Rogers Bank has announced some changes to its entry-level Rogers Connections Mastercard, which took effect as of May 17, 2023.
Under the revamp, the card will now feature a 2% across-the-board cash back for eligible Rogers subscribers, and it no longer comes with an annual fee. As part of the launch, new cardholders can earn 10% cash back on all purchases for the first three months, up to $1,000 spent.
The Revamped Rogers Connections Mastercard
The Rogers Connections Mastercard is an entry-level offering under the telecommunication giant’s banking arm, Rogers Bank. All of its credit cards are cash back-yielding products, but in contrast to the higher-level Rogers World Elite Mastercard, it has no minimum income requirement.
As a welcome bonus, its earn rates are accelerated in the first three months to 10% up to a maximum of $1,000 (CAD) in purchases. Therefore, by spending $1,000 in the first three months, you’ll have earned $100 (CAD) in cash back.
Starting today, Rogers Bank is increasing the earning rate on the Rogers Connections Mastercard to 2% cash back on all purchases for eligible subscribers of its telecommunications services.
In order to qualify for the 2% cash back base earning rate as an eligible Rogers customer, you’ll need to have a combination of at least one Rogers wireless phone service and at least one Rogers internet, TV, home phone, or home monitoring service.
In other words, you must have both a mobile phone plan and an internet, TV, home phone, or home monitoring service to be eligible.
If you don’t qualify as a Rogers customer, the regular cash back earning rates are 2% for transactions in US dollars and 1% for everything else. Keep in mind that you’ll incur a 2.5% foreign transaction fee with the card, so you’re likely better off using a no foreign transaction fee card instead for purchases in US dollars.
Additionally, Rogers is no longer charging an annual fee on the card, which is down from the $29 (CAD) it previously levied.
The cash back earned on the card can then be used to offset any purchase; however, if you want more bang for your buck, you can use the cash back to pay for a Rogers bill and get 30% more value. That means you’ll get $1.30 (CAD) for every cash back dollar applied towards your Rogers bill or on phone and accessory purchases.
Therefore, if you use your cash back to pay for your Rogers bill, you’ll effectively get 2.6% cash back per dollar with the 30% bonus taken into consideration.
Aside from cash back, the Rogers Connections Mastercard now also provides cardholders with five free Roam Like Home days each year, which is worth up to $75 (CAD). This feature lets Rogers subscribers use their mobile plan’s call, text, and data allocations in 185 destinations abroad and be charged a flat daily fee of $12 (CAD) in the US or $15 (CAD) globally.
If you’re already subscribed to Rogers’s mobile and home services, all that’s left to do is link your Rogers Connections Mastercard to your Rogers account.
How Does It Compare to Other Cash Back Cards?
A 2% across-the-board cash back earning rate is indeed respectable, especially for a no-fee card. However, it’s worth noting that this only applies if you’re an eligible Rogers customer, and if you’re not, then the base earning rate is 1% cash back.
A natural point of comparison is the Rogers World Elite Mastercard, which also comes with no annual fee. The World Elite’s base earning rate is higher, at 1.5% cash back on all purchases, and the cash back jumps to 3% for purchases in US dollars.
On the other hand, if you’re an eligible Rogers customer, then the 2% cash back base earning rate on the Rogers Connections Mastercard is actually superior.
Furthermore, the welcome offer on the Rogers World Elite Mastercard is just $25 cash back after making a purchase, while the signup bonus on the Rogers Connections Mastercard is worth up to $100.
The Rogers World Elite Mastercard also has an annual minimum spending requirement of $15,000 (CAD) to stay at the World Elite level, which comes with other ancillary perks like a DragonPass membership (without any complimentary visits), Boingo Wi-Fi, and moderate insurance coverage.
Therefore, if you’re an eligible Rogers customer, the Rogers Connections Mastercard provides outsized value with a higher base earning rate, a better welcome bonus, and a 30% bonus if the cash back earned is redeemed against your bill or a phone or accessory purchase.
Looking to cards from other issuers, the SimplyCash Preferred Card from American Express also offers 2% cash back on all purchases, but carries a $99 (CAD) annual fee. However, since it has 10% cash back on up to $4,000 (CAD) in purchases in the first four months, it’s worth more in the first year than the Rogers Connections Mastercard.
Conclusion
Rogers Bank has refreshed its entry-level Rogers Connections Mastercard. Starting today, eligible subscribers of Rogers’s telecommunications services will see the cash back earning rate on their card increase to 2% on all purchases. The card also now comes with no annual fee.
It’s important to note that to be deemed as an eligible subscriber, you must have both a mobile phone plan and an internet, TV, home phone, or home monitoring service.
2% cash back is respectable for a no-fee card, and it becomes even better when you apply your cash back towards your Rogers bill and receive 30% more value.
If you’re already entrenched in the Rogers ecosystem, consider applying for the no-fee Rogers Connections Mastercard.