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moneyGenius Team
Written and Edited By
Melanie Pitman
Expert Reviewed By

This post is sponsored by Scotiabank. All views and opinions expressed represent mine and are based on my own research of the subject matter.

Do you want to be rewarded for parking your money? The Scotiabank MomentumPLUS Savings Account could be your ticket to earning money from patience alone.

That is, once you understand how it works.

The Scotiabank MomentumPLUS Savings Account has various interest rate tiers that might seem a little confusing at first, but we’re here to explain the ins and outs of how the account works.

Key Takeaways

  • The Scotiabank MomentumPLUS Savings Account offers 4 different ways to earn interest.
  • The base interest, or Regular Rate is 0.55%.
  • Choosing from 1 of 4 Premium Period interest rates allows you to earn extra interest when your funds sit, undisturbed, for a specific amount of time.
  • New clients also earn a bonus welcome rate of 4.95% for three months.

What is the Scotiabank MomentumPLUS Savings Account?

The Scotiabank MomentumPLUS Savings Account is a high interest savings account that promotes saving through structured interest rate incentives, up to 1.15%.

And all you have to do is leave your money alone, which means embracing healthy saving habits.

  • Transfers? Free and unlimited (between Scotiabank accounts)
  • Monthly fees? None
  • Minimum balance? None

Now let’s see how the rates work.

Minimum Interest Rate
0.55%
Maximum Interest Rate
1.15%
Balance Required For Maximum Interest Rate
N/A
4.1 Genius Rating
3.7 (22) User Reviews

With one of the highest savings rates you can get from a big bank account, the Scotiabank MomentumPLUS Savings Account packs some serious punch for your money. Right now, you could get up to 4.95%* interest for the first 3 months on your savings.

Pros
  • Savings goals with bonus interest rates
  • Multiple savings goals, one account
  • Bonus interest rates
  • No monthly fees
  • Unlimited free self-service transfers
  • No minimum balance
Cons
  • Money is locked in if you want the bonus interest rate
  • No free Interac e-Transfers
  • No free debit transactions
Provinces
ALL
Eligibility
See Issuer for Details
Why You Want It
Get up to 4.95%* interest on your money + No monthly fees.
Special Features
  • Save for multiple goals at once
  • Tiered Premium Period interest rates
  • Unlimited tree transfers between Scotiabank accounts
# Of Free Transactions
0
# Of Free Interac E-Transfers
0
Max Promotion Rate
4.95%
Welcome Bonus Value
N/A
Promo End Date
See Issuer for Details
 
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How do the Scotiabank MomentumPLUS Savings Account rates work?

Your Scotiabank MomentumPLUS Savings Account encourages saving money through a tiered interest rate system.

Base tier: When you open your account online or in a branch, you will start with a Regular Interest1 rate for the account.

Premium tier: You will receive additional interest if you choose a Premium Period. This refers to the number of days you’re agreeing to leave your money untouched.

Premium Period options include:

  • 90 days
  • 180 days
  • 270 days
  • 360 days

You can choose up to a maximum of 5 Premium Periods. Each Premium Period has a specific interest rate, with longer periods giving you a higher interest rate.

Extra boost: With the Scotiabank Preferred Package or Scotiabank Ultimate Package, the MomentumPLUS account gives you an extra interest rate boost.

Welcome bonus offer: The Scotiabank MomentumPLUS Savings Account also has a limited-time welcome bonus interest rate offer that applies to any deposits made within 3 months from the date you opened your very first account.

Let’s break down the interest rates even more.

Regular Interest1: 0.55%

0.55%: current Regular Interest1 rate

On the Scotiabank MomentumPLUS Savings Account, this is the base interest rate.

If you qualify for additional interest rate boosts, they will be added on top of this base interest rate.

Premium Period interest2: Up to 0.60%

0.50% to 0.25%: current range of Premium Period Interest rates

90, 180, 270, or 360 days are the options for savings Premium Periods with a Scotiabank MomentumPLUS Savings Account.

Premium Period Interest2 rates increase for longer periods:

  • 90 days: 0.25%
  • 180 days: 0.30%
  • 270 days: 0.35%
  • 360 days: 0.50%

You can choose up to 5 different Premium Periods within your account. Why? To help you meet different savings goals and earn different interest rates.

Just note that the interest rates in each Premium Period don't stack together.

Example: With the 360-day period, the interest would be:

0.55% (Regular Interest1) + 0.50% (360-day Premium Period Interest2) = 1.15% total interest

For instance, you could choose a 90-day period for a short-term savings goal and a 360-day period if you’re putting money away for a vacation next year.

Timing: A Premium Period begins when you make a deposit.

Payout: Scotiabank calculates Premium Period Interest2 daily and pays it at the end of each Premium Period. Scotiabank also pays Premium Period Interest2 on any Regular Interest1 that accumulates on that deposit.

Withdrawals: Committing to a Premium Period means you don’t touch your money for the time you selected. Suppose you decide to withdraw money before the period is over. In that case, you’ll still earn your Regular Interest1, Ultimate3/Preferred Interest Rate Boost (if applicable), and Bonus interest (if applicable) but you’ll miss out on any Premium Period Interest2 that had been earned.

Premium chequing account bonus interest: Up to 0.1%

Earn extra interest in your Scotiabank MomentumPLUS Savings Account by opening an everyday chequing account. You may already have one of these accounts with Scotiabank.

There are 2 types of Scotiabank chequing accounts that will score you extra interest on your Scotiabank MomentumPLUS Savings Account:

  • Scotiabank Preferred Package: 0.05% boost
  • Scotiabank Ultimate Package: 0.10% boost

Find out more about these accounts here:

Minimum Balance To Waive Fee
$6,000
# Of Free Monthly Transactions
Unlimited
# Of Free Monthly Interac E-Transfers
Unlimited
Monthly Fee
$30.95
5.0 Genius Rating
4.2 (19) User Reviews

The Scotiabank Ultimate Package is the chequing account that offers everything. From unlimited transactions, credit card fee waivers, a free safe deposit, rewards on debit purchases, increased interest rates on GICs and savings accounts, and more, this account includes everything you might need from a chequing account.

Pros
  • Get a $100 GeniusCash boost
  • Get up to $700 in welcome bonus cash
  • Unlimited transactions
  • Plenty of physical bank locations
  • Save money on premium credit cards
  • Exclusive rates and fee rebates for other accounts
  • Earn rewards
  • Minimum balance to waive fee
Cons
  • High monthly fee
  • Minimum balance is a wasted investment opportunity
  • You may still be charged for non-Scotiabank ATM withdrawals
Provinces
ALL
Eligibility
  • You must be at least 16 years old
  • A Canadian resident or you're here for work or study
  • Opening this account in your own name
Why You Want It
$100 GeniusCash + Get up to a $700* welcome bonus + Up to $150 annual credit card fee waivers.
Special Features
  • Earn Scene+ points on debit transactions
  • No monthly overdraft protection fee
  • Unlimited free Scotia International Money Transfers
  • Up to $150 annual fee waiver each year on select credit cards
Minimum Balance To Waive Fee
$6,000
# Of Free Monthly Transactions
Unlimited
# Of Free Monthly Interac E-Transfers
Unlimited
Monthly Fee
$30.95
Excess Transaction Fee
$0.00
Excess Interac E-Transfer Fee
$0.00
Maximum Credit Card Annual Fee Waiver
$150
Maximum Welcome Bonus
$700
Promo End Date
October 30, 2025
Physical Locations
Yes
Automatic Budgeting System
No
Minimum Interest Rate
N/A
Earn Rewards On Debit Purchases
Yes
Free Cheques
Yes
Free Bank Drafts
Yes
Max Rebates For Other Accounts
$11.95
Discounts For Seniors
Yes
Discounts For Youth
No
Other Discounts
No
 
Minimum Balance To Waive Fee
$4,000
# Of Free Monthly Transactions
Unlimited
# Of Free Monthly Interac E-Transfers
Unlimited
Monthly Fee
$16.95
4.3 Genius Rating
3.8 (9) User Reviews

There's not much better than unlimited free transactions, but the Scotiabank Preferred Package comes packed with even more perks to seal the deal. These include a bonus interest rate on the top Scotiabank savings account, a first year annual fee waiver on select cards, and points on every day purchases with the Scene+™ program.

Pros
  • Kickstart your account with a $50 GeniusCash bonus
  • Get a welcome bonus worth up to $700 (ends October 30, 2025)
  • Unlimited debit transactions and Interac e-Transfers
  • Ability to waive monthly fee with a minimum balance of $4,000
  • Earn Scene+ points on your debit transactions
  • First year annual fee waiver on select Scotiabank credit cards
Cons
Provinces
ALL
Eligibility
  • Age of majority
  • Canadian citizen
Why You Want It
$50 GeniusCash + Get up to a $700* welcome bonus + Earn Scene+ points on all debit purchases.
Special Features
  • First year annual fee waiver (up to $150) on select credit cards
  • Earn Scene+ points on debit transactions
  • Earn an additional 0.05% on your Momentum Plus Savings Account
Minimum Balance To Waive Fee
$4,000
# Of Free Monthly Transactions
Unlimited
# Of Free Monthly Interac E-Transfers
Unlimited
Monthly Fee
$16.95
Excess Transaction Fee
N/A
Excess Interac E-Transfer Fee
N/A
Maximum Credit Card Annual Fee Waiver
$150
Maximum Welcome Bonus
$700
Promo End Date
October 30, 2025
Physical Locations
Yes
Automatic Budgeting System
Yes
Minimum Interest Rate
N/A
Earn Rewards On Debit Purchases
Yes
Free Cheques
No
Free Bank Drafts
No
Max Rebates For Other Accounts
N/A
Discounts For Seniors
Yes
Discounts For Youth
No
Other Discounts
No
 

Welcome bonus interest: 4.95%

Earn a 4.95% welcome bonus interest for eligible clients who open their very first Scotiabank MomentumPLUS Savings Account. You’ll automatically receive this bonus when you open a new account4.

For 3 months from the day you opened it, Scotiabank will give you the extra 4.95% interest on any deposits made into that account.

FAQ

What are the Scotiabank MomentumPLUS Savings Account rates now?

The Regular Interest1 rate is 0.55%. The Premium Period Interest2 rates range from 0.25% to 0.50%. Adding a Preferred or Ultimate3 Package earns an extra 0.1%, and there's a 4.95% welcome bonus for new clients.

Does the Scotiabank MomentumPLUS Savings Account have a minimum balance?

No, there's no minimum balance requirement with a Scotiabank MomentumPLUS Savings Account. However, there are minimum time requirements in order to earn Premium Period Interest2. You can choose between 90, 180, 270, and 360 days.

How do I make a Scotiabank MomentumPLUS Savings Account withdrawal?

You can withdraw funds anytime, and you have unlimited free transfers between Scotiabank accounts. However, you’ll lose the extra Premium Period Interest2 rates if you move funds out of Premium Period baskets before the period is over.

If you liked this article and want more practical ways to save money every day, we've compiled our best tips all in one place.

Editorial Disclaimer: The content here reflects the author's opinion alone, and is not endorsed or sponsored by a bank, credit card issuer, rewards program or other entity. For complete and updated product information please visit the product issuer's website.

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Comments

yakupm
yakupm |December 12, 2022
Not worth the hassle. As others have stated, these promos usually last for a short period and then so long high rates. There are DEFINITELY better options. I have been using Hubert CU for savings for quite some time. Current interest is 3.00% on savings or TFSA, no strings attached, no gimmicks. If you want to go longer, their 1 year quarterly term averages 4.50% but you can withdraw funds any time. If you choose to do so, you get interest on each quarter completed; current breakdown is as follows: - first three months: 4.35% - Months four to six: 4.45% - Months seven to nine: 4.55% - The last three months: 4.65% One of the best no gimmick ways to save and still have access to your cash.
Raymond Desloges
Raymond Desloges |December 9, 2022
It's not worth the trouble. I already get 3% with Motive and Laurentian bank, and it's not a promo. That is their regular rate. Scotia will do just like Tangerine (owned by Scotia) and will then cut their rate so that they are no longer competitive. I have stopped using Tangerine Hi interest savings for that reason, and the same for Simplii. I am flexible but I hate wasting my time.
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