What is a metal credit card?
Metal credit cards, as the product name suggests, are not made of plastic but of brass, copper, brushed stainless steel, or titanium. They can come in metal or be covered in metal, and the metal can be precious: silver, gold, or platinum, and there are metal cards incrusted with precious stones. So it is more than just a means of payment. It has become an accessory that attracts attention.
The first metal card was issued in 1999. It was a titanium Centurion Card from American Express. This card is issued by invitation and suggests a $7,500 initiation fee and a $2,500 annual fee.
The public has recently taken more interest in metal credit cards. The supply has responded to the demand, and now more than 20 metal cards are available.
Metal credit cards are considered a sign of cutting-edge innovations, a higher status, and luxury.
Apart from the material, the metal credit card works just like a regular plastic credit card:
it is linked to a credit account;
it has a welcome bonus;
it is processed by one of the payment systems and supported by the card issuer, which is a payment system partner;
it has a credit limit that can be used for travel purchases, payments at gas stations, dining and food delivery, personal finance control, prepaid hotels booked, and other eligible purchases;
credit funds are provided for a certain period and are payable (interest and fees, depending on the type of transaction and timeliness of payments);
it can be used for the payment of goods and services;
it has an expiration date and is issued for a specific period;
it makes it possible to receive bonuses and cash rewards, travel rewards, free night award, eligible equinox club memberships, unlimited airport lounge visits, priority pass lounge access, and points per 1 spent dollar, offered as part of the package provided by the credit card issuer.
Regardless of whether a metal credit card is made entirely of metal or is only covered with metal, it is hard and cannot be cut or destroyed at home with a cutting machine or shredder; for this reason, it must be returned to the card issuer, who can perform this task and issue a new card to the cardholder.
Metal credit card features
Are metal credit cards worth it? Let us enumerate their features:
The possibility to choose your preferred metal card design;
A higher welcome bonus compared to traditional credit cards;
No pre-set credit limit or a relatively high credit limit;
Higher rewards for all or specific spending categories;
Elite status;
The stylish appearance of a metal credit card, which is more attractive than a plastic card and testifies to the cardholder's financial prowess;
Concierge service features, i.e., a personal assistant is available to the cardholder 24/7 to assist in booking and purchasing goods and services on a chargeable basis;
Insurance coverage such as health insurance, trip cancelation insurance, flight delay insurance, baggage delay insurance, travel accident insurance, stolen or lost baggage insurance, hotel burglary insurance, car rentals insurance that covers theft and damage to the rental car, and other travel rewards;
Ability to save on the foreign transaction fee and pay abroad without depending on exchange rate fluctuations on the day of the transaction or refund;
Priority Pass membership;
More points per $1 spent;
Balance transfer feature;
Priority Pass for check-in;
Flight attendant voucher;
Ability to order cards made of precious metal: Gold, etc.
Higher security protection at the time of purchase;
Insurance for mobile devices;
No liability for Visa cardholders.
The list of bonuses is exciting, but as always, it comes at a price: metal credit cards tend to have stricter eligibility requirements. The applicant must have an annual income of more than $60,000, show a good to excellent credit score, and be able to pay the balances, as there are higher fees for each additional card.
Types of metal credit cards
Metal credit cards may be classified into:
metal credit cards for private customers;
metal credit cards for business use;
metal credit cards made of non-ferrous metals;
metal credit cards made of ordinary metals;
incrusted metal credit cards;
metal credit cards issued by a bank;
metal credit cards issued directly by American Express;
Platinum type;
Gold type;
Infinite type;
metal credit cards with more significant bonuses for traveling;
metal credit cards with higher bonuses for other spending;
cards with competitive balance transfer feature having lower interest on such service or even grace period, etc.
Depending on the consumption and spending habits and financial capabilities, the applicant must weigh which option is the most suitable, otherwise, the wallet may become heavier not only because of the weight of the metal card but also because of the higher fees for such a classy product.
Not only is a metal credit card a high-status symbol; it can be a very generous rewards credit card with posh perks.
For example, the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege Credit Card ensures that every dollar spent on flights, gas, groceries, travel meals, or other purchases is credited. This card is crafted with metal and offers premium features to make your journey luxurious.
Points earned can be redeemed and turned into savings on checked baggage, free airport lounge accesses, and additional miles as a bonus for spending with the card, which works well for frequent travelers.
American Express Platinum Card, which includes stainless steel metal, is a card that comes with VIP features, such as a welcome bonus of 60,000 points. In addition, it allows you to collect valuable rewards and bonuses when traveling, such as discounts and special access to the airport lounge. American Express Platinum Card came to the market three years ago as a metal card and has gained even more popularity, especially if the cardholder frequently visits restaurants. American Express Platinum Card gives 3 points per 1 spent dollar, and 2 points per 1 spent dollar on traveling. It also has an annual fee of less than $699 and requires no yearly income. It is one of the reasons the American Express Platinum Card is so popular and affordable among classy metal credit cards available on the Canadian market.
With the Amex Aeroplan Reserve card, you earn 3 points for every dollar spent on Air Canada purchases, 2 points for every dollar spent at restaurants, and 1.25 points for other categories. There are no income requirements for the applicants of the Amex Aeroplan Reserve Card, which is very convenient, and the annual fee is $599. Airport lounge access is a great feature of best metal credit cards and the cardholders appreciate this perk. Some might say that being limited only to Air Canada purchases rewards offered by the card is not too much because there are other airlines but if the cardholder uses mostly Air Canada services it is not an issue.
American Express Gold Card Rewards has no annual income requirement for the applicant and costs only $250 per year. American Express Gold Card is a great option to earn rewards for traveling by car as every dollar spent on gas earns 2 points per 1 spent dollar, other categories earn 1 point for every dollar spent on other spending categories. American Express Gold Card is issued directly by AMEX. The welcome bonus of the American Express Gold Card is 40,000 points, but this welcome bonus is the cardholder of the American Express Gold Card would spend the amount provided by the tariff. AMEX gold rewards card membership provides multiple features from the moment of account opening. A strong rewards rate is linked with Global Entry.
AMEX Business Platinum card offers 5 points for flights and prepaid fine hotels booked with the card, 1.5 points for purchases in key categories like software providers, retailers, construction suppliers, etc. AMEX business platinum card is a key to comfort at the airport allowing you to wait for the flight at the airport lounge. From the account opening the cardholder can enjoy the VIP status, global entry, and convenience of traveler's bonuses.
The CIBC Metal credit card has several good benefits, bringing this credit instrument into the list of top metal credit cards. CIBC Metal Credit Card is called CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card. This metal card membership allows you to get up to 35,000 points as a welcome bonus. This card helps to make good savings in a form of points per 1 spent dollar. The welcome bonus is activated in two parts. The first 20,000 points become available upon the first purchase. After that, 15,000 points are activated when you spend $1,000 or more on each monthly statement during the first year. This card has valued features for travelers: airport lounge access and travel purchase offers plus global entry. This card offers much more than typical plastic credit card membership.
Visa Signature card allows to enjoy more benefits compared to regular credit cards, regular Visa. For example, a Visa Signature card, ranked among available credit cards in Canada, allows you to get more benefits like road assistance, emergency car replacement, urgent cash loan, extended warranty, and other features. Full list of available benefits one should ask from the issuer before you consider applying for a Visa signature card.
American Express designed a rose gold card. It has 60,000 points of welcome bonus when the cardholder made it to spend $4,000 on eligible spending categories. Every time when the cardholder pays with the card money is converted into rewards.
Bank of Montreal issues a metal card called BMO Eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege. The BMO metal credit card has a higher ratio of rewards of 5 points for every dollar spent on travel, restaurant, gasoline, and grocery stores purchases and 1 point for the dollar spent on other eligible purchases. The welcome bonus of BMO Eclipse Visa Infinite is 60,000 points. One can obtain a BMO Eclipse Visa Infinite if their personal income is at least $60,000. BMO Visa Infinite privilege card is a flexible reward credit card that allows you to enjoy rewards for everyday spending. Besides, adding an authorized user to an account attached to Eclipse Visa infinite privilege means 25% more rewards for the cardholder. Eclipse Visa Infinite privilege card membership includes one year of an extended warranty, which comprises purchase protection, insurance in case of travel accident, Emergency medical insurance, trip cancellation insurance, flight delay insurance, lost or stolen luggage, car rental risks such as theft or damage of the vehicle, hotel burglary. The cardholders of Eclipse Visa infinite privilege cards may feel protected while traveling and making travel purchases. In addition, this card gives annual statement credits, saving as assistance in personal finance, flexibility with foreign transaction fees, and balance transfers.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card can earn 60,000 welcome bonus points as a bonus if the cardholder manages to spend $4,000 within three months. In addition, flights paid with the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card give the opportunity to earn 5 points for every dollar paid with Chase Sapphire Reserve, dollars spent on prepaid hotels and car rentals are multiplied by 10 and converted into reward points according to the card issuer's rates. The Chase Sapphire Reserve has an annual fee of $550 and each additional user costs $75.
Another convenient option of the Chase Sapphire Credit Card is the ability to split payments of $100 or more into installments, with only a fixed monthly fee.
Traveler cards are known for their special airport lounge access and good rates for travel purchases. If household and personal income requirements are met, there is a high probability that a metal credit card's cost is justified, and card membership is a good decision.
It is considered that if the cardholder uses metal credit cards, he or she has a good income, and spends easily higher than the average person. It helps to make an impression when needed and in such cases, the annual fee is justified.
Best metal credit cards first of all must meet personal requirements of limit and eligible purchases categories (gas, hotels, restaurants, groceries, trips, and other purchases). Even though the best metal credit cards look special, they are heavier. The heaviest metal credit cards weigh over 25 grams. The list of pretty heavy best metal credit cards includes:
American express platinum card;
CIBC Aventura visa infinite privilege card;
MasterCard black, etc.
As for 2022, the heaviest metal credit card is the Wells Fargo Autograph with 11g in weight.
How do metal credit cards work?
Aside from being heavier, metal credit cards work almost the same way as traditional cards. After approving the customer's application and signing the credit card agreement, the issuer issues the metal credit card, and the cardholder can start spending and earning rewards, with each dollar earning a bonus.
Some categories bring higher bonuses, and a welcome bonus is given when spending requirements are met. Usually, this means that a certain amount must be spent within the first three months or within another period specified in the card issuer's terms and conditions.
The use of credit depends on the ability to pay, and if the installments and fees are not paid on time, the interest rate increases, the credit score may suffer, and the total cost to the cardholder associated with servicing the credit card debt is higher.
With metal credit cards, you can get more bonuses, higher cash backs, and better insurance coverage.
Many metal credit card issuers impose income requirements on applicants.
Apart from that, applying for and obtaining a metal credit card is easy and the process does not take much time.
Metal credit cards can be used for online and offline payments; they usually support contactless payments. Metal cards may have a chip to ensure secure transactions for the cardholder. Some users of metal credit cards say that in some places they faced technical inconveniences:
older equipment does not always support metal cards and thus metal card was returned to the cardholder with the request to provide another not metal card or to pay cash;
some slots at the parking lots did not fit all dimensions of metal credit cards even though it seems to be like plastic cards. However, such cases do not happen often and according to the feedback of metal credit card users are the only inconveniences.
A metal card works domestically and abroad providing rewards for eligible purchases and depending on the package may help to save a pretty good amount on foreign transaction fees. If foreign transaction fees amount is important to you make sure to find the option with the lowest of possible fees for transactions in other currencies.
A metal credit card is more durable, and if you want to keep it in your wallet, pocket, or some other place, the digits will not be erased if you can barely read and guess the correct number. In addition, metal credit cards are suitable for making payments, collecting and redeeming cashback rewards, and adding to the stylish image of the cardholder. The best metal credit card would always meet your expectations and even more if you made a good choice of the card type and metal card package offered by the issuer.
What's the difference between plastic and metal credit cards?
There is a difference between a metal credit card and a plastic card. The first and most obvious one is the material:
Metal cards are made of precious or non-precious metal, and sometimes metal cards are studded with precious stones;
metal cards are heavier;
metal is more durable;
metal cards cannot be shredded at home; the cardholder must send the card to the card issuer in a special envelope;
metal cards look more elegant and some say that metal cards say about a higher financial status of their holder;
if you have a metal credit card in your wallet, the metal detector beeps, you have to remember that;
a metal credit card usually means a higher welcome bonus and a higher ratio of rewards for spending;
better insurance coverage for various occasions, including an extended warranty.
Where to get a metal credit card in Canada?
Metal credit cards are a special product that can be applied for and obtained from American Express, BMO (Bank of Montreal), CIBC (Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce), and Toronto Dominion Bank. These financial institutions offer a range of metal credit card products that can be a bridge to a luxurious lifestyle and definitely an upgrade over plastic cards.
For example, a Toronto Dominion Visa Infinite Privilege helps to ensure that every dollar paid with the card is multiplied. This card is co-branded with Air Canada and that is why it is called Aeroplan. This card is listed among the best metal credit cards in Canada for 2022 as a metal card that is worth its fee thank to a high earning ratio and welcome bonus.
How to apply for a metal credit card in Canada?
After choosing the best metal credit card on the market, applying is easy. It can be done online or offline. The application must be submitted to one of the issuers of metal credit cards in Canada.
The application would require:
review and consent to the selected metal card tariffs;
personal and income information (first name, last name, social security number, date of birth);
cell phone number, email address details;
income information;
residential address and how long you have lived at this address;
Applications can be shorter or more detailed, depending on the card issuer's procedure, but all the information required must be collected. Then, the issuer verifies the data provided, and the card is approved and issued if the applicant is eligible.
Requirements
The requirements depend on the metal credit card and the issuer, but there are general criteria:
age of majority;
ability to sign legally valid documents and enter into legally binding contracts;
have sufficient personal and household income;
a good to excellent credit rating;
a stable income to service the credit card.
Pros and cons
When deciding on a metal credit card or choosing from the list of top-rated metal credit cards, applicants are often guided by the card features and other things that are important to them personally.
Pros
A metal card is considered better than a plastic credit card for several reasons:
It is more durable;
it is heavy and made of metal, so if it is dropped, you can usually hear it, compared to the plastic card, and there is a higher chance that it will not be lost;
welcome bonuses are high;
rewards and cashback are higher compared to many plastic cards;
it looks stylish;
it can be made of precious metals and even incrusted with precious stones;
it is perfectly smooth;
it is difficult to scratch it;
the designs are more interesting compared to plastic credit cards;
the metal credit card has all the features of the plastic card and more;
if the applicant has sufficient income and a good credit rating, the application and approval process are simple and fast.
Cons
The metal credit card is practical and stylish, but it would not be right to say that it is one hundred percent perfect from the inside. There are some disadvantages, for example:
for some customers, the metal card is uncomfortably heavy;
it beeps at metal detectors;
some older devices, card readers, and parking machines may have trouble inserting the metal credit card into the slot, so payment cannot be made with this card;
it has higher annual fees, so the metal credit card cost is relatively high;
usually has higher than average income requirements;
it cannot be shredded internally and the cardholder must return it to the card issuer.
As you can see, the difficulties are mostly technical. Still, according to available sources, such problems do not occur frequently, so metal credit cards continue to gain popularity, especially in preferred metal card designs.