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American Express EssentialTM Credit Card
AMERICAN EXPRESSLow interest for carrying a balance
American Express EssentialTM Credit Card
6.6Canada Cards ScoreGoodAnnual fee No feePurchase APR 12.99%Verified 2026-06-13
Apply on American Express →Why get this card
- ✓No annual fee
- ✓Low 12.99% purchase rate
Pros
- +No annual fee
- +Low 12.99% purchase interest rate
Cons
- -No published earn rate
- -No insurance coverages captured
Earn rates
No earn rates captured.
Welcome offer
No welcome offer captured.
Fees
- Annual fee
- No fee
- Additional card
- —
- Foreign transaction fee
- —
No annual fee
Interest rates
- Purchase APR
- 12.99%
- Cash advance APR
- 12.99%
- Balance transfer APR
- —
- Grace period
- —
- Rate effective date
- —
Benefits & insurance
- Lounge access
- —
- Insurance coverages
- —
Redemption & eligibility
- Reward currency
- —
- Redemption options
- —
- Transfer partners
- —
- Min. personal income
- —
- Min. household income
- —
How we scored it
6.6Good- Everyday earn rateWeight 30
No published earn rate
- Welcome valueWeight 25
No current welcome offer
- Annual-fee valueWeight 20
No annual fee
- Benefits depthWeight 15
0 insurance coverages
- Interest costWeight 10
12.99% purchase APR
Our editorial rating, computed only from sourced figures. See the full methodology.
Compare with similar cards
Learn before you apply
Frequently asked
- Is the American Express EssentialTM Credit Card worth it?
- It carries a No fee annual fee. No annual fee. Compare it against similar cards below before deciding.
- What is the annual fee and interest rate on the American Express EssentialTM Credit Card?
- The annual fee is No fee. The purchase interest rate is 12.99% and the cash advance rate is 12.99%. These are sourced from American Express's official page.
- What rewards does the American Express EssentialTM Credit Card earn?
- This card does not focus on rewards; see its fees and rates above.
More ways to compare
Official sources
Every figure on this page comes from American Express's own pages. Last checked 2026-06-13.
Cited, never sponsored
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