Best Tangerine Credit Cards in Canada for 2026
An unbiased comparison of every top Tangerine credit card in Canada
The Tangerine Rewards World Elite Mastercard is the best Tangerine credit card, offering Scene+ points, airport lounge access, an extensive insurance package, and much more. Cardholders can even choose their own categories for maximum earning.
While most credit cards earn rewards across pre-set categories, Tangerine credit cards are known for letting cardholders choose which types of spending earn the most rewards. Those rewards are delivered as cash back or Scene+ points, depending on which card you choose.
We used our math-based Genius Rating system to rank all of Tangerine's credit cards. This article compares each card in detail, compares them head-to-head, and gives you a quick look at how Scene+ works – all so you can feel comfortable choosing the right Tangerine card to suit your needs.
Key Takeaways
- The best Tangerine card is the Tangerine Rewards World Elite Mastercard, which provides many benefits that especially appeal to travellers.
- Tangerine credit cards offer either flexible cash back or Scene+ points – and you get to choose your best earning categories.
- The best Tangerine credit card for you depends on whether travel, earning cash back, or eligibility is most important.
The best Tangerine credit cards in Canada
| Category | Card Name | Annual Fee | Rewards | Welcome Bonus | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for travel | Tangerine Rewards World Elite Mastercard | $120 | * 1.5 Scene+ points per $1 spent in 3 reward categories of your choice * 1 Scene+ point per $1 spent on all other purchases |  $125 GeniusCash + Up to 50,000 bonus points (terms) | Learn more |
| Best for cash back | Tangerine Money-Back World Mastercard | $0 | * 2% cash back on purchases in up to 3 Money-Back Categories * 0.5% cash back on all other purchases | $75 GeniusCash + $120 (terms) | Learn more |
| Best for simple eligibility | Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card | $0 | * 2% cash back on purchases in up to 3 Money-Back Categories * 0.5% cash back on all other purchases | $75 GeniusCash + 10% extra cash back for the first 2 months (terms) | Learn more |
Best Tangerine credit card for travel: Tangerine® Rewards World Elite®* Mastercard®*
GC: $125
Rewards:
- 1.5 Scene+ points per $1 spent in 3 reward categories of your choice
- 1 Scene+ point per $1 spent on all other purchases
As Tangerine's first premium credit card, the Tangerine Rewards World Elite Mastercard is also its best option for travel rewards. You'll earn Scene+ points you can redeem for travel, gift cards, statement credits, and more – even fuel discounts.
This card comes with a Mastercard Travel Pass membership and 4 free lounge passes each year. You'll also get extensive travel insurance and one of the rarest types of credit card insurance: event ticket cancellation coverage.
Pros:
- Earn Scene+ rewards
- 12 types of insurance
- 4 airport lounge passes each year
- Choose your own reward categories
- Fuel discounts at Shell
Cons:
- High annual fee
- High income requirements
Best Tangerine credit card for cash back: Tangerine® Money-Back World Mastercard®*
Rewards:
- 2% cash back on purchases in up to 3 Money-Back Categories
- 0.5% cash back on all other purchases
Tangerine is primarily known for its flexible cash back earning opportunities, and the Tangerine Money-Back World Mastercard is its highest-earning no-fee card. Choose up to 3 accelerated earn-rate categories from over a dozen options and earn more cash back on what you spend most on.
With this no-fee Tangerine card, you can request cash back on demand and even adjust which categories earn you more cash back. Deposit your rewards into a Tangerine Savings Account, and you can select an extra category to earn accelerated cash back.
Pros:
- 4 types of insurance
- Discounted streaming services
- 1GB of complimentary global data roaming
- Solid balance transfer offer
- Fuel discounts at Shell
Cons:
- Low earn rate on non-accelerator category purchases
- High income requirements
Best Tangerine credit card for simple eligibility: Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card
×2 Award winner GC: $75
2x Award winner Rewards:
- 2% cash back on purchases in up to 3 Money-Back Categories
- 0.5% cash back on all other purchases
The Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card is a straightforward card with good earn rates on your selected categories. It's also one of our top-ranked cards for students, applicants with limited credit history, and newcomers to Canada. The card has relatively low credit score and income requirements, and no annual fee.
Because it's easy to qualify for this no-fee card, be aware that it doesn't come with extensive Tangerine perks or benefits. Instead, it's a simple credit card that can help you get comfortable with using credit and build your credit score.
Pros:
- No annual fee
- Low income requirements
- Valuable welcome bonus
- Solid balance transfer offer
- Fuel discounts at Shell
Cons:
- Low earn rate on non-accelerator category purchases
- Limited insurance
Compare the top Tangerine credit cards by Genius Rating
We use our Genius Rating to compare credit cards and see which ones come out on top. It's an unbiased and math-based algorithm that considers all the key details, and we regularly update it to keep our ratings accurate and up to date.
Here's how Tangerine credit cards compare when arranged by Genius Rating:
GC: $125 ×2 Award winner GC: $75 2x Award winner This credit card comparison table displays our default Genius Rating, which applies our standard weight to all 7 of our scoring categories (rewards, fees, insurance, interest, perks, approval, and acceptance). The ratings displayed for individual credit cards are weighted based on what each card does best.
Learn more about our Genius Rating methodology
How the Scene+ Program works
Scene+ is the free loyalty rewards program operated by Scotiabank, one of the Big Five banks that owns Tangerine.
You can earn Scene+ points by:
- Using the Tangerine Rewards World Elite Mastercard
- Using a Scotiabank credit card
- Using a Scotiabank debit card
- Shopping at Scene+ partners
You can redeem Scene+ points in a variety of ways, including these:
- Discounts at Cineplex, Home Hardware, Shell, Sobeys, and more
- Travel booked through Expedia
- Statement credits
- Apple and Best Buy merchandise
- Gift cards
Pros and cons of Tangerine credit cards
Perhaps the biggest benefit of Tangerine credit cards is the ability to choose your own top earning categories. On the other hand, their average earn rates are – well, fairly average.
Here are the main pros and cons of Tangerine credit cards:
Tangerine card pros:
- No annual fees: Tangerine offers 2 solid no-annual-fee cards, so you keep more of the rewards you earn.
- Balance transfer offers: If you're carrying a balance on another credit card, Tangerine's balance transfer offer can help reduce interest charges while you pay it off.
- Welcome bonuses: With easy-to-earn bonus rewards, you'll enjoy some extra money in your account with these cards.
- Fuel savings: Get 3 cents per litre instant savings on all grades of gas at Shell. Link your Scene+ membership to your Shell Go+ account to earn up to 2 cents per litre in redeemable Scene+ points on Shell V-Power fuel – a Scotiabank and Tangerine client exclusive.
- Bonus rewards in up to 3 categories: You choose 2 – 3 categories that will earn you boosted cash back or points. The Tangerine Rewards World Elite Mastercard offers 3 categories by default, and if your cash is deposited to a Tangerine savings account, you get to choose up to 3 for cash back cards as well.
Tangerine card cons:
- Average rate of return: Earning 2% back in up to 3 categories is a great deal for a no annual fee card. The catch is that anything you buy outside those categories only earns 0.5% back.
- Standard interest rates: Unless you take advantage of the balance transfer promo, you're looking at standard interest rates of 20.95% – 22.95%.
- Minimal insurance for no-fee cards: Both no-fee cards offer fairly basic extended warranty and purchase protection coverage, but the Tangerine Money-Back World Mastercard also provides mobile device coverage and rental car theft and damage.
How to choose the right Tangerine credit card for you
To decide which Tangerine card is right for you, start by deciding whether you're comfortable paying an annual fee for more extensive insurance and 4 free lounge passes. If so, and you meet the eligibility requirements, the Tangerine Rewards World Elite Mastercard is the card for you. Keep in mind, though, that the rewards alone don't justify its annual fee.
Looking for a no-fee card? Choose between Tangerine's flexible cash back cards: the Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card and Tangerine Money-Back World Mastercard.
But the most important thing to consider is whether you meet the eligibility criteria for the Tangerine Money-Back World Mastercard. If not, you'll have to stick with the Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card (which offers many of the same features and benefits as the Tangerine Money-Back World Mastercard anyway).
If you do qualify for the more premium option but are unsure whether it's worth it, ask yourself these questions:
- What kind of insurance coverage do you want? Will you use the mobile device or rental car insurance offered by the World Mastercard? If not, stick with the more basic Tangerine card.
- Will you use the World or World Elite Mastercard benefits? If you don't travel often, perks like airport lounge access and a large travel insurance package won't be valuable.
- Do you want to do a balance transfer? The Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card and Tangerine Money-Back World Mastercard offer a promo balance transfer rate of 1.95% for 6 months.
- Would you get value from a discount on sports streaming services? Tangerine Money-Back World Mastercard cardholders get a $30 discount on their first 3 months of Fubo sports streaming.
How to apply for a Tangerine credit card
To apply for a Tangerine credit card, you must be a Canadian resident and of the age of majority in your province or territory. You also can't have filed for bankruptcy in the past 7 years.
To apply, follow these steps:
- Click one of our secure application links that will take you to Tangerine's website.
- Complete the online application with details like your income, employment, and contact information.
- Submit the application.
- Wait for confirmation that you've been approved.
Here's what Tangerine cardholders think
It's one thing to read through data and facts about each Tangerine card and quite another thing to see what real cardholders have to say about their experiences.
We were a bit surprised to see that Redditors really don't think highly of Tangerine credit cards in general. Many mentioned that their Tangerine cards were sitting in drawers or made redundant by cards like Wealthsimple that have better base earn rates for all purchases:
That said, several cardholders recommended keeping Tangerine cards purely for the fuel discounts, especially if fuel is one of your accelerated reward categories:
Again, whether a Tangerine credit card is worth it really depends on what you hope to get from using it.
FAQ
Which Tangerine credit card is best?
The Tangerine Rewards World Elite Mastercard is the best Tangerine credit card, largely due to its Mastercard Travel Pass membership, free lounge passes, and extensive travel insurance. Other Tangerine cards let users choose their top 2 earning categories, but this one lets you choose 3.
Is Tangerine still owned by Scotiabank?
Yes, Tangerine is still owned by Scotiabank. Scotiabank acquired it in 2012, when it was ING Direct Canada, and it now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary. Tangerine remains online-only, but clients can use Scotiabank's network of over 3,500 ATMs across Canada without fees.
Is there a Tangerine Visa credit card?
No, there aren't any Tangerine Visa cards, or Amex cards either. Its credit cards currently run on the Mastercard network, with 3 options: the no-fee Money-Back Credit Card, the World Mastercard, and the newer World Elite Mastercard, which earns Scene+ points.
What credit score do you need for a Tangerine credit card?
Both the Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card and the Tangerine Money-Back World Mastercard require an estimated credit score between 660 and 724. The Tangerine Rewards World Elite Mastercard requires a score between 560 and 659, but has steep income requirements: $80,000 personal or $150,000 for the household.
What is the best Canadian credit card?
The best credit card in Canada is the American Express Cobalt Card. This card consistently delivers high returns on spending, comes with 10 types of insurance, and offers a generous welcome bonus. It also provides access to valuable Amex programs and benefits, like Front Of The Line, Amex Offers, and the Amex Hotel Collection.
Editorial Disclaimer: The content here reflects the author's opinion alone. No bank, credit card issuer, rewards program, or other entity has reviewed, approved, or endorsed this content. For complete and updated product information please visit the product issuer's website. Our credit card scores and rankings are based on our Rating Methodology that takes into account 126+ features for each of 250 Canadian credit cards.
