The strongest everyday earner in Canada for food spend. If you can work around Amex acceptance, the Cobalt out-earns nearly every premium card at a fraction of the fee.
Best for: People who spend heavily on groceries, restaurants, and delivery and want maximum transferable points per dollar.
Skip if: Your main grocery stores don't take Amex, or you want a simple card with no monthly-fee bookkeeping.
$191.88 annual fee · First-year net value ≈ $699 · Amex Membership Rewards · See offer
The benchmark premium travel card in Canada. Exceptional first-year value and best-in-class lounge access, but only for people whose travel patterns genuinely absorb the perks.
Best for: Frequent travellers who will actually use lounges, the travel credit, and hotel status several times a year.
Skip if: You travel less than 3-4 times a year — the math simply doesn't clear the fee.
$799 annual fee · First-year net value ≈ $1,130 · Amex Membership Rewards · See offer
A balanced mid-premium card that pairs well with the Cobalt. Good value with the travel credit, but rarely the single best card on its own.
Best for: Travellers who want strong MR earning and real travel insurance without the Platinum's $799 commitment.
Skip if: Most of your spend is groceries and dining — the Cobalt is the better Amex.
$250 annual fee · First-year net value ≈ $1,040 · Amex Membership Rewards · See offer
One of Canada's best keeper cards: the anniversary free night alone clears the fee. The welcome bonus is the cherry, not the case.
Best for: Anyone who stays at a Marriott property at least one night a year — the anniversary free night carries the card.
Skip if: You never stay at chain hotels; transferable points beat Bonvoy for flexibility.
$120 annual fee · First-year net value ≈ $474 · Marriott Bonvoy · See offer
The strongest cash-back rates in Canada where Amex is accepted. The acceptance caveat is the whole debate.
Best for: People who want the highest guaranteed cash return and don't want to think about points at all.
Skip if: Your regular stores don't take Amex — a 4% rate you can't use is a 0% rate.
$119.88 annual fee · First-year net value ≈ $480 · Cash back · See offer
The best 'simple points' earner in Canada. Pairs a huge food multiplier with no-FX — a strong one-card answer for pragmatists.
Best for: Food-heavy spenders who want high guaranteed earn without learning transfer partners.
Skip if: You'd rather earn transferable points — the Cobalt's MR points are worth roughly double per point.
$120 annual fee · First-year net value ≈ $620 · Scene+ · See offer
The premium Aeroplan card with the largest bonuses in the program. Elevated offers make the first year exceptional; ongoing value depends entirely on AC loyalty.
Best for: Frequent Air Canada flyers who want lounge access and the biggest Aeroplan welcome bonuses.
Skip if: You fly AC a few times a year or less — the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite covers the basics for a quarter of the fee.
$599 annual fee · First-year net value ≈ $719 · Aeroplan · See offer
A solid entry Aeroplan card, usually judged against the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite on acceptance vs. bonus size.
Best for: Aeroplan collectors who want the entry Amex with a checked-bag perk.
Skip if: Your grocery stores don't take Amex — the TD equivalent earns on a Visa.
$120 annual fee · First-year net value ≈ $545 · Aeroplan · See offer
The premium no-FX play: real perks and a genuinely simple program, priced against far more flexible competition.
Best for: Simplicity-first travellers who want no-FX, lounges, and one flat earn rate on a single card.
Skip if: You optimize point value — MR or Aeroplan cards at this fee level run circles around Scene+.
$399 annual fee · First-year net value ≈ $400 · Scene+ · See offer
The free sibling of the SimplyCash Preferred, and a better card than a flat-rate summary suggests: 2% on gas and groceries at no cost is rare. The paid version still wins for households with real category spend.
Best for: People who want a free Amex that still pays 2% where they spend most — gas and groceries — without a monthly fee to track.
Skip if: You spend heavily on gas and groceries — the paid SimplyCash Preferred's 4% categories outearn this quickly, even after its fee.
No annual fee · First-year net value ≈ $180 · Cash back · See offer
Not a serious earner on its own, but a legitimate zero-cost way to start accumulating transferable MR points, especially for applicants who don't yet qualify for the paid Amex cards.
Best for: Anyone who wants a free foot in the door to Amex Membership Rewards — including eventual Aeroplan transfers — without any income bar or fee.
Skip if: You already qualify for the Cobalt or Gold Rewards — those cards earn dramatically more MR points for a modest monthly or annual cost.
No annual fee · First-year net value ≈ $260 · Amex Membership Rewards · See offer
A strong no-fee Scene+ grocery card for Empire-banner shoppers. The 3x grocery rate is genuinely good; Amex acceptance is the only real friction.
Best for: Shoppers at Sobeys-family grocers who want a no-fee Scene+ earner and can work around Amex acceptance.
Skip if: Your grocery store doesn't take Amex, or you want travel insurance built in.
No annual fee · First-year net value ≈ $180 · Scene+ · See offer
Rewards math assumes you pay your balance in full every month — interest charges quickly exceed any rewards value.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best american express cards in canada?
Amex Cobalt Card leads this ranking with a Standard Score of 7.7/10. Amex Platinum Card (Canada) is the closest runner-up. See the full comparison table above for how every card in this category scores.
How is this ranking put together?
Cards are ranked by the Standard Score — six weighted components applied identically to every card in this category. Cards with the same published one-decimal score are co-ranked. The full weights, grading scale, and principles are published in our methodology.
Why is Amex acceptance weaker than Visa or Mastercard in Canada?
American Express has historically charged merchants higher processing fees than Visa or Mastercard, so some smaller retailers, grocery chains, and government services opt not to carry it. It's improved over the years but is still the network gap every Amex cardholder should plan around with a Visa or Mastercard backup.
Do Amex cards charge foreign transaction fees like other cards?
Most do, at the standard roughly 2.5% rate — Amex isn't exempt by default. Check each card's review for its specific fee, since a few cards on this list waive it.