Cash back credit cards are exactly what their name suggests; whenever you pay for something, you will get back a percentage of what you spent. If that is not a motive enough to invest in a card, over 58% of Canadians reported owning one of them.
Some do require an annual fee. However, not all cards are created equal; some have more significant, more substantial benefits while others charge you less. We will walk you through all you need to know about Canada’s best cash back credit cards.
The best no-fee cash back card for groceries is this one. It cannot be beaten in terms of flexibility by any other card used in Canada. The card has no annual fee you need to pay, and it offers a welcome package that entails 5% on all purchases for the first three months but only up to $100.
The cash back on groceries is a rate of 3%, and 1% on recurring bills up to $500 in cash back. Moreover, it does over a 0.5% rate on all other purchases.
Since it is a Mastercard, you will have the privilege of using it at virtually all grocery stores. Even most Walmart Supercenters accept it, which are not considered grocery stores by Visa or American Express. Plus, you can set your bank account to automatically deduct the money earned from your balance at a minimum increment of $25.
Additional perks include the ability to chip off 25% on car rentals from National and Alamo with access to credit card frills and warranty protection.
It is effortless to redeem your rewards using this card. You can get the amount anytime from as small as $1. However, it does require a minimum income of $15,000, which is attainable. There also is a balance transfer offer of 1.99%, which is valid for the first 9 months.
That means you can transfer your money to your new account and buy yourself some time to pay it down on the low interest. Another additional perk is the 15% off to Canada Cirque de Soleil shows and 20% off in Las Vegas.
One of the drawbacks of these cards is that it caps off at a maximum of $500 spent in groceries each month. So, if you do regularly spend over $500 in grocery stores each month, another card might be a better option. Moreover, the low earn rate of 0.5% might not be encouraging, but it does make sense since the card does not require you to pay an annual fee.
The ultimate card for Costco is the BMO CashBack Mastercard. This is a phenomenal card and people consider it as one of the best cash back credit cards. It has top-notch perks and lower annual fees than you would expect compared to the rewards you will receive.
For a mere $120 per year, which you can redeem in your first year, you will be able to access all standard travel perks provided by World Elite.
It also has over 10 different insurance coverage options, a small fee of $69 a year for roadside assistance, and a rate of 1.5% on all your purchases. Not only is there an extensive range of services you can benefit from, but the welcome package includes a substantial 10% cash back.
It works only for the first three months but only up to $200 cash back. However, to even be a candidate for this cash back credit card, you need to have a minimum income of $80,000 or a total household income of $150,000.
One of the main advantages of this card is the ability to redeem your cash back during the year at increments as small as $1. Moreover, the complementary sideroad assistance overs up to 4 free calls per year to ask for assistance related to towing, battery malfunctions, flat tires, and much more.
In addition to having comprehensive travel medical insurance for the first 8 days of traveling abroad, it provides you with coverage of up to $2 million compensation for medical emergencies.
Despite all the perks you can use through this BMO cash back credit card, there are some drawbacks. One of them is that the 1.5% rate reward is not as high as other cards, as other cards offer similar bonuses with an even higher rate.
You would have to consider whether these extra benefits are worth it or other options might be better. Moreover, it does require you to have a high income to be eligible for obtaining this card. The income requirement excludes a considerable number of people from being able to apply in the first place.
If you prefer to keep things hassle-free, this card would be the best-suited cash back credit card for you for its straightforward rewards and insurance coverage. Brim World Elite Mastercard is probably the best cash back Mastercard available, with 2% earnings on the first $25,000 spent, proceeding with a 1 point per $1 reward. In addition, there is no fee on foreign currency exchange rates.
First, the annual fee is higher than most other cash back credit cards, with a staggering $199. However, it does come with numerous perks for the increased amount it entails. Moreover, the fee is waived for the first year, which means you can try out the risk-free card benefits.
The fascinating part probably is that when you earn your points, they are now in your control. You can use them whenever and however you want; you can use your card points to help with a purchase you made to the card.
The shocking yet most exciting part is that you can shop online from over 250 different merchants and guarantee earning back some of your points, anywhere between 3% to 30% of them.
Not to forget the welcome bonus, this cash back credit card offers up to $500 worth of rewards after a couple of first purchases with select Brim retail partners. You can also get access to hundreds of airport lounges across the world, access to Boingo Wi-Fi hotspots, and 15 different types of insurance coverage packages.
This card is arguably one of the best cash back credit cards for groceries and gas. The annual fee is much like numerous counterparts and is $120, rebated after the first year as a customer. Moreover, the welcome offer gives you a 10% cash back on every purchase, only for the first four statement periods, and maxes out at 200% cash back, the equivalent of pending $2,000.
People are usually drawn to this card when they see that this card offers a 4% on all gas and grocery purchases. However, the benefits do not cease there; there is also a 2% guarantee on dining, transportation modes, and recurring bills. Again, the benefits do not stop there as there is a separate 1% on every other purchase.
Moreover, you can redeem your cash back rewards at any point during the year in increments as small as $25. As for the insurance guaranteed, it provides you with a 10-day coverage when traveling out of the province for an emergency, mobile, and rental insurance.
In addition to the insurance perks, it provides you with the flexibility of paying off a purchase over $250 gradually through their unique program called CIBC Pace It. However, the disadvantages of applying for this cash back credit card would be that you must have an individual income of $60,000 or a household income of $100,000.
Home Trust Preferred Visa is the ideal cash back card for travelers, as it does not have any foreign transaction fees and has no annual fee you need to pay.
That means that the card does not subject you to the additional 2.5% fee spent outside the country whenever you are traveling abroad. Not only does it give you a 1% cash back on all your purchases, but there is no upper limit to how much you can spend.
You can redeem your money once a year through a request to Home Trust at the end of the year. Then, the bank will deposit the funds into your account in January.
Not only does it have no foreign transaction fees, but its foreign currency cash back rates are 0%. That saves you the hassle if you frequently purchase items through online shopping.
However, it has its downsides. You must make sure you charge at least one purchase per year, or else the bank will subject you to a $12 inactivity fee.
Despite that, you can easily avoid it by making sure you do buy something every 12 months. Eligibility is based on a minimum income of $15,000. Moreover, writing a cheque for over $1,000 will freeze your account, and there is a limit of 10 transactions per day.
A top-notch, flexible rewards cash back credit card gives you 8 different options for redeeming your rewards earned. Although it does not award you straight cash back rewards, it does provide incredible cash rewards in return for the points collected. You can spend the rewards earned across numerous categories, such as groceries, entertainment, gas, and all forms of transportation.
As for most cash back credit cards, the annual fee you need to pay is $120 and 40,000 welcome bonus point for the $1,000 spent within the first 3 months of owning the card, and 40,000 more for spending $7,500 in the first year as well. Unfortunately, it does require a minimum income of $12,000.
In addition, the rewards you can earn are considered better than most other cash back credit cards. You will also earn 5 Scotia Rewards points for every $1 you spent on specific categories such as restaurants, groceries, and entertainment.
The rewards do not end here; for every $1 spent on gas, transit, or specific streaming services, you will be able to redeem 3 Scotia Rewards points. But how do the points work? The points are worth 1% in value, meaning 1,000 points will provide you with a $10 return.
In conclusion, this card gives you a 4% return for spending credit on higher earn rate categories, which provide you with the 5 points per $1 spent, only when redeeming via statement credits. However, suppose you do decide on receiving your rewards through travel points instead of bank statements.
In that case, there is an increase in the percentage earned, which goes up to 5% on all your spending. Moreover, the insurance granted includes 11 different purchase and travel insurances you can pick and choose from.
On the other hand, as mentioned before, American Express is not as widely accepted as Visa or Mastercard are in Canada. That might be a problem if your regular stop is Costco. Moreover, despite this cash back credit card offering great travel perks, travel spending only earns you 1 point per $1.
For the ultimate bash back credit card used primarily for groceries and bills, opt for the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite. It does require an annual fee of $120, which will be rebated for your first year.
If that is not convincing enough, this card’s best feature is the 4% benefit in straight cash back on groceries and any recurring bills. Recurring bills include anything that is automatically spent each month, including your phone bills, your insurance, streaming services, and so much more.
It also provides you with a 2% earning on any credit spent on transit, including gas, Uber, public transportation, and more. Moreover, its welcome package includes up to $470.
Not only is your first-year spending rebated, but you earn an accelerated 10$, all purchases included, for the first three months or until you hit $2,000 in spending. To obtain the benefits of this 10%, you must not have opened a Scotiabank credit card or any secondary card within the past two years.
As for its insurance coverage, it includes an emergency medical insurance of $1 million within the first 15 days of travel any other travel-related complications. Moreover, the premium card offers a complimentary concierge service and access to the Visa Infinity Luxury Hotel Collection.
However, like any other card, it has its drawbacks. You can only withdraw your credits in cash once a year in November. The other option will be to deposit it into your Scotiabank account if you do have one.
Also, as we established, this card is the ideal cash back credit card if you spend most of your budget on groceries and recurring bills. Otherwise, you will not be getting back as much. You might be better suited to another card according to your lifestyle.
Suppose you are considering owning one of many cash back credit cards without paying an annual fee. In that case, SimplyCash Card from American Express might be the one for you. As a welcome offer, you will earn an accelerated 2.5% cash back on all your purchases for the first three months up to a limit of $150, or when you spend $6,000, whichever you hit first.
The way these card works is relatively straightforward. You will earn a 1.25% cash back per dollar spent on anything you purchase, including online shopping, once the 3-month welcome period is over and without an upper limit. Moreover, it offers a chance to acquire presale tickets to live events through American Express Front of the Line.
The even more impactful benefit of this card is that it provides you with insurance benefits such as purchase protection and travel accident insurance. Purchase protection entitles you to get a refund or a replacement on an item you have purchased in the past 90 days, provided it has been damaged or stolen and has a limit of $1,000.
As with any other contract, you have to thoroughly read through the terms and conditions to benefit from purchase protection. Another excellent perk is the $100,000 coverage in the event of a severe injury while traveling abroad if you have paid for your ticket using the same card.
The downside of using this cash back credit card is that you cannot redeem the cash whenever you wish to; you will have to wait a year to withdraw the amount. The amount is credited to your balance on the first statement after the first of August each year.
This cash back credit card is the ultimate flat-rate card and possibly the best option for you if you are a frequent online shopper. Despite paying an annual fee of $99, you receive a 10% welcome offer up to $4,000 spent, then 2% cash back on all purchases after that, which is the highest flat cash back rate in Canada.
The card is the optimum choice for you if you do not intend on splurging and spending your budget on everyday purchases, such as groceries and gas.
This card provides you with a beneficial yet straightforward approach. Unlike its Visa and Mastercard, it does not require a specific income to get approved. In addition, you could earn up to a $1,500 bonus cash back for approved referrals ($100 for each referral).
Not only does it provide you with access to sale tickets of live events, but Amex Offers presents you with exclusive discounts on specific purchases. The card will also provide you with a range of different helpful insurance packages.
The Out of Country Medical Insurance covers up to $5,000,000 for medical emergencies. You can make use of this coverage for the first 25 days of the travel. You should also be above the age of 65. Moreover, suppose you pay for your airline ticket through this card.
In that case, you can receive coverage of $500 for delayed flights, boarding denial for 4 hours, or not having alternative transportations modes available to accommodate you.
A disadvantage of using this card is that it is not as widely accepted as its Visa and Mastercard counterparts. Moreover, since it merely provides a 2% annual cash back rate, people who spend a substantial amount of money on daily purchases probably benefit from a card with a higher rate.
One of the best cash back credit cards that do not require an annual fee, the Tangerine Money Back Credit Card earns you rewards at a 2% cash back rate. However, this rate applies only 3 categories that you have the liberty to choose from, with the choice of changing any of the categories whenever you desire.
Moreover, you will benefit from an extra 0.5% cash back on all other purchases. The only thing you must meet is an income of $12,000.
In addition to the listed perks, there is no maximum amount you can earn through this card. The welcome offer provides a low-interest rate when transferring balances for the first six months of registering.
Moreover, suppose you have an income of $60,000 or a household income of $100,000. In that case, you will be upgraded to the Tangerine World when you apply. More benefits will be available to you, such as mobile device insurance and rental car damage waivers.
What makes it so unique is that it is the only cash back credit card in Canada that allows you to pick which categories are available to redeem bonuses. You should use this to your advantage and consider where you spend most of your money. These categories include groceries, gas, drug stores, home innovations, and much more.
The disadvantages, as you might have guessed, are two things. The first one is the relatively high income requires to qualify for the card in the first place, which would discourage many from applying. The second drawback would be the low cash back rate of 0.5% on categories you have not chosen.
However, you can solve this by using another card such as the SimplyCash American Express cash back card listed above for other purchases.
Simply put, each cash back credit card allows you a specific percentage back from some or all purchases. In other words, it is an incentive in which you earn some money throughout the year due to the money you spend.
It usually features credit cards, but more emerging cards offer cashback benefits. Different cash back credit cards offer different rates, and some have an annual fee you have to pay.
Moreover, cash back rewards can be redeemed as a credit card payment, a check, or directly to your bank account. Also, the way to finding the best cash back credit card for you is to evaluate where you spend most of your money.
An evaluation would help because different cards offer different benefits. That can sometimes only include specific categories such as transportation, gas, online shopping, and much more.
To be able to redeem your rewards, you must make the purchases using the card itself. Afterward, you will earn back a percentage of your money, determined according to the card you have, in the form of cashback.
Most banks only pay cash back credit cards annually. In contrast, some are paid monthly, and others offer you a chance to withdraw the benefits whenever you desire. For instance, if your card provides a 4% cashback and you spend $100 in a grocery store, you will earn back $2.
There are numerous different methods in which cash back credit cards work. Some of them are immediately credited on your purchasing statement, reducing the amount you are paying.
Others end up sending the percentage directly to your bank account for spending purposes. However, some cards allow you to convert the rewards into points or vouchers. You can later exchange them for money, spend them at stores, or use them for specific offers.
Some of the best cash back credit cards are free of charge, while others require an annual fee that can be as massive as $200.
Even though getting one of these cards is quite tempting, put in mind that not all of them have an endless amount you can spend; some of them state a maximum amount you can earn back.
Moreover, it would be best to consider your spending habits because different cards sometimes offer different rates according to the category to which your purchase belongs.
The concept of having to pay for something to end up receiving the same money you spent might sound weird, but it can also be gratifying.
Suppose you do pay your bills monthly in full. In that case, these cards could be a fantastic opportunity for you as you would be rewarded with money or points for the money you have already spent. However, if you cannot pay your credit card bills, then cash back credit cards might not be that suitable for you.
You should be extra careful when handling a cash back credit card; you should never take advantage of it. Most of the time, card providers will attempt to convince you to spend more money to earn a small amount of it back, which might not always be in your best interest.
So if you prefer paying for purchases using cash and debit card, do not feel obliged to invest in a cash back credit card and potentially falling into debt.
Find the best cash back credit card for you by going through your bills and finding out where you spend most of your money.
After that, look at the list of the best cash back credit cards listed above to determine which one suits your lifestyle the most. While most card providers sway you with their welcome offer, where they rebate your first payment or provide you with a bonus, do not be tempted.
Find the best cash back credit card for you by going through your bills and finding out where you spend most of your money.
Moreover, if you are a frequent traveler for business or leisure, you might find that some of these cards offer travel insurance. Some offer substantial medical emergency coverage up to $1,000,000 but usually do not go beyond 15 days for several days.
On the other hand, some of them offer mobile services and offers on them. In contrast, others give you insurance for car maintenance when you are having car trouble on the road.
After you consider getting a cash back credit card, make sure you do not neglect it in any way. Whenever you want to purchase something from a grocery store, a food chain, or your favorite coffee shop, find out if you can earn rewards through these purchases.
Another note to keep in mind is that you should always aim to pay off credit card bills by the end of each month to receive your cash back. Otherwise, the bank might take it away through interest or fees.
There are different types of cash back credit cards, as established. The flat-rate cards offer the same percentage on every purchase. Another one is the bonus cards, which offer you flexibility in specific categories. The last type is the rotating category card. You can rotate through different categories through the year and choose from different ones.
In conclusion, when finding the best cash back credit card for yourself, you must be confident about the card you choose consider whether you will benefit from it in the first place. Ensure you meet all the requirements necessary.
It might not be ideal to invest in one if you find it challenging to pay off your monthly fees, as you might not earn as much due to interest rates. Also, it never hurts to check out reviews or ask someone who already owns the card about what they think about it.
Make your money do more.
Offers shown here are from third-party advertisers. We are not an agent, representative, or broker of any advertiser, and we don’t endorse or recommend any particular offer. Information is provided by the advertiser and is shown without any representation or warranty from us as to its accuracy or applicability. Each offer is subject to the advertiser’s review, approval, and terms. We receive compensation from companies whose offers are shown here, and that may impact how and where offers appear (and in what order). We don’t include all products or offers out there, but we hope what you see will give you some great options.
The best credit card to get depends on the type of rewards you want and how you'll use the card. But for all-around usability and rewards we recommend the MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus® Mastercard® with $0 annual fee.
Take a look at the type of spending you usally use your credit card for and consider what rewards you want to earn. Then take a look at the recommended cards and categories at Comparewise to find the best match for you.
The MBNA True Line® Gold Mastercard® credit card has a low rate of 8.99% followed by the MBNA True Line® Mastercard® credit card with a rate of 12.99%.
Try to have a limit of five credit cards at once. If you get any more you may have trouble keeping track of your spending and paying the bills on time.
Credit cards are available for those with poor credit scores and limited credit history. You should try to accrue 3 years of credit history or a minimum credit score of 300 before applying for a credit card.
Top deals await you just a short
application away!
