Tangerine charges $0 in monthly fees and $0 for Interac e-Transfers — the two costs that add up most significantly at Big Five banks. The fee schedule is short: no monthly fee, no transaction fee, no minimum balance fee, and free access to Scotiabank’s ATM network. The main fees to be aware of are the $45 NSF charge and $1.50 for non-Scotiabank ATM use.
Tangerine Fee Schedule
| Fee Type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly account fee | $0 | All account types |
| Minimum balance fee | $0 | No minimum required |
| Interac e-Transfer (send) | $0 | Unlimited |
| Interac e-Transfer (receive) | $0 | Unlimited |
| Bill payment | $0 | Unlimited |
| Cheque | $0 (first box free) | Subsequent boxes have a cost |
| Scotiabank ATM withdrawal | $0 | 3,500+ Canadian ATMs |
| Non-Scotiabank ATM withdrawal | $1.50 + operator fee | Per transaction |
| Foreign currency (debit card) | 2.5% | On converted amount |
| NSF fee | $45 | Per declined pre-authorised transaction |
| Overdraft protection | Available; interest applies | Contact Tangerine for rates |
| Paper statement | $2.00/month | Digital statements are free |
NSF Fee Breakdown
An NSF fee is triggered when Tangerine cannot process a payment because there are insufficient funds in the account. This most commonly occurs with:
- Pre-authorised debits (rent, subscriptions, loan payments)
- Post-dated cheques
- Bill payments processed during the night when the balance is lower than expected
The $45 NSF fee matches most Big Five banks:
| Bank | NSF Fee |
|---|---|
| Tangerine | $45 |
| RBC | $45 |
| TD | $35 |
| CIBC | $45 |
| Scotiabank | $48 |
| BMO | $48 |
| EQ Bank | N/A (no overdraft; transactions decline) |
To avoid NSF fees: Keep a cash buffer in your Tangerine chequing account — $200–$500 above your expected monthly minimums. Set up low-balance alerts in the app to get notified when the balance drops below your threshold. Tangerine also offers optional overdraft protection (interest-based), which covers short-term deficits rather than triggering NSF fees.
Tangerine vs Big Five: Annual Fee Comparison
A client who uses Tangerine instead of a Big Five bank’s unlimited chequing plan saves meaningfully:
| Bank | Monthly Chequing Fee | Annual Cost | Balance to Waive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tangerine | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| Simplii Financial | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| EQ Bank | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| RBC Signature No Limit | $16.95 | $203 | $4,000 |
| TD All-Inclusive | $16.95 | $203 | $5,000 |
| CIBC Smart Account | $14.95 | $179 | $3,000 |
| Scotiabank Preferred | $16.95 | $203 | $4,000 |
| BMO Premium | $16.95 | $203 | $6,000 |
Over five years, the fee difference between Tangerine ($0) and a standard Big Five unlimited plan (~$17/month) is approximately $1,000 — money that remains invested or earning interest instead of paying for account maintenance.
ATM Fee Impact
For clients who make two non-network ATM withdrawals per month:
| Bank | Network ATMs | Non-Network Fee | Annual ATM Cost (2x/month) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tangerine (Scotiabank ATM) | 3,500+ | $0 | $0 |
| Tangerine (non-Scotiabank) | — | $1.50 + operator | ~$84+ |
| EQ Bank Card | None | Operator only | ~$48+ (operator only) |
| Big Five (own network) | 2,700–4,500 | $0 | $0 |
| Big Five (out of network) | — | ~$2.00 + operator | ~$96+ |
Staying within the Scotiabank ATM network eliminates ATM fees entirely.
Credit Card Fees
| Card | Annual Fee | Cash Back | FX Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tangerine Money-Back Mastercard | $0 | 2% (3 categories), 0.5% other | 2.5% |
| Tangerine World Mastercard | $0 | 2% (3 categories), 0.5% other | 2.5% |
The credit cards are separate products from the bank accounts — no monthly fee, no foreign transaction fee beyond the 2.5% FX markup standard for Canadian cards.