Pros & cons
Pros
- 5% cash back on gas and groceries for the first 6 months, up to $500 spent per month.
- 2% cash back on gas and groceries.
- Includes 7 types of insurance.
Cons
- Can only earn 2% cash back on gas and groceries on the first $500 in monthly spend.
- Low earn rate of 0.5% on all other purchases.
Your rewards
Getting your welcome bonus
Based on $2,000 in monthly spending, you can get up to an estimated $81.◊
For all welcome bonus details click here.
How you earn rewards
Each card earns rewards differently. Part of choosing your card is deciding what type of rewards you want to get. With MBNA Smart Cash Platinum Plus Mastercard, here's how you earn rewards:
- 2% cash back on gas and groceries , up to $500 in combined spend monthly
- 0.5% cash back on all other purchases
For all reward details click here.
How much your rewards are worth
The dollar value of your rewards depends on the specific rewards program ‒ and what you choose to redeem your points for. For MBNA Smart Cash Platinum Plus Mastercard in particular, if you spend $2,000 per month, here's our estimated annual rewards earned depending on which reward you choose:
| Statement credits | $210 |
Calculating your annual rewards
$24,000 annual spending x 0.88% return on spending = $210 annual rewards
$210 annual rewards − $0.00 annual fee = $210 net annual rewards
Details and eligibility
- Estimated Credit Score
- 660 - 724
- Personal Income
- N/A
- Household Income
- N/A
- Annual Fee
- $0.00
- Extra Card Fee
- $0
- Card type
- Credit
- Purchase
- 21.99%
- Cash Advance
- 22.99%
- Balance Transfer
- 22.99%
Insurance coverage
- Extended Warranty
- 1 year
- Purchase Protection
- 90 days
- Travel Accident
- $1,000,000
- Trip Interruption
- $2,000
- Rental Car Theft & Damage
- Yes
- Rental Car Accident
- $200,000
- Rental Car Personal Effects
- $1,000
Please review your insurance certificate for details, exclusions and limitations of your coverage, terms and conditions apply.
Learn more about the value of credit card insurance coverage.
Genius Rating
MBNA Smart Cash Platinum Plus Mastercard's 3.8 Genius Rating is based on the weighted average of the following scores:
Methodology
All scores are produced by our math-based rating algorithm that takes into account over 126 credit card features.
Top cards from MBNA
GC: $125 + $25
GC: $125 + $25
Our review
The MBNA Smart Cash Platinum Plus Mastercard is a no annual fee cash back credit card that rewards you on your basic purchases – gas and groceries.
But it also offers a few other things, namely a sweet insurance package. Here's what this card has to offer.
Earning cash back with the MBNA Smart Cash Platinum Plus Mastercard
As a cash back credit card, the MBNA Smart Cash Platinum Plus Mastercard will earn you a percentage back on every purchase in cash.
Here's what you'll earn:
- 2% cash back on gas and groceries, up to $500 in combined spend monthly
- 0.5% cash back on all other purchases
If you can max out that $500 monthly spend on gas and groceries, you've earned $120 in cash back in one year. Pretty good for a no fee card.
And as an added bonus, since it's a Mastercard, you'll earn 2% on purchases made at Walmart Supercentres, something that Amex and Visa cards don't do.
On top of that, you're earning 0.5% cash back on all your other purchases.
How do you get your hard earned cash back in your hands? Once you have $50 accumulated, you can request a payout. And you have a couple of options to choose from:
- applied as a statement credit,
- deposited to a bank account, or
- donation to a participating charity.
Most cash back credit cards only offer statement credits, so it's nice to get some other options.
3 benefits to the MBNA Smart Cash Platinum Plus Mastercard
There is more to this card than just the rewards – here are a few other things to like about it.
1. Excellent welcome bonus
There's an easy-to-earn welcome bonus. For the first 6 months you have the card, you're earning 5% cash back on gas and groceries, up to the $500 limit.
Since it's really a bonus of 3% cash back, you can earn up to $90 in bonus cash back.
2. Top-notch insurance
Looking for insurance coverage? The Smart Cash card has you covered. You'll get 7 types of insurance. You can see the full details above.
One set of insurance coverages we'll highlight are the rental car coverages. This card includes all 3 types of rental car insurance, to help save money any time you need to rent a car.
3. Redeem your rewards how you want
Most cash back credit cards only dish out your rewards once per year, and only as a statement credit.
But not here. Once you've accumulated $50 you can request a payout. And you're not just limited to statement credits either – you can get a deposit to a bank account or get them sent to a participating charity.
2 downsides to the MBNA Smart Cash Platinum Plus Mastercard
There are 2 big things you'll want to keep in mind when considering this credit card, which are centred around the rewards
1. Poor base earn rate
The base earn rate isn't special, only earning you 0.5% cash back on your non-grocery and gas purchases.
But that's easy to offset. There are other no fee cash back cards that can earn you at least 1% cash back on every purchase. A few of these include:
Simply pair these cards together to earn more rewards.
2. Cap on gas and grocery rewards
The gas and grocery 2% earn rate is also capped. If you spend more than $500 per month combined on these categories, you may be better off with something else.
If you're under these, then this can be an excellent no fee card for you.
Comparison to the MBNA Smart Cash World Mastercard
MBNA offers 2 credit cards in their Smart Cash lineup – the other is the MBNA Smart Cash World Mastercard.
Here's how these 2 credit cards compare.
| MBNA Smart Cash Platinum Plus Mastercard | MBNA Smart Cash World Mastercard | |
|---|---|---|
| Earn Rates | * 2% cash back on gas and groceries, up to $500 in combined spend monthly * 0.5% cash back on all other purchases | * 2% cash back on gas and groceries, up to $500 in combined spend monthly * 1% cash back on all other purchases |
| Welcome Bonus | 5% cash back on gas and groceries for the first 6 months, up to $500 spent per month (terms) | 5% cash back on gas and groceries for the first 6 months, up to $500 spent per month (terms) |
| Average Earn Rate | 0.88% | 1.25% |
| Insurance Coverage | 7 types included | 8 types included |
| Annual Fee | $0 | $39 |
| Income Requirements | None | * $60K personal * $100K household |
Here are the additional things you'll get for an annual fee of $39:
- 1% cash back on all other purchases, and
- price protection insurance.
Outside of these 3 items, these are largely similar cards. Which is better for you? It really depends on how much you spend outside of gas and groceries. To offset the $39 annual fee, you'll need to spend $650 per month on those purchases.
But that price protection insurance can also be valuable, and can help save money on semi-large purchases.
It's up to you to decide if the annual fee is worth it or not.
Leave a review
These are our thoughts on the MBNA Smart Cash Platinum Plus Mastercard. But what are yours?
If you have, or have had the card in the past, leave us a user review so others can see what you thought of it.
FAQ
What does the MBNA Smart Cash Platinum Plus Mastercard earn for rewards?
The MBNA Smart Cash Platinum Plus Mastercard earns cash back at the following rates:
- 2% cash back on gas and groceries, up to $500 in combined spend monthly
- 0.5% cash back on all other purchases
What other features does the MBNA Smart Cash Platinum Plus Mastercard come with?
The MBNA Smart Cash Platinum Plus Mastercard comes with 7 types of insurance, including all 3 types of rental car coverage.
What are the annual fee and income requirements of the MBNA Smart Cash Platinum Plus Mastercard?
The MBNA Smart Cash Platinum Plus Mastercard has no annual fee or income requirements.
Key benefits
‡, ††, ✪, Terms and Conditions apply.
The Toronto-Dominion Bank is the issuer of this credit card. MBNA is a division of The Toronto-Dominion Bank. ®MBNA and other-trademarks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank.
User reviews
Reviewed by 11 Canadians
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Deal breaker for me is the absolutely ancient online account management, where you can only download a PDF of your transactions by pay period monthly. Feels like it's from 2004 or something. Otherwise experience of the company was fine, but looking for better rewards elsewhere.
Good card for paying for gas and groceries! No annual fee and cash back is paid out once you hit $50 with several options for how you want the cash back paid out including direct deposit to your bank account. Customer service has been good the couple times I've contacted them over the years, so no issues there. I've technically had the card for over 10 years as it was originally a Visa. The initial sign-up bonus made the card worthwhile back then, not quite sure what, if any, is the current sign-up bonus. It should be noted that this is affiliated with TD which it wasn't when I first got the card so I always expected the rewards to eventually be reduced.
Worst card ever! 9 year cardholder only because Costco needs a Mastercard. They had the worst customer care when it comes to any service needed, as if they lent you their own money and refused to return it. All kinds of ways to trick you out of money, won't increase your limit or lock your limit then charge you a fee for going over your limit. Like seriously?
Charges interests for a MONTH and MORE when you are only a day late. Then started charging interest for paying a day early? Some BS about closing date is different from due date? When you complain they cancel your card so you don't have access to your online statements anymore therefore can't get it sorted out. Gosh there are so many more things I can complain about but if these don't keep you away then you deserve to be scammed.
STAY AWAY IF YOU KNOW WHAT IS GOOD FOR YOU!
I've had the card itself for a couple weeks, so far it's been good. I wish the app would show rewards earned.
However, getting this card was a mission and a half. I applied for it online mid February. The following Monday, someone called me from MBNA to ask me more questions about my application. At the end of it, she said the card would be sent right away and I'd get a tracking number.
A few days later, I go to my PO box, and there's a letter. No card in it, instead some paper saying I have to show my ID at the post office. No one was working so I had to schedule time off of work to get there when the post office was open. This was already a nuisance.
About a week later I called asking where is my card? I did what you asked me to do.
They had no record of it, and cue the mass confusion, clueless representatives, cold transfers to closed departments, and multiple people who said they'd call me back but didn't.
They kept telling me I wasn't approved "yet," but I was according to the first representative. They kept telling me wrong info about my address, PO boxes confused them, they didn't know what I was supposed to tell the person at the post office to do after I'd shown them my ID. Apparently the post office person did nothing, so they had to send another letter saying show my ID to the post office. Weeks on top of weeks later, I FINALLY get this bloody credit card. 41 days from start to finish and hours on the phone. What a stupid approval process!!!
Stay away from MBNA. This is the worst Credit card issuer. Its a parasite living off TD. Customer service rudest, unkind anywhere on the planet. Approved for 5K limit Jan 10, used the card to purchase groceries and gas for about $1,100. There were multiple duplicate charges which MBA told me to dispute with retailer instead of launching an investigation from their end. Even capital one take ownership of customer disputes on their own. Feb 1st noticed on my app my limit reduced to $1,000 which below my balance. I was told Automatic system approval did not take consideration there was a no activity gap in my Transunion credit report therefore risk assessment reduced my limit. Sure, I was living in U.S for few years and no activity on my file but that was over three years ago. My Transunion file over 39 years old. Trades still reporting as old as 21 yrs. For the past three years I have CIBC infinite Visa $19k limit, Scotia Busline Visa $45K limit, Amex Cobalt $21K limit. All accounts paid in full, no balance utilization below 5% any day. Score 769. Less than 6 inqs last 5 years. only 1inq within last 9 months. I canceled the card immediately.
