
National Bank ECHO® Cashback Mastercard®
Card highlights
Annual fee
Number of perks & insurances
Ratehub’s review
Natasha Macmillan
The National Bank ECHO Cashback Mastercard is a solid choice for those looking to earn a predictable rate of return on their spending. Cash back rewards apply to a wide variety of purchase categories and are unlimited. If you’re looking for travel rewards or travel insurance coverage, though, you may want to look elsewhere.
Pros
- Cash back rewards are unlimited: The regular 1% cash back rate is unlimited so you can continue to earn on your spending.
- Bonus rewards cover a broad range of categories, including gas, grocery and online spending.
Cons
- The cash back earn rate isn’t the highest around, although it is unlimited.
- As with many low-fee cards, there are few perks, and no insurance besides the standard zero liability, purchase protection and standard warranty coverage.
Rewards & bonuses
See what you could earn based on how you spend.
Earn rates
Monthly spending caps apply where shown. Rewards are earned on eligible purchases only, see the card’s terms for full details.
Your earning potential
First year reward
Based on spending $2,200/mo after $30 annual fee
Second year reward
Based on spending $2,200/mo after $30 annual fee
These numbers are based on estimations and the calculation breakdown below.
Adjust your spending
First year reward†
- If you spend $2,200/month, you’ll earn
- Annual fee
- First year reward
Second year reward†
- If you spend $2,200/month, you’ll earn
- Annual fee
- Second year reward
† Estimate calculated by Ratehub.ca and is based on current offers and a monthly spend of $2,200. It is for illustrative purposes only.
Perks & insurance
Perks and insurance coverage included with the card.
| Perks | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | Not included | You’ll gain complimentary passes to airport lounges. The number of passes and lounges you have access to will vary. |
| No foreign exchange fees | Not included | A surcharge that credit card holders pay for purchases made in a foreign currency (typically 2.5%). |
| Extended warranty | Included | Either doubles the length of the item’s manufacturer’s warranty coverage or extends it by 1 year, whichever is less. |
| Price protection | Not included | If, within a certain amount of time of purchasing an item, its price drops or you find an identical item offered for a lower retail price than what you paid, you will be reimbursed for the difference. |
| Insurance | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Travel accident insurance | Not included | If you suffer a loss as a result of an accidental bodily injury sustained while occupying a common carrier, you are eligible for this coverage. |
| Travel emergency medical | Not included | If you require urgent medical care while on a trip outside of your home province, you will be covered for any eligible medical expenses incurred. |
| Car rental insurance | Not included | Credit card rental car insurance usually covers theft, loss and damage to your rental car in the case of an accidental collision. |
| Trip cancellation | Not included | If you have to cancel your trip before it’s even started, your prepaid travel costs will be covered up to a maximum amount if the cause of cancellation is eligible for the insurance. |
| Trip interruption | Not included | If your trip has to be cut short or is delayed after the scheduled departure date, you will be covered up to a maximum amount for an eligible cause of interruption or delay. |
| Flight delay insurance | Not included | If your flight departure is delayed by a certain number of hours, you’ll be reimbursed a certain amount for necessary and reasonable expenses. |
| Baggage loss insurance | Not included | If your checked bag cannot be located by a common carrier, you’ll be reimbursed for a portion of the replacement cost of lost personal property. |
| Baggage delay insurance | Not included | If your checked bag is not delivered within a specified time upon your arrival, you’ll be reimbursed for the cost to replace essential items. |
| Hotel/motel burglary | Not included | Provides protection, while you’re checked in, for your personal belongings when left unattended in your room up to a certain dollar amount. |
| Mobile insurance | Not included | Reimburses a portion of your cell phone in the event it’s damaged or lost. Device coverage is limited to a certain period of time after purchasing with your credit card. |
| Purchase assurance | Included | Automatically protects new purchases by insuring them for 90 days from the date of purchase in the event of loss, theft or damage. |
Details & eligibility
Fees
- Annual fee
- $30
Rates
- Purchase interest
- 20.99%
- Balance transfer rate
- 22.49%
- Cash advance rate
- 22.49%
Type
- Provider
- National Bank of Canada
- Card type
- Cash back
- Payment network
- Mastercard
Eligibility
- Minimum personal income
- N/A
- Minimum household income
- N/A
- Minimum credit score
- 660+
Terms & conditions
Cashback details
All eligible purchases qualify for 1% cashback when your account is in good standing. Your account is in good standing when you comply with the obligations of your cardholder agreement (e.g., making your minimum payment by the due date). The cashback will be paid as a credit applied to your account and cannot be paid in cash. An additional cashback of 0.5% is granted on the first $25,000 of eligible gas, grocery and online purchases charged annually to your credit card account. The additional cashback of 0.5% does not apply when the total of your annual eligible purchases exceeds $25,000. After that, the cashback equals 1% of eligible purchases, regardless of the type of purchase. For conditions and restrictions that apply to cashback rewards and a full list of codes associated with eligible merchants, refer to the cashback accumulation table [PDF] and the applicable rules [PDF].
Credit Terms
Grace period: No interest will be charged on purchases made during the month, provided the client pays the balance in full within twenty-one (21) days of the statement date. This grace period does not apply to cash advances or balance transfers. Minimum payment: If your account balance is lower than $10, you must pay the entire balance. If you reside in the province of Quebec, your minimum payment will correspond to 5% of the credit card account balance plus any overdue payment or $10, whichever amount is higher. If you reside outside of Quebec, your minimum payment represents 2.5% of the credit card account balance plus any overdue payment or $10, whichever amount is higher. Account statement: A statement is sent monthly.
Example of credit charges over a 30-day period
| Annual interest rate | Average balance | |
| $500 | $3,000 | |
| 22.49% | $9.24 | $55.45 |
| 20.99% | $8.63 | $51.76 |
| 12.90% | $5.30 | $31.81 |
| 8.9% | $3.66 | $21.95 |
*Variable interest rate in effect on September 1, 2021
Balance transfer and cash advance are subject to credit approval by National Bank. Each balance transfer must be at least $250.
Purchase protection and Extended warranty
This coverage applies to purchases charged to the National Bank ECHO cashback card. Extended warranty coverage applies to most new items purchased with the card, in Canada or abroad, as long as the manufacturer’s warranty is valid in Canada. Certain conditions and restrictions apply. For more information and for details of your insurance coverage, please consult the insurance certificate associated with your card.