Scotiabank American Express: earn Scene+ points, no annual fee
The Scotiabank American Express Card is designed for people who want to earn Scene+ points on everyday spending without paying an annual fee.
This card earns points on common purchases such as groceries, dining, entertainment, gas and daily transit, and gives you access to American Express experiences.
Whether you travel occasionally or mainly want a card that gives value back on daily expenses, this option lets you earn and redeem points within the Scene+ program.
Below, you’ll find a breakdown of how this card works, including its main benefits, its limitations and its costs.
Pros and cons of the Scotiabank American Express
Weighing both the advantages and the limitations can help you decide whether this credit card fits your financial habits.
Advantages
The Scotiabank American Express Card includes features that may appeal to people who want rewards without paying an annual fee.
Some of the main advantages include:
- No annual fee for the primary cardholder or for supplementary cards;
- Earn 3 Scene+ points per $1 at Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo, Foodland and other participating grocery stores;
- Earn 2 Scene+ points per $1 on dining, entertainment, gas, daily transit, select streaming services and other eligible grocery store purchases, and 1 point per $1 on everything else;
- Redeem points for travel booked anywhere, anytime, with no travel restrictions. For example, 10,000 Scene+ points are worth up to $100 towards travel;
- Access to American Express benefits, including Front Of The Line® presale tickets;
- Includes Mobile Device Insurance for new cell phones, smartphones and tablets purchased with the card;
- Link your card to Shell Go+ to get up to 10¢ per litre in value on fuel at Shell stations across Canada.
Insurance coverage is subject to the terms, limits and exclusions in the Certificate of Insurance provided with the card.
Disadvantages of the Scotiabank American Express
While this card offers several benefits, it also has some limitations that should be reviewed before applying.
Some potential disadvantages include:
- A 2.5% foreign transaction fee applies to purchases in foreign currencies. The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card, which has an annual fee, doesn’t charge this fee;
- The highest earn rate (3x) only applies at Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo, Foodland and other participating grocery stores;
- The card doesn’t include travel insurance;
- The interest rate is 21.99% on purchases and 22.99% on cash advances, so it isn’t suitable if you plan to carry a balance for long periods;
- American Express is accepted at fewer merchants than Visa or Mastercard.
To apply, you must be a Canadian resident, have reached the age of majority in your province or territory and not have declared bankruptcy in the past seven years. A minimum personal income of $12,000 applies. If you arrived in Canada in the past three years, you’ll need to apply at a branch.
Fees of the Scotiabank American Express
Understanding the costs linked to this card is an important step before applying.
- Annual fee: $0;
- Supplementary cards: $0;
- Interest rate on purchases: 21.99%;
- Interest rate on cash advances: 22.99%;
- Minimum credit limit: $1,000;
- Foreign currency conversion fee: 2.5%;
- Over-limit fee: $29.
Fees and rates checked on September 22, 2026, against the official Scotiabank website. Confirm current terms on the Scotiabank website before applying.
About the issuing bank
Scotiabank (The Bank of Nova Scotia) is one of Canada’s largest financial institutions and one of the country’s “Big Five” banks.
The bank offers a wide range of personal and business banking products, including credit cards for different spending profiles and reward preferences.
The Scotiabank American Express Card is issued and administered by The Bank of Nova Scotia under license from American Express.
Mobile app
You can manage your Scotiabank American Express Card digitally through Scotiabank’s online and mobile banking, where you can review transactions and make payments.
You can redeem your Scene+ points at sceneplus.ca or through the Scene+ app, and you can add the card to your mobile wallet to pay with your phone.
Opinion about the card
The Scotiabank American Express Card may suit people who want to earn Scene+ points on everyday purchases without paying an annual fee.
It can be especially useful for people who shop at Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo or Foodland, and who spend regularly on dining, entertainment, gas and transit.
However, the card charges a 2.5% fee on foreign currency purchases and doesn’t include travel insurance. Interest charges should also be considered carefully, especially if you don’t pay your balance in full each month.
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Disclaimer: This site is independent and strictly informational, and its content does not constitute financial advice. Finvyu is not affiliated with Scotiabank or American Express. We do not guarantee credit card approval, which is solely subject to a credit check and risk analysis by the issuing bank (Scotiabank). Finvyu Editorial Team.