PC Financial Mastercard Review

What Is The PC Financial Mastercard?

The PC Financial Mastercard is one of the store credit cards issued by President’s Choice (PC) Financial. It offers a high earning rate of PC Optimum points on purchases made at the participating PC Financial stores. PC Financial is a Loblaw Company brand founded in 1996 and headquartered in Toronto, Canada. 

The features of the PC Financial Mastercard may look limited compared to dedicated cash back credit, but the fact that it has no annual fee makes it a more flexible option for most Canadians. You can redeem the PC Optimum points for products at partner stores like Shoppers Drug Mart and Joe Fresh. The best feature of the PC Financial Mastercard is its 30 points earnings per litre from ESSO Mobil gas purchases.

PC Financial Mastercard Features

With no annual fee, the PC Financial Mastercard extends high earning rates from purchases from eligible stores. 10,000 PC Optimum Points are equivalent to $10 worth of grocery items or products from PC Financial Stores. Check more detailed features below to know if it suits your needs. 

#1 High Earning Rate Without Annual Fee 

Using the PC Financial Mastercard, you can get up to 30 PC Optimum points from participating stores. The points can be redeemed as cash for free items or products from PC Financial stores. You can also redeem the accumulated points at Esso Stations in Canada. 

PC Financial requires cardholders to reach 10,000 points to redeem $10 worth of items in eligible physical and online stores. You can also get a 10 cents discount per litre of gas from Esso stations for 4,000 points. Additionally, you can use 10,000 points to get a car wash package. 

#2 Complimentary Access To Mastercard Global Service

The PC Financial Mastercard provides access to Mastercard Global Service. Cardholders who often travel needing emergency assistance with their cards can contact Mastercard. The services offered include 24/7 customer service, card replacement, cash advance, and ATM locations that accept Mastercard, Cirrus, and Maestro credit card brands. 

#3 Earn Up to 30 PC Optimum Points At Participating Stores

PC Financial Mastercard holders are entitled to a high earning rate at eligible PC Financial Stores. You can get at least 30 points per litre of gas at Esso Mobil Stations in Canada. It’s a tremendous advantage for cardholders who often purchase gas from this brand. 

Moreover, you can acquire 25 points per $1 spent on Shoppers Drug Mart products, while 20 points are provided for PC Travel purchases. It’s an excellent way to maximize your points, as the PC Financial Mastercard offers a comprehensive list of participating stores to earn points.

Purchases from other stores entitle cardholders to 10 points which are valuable compared to other store credit cards. The points you can get are similar to the purchases made in the following PC Financial grocery stores: 

#4 No Income Requirement Is Needed To Qualify

Unlike other store credit cards, the PC Financial Mastercard doesn’t require any minimum annual income to qualify to get the card. It only needs basic eligibility requirements such as Canadian residency and age of majority in your territory or province. The majority is 18 years old in Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, and Manitoba, and 19 years old in the rest of the provinces. 

PC Financial requires applicants to reach at least a good credit score ranging from 680 to 750. It’s one of the crucial factors in guaranteeing approval from the credit card issuer. 

PC Financial Mastercard Pros And Cons

Pros

• No annual fee needed to pay 
• Earn 30 points for every litre from Esso Mobil stations
• Earn 25 points per $1 spent at Shoppers Drug Mart branches
• Earn 20 points per $1 spent from PC Travel
• Earn 10 points for every $1 spent at PC Financial grocery stores and all other purchases
• Access to Mastercard Global Services for emergency card replacement, cash advances, and more. 
• Add up to four free additional cards using your account.

Cons

• It has a 20.97 purchase interest rate and a 22.97% cash advance interest rate, or 21.97% in Quebec
• You can only redeem PC Optimum points at the PC Financial Stores

PC Financial Mastercard Pricing

The PC Financial Mastercard is the primary PC Financial store credit card among its three tiers, including the PC World Mastercard and the PC World Mastercard. This card gives you a high earning rate from PC FInancial stores and participating merchants.

 Although this card doesn’t have an annual fee, you must know that other fees are applied to pay for every transaction and service. The table below shows the involved fees and costs, which can significantly impact your expenses. 

Interest and Fees	Cost
Annual fees	$0
Additional Card Fees	$0
Purchase Rate	20.97%
Cash Advance Rate	22.97% (21.97% in Quebec)
Minimum Payment	$10 or 2.2% of the statement balance (3.5% for Quebec residents)
Interest-Free Grace Period	21 days
Cash Advance Fee	$3.50 at a bank machine or Canadian teller ($5 outside Canada)
Foreign Transaction Conversion Rate	2.5%
Balance Transfer Fee	1% of the amount
Overlimit Fee	$29 ($0 for Quebec Residents)
Dishonoured Payment	$42
Cash Equivalent Transaction	1% ($5 minimum and $10 maximum)

The PC Financial Mastercard offers Purchase Protection insurance coverage covering eligible purchases against loss, damages, and more. It also provides Extended Warranty Protection, which extends warranty protection by doubling the manufacturer's warranty to another year. 

In Summary

The PC Financial Mastercard is your ideal credit card with no annual fee and a high earning rate for eligible purchases. This credit card is best for individuals who often shop at PC Financial stores and participating merchants. Its PC Optimum points are designed only to be redeemed for grocery items in qualifying stores. 

However, you can still earn points from other stores outside PC Financial. Earn higher points at the Esso Mobil stations, Shoppers Drug Mart, and PC travel purchases. It also provides extensive Mastercard Global Services for the emergency needs of cardholders and purchases insurance coverages such as Purchase Protection and Extended Warranty Protection. 

PC Financial Mastercard FAQs

How much does the PC Financial Mastercard cost?

The PC Financial Mastercard doesn't have an annual fee and provides four free additional credit cards. There are many other credit cards in Canada, like the Triangle Mastercard, that are also free.

Is the PC Financial Mastercard worth it?

Yes, the PC Financial Mastercard is worth it. However, it most likely benefits the frequent shoppers at PC Financial stores as it provides high rewards earning rates. You can only redeem the accumulated PC Optimum points at the participating physical or online stores and merchants.

Is the PC Financial Mastercard safe?

Yes, the PC Financial Mastercard is safe to use. Although it doesn’t provide security features, Mastercard protects it with solid safety measures. So far, there have been no reports about fraudulent activities in cardholders' accounts. 

Is the PC Financial Mastercard legit?

Yes, the PC Financial Mastercard is legit. Many Canadians are currently using it and expressed various feedback online.  

Is the PC Financial Mastercard hard to get?

No, PC Financial is easy to acquire as it doesn’t require a minimum annual income to qualify. You only need to be a Canadian resident with the age of majority based on your territory or province, which are similar requirements for most medium-range credit cards.

What credit score do you need for the PC Financial Mastercard?

You will need a good credit score of 680 to 750 for the PC Financial Mastercard, while the PC Financial World Elite Mastercard needs 700 to 850, a range of good to excellent credit scores. The former is in the same range needed for good everyday spending cards like the Cobalt, while the latter is similar to what you'd need to apply for a premium card like the Amex Platinum.