While it's true that most come with significant annual price tags, a select few World Elite and World Mastercards have no annual fees attached. Don't let the lack of fees fool you – these cards stand up well against even the best Mastercards in Canada.
World and World Elite cards come with very valuable perks, like concierge services and extensive insurance packages, which means their annual fees are usually relatively high. The no-fee options may have slightly fewer of these benefits, but their value is still high enough that the lack of a fee is surprising.
Below, we review and compare the best no fee World and World Elite Mastercards, taking special interest in their excellent features.
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Difference between World and World Elite Mastercards
Though they are similar in a lot of ways, there are a few distinct differences between the World and World Elite Mastercard benefit tiers.
You’ll get the most benefits with the World Elite Mastercards, since you’re getting everything included in the World tier plus some additional benefits.
However, with those additional benefits come higher annual fees and higher income requirements to qualify for World Elite Mastercards than you would see with World Matercards.
For a closer look at what you’d typically get from a World Mastercard vs. a World Elite Mastercard, plus the fees and income requirements you’d typically see with each designation, check out the table below:
| Feature | Typical World Mastercard | Typical World Elite Mastercard |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fees | $0 to $115 | $0 to $299 |
| Income requirements | $60,000 individual or $100,000 household | $80,000 individual or $150,000 household |
| Travel Perks | * Mastercard Travel Rewards on some cards * Mastercard Travel Pass on some cards with paid access to all lounges * Priceless.com experiences on some cards * Mastercard Global Service * Car rental insurance on some cards |
* Mastercard Travel Rewards on all cards * Mastercard Travel Pass on all cards with free access to some lounges * Priceless.com experiences on all cards * Mastercard Global Service * Car rental insurance on all cards |
| Other Perks | * Zero liability * Transaction alerts * Extended warranty * Purchase protection * Boingo WiFi Hotspots * Digital everyday offers * Apple Music free for four months |
* Zero liability * Transaction alerts * Extended warranty * Purchase protection * Boingo WiFi Hotspots * Digital everyday offers * Apple Music free for four months |
To be honest, you won’t find every perk above on all World Mastercards, but you will find them on all World Elite Mastercards.
There are also times when a benefit is available on both Mastercard tiers, but not quite in the same way. For example, Mastercard Travel Pass memberships are available on both World and World Elite, but only World Elite Mastercards get some free access to these airport lounges, while World cardholders need to pay (each visit costs US$32).
The other differences are the fact that income requirements are slightly higher for World Elite Mastercards, with an $80,000 annual income for individuals and $150,000 annual income for households, as opposed to $60,000 a year for individuals and $100,000 a year for households on World Mastercards.
Annual fees (when there are annual fees) are also slightly higher on World Elite Mastercards than they are on World Mastercards, ranging from $0 to $299 on World Elite Mastercards and $0 to $115 on World Mastercards.
Want to know even more about why World Elite Mastercards have such great perks? Click here to find out more about why World Elite Mastercards are so good, they practically rule the world.
World and World Elite Mastercard perks
The perks offered on both World and World Elite Mastercards are pretty extensive and the incredible thing is, they come in addition to the benefits offered by your credit card issuer on your individual credit card.
Let’s take a closer look at what these benefits are.
Mastercard Travel Rewards
This benefit allows some World and all World Elite Mastercard holders to get cash rewards by shopping at participating merchants either online or in person when they travel outside of Canada.
All cardholders need to do is register their account, log in to the Mastercard Travel Rewards shopping portal and the cash rewards you save are added to your statement.
Merchant partners include Target, Bloomingdales, and more.
Mastercard Travel Pass provided by DragonPass
While airport lounge access is available to both World and World Elite Mastercard holders, some World Elite holders get complimentary lounge visits each year.
On the other hand, there are no complimentary visits available for World Mastercard holders. They must pay for each lounge visit and the fee varies with the lounge being accessed.
Still, both World and World Elite cardholders receive access to over 1,000 lounges in over 100 countries worldwide with spas, retail opportunities, WiFi, meeting rooms, and snack bars available.
Priceless.com experiences
Priceless.com experiences are the successors to Mastercard World and World Elite’s popular Priceless Cities perk.
They are available on some World Mastercards and all World Elite Mastercards and are both online and in-person tourist experiences in several cities around the world, including Montreal and Toronto if you’re looking for experiences in your own country.
For example, you can learn how to make a signature dish from some of the world’s highest profile executive chefs online or book an in-person tee time at Mastercard’s private network of over 1,000 country clubs.
The whole program gives you early access to ticketed events, opportunities to learn from experts and travel experiences both virtual and in real life, among other things.
Mastercard Global Service
Mastercard Global Service is available on both World and World Elite Mastercards and is available 24/7 to solve any card-related issues in any language. This can include:
- lost and stolen card reporting,
- emergency cash advances,
- access to card benefits,
- help locating an ATM that accepts Mastercard, and
- access to account information.
Boingo WiFi Hotspots
This benefit is available on some World and all World Elite Mastercards. It gives you free access to over 1 million Boingo WiFi Hotspots worldwide in airports, coffee shops, hotels, and more with no additional fees or roaming charges.
Free Apple Music
Available on both World and World Elite Mastercards, you’ll get a complimentary 4-month subscription to Apple Music, which unlocks access to over 90 million songs, as well as exclusive artist content and interviews in Dolby Atmos spatial audio, all 100% ad-free.
Everyday digital offers
Available on both Mastercard tiers, these are just ongoing exclusive offers texted or emailed to members on an ongoing basis.
Zero liability
Both World and World Elite Mastercards assure you won’t be responsible for any unauthorized purchase made on your credit card.
Transaction alerts
On both World and World Elite, alerts will be sent to your phone so you know what’s happening with your money at all times.
Extended warranty
On both World and World Elite Mastercards, you’ll be able to extend the manufacturer’s warranty by at least a year on purchases made on your credit card.
Purchase protection
Coverage for World and World Elite Mastercard purchases, in the first 90 days after you bought them, against theft, damage, or loss.
Car rental insurance
Car rental insurance is available on all World Elite Mastercards, but not all World Mastercards. It pays for covered damage or theft of a rental car when you use your credit card with the rental car insurance to rent it.
What is and isn’t covered and how much coverage is provided depends on each World or World Elite Mastercard that comes with this coverage.
World Elite and World Mastercards with no annual fee
With annual fees that can be as much as $299 on World Elite Mastercards and $115 on World Mastercards, the cost could’ve been a huge barrier to some cardholders accessing the many benefits above.
Thankfully, there are some World and World Elite Mastercards with no annual fee, so cardholders can have access to the many benefits they come with at no extra cost.
Now that your attention is piqued, let’s zoom in on the value proposition these no fee World and World Elite Mastercards give their owners.
| Credit Card | Welcome Bonus | Rewards | Annual Fee, Income Requirements | Apply Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tangerine World Mastercard | Earn an extra 10% cash back for the first 2 months, up to $1,000 spent |
* 2% cash back on purchases in up to 3 Money-Back Categories * 0.5% cash back on all other purchases |
* $0 * $60,000 personal/$100,000 household |
Apply Now |
| Walmart Rewards World Mastercard | $25 |
* 3% back in Walmart Rewards at Walmart * 1% back in Walmart Rewards on all other purchases |
* $0 * $100K household |
Apply Now |
| Rogers World Elite Mastercard | N/A |
* Earn 2% unlimited cash back on all eligible non-U.S. dollar purchases if you have 1 qualifying service with Rogers, Fido, Comwave, or Shaw * Earn 1.5% unlimited cash back on eligible non-U.S. dollar purchases * Earn 3% unlimited cash back on all eligible purchases made in U.S. dollars |
* $0 * $60K personal/$100K household |
|
| Triangle World Elite Mastercard | N/A |
* 4% CT Money at Canadian Tire stores * 3% CT Money on grocery store purchases * 1% CT Money on all other purchases * Collect 5 cents CT Money per liter on reg/mid grade fuel, or 7 cents on premium fuel at Gas+ and Husky stations |
* $0 * $80K personal/$100K household |
|
| PC Financial World Elite Mastercard | N/A |
* 30 points per $1 spent at PC stores * 10 points per $1 + 10 points per litre at Esso * 10 points per $1 spent on all other purchases |
* $0 * $80K personal/$100K household |
1. Best cash back no fee World Mastercard
GC: $125
$125 GeniusCash + Up to $100 bonus cash back* + 1.95% on balance transfers for 6 months.*
The first no fee World Mastercard worth taking a look at here is the
By the way, that cash back you will earn is unlimited. Plus, the welcome bonus is something to behold at 10% when you spend $1,000 in the first 2 months.
Still, it’s the World Mastercard perks that push a great credit card into the stratosphere when it comes to the benefits it offers.
As far as World Mastercard benefits, you’ll find the following:
- Boingo WiFi Hotspots,
- Mastercard Travel Rewards,
- Mastercard Travel Pass membership (US$32 per visit),
- rental car insurance,
- zero liability,
- extended warranty, and
- purchase protection.
It doesn’t even end there. There’s a unique balance transfer offer of 1.95% for 6 months with a lower than average balance transfer fee of 1%.
You’ll also find the ultra rare mobile device insurance in addition to car rental insurance, purchase protection, and extended warranty to make up the card’s 4 types of insurance.
This card and all its benefits would fit you perfectly if you find yourself spending more money per month in at least 2 of its 10 spending categories:
- groceries,
- gas,
- furniture,
- restaurants,
- hotels,
- home improvement,
- drug stores,
- entertainment,
- recurring bill payments, and
- public transportation and parking.
Meanwhile, if you happen to have a Tangerine Savings Account, you’ll be able to pick a 3rd spending category, so if you love racking up the cash back in specific spending categories, this card is for you.
2. Best no fee World Mastercard for Walmart
Attention Walmart Shoppers! The
You’ll get these cash back rates off the top:
- 3% back in Walmart Rewards at Walmart
- 1% back in Walmart Rewards on all other purchases
It happens to be a World Mastercard as well, making it slightly more worth it if you shop at other stores too, with the following benefits to enhance your shopping:
- Mastercard Global Service,
- zero liability,
- extended warranty, and
- purchase protection.
3. Best no fee World Elite Mastercard for foreign purchases
The Rogers World Elite Mastercard gives you a suite of cash back options that includes:
- Earn 2% unlimited cash back on all eligible non-U.S. dollar purchases if you have 1 qualifying service with Rogers, Fido, Comwave, or Shaw
- Earn 1.5% unlimited cash back on eligible non-U.S. dollar purchases
- Earn 3% unlimited cash back on all eligible purchases made in U.S. dollars
It’s a card that’s ideal if you either make a lot of U.S. dollar purchases online or you do a lot of cross-border shopping. In this case, the World Elite benefits will make travelling to America (or anywhere else) that much more relaxing and convenient.
Check it out:
- Mastercard Travel Pass membership,
- Boingo WiFi Hotspots (great for airports),
- Mastercard Travel Rewards (cash rebates at participating merchants abroad),
- extended warranty,
- purchase protection, and
- rental car insurance.
This credit card’s travel benefits are further bolstered by its 6 types of insurance, as it comes with a variety of travel insurances.
Rogers Red World Elite® Mastercard® Please review your insurance certificate for details, exclusions and limitations of your coverage.Extended Warranty 1 year Purchase Protection 90 days Emergency Medical Term 10 days Emergency Medical over 65 3 days Trip Cancellation $1,000 Trip Interruption $1,000 Rental Car Theft & Damage Yes
4. Best no fee World Elite Mastercard for Canadian Tire
If you’re a frequent shopper at Canadian Tire or you shop at the other stores it owns like Sport Chek, Mark’s, Party City, and Atmosphere, the Triangle World Elite Mastercard is the World Elite Mastercard to get.
After all, it gives you the following:
- 4% CT Money at Canadian Tire stores
- 3% CT Money on grocery store purchases
- 1% CT Money on all other purchases
- Collect 5 cents CT Money per liter on reg/mid grade fuel, or 7 cents on premium fuel at Gas+ and Husky stations
If you’re looking for a little more than Canadian Tire Money or cash back on gas, the World Elite benefits are a perfect compliment to what is essentially a retail credit card.
Here’s what you get just because it’s a World Elite credit card:
- extended warranty,
- personalized offers,
- member-only events, and
- concierge services at Canadian Tire.
5. Best no fee World Elite Mastercard for PC Optimum points
The PC Financial World Elite Mastercard is for the person who wants to save big on groceries and shops most often at Loblaws family of stores.
It features the most PC Optimum Points you can get on a credit card with the following rewards:
- 30 points per $1 spent at PC stores
- 10 points per $1 + 10 points per litre at Esso
- 10 points per $1 spent on all other purchases
It doesn’t have any traditional World Elite Mastercard Benefits, but the income requirements are the equivalent of all the other World Elite credit cards. This means it’s $80,000 annually for individuals and $150,000 for households.
Comparing the best no fee World and World Elite Mastercards
Speaking of income requirements, to really parse what is the best World and World Elite Mastercard with no annual fee, a number of their attributes will be compared – starting with income requirements.
Income requirements
As said in the beginning, income requirements denote whether you’re looking at a World Mastercard or a World Elite Mastercard. A World Mastercard features a lower bar with $60,000 annual income for individuals and $100,000 for households.
Meanwhile the World Elite requires income that’s much higher at $80,000 for individuals and $150,000 for households.
Let’s break it down as part of a chart.
As you can see, the income requirements are significantly larger for a World Elite Mastercard than a World Mastercard.
Don’t worry though, the difference when it comes to perks isn’t always that significant, as some perks that would normally appear on a World Elite card are sometimes available on a World Mastercard. It’s just a matter of researching the cards because sometimes you may find the perk you want for a lower income threshold.
Estimated perk value
Check out how the “Estimated Perk Value” compares on the no fee World and World Elite Mastercards in the chart below:
Of course, the World Elite Mastercards would have a higher perk value than the World Mastercards given that World Elite status Mastercards are the highest tier Mastercards you can get with the most benefits.
It may be somewhat surprising though that the PC Financial World Elite Mastercard comes out on top with the highest estimated perk value.
Average rate of return
The estimated perk value is one thing, but what about the annual rate of return? What World or World Elite Mastercard gives you the most bang for your buck?
Based on an average spend of $2,000 a month, multiplied by your return on your spending, you can figure out the annual value of the rewards on each card.
Let’s take a look:
The rate of return on these no fee World and World Elite Mastercard is pretty much the same across the board. The Rogers World Elite Mastercard does have a slight edge over the rest of the field, but it’s nothing to write home about. Overall, the rate of return on these cards is pretty good, but not earth shattering.
Your turn
So there you have it, despite their incredibly high income requirements, World and World Elite Mastercards take credit cards with pretty decent benefits and just make them that much better.
They do this by adding exclusive experiences, airport lounge access, WiFi hotspots, and statement credit on some purchases while travelling abroad.
Besides, that doesn’t even cover the amount of insurance you can often receive.
So what do you think? Will you be making your next card a World or World Elite Mastercard and do you want one with no annual fee?
Let us know in the comments below.
FAQ
Is there a World Mastercard with no annual fee?
Yes, there are several. Check out the section of this article titled No fee World and World Elite Mastercards to get the full rundown of all the no fee World Mastercards available.
Which World Elite Mastercards have no annual fees?
Well, there’s the Triangle World Elite Mastercard, the Rogers World Elite Mastercard, and the PC Financial World Elite Mastercard. We compare them all in the Comparing the best no fee World and World Elite Mastercards section of this article.
Are World Elite Mastercards better than Visa Infinite cards?
Good news! We’ve actually done the comparison so you don’t have to. Feel free to judge for yourself.
What’s the difference between World and World Elite Mastercards?
World Elite Mastercards are the top tier of benefits Mastercard has to offer, while World is more like the middle child of benefit tiers between Standard and World Elite. This means that if you have a World Elite Mastercard, you’ll get all the benefits of a World Mastercard and the additional benefits of the World Elite tier. They are similar, but there are still subtle differences.
Who qualifies for a World Elite Mastercard?
Qualifying for a World Elite Mastercard means that person makes at least $80,000 in yearly individual income and has at least $150,000 in annual household income. Thankfully, the perks are worth it.
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