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ScotiabankĀ®Ā Scene+ā„¢Ā Visa*Ā Card Review

ScotiabankĀ® Scene+ā„¢ Visa* Card review

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4.0

2x Scene+ points on every $1 you spend at Sobeys, Safeway, Foodland & Participating Co-ops, FreshCo and more.

2x Scene+ points4 for every $1 you spend at Home Hardware, Home Building Centre, Home Hardware Building Centre, Home Furniture locations in Canada and online at homehardware.ca.

2x Scene+ points for every $1 you spend at Cineplexā—Š theatres or at cineplex.com.

1x Scene+ point for every $1 spent on all other eligible everyday purchases

25% Save up to 25% off base rates at participating Avis locations and participating Budget locations in North America.

20.99% Purchase APR

22.99% Balance Transfer Rate

22.99% Cash Advance APR

$0 Annual Fee $0 for each additional card

2.50% Foreign Transaction Fee

Good Recommended Credit Score

4.0

ScotiabankĀ® Scene+ā„¢ Visa* Card review

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Quick overview

Quick overview of the ScotiabankĀ® Scene+ā„¢ Visa* Card

The ScotiabankĀ® Scene+ā„¢ Visa* Card is one of the most compelling no annual fee credit cards in Canada for those looking to earn and redeem their rewards frequently, without having to spend a fortune on their credit cards.  

Who can benefit?

Who can benefit from the ScotiabankĀ® Scene+ā„¢ Visa* Card?

The ScotiabankĀ® Scene+ā„¢ Visa* Card is an excellent choice for individuals seeking a credit card with a high earn rate and no annual fee. With this card, you can redeem your points for a wide range of options, including travel, shopping, entertainment, dining, and banking services. What sets the ScotiabankĀ® Scene+ā„¢ Visa* Card apart is its rare sign-up bonus offer, which is uncommon for a credit card with no annual fee.

If you're someone who enjoys redeeming points frequently and quickly, without having to spend a significant amount, the ScotiabankĀ® Scene+ā„¢ Visa* Card offers exceptional value. It is highly recommended for individuals who want to earn rewards that they can actually use, such as movie tickets, without having to accumulate large credit card bills. This card is also suitable for those who may not have a six-figure income (yet!).

Pros and cons
Pros

Pros

  • No annual fee

  • Generous welcome bonus and rewards

  • Low redemption threshold

Cons

Cons

  • Minimal insurance coverage

Welcome bonus

ScotiabankĀ® Scene+ā„¢ Visa* credit card welcome bonus

Earn up to 7,500 bonus Scene+ points within your first 3 months. Here's how you qualify for the special points offer:

  • Earn 2,500 bonus Scene+ points by making at least $250 in everyday eligible purchases in your first 3 months.
  • Once you reach the first milestone of the offer, you are then eligible to earn an additional 5,000 Scene+ point bonus when you spend at least $1,000 in everyday eligible purchases in your first 3 months.
How to earn rewards

This sign-up bonus is noteworthy for a card that does not have an annual fee.

How to earn points with the Scene+ Visa* credit card from Scotiabank

The ScotiabankĀ® Scene+ā„¢ Visa* Card earns you 2X Scene+ points for every $1 you spend on credit card purchases at Cineplexā„¢ theatres or at cineplex.com, 2X Scene+ points for each dollar charged to your account on all eligible purchasesĀ¹ at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, VoilĆ  by Sobeys, VoilĆ   by IGA, VoilĆ   by Safeway, Chalo! FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les MarchĆ©s Tradition, Rachelle BĆ©ry and Co-Op. Youā€™ll earn one point for every $1 you spend on your everyday credit card purchases.

How to redeem

How to redeem points

One of the best aspects of Scotiabank's Scene Rewards is that you can utilize points for travel, shopping, entertainment, dining, banking, and more at low thresholds for redemption with the ScotiabankĀ® Scene+ā„¢ Visa* Card. Redemption options include: food, drinks, and tickets at Cineplexā„¢ theatres; dine-in, drive-thru or take-out at Harveyā€™s, Swiss Chalet, East Side Marioā€™s, Montanaā€™s BBQ & Bar, Bier Market and Kelseyā€™s Original Roadhouse.

Many people get excited at the prospect of travelling for free with the right rewards card. But consider that you may have to spend upwards of $25,000-$35,000 annually on those travel cards to generate enough points for one return ticket to Florida from Canada. Thatā€™s unrealistic for those of more limited financial means, like students.

Scene points never expire as long as your account is open and active. You earn your points and keep them, unless you fail to use your account for two years.

Key benefits

Key benefits of the Scotiabank Scene+ Card

The Scotiabank Scene+ Card offers a range of benefits that make it a valuable option for those seeking a credit card with attractive perks. Some of the key benefits include:

  • Sign-up bonus: New cardholders can enjoy immediate benefits upon approval with a sign-up bonus.
  • No annual fee: The absence of an annual fee eliminates the need for cardholders to pay a recurring cost.
  • Generous rewards: Cardholders can earn points on their purchases, which can be redeemed for a variety of rewards such as movie tickets, dining experiences, and more.
  • Low redemption threshold: The low redemption threshold ensures that cardholders can start enjoying their rewards sooner rather than later.

These features make the Scotiabank Scene+ Card appealing to customers looking for a credit card with added perks.

Insurance coverage

ScotiabankĀ® Scene+ā„¢ Visa* insurance coverage

If there was a downside to the Scotiabank Scene+ Visa credit card it would be its insurance coverage (or lack thereof). The card does not provide the typical insurance protections you'd expect from a no annual fee credit cards, instead making these protections optional.

Cardholders can select from Optional or Comprehensive insurance coverage for an additional charge. Here's what you can expect from these optional benefits:

  • Basic protection: Covers hospitalization, critical illness, and death benefits. For basic coverage you pay $0.95 per $100 of your account balance, calculated daily.
  • Comprehensive protection: Covers everything outlined in the basic plan, but adds strike or lockout benefits, loss of job coverage, and disability benefits. For comprehensive protection you pay $1.19 per $100 of your account balance, calculated daily.
Extra benefits

Extra benefits of the ScotiabankĀ® Scene+ā„¢ Visa*

Additional benefits with the ScotiabankĀ® Scene+ā„¢ Visa* Card include"

  • Scotia SelectPayTM* access: A flexible way to pay off your eligible Scotiabank Visa* credit card purchases of $100 or more, with low interest rates on your plan and no installment plan fee.
  • Rental car savings: Save up to 25% off base rates at participating AVIS locations and at participating Budget locations in Canada and the U.S. when you pay with your ScotiabankĀ® Scene+ā„¢ Visa* Card. This savings is towards the base rates (applicable to the time and mileage charges of the rental). Taxes, fees and other surcharges are extra.
  • Mobile wallet: Add your Scotiabank credit card to Apple Pay or the free Scotiabank mobile app and pay anywhere you see the Visa payWave symbol at the checkout.
How does it compare?
Card Name
ScotiabankĀ® Scene+ā„¢ Visa* Card
MBNA Rewards Platinum PlusĀ® MastercardĀ®
Annual Fee
$0
$0
Welcome Bonus
Earn up to 7,500 Scene+ points by making at least $750 in everyday eligible purchases in your first 3 months
Earn 4 points per $1 spent on eligible restaurant, grocery, digital media, membership, and household utility purchases until $10,000 is spent annually. You could also receive up to 10,000 bonus points.
Rewards
Earn 2 points on every $1 you spend at Sobeys, Safeway, Foodland & Participating Co-ops, FreshCo, Home Hardware, Home Building Centre, Home Hardware Building Centre, Home Furniture locations in Canada, online at homehardware.ca, or at Cineplexā—Š theatres or at cineplex.com, plus 1 point for every other $1 spent
Earn 2 MBNA Rewards points for every $1 spentā€ ā€  in several categories, including groceries, restaurants, digital media, memberships, and household utilities, plus  1 MBNA Rewards point for every $1 spentā€ ā€  on any eligible purchase
Is it worth it?

Is the ScotiabankĀ® Scene+ā„¢ Visa* credit card worth it?

The ScotiabankĀ® Scene+ā„¢ Visa* Card is a great card for people who donā€™t spend a lot on their credit cards (a good gauge would be less than $10,000 per year), students and those who want to be able to redeem for rewards early and often without having to spend a fortune. The card has no annual fee and offers more value per dollar spent than just about any other no-fee card in the Canadian marketplace.  

Eligibility requirements

Eligibility requirements for the Scene+ Visa* from Scotiabank

Eligibility requirements for this particular program are quite straightforward. To be considered, applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • A good to excellent credit score is required.
  • Canadian citizenship or residency is a must.
  • The age of majority in your province, either 18 or 19 years old, is necessary.
  • Individuals must have a minimum annual income of $12,000.

These requirements ensure that the program is accessible to those who are financially stable and have a strong credit history

Ā¹ Conditions Apply. Visit here for the ScotiabankĀ® Scene+ā„¢ Visa* Card to learn more.

Cory Santos Finance editor

Cory Santos is a finance writer, editor and credit card expert with over seven years of experience in personal finance. Formerly an Ontario resident, Cory currently calls sunny South Florida home, helping snowbirds find their ideal credit cards and financial products. Cory joined Wise Publishing from BestCards, with bylines in numerous n and digital publications across North America, including the Miami Herald, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, AOL, MSN, Medium and more. When he isn't scouring for the latest credit card deals and offers, Cory can be found working on his various historical research projects, jogging, or hanging out with his cats, Bentley and Cougar.

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