BMO’s newest credit card offering is the BMO eclipse rise Visa* Card. With a low barrier to acceptance, the card is ideal if you're looking to get into the BMO credit cards ecosystem and work your way up to more premium cards. Plus, with no annual fee, the card can be used to continue a longstanding relationship with BMO.

Bonuses & Fees

Despite being a no annual fee card, the BMO eclipse rise Visa* Card offers up to 20,000 BMO Rewards points as a welcome bonus. All you need to do to get those points is to spend $1,500 in the first three months of holding the card.

With our valuation of BMO Rewards points set at 0.67 cents per point, the welcome bonus is approximately worth $134.

In addition to the points, you’ll receive an introductory 0.99% interest rate on balance transfers for nine months with a 2% transfer fee should you need it.

The primary card and its supplementary cards have no annual fee.

Since it’s a no annual fee product, you can keep it open as a primary or backup credit card, all while supporting the longevity of your credit history.

Earning Rewards

The BMO eclipse rise Visa* Card earns BMO Rewards points as follows:

• 5 BMO Rewards points per $2 spent on eligible recurring bill payments, groceries, and restaurants
• 1 BMO Rewards point per $2 spent on all other eligible purchases

Given that BMO Rewards points are 0.67 cents apiece, the 5x accelerated earn rate on eligible categories corresponds to a 1.68% return, which is good for a no annual fee card. However, it bears repeating that the accelerated earn rate is per $2 spent, not per dollar spent. For all other purchases, the return is approximately 0.34%, which is weaker than most cards. Hence, it may be prudent to use this card mainly for the accelerated earn categories then consider a different no-fee card for all other purchases.

Redeeming Rewards

BMO Rewards points are worth 0.67 cents per point when redeemed against the cost of travel booked via the BMO Rewards online portal (at a fixed rate of 150 BMO Rewards points = $1). BMO Rewards points can also be redeemed at 0.5 cents per point against any statement purchase (at the rate of 200 BMO Rewards points = $1). However, the value in doing so is clearly not as strong, so you should always aim to use your BMO Rewards points to book travel.

Perks & Benefits

Annually, you may receive a bonus of up to 5,000 BMO Rewards points broken down as follows:

• 2,500 BMO Rewards points if you pay your balance in full for 12 consecutive months
• 2,500 BMO Rewards points if you annually redeem at least 12,000 points as a statement balance using the Pay with Points feature

As a BMO cardholder, you’ll also receive 7 cents off per litre on Shell fuels.

Insurance Coverage

The card offers the following insurance benefits:

• Mobile device insurance of up to $1,000, protecting against loss, theft, or accidental damage
• Purchase security insurance in case of theft or damage for up to 90 days following the purchase date
• Extended warranty insurance that doubles the manufacturer's warranty for up to one year