The American Express Cobalt® Card vs. BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card

Deciding between the American Express Cobalt® Card and BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card? Our expert looks at both cards and helps you choose.

If you’re looking for a rewards card to cash in on your purchases in major spending categories (like groceries and dining), consider the American Express Cobalt® Card or the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card. For their annual fees, they each feature above-average earn rates and offer some included insurance and perks.

Both cards go a little further with exclusive access to their own special benefits programs—Cobalt Perks and Visa Infinite. So, how do you decide which card is the best for you? In this article, we dig a bit deeper.

American Express Cobalt® Card vs. BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card: Comparing the Key Features

The American Express Cobalt® Card and the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card have a lot in common. They’re both travel-centric rewards credit cards offering healthy earn rates on purchases in top spending categories like groceries and dining with flexible and easy-to-redeem programs. Each card comes with included insurance and some extras. And, cardholders of each have automatic access to exclusive membership programs for events and experiences. The similarities are obvious but there are also some key differences. Let’s look a little closer.

	American Express Cobalt® Card	*BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Card**
Card type	American Express	Visa
Annual fee	$155.88 ($12.99 monthly fee)	$120 (first-year annual fee waiver)*
Welcome offer	Earn up to 30,000 Membership Rewards® points in the first year (conditions apply)	Get up to 60,000 points worth $400 in travel rewards, a $50 lifestyle credit and the $120 annual fee waived in the first year - that's a $570 value in your first year*.
Earn rates	Get 5 points per $1 spent on eligible food and drink in Canada, including groceries and food delivery, 3 points per $1 spent on streaming services, 2 points per $1 on spent gas and transit like buses or taxicabs, 1 point per $1 spent on everything else, and 1 additional Membership Rewards® point for every $1 spent as a charge on your Express Cobalt® Card on any eligible hotel or any car rental bookings made through American Express Travel.	Earn 5x the BMO Rewards points on groceries, dining, gas and transit, and 1 point per $1 on everything else.
Rewards boosts	Referral bonuses when you refer new cardholders up to 75,000 Membership rewards points per year	Earn 10% more points when you add an additional cardholder*
Redemptions	Points can be used for travel, merchandise, gift cards, and statement credits	Points can be used for travel, merchandise, gift cards, statement credits, and towards your BMO investment account
Included insurance	Up to $5M in out-of-province or country emergency medical insurance, $250,000 travel accident coverage, plus flight and baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage, and car rental theft or damage protection. Mobile device insurance, purchase security and extended warranty	Up to $5M in out-of-province or country emergency medical insurance, common carrier, and car rental collision/loss damage coverage; mobile device insurance of up to $1000; purchase security and extended warranty*
Extras	Up to $100 USD in hotel credit on qualifying hotel amenities, room upgrades when booking a stay through The Hotel Collection	$50 annual “lifestyle credit”*
Perks program	Cobalt Perks	Visa Infinite*
Minimum annual income	None	Minimum $60,000 (individual) or $100,000 (household)
Learn More	Visit Site	Visit Site

Card type

The American Express Cobalt® Card is an American Express card and the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card is a Visa card. The credit processor shouldn’t make a lot of difference in most cases; however, Visa tends to be accepted at more retailers in Canada than American Express. This can really come into play when trying to spend in the high-return grocery category. Loblaws doesn’t accept American Express, and Costco only takes Mastercard in-store and Visa for online purchases.

Winner: The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card —Loblaws is Canada’s largest grocery retailer

Annual fee

The American Express Cobalt® Card charges a $155.88 ($12.99 monthly fee). The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card charges a $120 annual fee. However, the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card offers a first-year annual fee waiver* as part of the welcome bonus.

Winner: The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card, by a hair—the first-year annual fee waiver is worth $120 and gives you a chance to test-drive the card for 12 months.

Welcome offer

In your first year as a new Cobalt® Cardmember, you can earn 2,500 Membership Rewards® points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $500 in purchases on your Card. This could add up to 30,000 points in a year. That’s up to $300 towards a weekend getaway or concert tickets. Terms and conditions apply.

However, the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card tops that with a slightly more lucrative welcome offer. Get up to 60,000 points worth $400 in travel rewards, a $50 lifestyle credit and the $120 annual fee waived in the first year - that's a $570 value in your first year*.

Winner: BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card — the welcome offer is worth more.

Earn rates

These two cards have very similar earning structures. The American Express Cobalt® Card gives you many opportunities to rack up rewards with your everyday spending. Get 5 points per $1 spent on eligible food and drink in Canada, including groceries and food delivery, 3 points per $1 spent on streaming services, 2 points per $1 on spent gas and transit like buses or taxicabs, 1 point per $1 spent on everything else, and 1 additional Membership Rewards® point for every $1 spent as a charge on your Express Cobalt® Card on any eligible hotel or any car rental bookings made through American Express Travel. The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card has a more streamlined earn structure. Earn 5x the BMO Rewards points on groceries, dining, gas and transit*, and 1 point per $1 on everything else*.

Winner: The American Express Cobalt® Card

Rewards boosts

Each of these cards has strong earn rates, but how do they make them even stronger? With the American Express Cobalt® Card, cardholders can get extra points when referring new customers, up to a maximum annual referral bonus of 75,000 Membership Rewards points for approved referrals. Add a supplementary cardholder to your BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card (at $50 per additional card) and receive 10% more Rewards points on your purchases.

Winner: It’s a tie—The American Express Refer-a-Friend costs you nothing but requires more effort; whereas the extra BMO Rewards points may not be worth the cost of a supplementary card.

Redemptions

With both American Express Membership Rewards and BMO Rewards points, redemptions are easy and flexible. Each offers the ability to redeem for travel, merchandise, or gift cards through their own proprietary sites, Membershiprewards.ca and BMOrewards.ca. And, both allow you to apply points to purchases made on your card.

Winner: The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card— it lets you apply your points to your BMO investment account.

Included insurance

The amount and type of insurance included are selling features for cards in this class and the differences between the American Express Cobalt® Card and the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card may well help inform your decision. If travel insurance is important to you, you’ll be more inclined toward the American Express Cobalt® Card. Not only does it offer more types of insurance – from travel accidents to flight or baggage delay and lost/stolen baggage – but its coverage amounts are higher. However, both cards offer up to $5M in out-of-province or country emergency medical insurance.

On the other hand, if you’re not travelling much these days, you might prefer the new mobile device coverage (up to $1,000) offered by both cards, which insures you for up to $1,000*.

Winner: American Express Cobalt® Card —it has a better overall insurance package.

Extras

Sometimes it’s just a nice little extra that decides a credit card for you. In keeping with its travel theme, the American Express Cobalt® Card gets you a credit on hotel amenities charged to your room of up to $100 USD when booking a stay through The Hotel Collection. This could include things like the spa, golf, or dining. Additionally, you might get a free room upgrade.

The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card takes a different tack, gifting you $50 annually as a “lifestyle credit” which can be used for whatever you want*.

Winner: Neither—the hotel credit is more money but the lifestyle credit is more flexible.

Perks program

Carrying a card in a certain “family” can sometimes gain you access to exclusive perks or programs.

The American Express Cobalt® Card offers you Cobalt Perks – a program with events and offers that can be taken as Membership points, statement credits, or Amex Prepaid Cards.

The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card, on the other hand, gains you access to the Visa Infinite program*, which extends luxury experiences and access to exclusive events. For example, Visa Infinite cardholders have access to the Luxury Hotel Collection, a Dining Series that delivers multi-course meals and fine wines to your home, and a Complimentary Concierge.

Winner: It’s a tie—your choice will depend on your own lifestyle.

Minimum annual income

No matter the perks and benefits, a credit card only works for those who can qualify for it. The American Express Cobalt® Card has no minimum income requirement, making it accessible to almost every Canadian. The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card requires a Minimum $60,000 (individual) or $100,000 (household) annual income.

Winner: The American Express Cobalt® Card

American Express Cobalt® Card vs. BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card: The Verdict

Although they both target the same market, these cards are actually quite complimentary. Both offer excellent earn rates on major spending categories (with a slight edge to the American Express Cobalt® Card) and each card has flexible and easy-to-redeem rewards.

American Express Cobalt® Card

Where they diverge is in how effective they will be as a travel card. With that purpose in mind, the American Express Cobalt® Card takes the prize due to its enhanced included insurance and perks.

However, as an overall lifestyle card, the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card edges out the American Express Cobalt® Card. The $50 annual “lifestyle credit” and mobile device insurance up to $1,000 are going to appeal to pretty much anyone. Visa is also accepted at more retailers. There is a caveat: Visa Infinite privileges are aimed at a much more luxury audience than Cobalt Perks, so you’ll want to consider which program is more likely to appeal.

BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card

Get up to 60,000 points worth $400 in travel rewards, a $50 lifestyle credit and the $120 annual fee waived in the first year - that's a $570 value in your first year*.

The bottom line: Urbanite travellers will likely choose the American Express Cobalt® Card while the fine dining and golf crowd will look to the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card. That said, there’s a first-year fee waiver on the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card, which means you could try them both and decide for yourself. Read our in-depth BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card review.

Still undecided? Take a look at the best BMO credit cards in Canada and the best American Express credit cards in Canada.

*Terms and conditions apply.

American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information click the Apply now link. Conditions apply.

BMO is not responsible for maintaining the content on this site. Please click on the Apply now link for the most up to date information.