Getting customer support from banks is never easy.
Sometimes you have to wait a long time in a phone queue just to talk to a person who might not be the most knowledgeable about products or services. Other times, you may even be told to go into a branch so you can get the same experience in person.
There must be another, more time-efficient way to get assistance for your banking needs, and these days, there often is in the form of live chat: no longer just for getting rid of you via a crude chatbot! Let’s take a look at the banks that offer live chat as a service and how you can utilize this excellent feature.
The Value of Customer Service via Live Chat & Why You Should Use It
Historically, live chat has been a bot with a limited number of pre-coded answers and designed to give you generic answers, hopefully so that you don’t wind up calling in with something that could be trivial.
Nowadays, live chat can connect you to an AI, or preferably a human being, through your bank’s website or app. Human agents often have some account powers to help you with your transactions or issues with your accounts, and so live chats that provide a human touch are preferable to pure AI.
Because live chat is more efficient than speaking on the phone, it is often the fastest way to resolve banking issues, though sensitive transactions like applying for mortgages or dealing with compliance will often require a phone agent or even an in-person appointment.
Today, we’ve compiled a list of banks that provide live chat services, both in Canada and the United States, focusing on those banks that are most likely to be used by Canadians.
Credit Card Customer Service via Live Chat in Canada
Live chat in Canada remains hit-or-miss. Some banks are pushing forward with AI tools or hybrid systems, while others limit service to basic bots or insist on using old-school phone lines.
Canadian Bank Live Chat Availability – Summary
Before we get into the finer details, here’s a snapshot of the major Canadian financial institutions and whether they offer live chat services in 2025:
| Financial Institution | Chat Available? | Method | Live Agent? |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Express Canada | Yes | Web + App (Contact Us) | Yes (8 am–12 am ET daily) |
| Bank of Montreal (BMO) | Yes | Web + App (BMO Assist) | No |
| Canadian Tire Financial Services | No | N/A | No |
| CIBC | Yes | Web + App (Virtual Assist) | Yes |
| MBNA | Yes | Web Only | Yes |
| National Bank | Yes | Web + Messenger | No |
| Neo Financial | Yes | Web + App (after login) | Yes (7 am–8 pm MT daily) |
| PC Financial | Yes | Web chatbot (24/7) | No |
| Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) | Yes | App + Online Banking | Kind Of |
| Rogers Bank | Yes | Web chatbot only (“Ruby”) | No |
| Scotiabank | Yes | App only | Yes (8 am–10 pm ET daily) |
| Simplii Financial | Yes | Web + App (after login) | Yes (7 am–9 pm ET weekdays) |
| Tangerine | Yes | Web + App chatbot | Yes (8 am–8 pm ET weekdays) |
| TD Canada Trust | Yes | App (Clari) & EasyWeb | Yes (8 am–10 pm ET daily) |
American Express Canada
Amex Canada offers real live chat with agents from 8:00 AM to 12:00 AM EST, 7 days a week. It’s well-staffed and can handle most account requests. It’s only available via desktop.
How to Use: Log in to the desktop website → go to “Contact Us” → select “Chat”. You might also see the “Chat” icon at the bottom right of your screen when you are logged into your account.
Wait times when contacting American Express Canada via the live chat feature are usually short unless you’re contacting during peak hours.
Bank of Montreal (BMO)
BMO Assist is an AI-only tool available online and through the app. It’s useful for generic questions, but you’re on your own if it doesn’t know the answer.
How to Use: Open BMO Assist → ask your question.
If that fails, you’ll be redirected to call or use their contact form to receive help.
Canadian Tire Financial Services
Canadian Tire Financial Services, while it issues a few amazing credit cards, unfortunately, has no live chat on offer. On the upside, their call centre in Welland is the best in Canada, so it should be a good experience when you need to call in for assistance.
CIBC
CIBC has a Virtual Assistant that doesn’t proactively offer escalation to a live agent, but customers can reach live agents if they are available. You can type “Agent” in the chat to request to chat with an agent, but if the queue is full, you might have to try a few times to gain access or try during non-peak hours.
How to Use: After logging in, select the chat icon for the Virtual Assistant. For secure messaging: go to “My Messages” → “Compose”.
The live chat reps can help with basic questions and requests, such as lowering a credit limit. However, for complicated requests, calling in is unfortunately your best option, as the chat reps are limited in what they can assist with.
If you ask to perform a more advanced task, such as closing a credit card, the system may automatically direct you to set up a callback to have it handled. This is also far more convenient than having to call in and wait on hold, so take advantage.
MBNA
MBNA, which is the wholly-owned subsidiary of TD Bank that issues Mastercards, like the superlative MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard (one of the last 5x cards standing), and one that also specializes in balance transfers.
MBNA offers live chat that is monitored by a human assistant exclusively on its desktop website. The customer service agent can assist with a variety of requests. However, in order to actually access live chat, you’ll have to go on a bit of a merry chase.
How to Use: When you log in, you will not be presented with the option to live chat. First, you’ll have to click on one of your accounts. Then you’ll see this page where you can click on the little “Chat Now” tab on the right.
This will open the live chat window where you can connect with a customer service representative.
Unfortunately, live chat doesn’t work on the app, and “contact us” there will encourage you to call in. Hopefully, live chat functionality comes soon.
National Bank
National Bank’s chatbot is embedded on their site and is also accessible through Facebook Messenger. It can’t connect you to an agent, but it’ll point you in the right direction.
How to Use: Start a chat from the National Bank website or their Facebook Messenger channel. If your query is personal, use secure messaging or call National Bank directly.
Neo Financial
Neo’s secure in‑app chat includes both AI assistance and live agents. The assistant is available 24/7, live agents join chats daily between 7 am–8 pm MT (as Neo is a Calgary-based company, their calendar is based on agents’ availability).
How to Use: Log in to the Neo app or website → go to “Support” → start chat → request a representative.
PC Financial
PC Financial offers a 24/7 chatbot on its app and website, but no live-agent chat. For personal account support, secure messaging or phone calls are necessary. The phone wait times can be very long, so keep that in mind.
How to Use: Click “Chat now” on the PC Financial app’s Contact page or the bottom right corner on desktop → ask your question.
Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)
RBC’s virtual assistant is available via the mobile app and desktop and can be used to answer basic questions.
I have had luck with pushing for an “Agent” or “Rep” which has gotten me connected with an employee who can help me process tasks such as closing a card, but it isn’t a live chat, as you can submit a question and a rep will get back to you at some point in time (usually a few hours). It feels more like secure messaging wrapped in a chat window.
How to Use: Login to the RBC Mobile app or online banking → tap the Help button shaped like a Question mark→ use “Chat Now” and ask your question.
If your issue is specific, your best option is to pick up the phone or use secure messaging (available only on desktop).
Rogers Bank
Rogers Bank uses an AI chatbot assistant named “Ruby” on both its app and website, however, there are no live agents in chat.
How to Use: Visit Rogers Bank’s site or log in via app → on app, click the question mark icon, on desktop, go to Contact Us and click the question mark in the bottom right → interact with Ruby.
Scotiabank
Scotiabank has solid live agent support exclusively in-app from 8 am–10 pm, with a chatbot handling triage. It’s fast and surprisingly effective when escalated, though human agents will have to leave you on hold as they manually process your requests.
How to Use: In the Scotia app, tap “Search & Chat,” then request an agent for complex inquiries or account-specific help.
Simplii Financial
Simplii, which is the wholly owned consumer-direct and online-only subsidiary of CIBC, offers both a Virtual Assistant chatbot and the ability for the chatbot to connect you to a live agent. Both are accessible only after logging into the desktop website. The virtual assistant is live 24/7, while human agents are available weekdays 7 am–9 pm ET and weekends 9 am–5 pm ET.
How to Use: Log in via the desktop website → click the chat bubble → if needed, request to speak to a live agent within service hours.
Tangerine
Tangerine, the wholly-owned consumer-direct wing of Scotiabank (that occasionally runs pop-ups for variety), has a chatbot available, which primarily works on desktop.
This chatbot is frustrating as it attempts to end conversations quickly, such as refusing to give out times when live agents might be available. Live agents may be available, but the chatbot doesn’t make it easy to reach anyone unless you call in.
How to Use: Log in via desktop and hit the question mark bubble in the bottom right of the screen. The bot will probably try and end the conversation or tell you to call in.
TD Canada Trust
TD offers both Clari (its AI chatbot tool) and real agents through EasyWeb’s secure message center. It’s one of the few Canadian banks where you can reliably talk to a person without calling, though the live chat connected to humans is available only via EasyWeb, which works best on desktop.
How to Use: In the TD app, use Clari for general help. To talk to a human: log into EasyWeb (via desktop) → go to “Messages” → “Ask a Question.”
If you need to call in, do so via the TD mobile app when logged in to skip the queue and be connected with an agent right away.
Credit Card Customer Service via Live Chat in the United States
Compared to Canada, banks in the United States are more comprehensively equipped with responsive, live chat features, especially from credit card giants like American Express and Citibank.
United States Bank Live Chat Availability – Summary
| Financial Institution | Chat Available? | Method? | Live Agent? |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Express US | Yes | Web + App | Yes |
| Capital One | Yes | Web + App + SMS | No |
| Chase | Partial | App (AI only) | No |
| Citibank | Yes | Web + App (after login) | Yes |
American Express US
Amex US has a 24/7 live chat with agents ready to assist. It’s best‑in‑class and fast. You find it the exact same way as in Canada: via the desktop website, though the agents on Amex USA’s chat have a lot more account powers (such as opening and closing cards and offering retention offers) via live chat.
How to Use: Log in → go to “Customer Service” → use the “Chat” button in the bottom right. You’ll typically be connected within a minute or two.
Capital One
Capital One relies on Eno, its chatbot, through web, app, and even SMS. It doesn’t escalate, but it handles bill reminders and account info decently.
How to Use: Start a conversation with Eno in your app or via SMS. For more detailed issues, secure messaging is available once logged in, or you can call in on the phone.
Chase
Chase’s in‑app Digital Assistant chatbot can answer FAQs, but does not connect to a human. Calling in or sending a secure message via Chase’s desktop website is a more ideal way to get in contact with someone who can make a decision.
How to Use: Use the app assistant for surface‑level help. For real support, go to “Secure Messages” → “Compose Message”.
Citibank
Citi lets customers chat with real agents after logging in, making it one of the more reliable U.S. banks for live support.
How to Use: Log in to your Citi account → go to “Help” → “Chat with Us.” Available across most account types.
Conclusion
Whether you’re disputing a charge, looking to open a new account, or begging for a retention offer on your suavest-but-most-expensive credit card, knowing where to access and how to use live chat can save time and maybe even money.
Live chat is not perfect yet, with many companies continuing to shelter behind imperfect chatbots whose design seems more focused on getting you out of the queue as fast as possible, but others are stepping up.
Kirin Tsang
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