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.
Ranking basis: $3,869.24 modelled value over 24 months
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 · Modelled first year ≈ $2,077.12 · Amex Membership Rewards · See offer
A starter card that earns like a premium one: 3x Avion points on most everyday spending for $48 a year. The Avion Visa Infinite adds a bigger bonus and travel insurance, not a better everyday earn rate.
Ranking basis: $2,522 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Younger or newer-to-credit applicants who want an entry point into the Avion points ecosystem for a low fee.
Skip if: Most of your spending falls outside groceries, dining, gas, transit and streaming, or you want the Avion Visa Infinite's bigger bonus and travel insurance.
$48 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $1,373 · RBC Avion · See offer
The best 'simple points' earner in Canada. Pairs a huge food multiplier with no-FX: a strong one-card answer for pragmatists.
Ranking basis: $2,472 modelled value over 24 months
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 · Modelled first year ≈ $1,386 · Scene+ · 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.
Ranking basis: $2,282 modelled value over 24 months
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 · Modelled first year ≈ $1,711 · Amex Membership Rewards · See offer
The Visa answer to the Aeroplan Reserve: same core perks with universal acceptance, traded against smaller peak bonuses.
Ranking basis: $2,162 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Air Canada regulars who want premium Aeroplan perks without Amex acceptance issues.
Skip if: Your spend can't reach the bonus tiers; the mid-tier TD Aeroplan VI keeps most of the useful perks.
$599 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $1,081 · Aeroplan · See offer
The Visa answer to the Amex Aeroplan Reserve: unlimited Maple Leaf Lounge access and the same status-credit engine, on a card accepted everywhere. Compelling for CIBC clients who fly Air Canada often, but the income gate and $25,000 spend for the full bonus keep it a narrow-audience card.
Ranking basis: $2,162 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: High-income Air Canada loyalists who want unlimited Maple Leaf Lounge access on a widely accepted Visa and will clear the spend thresholds.
Skip if: You don't clear the $150K/$200K income bar or won't spend $25,000 a year; the standard CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite covers the checked-bag basics for a fraction of the fee.
$599 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $1,081 · Aeroplan · See offer
Interchangeable with the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite. Chase whichever has the better welcome offer or fee waiver this quarter.
Ranking basis: $2,121 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: CIBC clients who fly Air Canada and check bags: same case as the TD version, different bank.
Skip if: You bank elsewhere; pick the Aeroplan VI card from your own bank when offers are equal.
$139 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $1,130 · Aeroplan · See offer
The default Aeroplan card for most Canadians. Not a big earner, but the checked-bag benefit and redemption perks make it an easy hold for AC loyalists.
Ranking basis: $2,121 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Air Canada flyers who check bags and redeem through Aeroplan; the checked-bag perk alone can clear the fee.
Skip if: You rarely fly Air Canada; a flexible-points card earns Aeroplan indirectly with more options.
$139 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $1,130 · Aeroplan · See offer
A first-year-value play: the bonus plus fee waiver is genuinely large, but the ongoing program is portal-locked and mediocre.
Ranking basis: $2,017 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: TD clients who book travel anyway and want a large, simple first-year haul without learning points programs.
Skip if: You value flexibility; TD Rewards can't transfer anywhere.
$139 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $1,478 · TD Rewards · See offer
Good multipliers on a weak currency. Fine as a BMO client's everyday card; rarely the cross-market winner.
Ranking basis: $1,822 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Everyday spenders in the BMO ecosystem who want high multipliers on a Visa without a premium fee.
Skip if: You compare real cents per dollar: 5x at 0.67¢ is ~3.35%, which strong cash-back cards approach with none of the portal friction.
$120 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $1,072 · BMO Rewards · See offer
A capable, broad-earning World Elite card that rewards everyday spend well. The points currency is the limiting factor, not the earn rate.
Ranking basis: $1,812 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: National Bank clients who want broad 5x categories, and, if they fly internationally out of Montréal, genuinely useful lounge access.
Skip if: You want transferable points; Amex MR or Aeroplan cards offer more redemption upside for a similar fee.
$150 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $906 · National Bank Rewards · See offer
A solid entry Aeroplan card, usually judged against the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite on acceptance vs. bonus size.
Ranking basis: $1,733 modelled value over 24 months
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 · Modelled first year ≈ $1,104 · Aeroplan · See offer
A quietly strong everyday earner with the market's broadest 5x list. The birthday bonus rewards loyalty in a way few cards do.
Ranking basis: $1,714 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: High utility/subscription spenders: the 5x category list covers bills most cards ignore.
Skip if: You want a premium program or big welcome bonus; this card wins on earn, not on splash.
$120 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $982 · MBNA Rewards · See offer
The strongest cash-back rates in Canada where Amex is accepted. The acceptance caveat is the whole debate.
Ranking basis: $1,690.24 modelled value over 24 months
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 · Modelled first year ≈ $920.12 · Cash back · See offer
The best widely-accepted cash-back card for grocery-and-gas-heavy households. Visa acceptance is its trump card over the Amex SimplyCash Preferred.
Ranking basis: $1,580 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Households with heavy grocery and gas bills who want top cash rates on a Visa accepted everywhere.
Skip if: Your spending is spread across categories; a 2% flat card beats the blended rate.
$120 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $950 · Cash back · See offer
A perk-forward card in an average points program. The lounge visits and NEXUS rebate carry the value; the points are the supporting act.
Ranking basis: $1,489 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: CIBC clients who want travel perks (lounge visits and NEXUS rebates) bundled into a mainstream card.
Skip if: You're optimizing point value; Aventura sits a tier below the majors.
$139 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $1,189 · CIBC Aventura · See offer
A niche card that's excellent inside its niche: Porter loyalists with real spend get a companion pass and strong earn; everyone else should pass.
Ranking basis: $1,485 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Porter regulars on the Eastern corridor who can hit the companion-pass spend tier.
Skip if: Porter isn't your airline; the points are worthless anywhere else.
$199 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $892 · VIPorter · See offer
A specialist's card: the bonus is genuinely valuable in the right hands, and close to pointless in the wrong ones.
Ranking basis: $1,450 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Points hobbyists who want Avios for short-haul partner redemptions without transferring through Amex MR.
Skip if: You don't know what an Avios is worth; this card only pays off with deliberate redemptions.
$165 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $1,125 · British Airways Avios · See offer
The strongest all-around cash-back Mastercard in Canada by blended rate. The fee pays for itself quickly for grocery-heavy households.
Ranking basis: $1,445 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Households with heavy grocery and recurring-bill spend who want the strongest blended cash-back rate available on a Mastercard.
Skip if: Your grocery spend doesn't get near $500 a month; the 5% stops there, and the no-fee CashBack Mastercard captures most of the value for free.
$139 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $1,032 · Cash back · See offer
One of Canada's best airline keeper cards if (and only if) WestJet is your carrier. The companion voucher is the whole business case.
Ranking basis: $1,358 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: WestJet households: the companion voucher plus free bags can be worth several hundred dollars a year.
Skip if: You fly Air Canada or internationally; WestJet points don't travel.
$139 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $929 · WestJet points · 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.
Ranking basis: $1,324 modelled value over 24 months
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 · Modelled first year ≈ $712 · Scene+ · See offer
The cleanest free on-ramp to RBC Avion. Upgrade to the ION+ once your spend justifies the fee.
Ranking basis: $1,308 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Anyone who wants to start earning transferable Avion points with zero annual fee.
Skip if: You spend enough to justify the ION+'s $48 fee; its higher earn rate and added perks pay for themselves quickly.
No annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $766 · RBC Avion · See offer
Neck-and-neck with the CIBC Dividend for best cash-back Visa. The recurring-payments 4% is its edge; the once-a-year payout its tax.
Ranking basis: $1,296 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Grocery-and-bills-heavy households that want top Visa cash rates with no points homework.
Skip if: You want your cash back on demand; the annual payout is a real annoyance.
$120 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $708 · Cash back · See offer
A fee-based upgrade over PC's free World Elite card: 4% on Loblaw groceries and 5% at Shoppers against 3% and 4.5%, plus a PC Express Pass. Worth it for heavy Loblaw-banner households; otherwise the free card nets more.
Ranking basis: $1,274 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Heavy Loblaw-banner households who use PC Express grocery delivery/pickup often enough to offset the fee.
Skip if: You don't use PC Express delivery; the no-fee PC World Elite Mastercard likely nets more value.
$120 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $722 · PC Optimum · See offer
The lounge access is real but capped at six visits a year, and Aventura's redemption ceiling doesn't improve much between tiers. Pay for this one only if you'll actually use the lounges often.
Ranking basis: $1,254 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: CIBC clients who travel often enough to use six lounge visits a year and want to stay inside the Aventura program.
Skip if: The standard Aventura Visa Infinite's four lounge visits already cover your travel frequency; save the $360 fee difference.
$499 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $752 · CIBC Aventura · See offer
A capable mid-tier TD Rewards travel card with excellent everyday accelerators. The missing emergency medical coverage is the notable gap for a card called 'Travel'.
Ranking basis: $1,233 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Travellers who want strong grocery/dining/transit earn and a first-year-free mid-tier card, and who'll book travel through Expedia For TD.
Skip if: You need travel medical coverage built in, or you want transferable points with higher redemption value.
$89 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $786 · TD Rewards · See offer
An entry-level on-ramp to Aeroplan, not a destination card. Most flyers should graduate to the Visa Infinite once the bag perk pays for itself.
Ranking basis: $1,165 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Occasional Air Canada flyers who want to start earning Aeroplan directly before committing to the Visa Infinite's $139 fee.
Skip if: You check bags on Air Canada regularly; the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite's bag perk alone clears its higher fee.
$89 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $817 · Aeroplan · See offer
A strong 5x travel multiplier and a useful perk bundle, wrapped around a below-average points currency. Buy it for the multipliers and perks, not the points.
Ranking basis: $1,158 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Travellers who put real spend on travel and will use the lounge passes and NEXUS credit, over point-value optimization.
Skip if: You compare points per dollar in real cents; BMO Rewards' low point value undercuts the big multipliers.
$150 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $805 · BMO Rewards · See offer
RBC's October rework turned a flat 1.5% card into one of the stronger category cash-back cards: 3% across most everyday spending, uncapped, with travel medical and mobile device cover added. The $120 fee is fair for that. Just don't buy it for the DragonPass, which includes no free visits.
Ranking basis: $1,116 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Higher-income households whose spending runs through groceries, dining, gas, transit and streaming, and who want uncapped cash back with real travel insurance.
Skip if: You do most of your grocery shopping at Costco or Walmart (1% there), or you don't meet the $80,000 personal / $150,000 household income requirement.
$120 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $558 · Cash back · See offer
Desjardins' strongest everyday earner: 4% on groceries and 3% on restaurants for $100 a year, paid in cash rather than BONUSDOLLARS. The caps are high enough for most households; the catches are the income bar and travel insurance that stops at 3 days.
Ranking basis: $1,108 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Households with a big grocery bill that clear $80,000 personal or $150,000 household income and want plain cash back.
Skip if: You don't clear the income bar, or you take trips longer than 3 days: the Odyssey World Elite includes travel insurance for trips of up to 60 days (depending on your age) and Montréal-Trudeau lounge passes, for $30 more.
$100 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $554 · Cash back · See offer
An excellent free card for the right household, and an unremarkable 1% card for everyone else. Know your banners before applying.
Ranking basis: $1,106 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Loblaws/Shoppers/No Frills shoppers who want a free World Elite card layered onto grocery spend they're already doing.
Skip if: You don't shop Loblaw banners; the earn rate collapses to 1% elsewhere.
No annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $578 · PC Optimum · See offer
A capable low-fee card for existing National Bank clients. Cancel the bundled insurance once the bonus posts to keep it cheap.
Ranking basis: $1,094 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: National Bank clients who want a low-fee rewards card with a real grocery/dining bonus rate.
Skip if: You want transferable points; Amex Cobalt or other MR cards earn more per dollar with airline upside.
$70 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $757 · National Bank Rewards · See offer
A large welcome bonus attached to a young program. Promising on paper, but treat the redemption value as unproven until Blue Rewards has a track record.
Ranking basis: $1,082 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Shoppers at Blue Rewards partner merchants who want a large points bonus and don't mind an unproven, brand-new loyalty program.
Skip if: You want a mature, well-understood points program; Aeroplan or Amex MR cards have a longer redemption track record.
$150 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $717 · BMO Blue Rewards · See offer
A serviceable free on-ramp to Aeroplan. Most frequent flyers should graduate to the Visa Infinite tier.
Ranking basis: $1,064 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Occasional Air Canada flyers who want to start earning Aeroplan points without an annual fee.
Skip if: You check bags on Air Canada often; the Visa Infinite's bag perk alone covers its $139 fee.
No annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $532 · Aeroplan · See offer
A competent cash-back card whose real differentiator is the bundled Auto Club membership. Usually second to the CIBC Dividend on pure rates.
Ranking basis: $1,025 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: TD loyalists with concentrated gas/grocery/bills spend who value the roadside membership.
Skip if: You're issuer-agnostic; the CIBC Dividend's 4% categories beat it.
$139 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $582 · Cash back · See offer
A genuinely strong no-fee card for Canadian Tire loyalists: 4% at Triangle banners and 3% on groceries rival paid cash-back cards, but the income requirement and CT Money's redemption ceiling keep it a specialist's pick rather than an everyday-carry default.
Ranking basis: $960 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Canadian Tire, Sport Chek, and Mark's shoppers with real grocery spend who clear the income threshold and want a free World Elite card.
Skip if: You don't shop Triangle-family banners regularly, or you don't clear the $80K/$150K income bar; the fee-free base Triangle Mastercard earns the same rates without the income gate.
No annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $480 · CT Money · See offer
A capable no-fee entry into Scene+. Fine on its own, and a natural stepping stone toward the Passport once travel and lounge access matter.
Ranking basis: $950 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Free-card users who want simple points on food and entertainment spend with an easy upgrade path to the Passport later.
Skip if: You want cash back with no redemption thinking at all; a flat cash-back card is simpler for the same $0 fee.
No annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $500 · Scene+ · See offer
A well-targeted student card: modest earn, but on exactly the categories a student budget hits, with a redemption a 19-year-old will actually use.
Ranking basis: $950 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Students who go to the movies and want simple, immediately-usable points on food and entertainment spend.
Skip if: You'd rather build travel points; Scene+ doesn't transfer anywhere.
No annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $500 · Scene+ · See offer
A genuinely distinct airline card for United loyalists, with useful flight benefits at an $89 fee. Everyday earning is too weak for it to be a broad-market primary card.
Ranking basis: $939 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Canadian United flyers who will use a checked bag, priority boarding, and discounted MileagePlus award pricing.
Skip if: You rarely fly United-operated routes or want strong everyday earn; the base rate is only 0.75 mile per dollar.
$89 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $582 · United MileagePlus · See offer
A dining card wearing a cash-back card's name. The 4% on restaurants is permanent and among the best no-fee dining rates in Canada, but it stops at $5,000 of spend a year and everything outside that category earns ordinary rates.
Ranking basis: $894 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: People who eat out regularly and want a no-fee card whose best rate (4% on restaurants, bars, and coffee shops) doesn't expire after year one.
Skip if: Groceries dominate your spend: 1.5% is well behind the no-fee cards built around the grocery aisle.
No annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $447 · Cash back · See offer
Canada's best all-round no-FX Visa. The 2.5% FX saving plus lounge visits deliver real, unglamorous value even though the points ceiling is low.
Ranking basis: $886 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Canadians who spend abroad regularly and want lounge visits plus simple redemptions on one Visa.
Skip if: You maximize point value through transfers; Scene+ can't play that game.
$150 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $568 · Scene+ · See offer
Broad 5x earning and credible premium benefits, but the high fee and weak points currency make it conditional rather than a default luxury-card winner.
Ranking basis: $874 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: High-spend travellers who will use the annual lifestyle credit and six lounge visits and can clear the demanding offer thresholds.
Skip if: You want transferable points, will not use the annual credit, or cannot organically spend $75,000 in the first year.
$599 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $705 · BMO Rewards · See offer
A reasonably priced World Elite card for Desjardins members based in or flying through Quebec. The points ceiling and single-airport lounge limit its appeal outside that footprint.
Ranking basis: $872 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Desjardins members who fly through Montreal-Trudeau and want World Elite travel insurance at a modest fee.
Skip if: You're not a Desjardins member, or you don't transit YUL; the lounge access has no value elsewhere.
$130 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $436 · Desjardins BONUSDOLLARS · 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.
Ranking basis: $870 modelled value over 24 months
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 · Modelled first year ≈ $435 · Cash back · See offer
Substantially reworked in Neo's June 2026 relaunch: a higher fee, one of three reward plans earning elevated rates at a time (switchable in-app once every 90 days), and a DragonPass membership that discounts lounge entry rather than including it.
Ranking basis: $866 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Digitally-native spenders who clear the $80K/$150K income bar and will actually re-pick their reward plan as their spending shifts.
Skip if: You don't clear the income requirement, or you want simple flat-rate rewards without picking a plan; the no-fee Neo World Mastercard is the better fit.
$149 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $433 · Cash back · See offer
A solid broad-category 2% cash-back card, freshly restructured in February 2026. The $49 fee and lack of a sign-up bonus are the main drawbacks.
Ranking basis: $838 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Everyday spenders who want simple flat-2% cash back across groceries, gas, transit, and bills.
Skip if: You spend heavily past $25,000/year in those categories, or you want a card with no annual fee.
$49 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $419 · Cash back · See offer
A solid free grocery card for households just below the World Elite income bar. If you qualify for the World Elite, take that instead: same fee, higher rates, more insurance.
Ranking basis: $818 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Loblaw-banner and Shoppers households that clear $50,000 personal or $80,000 household income, but not the World Elite's bar.
Skip if: You clear the World Elite's income bar (it earns more for the same $0 fee), or you rarely shop Loblaw banners.
No annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $434 · PC Optimum · See offer
The default card for Costco members in Canada: free, simple, and well-matched to gas and restaurant spend, with no cap on what it pays out. There's no welcome offer right now, so its case rests on ongoing earn, and warehouse purchases themselves earn only the base 1%.
Ranking basis: $780 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Costco members who fill up at Costco gas stations and want a free card that pairs naturally with warehouse shopping.
Skip if: You're not a Costco member, or your spend is mostly outside Costco categories; a flat cash-back card earns more elsewhere.
No annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $390 · Cash back · See offer
A solid, unglamorous free cash-back card. The 2% grocery rate is its best feature; everything else is average.
Ranking basis: $768 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Grocery-heavy households who want a simple, genuinely free cash-back card.
Skip if: You spend heavily outside groceries/gas/dining; a flat-rate card likely earns more overall.
No annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $384 · Cash back · See offer
A capable free card following Neo's June 2026 relaunch. Only one reward plan earns elevated rates at a time and you can switch once every 90 days, so it pays to keep it pointed at your everyday spend.
Ranking basis: $744 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Digitally-native spenders who want a free cash-back card and will keep their reward plan pointed at where they actually spend.
Skip if: You want simple flat-rate cash back without revisiting a plan every quarter; a flat 2% card is less effort for a similar return.
No annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $372 · Cash back · See offer
A capable no-fee everyday earner with an unusually broad 2x list and a birthday bonus. Redeem for travel to get the most from the points.
Ranking basis: $724 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Anyone who wants a no-fee points card with broad 2x categories and doesn't mind ~0.5¢ cash redemptions.
Skip if: You want higher redemption value or uncapped categories; a flat cash-back card may net more.
No annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $387 · MBNA Rewards · 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.
Ranking basis: $719 modelled value over 24 months
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 · Modelled first year ≈ $122 · Aeroplan · See offer
A reasonable no-fee grocery card now that the $6,000 cap is gone, but the 0.5% base rate means it only pays off for households whose spending leans on groceries and commuting.
Ranking basis: $708 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: No-fee shoppers who buy groceries at supermarkets rather than Costco or Walmart and want simple, uncapped cash back.
Skip if: Most of your spending falls outside groceries, gas and transit, where this card pays only 0.5%; a flat-rate no-fee card earns more.
No annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $354 · Cash back · See offer
A fine no-cost way to dabble in Aventura points. Serious travellers should graduate to the Visa Infinite.
Ranking basis: $696 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Occasional travellers who want free, flexible travel points without an annual fee.
Skip if: You spend enough to clear the Aventura Visa Infinite's fee; its bonus categories and insurance pay for themselves.
No annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $426 · CIBC Aventura · See offer
A genuinely strong top-tier card for Desjardins members, let down for everyone else by the fixed-value points ceiling and steep non-member fee.
Ranking basis: $692 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Desjardins members who spend heavily on dining, groceries, and travel and want the richest Odyssey tier's lounge access and concierge perks.
Skip if: You're not a Desjardins member; the $395 non-member fee is hard to justify against Amex Platinum or Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Privilege.
$395 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $346 · Desjardins BONUSDOLLARS · See offer
A fine low-fee cash-back card, but the $30 fee is hard to justify against free alternatives earning similar rates.
Ranking basis: $618 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: National Bank clients who want simple, broad cash-back categories without tracking a complex rewards program.
Skip if: You want a genuinely free card; mycredit Mastercard or Tangerine Money-Back earn similar rates with no fee.
$30 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $309 · Cash back · See offer
A solid no-fee TD Rewards earner. The 3x grocery/dining/transit rate is genuinely good; just redeem through Expedia For TD to get full value.
Ranking basis: $602 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Anyone who wants a no-fee everyday points card with strong grocery, dining, and transit earn and no income requirement.
Skip if: You want maximum point value or transferable rewards; TD Rewards redeem best only through Expedia For TD.
No annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $339 · TD Rewards · See offer
A capable student cash-back card, not just a credit-builder: 3% on groceries (to a monthly cap) and no annual fee put it among the better no-fee student options. The 0.5% base rate on everything else is the catch.
Ranking basis: $558 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Students who want real cash back while building credit; the 3% grocery rate is one of the better no-fee student earns.
Skip if: You're not a student, or you have the credit and income to qualify for a full cash-back card that earns more than 0.5% outside groceries.
No annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $279 · Cash back · See offer
A solid no-fee grocery earner up to $500 a month. Straightforward and fee-free, with an upgrade path once spend outgrows the cap.
Ranking basis: $558 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Free-card shoppers whose grocery bill is the biggest line item in the budget.
Skip if: Your grocery bill runs well past $500 a month; past the cap it earns 0.5%, and the World Elite version's 5% grocery and 1% base rates pay for its fee.
No annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $279 · Cash back · See offer
The no-income-requirement way into PC Optimum on a credit card. It's effectively a 1% card with a Shoppers bonus, so treat it as a starting point: PC Financial's other free cards earn more once you qualify.
Ranking basis: $530 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: PC Optimum members who don't meet the World card's $50,000 personal or $80,000 household income bar.
Skip if: You qualify for the PC World or World Elite Mastercard; both are also free and earn more at Loblaw banners and Shoppers.
No annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $290 · PC Optimum · See offer
The accessible on-ramp to Triangle Rewards. Upgrade to the World Elite tier the moment your income qualifies: same fee, better grocery rate.
Ranking basis: $528 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Canadian Tire, Sport Chek, and Mark's shoppers who don't clear the World Elite tier's income requirement.
Skip if: You clear the $80K/$150K income bar; the World Elite version earns double on groceries for the same $0 fee.
No annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $264 · CT Money · See offer
A no-fee card whose 5%-for-6-months gas/grocery intro is its main draw. The $500 cap and 0.5% base limit its long-term value.
Ranking basis: $438 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Households with steady gas and grocery spend who want a no-fee card and a strong 6-month intro rate.
Skip if: You spend more than $500/month on gas and groceries, or you want a strong base rate on other purchases.
No annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $219 · Cash back · See offer
An unremarkable but genuinely free card. Its low intro interest rate is the real draw, not the cash-back rate.
Ranking basis: $420 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Scotiabank clients who want a simple free cash-back card and may carry an introductory-rate balance.
Skip if: You want the best possible free cash-back rate; Tangerine, BMO CashBack, or CIBC Dividend all out-earn this card in their bonus categories.
No annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $210 · Cash back · See offer
The Cash Back Visa on the Mastercard network, with the same rates, caps and insurance. Pick it over the Visa only if you need a Mastercard, and don't get it for Costco: warehouse purchases earn the 0.5% base rate.
Ranking basis: $366 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Anyone who wants the Cash Back Visa's rates and insurance on a Mastercard instead of a Visa.
Skip if: Groceries or general spending make up most of your budget: at 0.5% outside the bonus categories, a free flat-rate card earns more.
No annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $183 · Cash back · See offer
A free card whose insurance is better than its earn rate. The 2% categories cap at $3,600 a year combined and everything else earns 0.5%, so most households will earn more elsewhere; the 3-day travel medical and $1,000 phone cover are the reasons to hold it.
Ranking basis: $366 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Anyone who wants a free card with real insurance, and whose spending leans on restaurants, entertainment and bills paid by pre-authorized payment.
Skip if: Groceries or general spending make up most of your budget: at 0.5% outside the bonus categories, a free flat-rate card earns more.
No annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $183 · Cash back · See offer
The Cash Back Visa paid in BONUSDOLLARS instead of cash. The rates are identical and a BONUSDOLLAR is worth $1, so the choice comes down to redeeming through Desjardins or getting a credit on your account. Most people should take the cash.
Ranking basis: $366 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: People who want a free Desjardins card and would rather redeem BONUSDOLLARS through Desjardins than receive cash back.
Skip if: You'd be just as happy with cash: the Cash Back Visa pays the same rates as a credit to your account.
No annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $183 · Desjardins BONUSDOLLARS · See offer
The rewards outlier of the secured segment: real cash back and a $50 entry point, gated by a monthly membership fee that decides whether the math works. Free-fee qualifiers get the segment's best card; everyone else should price it honestly.
Ranking basis: $324 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Rebuilders with small deposits who want some reward while they build, and who qualify to get the membership fee waived.
Skip if: You'd pay the monthly membership in full: $119.88/year erases the cash back at typical rebuilder spend.
No annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $162 · Cash back · See offer
A plain, dependable free card whose Costco acceptance is its one real edge over other no-fee options.
Ranking basis: $306 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: National Bank clients who want a genuinely free card for restaurants and recurring bills that's also accepted at Costco.
Skip if: You want a strong general-spend rate; most purchases on this card earn only 0.5%.
No annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $153 · Cash back · See offer
The weakest rung of the Odyssey ladder: no welcome offer, no confirmed fee waiver, capped 2% categories, and a 0.65% base rate. The gap to the World Elite Mastercard is small enough that most members should skip straight there.
Ranking basis: $278 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Desjardins members whose spend concentrates in the 2% categories and stays under the annual caps.
Skip if: Much of your spend falls outside those categories; 0.65% on everything else is weak, and the World Elite Mastercard adds lounge passes and higher rates for $20 more.
$110 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $139 · Desjardins BONUSDOLLARS · 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.
Ranking basis: $180 modelled value over 24 months
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 · Modelled first year ≈ -$195 · Amex Membership Rewards · See offer
The most premium Scene+ product to date: a real travel credit and lounge access stacked on Scotiabank's no-FX simplicity, but the $599 fee needs disciplined use of the credit and lounge visits to clear.
Ranking basis: $34 modelled value over 24 months
Best for: Frequent travellers who want Scotiabank's simplest no-FX premium card, with a travel credit and lounge access that offset the higher fee.
Skip if: The standard Passport Visa Infinite's $150 fee already covers your travel frequency; the Privilege tier's extra perks need heavier usage to break even.
$599 annual fee · Modelled first year ≈ $67 · Scene+ · See offer
Rewards math assumes you pay your balance in full every month — interest charges quickly exceed any rewards value.
Benchmark monthly spend: $1,200 groceries, $400 dining, $100 travel, $150 gas/transit and $300 other. Values use expected informed point valuations, structured caps, modelled welcome conditions and two annual fees where applicable; unstructured perks and benefits are excluded. Use the Card Finder for your own spending.