BMO eclipse rise Visa Card Review
The no-fee BMO eclipse rise Visa earns BMO Rewards points, includes mobile device insurance, and is easy to qualify for. Read our full review.
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The no-fee BMO eclipse rise Visa earns BMO Rewards points, includes mobile device insurance, and is easy to qualify for. Read our full review.
The BMO eclipse rise Visa is one of just three no-fee BMO credit cards. While the other no-fee cards earn cash back, the eclipse rise Visa gives you BMO Reward points for your purchases. It’s up to you how you’d like to cash them in; you can use them for travel, financial investments, merchandise, gift cards, and statement credits.
With our BMO eclipse rise Visa review, we’ll walk you through the basics of the card and the important details you should be aware of before applying.
If you’re a student, newcomer, or someone who’s building their credit score and income, the BMO eclipse rise Visa card is a good option. You can build your credit while participating in the BMO Rewards program and enjoy basic features, such as mobile device coverage.
Annual fee: $0
Rewards: 5x Five times the BMO Rewards points for every $2 spent on recurring bill payments, groceries, dining and takeout.
Welcome offer: Get 20,000 points and a 0.99% introductory interest rate on Balance Transfers for 9 months with a 2% transfer fee. Plus, earn up to 5,000 bonus points every year.
Card details
| Interest rates | 21.99% on purchases, 23.99% on cash advances (21.99% for Quebec residents) |
| Income required | None |
| Credit score | None |
To give you a quick idea of whether or not this card might have the features and benefits you’re looking for, check out its basic characteristics.
| Earn rates | 5 points per $2 spent at dining, groceries, recurring bills, and takeout1 point per $2 spent on everything else |
| Insurance included | Extended warrantyPurchase protectionMobile device |
| Special perks and features | Participates in the BMO Rewards programBalance transfer promotionAnnual bonus opportunity when you pay on timeWelcome bonusAvailable to students and newcomers7 cents off per litre at Shell |
| Fees | 2.5% foreign transaction fee on purchases made outside Canada. |
| Minimum credit limit | Any amount |
| Supplementary card cost | $0 |
Every card has benefits and drawbacks to consider. Think about these points before submitting your application.
Pros:
Cons:
This entry-level BMO credit card is fairly straightforward in how it earns BMO Rewards points.
You’ll get 5 points per $2 spent on:
There might be some variation in how stores are categorized, so take a look at your bank statement to see if you’re earning increased rewards. Look for the merchant code “Grocery” or “Dining”. Warehouse clubs, big-box retailers, and discount stores may not code as grocery.
BMO caps increased earnings at $5,000 after you spend on groceries, dining, takeout, and recurring bills in a year. After you max out, you’ll continue to earn the base rate of 1 point per $2 spent.
In under 60 seconds, get matched with a personalized list of the best credit cards based on your spending personality and approval likelihood. No SIN required.
Sometimes, a card’s features are more important than its reward structure. This is especially true if you’re trying to qualify for a card or move your existing credit card balance.
If you have existing credit card debt with a card not issued by BMO, you can transfer your balance to the eclipse rise Visa and enjoy a 0.99% interest rate on it for 9 months. You will have to pay a 2% transfer fee, but the low balance transfer interest rate lets you quickly pay down your current credit card debt.
BMO rewards you for making consistent payments. If you pay your balance in full every month for 12 months, you’ll get 2,500 bonus points. And, if you redeem at least 12,000 BMO points for statement credits during a year, you’ll get another 2,500 points.
Of the three no-fee credit cards BMO offers, only the eclipse rise Visa gives you BMO Rewards points. You can redeem these for travel with any provider for the most value. Otherwise, you can use the points for BMO investments, request gift cards or prepaid credit cards, purchase merchandise, redeem them for Apple products, or apply them towards your statement balance. The choice is completely yours.
We always like to search for feedback from real cardholders, but when we turned to Reddit to learn more about the BMO eclipse rise Visa, we were surprised by the lack of discussion.
One cardholder simply said it was the best no-annual-fee travel card, and another considered applying for the card just to get the mobile device coverage.
After searching for feedback, we found most cardholders are talking about the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite, which has an annual fee but offers better earn rates in the BMO Rewards program (as well as better insurance coverage).
We also checked third-party data about BMO. Here’s how the bank fares:
This no-fee BMO card gives BMO Rewards points that you can redeem for travel, investments, experiences, gift cards, and merchandise. Plus, you’ll get limited insurance and the opportunity to transfer your balance for a lower interest rate.
BMO doesn’t specify what credit score you need for the BMO eclipse rise Visa, but many credit card companies like to see a score of 660 or higher. Since this card is available to newcomers and students, the credit score requirement may be a little more flexible.
Unfortunately, the BMO eclipse rise Visa doesn’t include membership or access to airport lounges.
If you pay your balance in full for the first statement, you’ll have a 21-day grace period for this Visa.
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