Tangerine has three credit cards. The Money-Back Credit Card and Money-Back World Mastercard have no annual fee and pay 2% cash back in up to 3 categories you choose and 0.5% on everything else. The Rewards World Elite Mastercard costs $120 a year and earns Scene+ points with travel insurance and lounge passes. Here’s how they compare, and which earns the most for your spending.
The Tangerine cards at a glance
| Money-Back Credit Card | Money-Back World Mastercard | Rewards World Elite Mastercard | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 | $0 | $120 ($30 per extra card) |
| Rewards | Cash back | Cash back | Scene+ points |
| Earn rate | 2% in 2 or 3 categories, 0.5% on the rest | 2% in 2 or 3 categories, 0.5% on the rest | 1.5 points per $1 in 3 categories, 1 point per $1 on the rest |
| Income needed | $12,000 personal | $50,000 personal, $80,000 household, or $250,000 in Tangerine savings or investments | $80,000 personal, $150,000 household, or $400,000 in assets with Tangerine |
| Extra cards | Up to 5, free | Up to 5, free | Up to 5, $30 each |
| Insurance | Purchase assurance, extended warranty | Plus mobile device and rental car | Plus travel medical, trip cancellation and interruption, flight and baggage delay |
| Lounge access | No | Mastercard Travel Pass membership | 4 free DragonPass passes a year |
| Foreign transaction fee | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Purchase interest | 20.95% | 20.95% | 20.95% |
How the 2% categories work
On both Money-Back cards you pick your 2% categories from this list. You get two if your cash back goes onto your card balance, or three if it goes into a Tangerine Savings Account. Cash back is paid every month on your statement date, with no cap.
| Category | What counts |
|---|---|
| Grocery | Grocery stores and supermarkets, including bakeries |
| Restaurants | Restaurants, bars and fast food |
| Gas | Service stations |
| Recurring Bill Payments | Bills charged automatically every month, like your phone |
| Drug Store | Pharmacies and drug stores |
| Entertainment | Movie theatres, concerts, sports venues, amusement parks and attractions |
| Home Improvement | Hardware, home supply, garden and flooring stores |
| Furniture | Home furnishing and furniture stores |
| Hotel-Motel | Hotels, motels and resorts |
| Public Transportation and Parking | Transit, taxis, parking and road tolls |
| Fitness and Sports Clubs | Gyms and sports clubs |
| E-Games | Digital game purchases |
| Foreign Currency Spend | Purchases charged in a foreign currency |
Categories follow each store’s merchant category code, which the store sets, not Tangerine. Tangerine’s terms say purchases at wholesale clubs, alcohol stores, general merchandise stores and convenience stores may not earn 2%. You can change a category once after opening the account, then once every 90 days. The Rewards World Elite uses the same 13 categories for its 1.5x rate.
Calculator: which Tangerine card earns the most?
Tangerine credit card calculatorEnter what you spend in a month. See what each Tangerine card earns you in a year, after any annual fee.
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All three cards
| Card | Rewards a year | Annual fee | After fee |
|---|
Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card
This is Tangerine’s basic card: no annual fee, a low $12,000 income requirement, and the same 2% categories as the World card. With three categories and the cash back going into savings, someone spending $800 a month in two categories, $200 in a third and $1,000 on everything else gets about $300 a year.
Its insurance is limited to purchase assurance and extended warranty, according to Tangerine’s insurance summary for the card. Tangerine is currently offering an extra 10% cash back for the first 2 months, up to $100, to new cardholders who apply by the end of November 2026.
Tangerine Money-Back World Mastercard
The World Mastercard earns exactly the same cash back with no fee, and adds mobile device insurance (up to $1,000), rental car collision and loss coverage for rentals of up to 31 days, and Mastercard World perks like a free 1 GB FlexiRoam data plan. You need $50,000 personal income, $80,000 household income, or $250,000 in Tangerine savings or investments.
Tangerine’s current offer is $120 for new cardholders who spend $1,500 in their first 3 months, for applications made by the end of November 2026. If you qualify, there’s no reason to pick the basic card over this one.
Tangerine Rewards World Elite Mastercard
The Rewards World Elite earns Scene+ points instead of cash: 1.5 points per $1 in 3 categories you choose and 1 point per $1 on everything else. Scene+ points are worth 1¢ each when you redeem them in person, and you can also use them as a credit on your card or toward travel charged to it. Tangerine also lists a $100 bonus (10,000 points) each year you spend $30,000 on the card. See how many Scene+ points a movie costs and whether Scene+ points expire.
| Insurance and perks | Coverage |
|---|---|
| Travel emergency medical | Up to $5 million, first 15 days of a trip, under age 65 |
| Trip cancellation | $2,000 per person, $5,000 per trip |
| Trip interruption | $2,000 per person, $25,000 per trip |
| Also included | Flight delay, baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage, rental car, mobile device, purchase assurance, extended warranty, event tickets |
| Airport lounges | 4 free DragonPass passes a year |
Trip cancellation and interruption apply when at least 75% of the trip is charged to the card or paid with Scene+ points earned on it. The current welcome offer is 50,000 Scene+ points ($500) when you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months, for applications made by the end of January 2027. You need $80,000 personal income, $150,000 household income, or $400,000 in assets with Tangerine.
Compared with the no-fee Money-Back cards, the extra 0.5% on everyday spending only covers the $120 fee at high spending outside your categories. Try the calculator with your numbers, or see our annual fee calculator.
Fuel savings at Shell
Link any Tangerine credit card to a Shell Go+ account and you get 3¢ a litre off fuel at participating Shell stations, up to 1,000 litres a month. Tangerine says that adds up to 8¢ a litre with a Money-Back card and up to 10¢ a litre with the Rewards World Elite, but those figures assume premium fuel, Gas as a 2% category and Scene+ points from Shell.
Fees and interest rates
| Money-Back cards | |
|---|---|
| Purchases | 20.95% |
| Cash advances and balance transfers | 22.95% |
| If you miss 2 payments in a row | 25.95% on purchases, 27.95% on cash advances |
| Foreign currency conversion | 2.5% |
| Cash advance fee | $3.50 in Canada, $5 outside Canada |
| Balance transfer fee | 3% (minimum $5) |
| Over-limit and returned payment | $25 each |
The Rewards World Elite has the same 20.95% and 22.95% interest rates and 2.5% foreign currency fee. Balance transfers are treated as cash advances, so there’s no interest-free grace period on them. To apply, you need to have reached the age of majority, be a permanent resident of Canada, and have no bankruptcy in the last 7 years. Tangerine Bank is part of Scotiabank.
Who should get which Tangerine card
| You are… | Best pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Earning $50,000+ and wanting no fee | Money-Back World | Same 2% as the basic card, plus phone and rental car insurance |
| Earning less, or building credit | Money-Back Credit Card | Low $12,000 income requirement, no fee |
| Spending a lot outside your top categories | Rewards World Elite | 1 point per $1 everywhere and travel insurance |
| Spending most of your money at Costco or Walmart | Another card | Wholesale clubs and general stores may only earn 0.5% |
| Travelling outside Canada often | Another card | All three charge a 2.5% foreign fee |
For Costco shoppers, see the best card for Costco. For other no-fee options, see our best no-fee credit cards.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Tangerine credit card good?
Yes, for a no-fee card. The Money-Back cards pay 2% cash back in up to 3 categories you choose and 0.5% on everything else, with no cap. They’re best if most of your spending falls into those categories.
What’s the difference between the Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card and the World Mastercard?
They earn the same cash back with no fee. The World Mastercard adds mobile device and rental car insurance and Mastercard World perks, but needs $50,000 personal or $80,000 household income.
How do I get three 2% categories with Tangerine?
Have your cash back deposited into a Tangerine Savings Account instead of onto your card balance. You then get a third 2% category.
Does Costco count as groceries on a Tangerine card?
Usually not. Tangerine’s Grocery category covers grocery stores and supermarkets, and its terms say purchases at wholesale clubs may not earn 2%.
How often can I change my Tangerine cash back categories?
You can make one change at any time after opening the account, then one change every 90 days.
What is the annual fee for the Tangerine Rewards World Elite Mastercard?
$120 a year, plus $30 for each additional card. It earns Scene+ points and includes travel insurance and 4 lounge passes a year.
Does Tangerine charge a foreign transaction fee?
Yes. All three Tangerine credit cards add a 2.5% foreign currency conversion fee.
What income do you need for a Tangerine credit card?
$12,000 for the Money-Back Credit Card, $50,000 personal or $80,000 household for the World Mastercard, and $80,000 personal or $150,000 household for the Rewards World Elite. Tangerine also accepts certain asset levels instead.
Related reading
- All credit card reviews: reviews and best-card shortlists
- Best no-fee credit cards: the shortlist
- Best card for Costco: which cards Costco takes
- Simplii credit card review: another no-fee cash back card
- Cash back calculator: compare any two cards
- Scene+ points value: what your points are worth, with a calculator
How we checked: Fees, earn rates, categories, income requirements, lounge access and welcome offers come from Tangerine’s credit card pages. The category definitions, wholesale club exclusion and change rules come from the Tangerine Money-Back Rewards Program terms. Interest rates, fees and the foreign currency conversion fee come from Tangerine’s disclosure statements. Insurance comes from Tangerine’s insurance summaries and the Rewards World Elite card page. The calculator values Scene+ points at 1¢, includes the $100 yearly bonus at $30,000 of spending, and leaves out welcome offers and insurance. This review is general information, not financial advice. Sources: Tangerine credit cards; Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card; Tangerine Money-Back World Mastercard; Tangerine Rewards World Elite Mastercard; Tangerine cardholder agreement, rewards terms and disclosures; Money-Back Credit Card insurance summary (PDF); Money-Back World Mastercard insurance summary (PDF). Last checked October 2026.