Which card is better for groceries, Amazon.ca Rewards or Scotiabank American Express?

The Amazon.ca Rewards earns 1x on groceries, while the Scotiabank American Express earns 0.8x. The better choice depends on your grocery spending and the specific merchants you shop at.

Is the Scotiabank American Express accepted everywhere in Canada?

The Scotiabank American Express runs on the American Express network, which is not accepted at some Canadian retailers like Costco and Loblaws. Visa and Mastercard have broader acceptance in Canada.

Amazon.ca Rewards vs Scotiabank American Express — Which Is Better? | Churnr

Header Quick Take Value Earn Rates Merchants Wallet Bonus FX Benefits Eligibility Perks Downgrade Verdict

Too close to call — $16 difference per year

Amazon.ca Rewards wins shopping (+$71), groceries (+$26)
Scotiabank American Express wins gas (+$22), dining & restaurants (+$20)

Shopping: +$71Groceries: +$26Gas: +$22

Amazon.ca Rewards: $30/yr in foreign transaction fees

Scotiabank American Express: $30/yr in foreign transaction fees

Scotiabank American Express (Amex) — not accepted at Costco, Loblaws, No Frills, Walmart

Showing Year 1 analysis

Dollar Value

$398

/first year

0.9% effective$33/mo

vs 1% no-fee card: −$21

Annual rewards earned+$428

Welcome bonus+$0

FX costs−$30

Annual fee−$0

$381

/first year

0.9% effective$32/mo

vs 1% no-fee card: −$37

Annual rewards earned+$361

Welcome bonus+$50

FX costs−$30

Annual fee−$0

Too close to call — choose based on network acceptance or benefits.

Scroll down for the full breakdown

Earn Rates by Category

Wallet Optimizer

Downgrade

Coming soon

The Bottom Line

Too close to call — $16 difference per year

Amazon.ca Rewards wins shopping (+$71), groceries (+$26)
Scotiabank American Express wins gas (+$22), dining & restaurants (+$20)

Shopping: +$71Groceries: +$26Gas: +$22

Choose based on:

Network preference — Visa/MC acceptance at your regular merchants
Existing loyalty program alignment
Welcome bonus timing and eligibility
Benefits you value — lounge access, insurance, purchase protection

Showing Year 1 analysis

Year-over-Year

Year 1

Too close to call

Year 2+

Amazon.ca Rewards

by $66 — ongoing earn advantage

Data Sources

Issuer terms & conditions (verified Mar 2026)

Merchant MCC verification (239 merchants)

Insurance certificates (PDF review)

Reward program documentation

User-reported acceptance data

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