Site

BMO eclipse rise Visa Card vs. BMO eclipse Visa Infinite

up to 60K pts

Welcome Bonus

$762.4

First Year Value

$262.4

Annual Value

Welcome Bonus: Get up to 60,000 points worth $400 in travel rewards, a $50 lifestyle credit and the $120 annual fee waived in the first year - that's a $570 value in your first anniversary!* Expires Jun 01, 2025

Learn More Apply Now On BMO's Secure Site

BMO eclipse rise Visa Card vs. BMO CashBack Mastercard

5% cash back

Welcome Bonus

$526

First Year Value

$401

Annual Value

Welcome Bonus: Get 5% cash back in your first 3 months* Expires Jun 01, 2025

Learn More Apply Now On BMO's Secure Site

Is the BMO eclipse rise Visa Card worth it?

Like most no-fee cards, pretty much! That said, there are a lot of cash-back cards to consider, which might net you more value annually than the relatively sleepy BMO reward points. I’d shop around, paying close attention to your preferred spending categories.

FAQs

  • Is the BMO eclipse rise a good card?

    +

    It depends on what you’re looking for. For people who spend in the boosted point categories and want to avoid fees, the eclipse rise is pretty decent. However, it does not offer some of the high-value, glossier perks you get from more expensive cards.

  • What are the benefits of the BMO eclipse rise Visa?

    +

    This card offers several benefits, including up to 5,000 additional points for paying off your credit card, and savings of up to 7 cents per litre when you pay for gas at Shell with the BMO eclipse rise.

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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