Rogers Red Mastercard
The replacement for the closed Rogers Platinum: free, no income requirement, and a genuine 2% for Rogers-family customers. Outside the ecosystem it's an ordinary 1% card with no insurance.
- Annual fee
- $0
- Welcome offer
- None
- First-year value
- ≈ $150estimated
Rewards math assumes you pay your balance in full every month — interest charges quickly exceed any rewards value.
The case
What it does well, and what it costs you
Why it earns its score
- No annual fee and no minimum income requirement: the accessible tier of the Rogers lineup
- 2% on everything for Rogers/Fido/Shaw customers, matching the World Elite's headline rate
- Five Roam Like Home days a year (replaced by an annual roaming credit on January 12, 2027), and 1.5x redemption value against eligible Rogers purchases until November 18, 2026
Where it loses points
- Without a Rogers-family service it's a 1% card, below the free flat-rate leaders
- From August 4, 2026 the 2% rate is capped at just $16,000 of annual spend (the lowest cap in the Rogers lineup), after which it drops to 1% until your account anniversary
- No purchase protection or extended warranty, coverage most no-fee cards include
- No signup bonus
The details
Earn rates, fees and coverage
| Earn rate | Rate |
|---|---|
| Everything, with an eligible Rogers, Fido, or Shaw service (first $16,000/year from August 4, 2026) | 2% |
| USD purchases, without a Rogers service | 2% |
| Everything else, without a Rogers service | 1% |
- Annual fee
- No annual fee
- Interest rates
- 21.99%–25.99% purchases · 22.99%–27.99% cash advancesRogers Bank publishes a range rather than a single rate; your rate is in your cardholder disclosure
- Included insurance
The score
How we scored it
Six weighted components, each rated 0–10. Rating × weight is what each one contributes; together they make a raw 5.47, published as 5.5.
See the evidence behind each rating
The facts are structured; the rating remains an editorial judgment. Open any component to audit what was considered without mistaking the evidence for an automatic formula.
First-year value4.0/10
The anchor fixes the starting point; the 1.0-point reduction is within the published maximum and makes the reachability judgment visible.
- $150 first-year net value maps to a 5.0/10 baseline.
- Published first-year input: 4.0/10 (-1.0 versus baseline).
- Adjustment context: From August 4, 2026 the 2% rate is capped at just $16,000 of annual spend (the lowest cap in the Rogers lineup), after which it drops to 1% until your account anniversary
Ongoing value5.5/10
This input judges recurring earn and cash-like credits after the annual fee; the welcome offer and non-cash perks are excluded.
- No annual fee.
- Published earn: 2%: Everything, with an eligible Rogers, Fido, or Shaw service (first $16,000/year from August 4, 2026); 2%: USD purchases, without a Rogers service; 1%: Everything else, without a Rogers service.
- 1 earn row carries an explicit spend cap or threshold.
Flexibility7.0/10
This input judges how easily Cash back can become useful value without forcing one narrow redemption path.
- Reward currency: Cash back.
- Flexibility evidence: Five Roam Like Home days a year (replaced by an annual roaming credit on January 12, 2027), and 1.5x redemption value against eligible Rogers purchases until November 18, 2026
Perk usability4.5/10
This input credits non-cash benefits at realistic use, separate from cash-like credits already counted in ongoing value.
- No airport lounge access.
- No included insurance is listed.
- Other published benefit: Five Roam Like Home days a year (replaced by an annual roaming credit on January 12, 2027), and 1.5x redemption value against eligible Rogers purchases until November 18, 2026
Low friction9.0/10
This input combines network acceptance, caps, conditions, eligibility, and operational effort; a higher rating means less friction.
- Mastercard acceptance; 2.5% foreign-transaction fee.
- No published income minimum.
- Practical constraint: From August 4, 2026 the 2% rate is capped at just $16,000 of annual spend (the lowest cap in the Rogers lineup), after which it drops to 1% until your account anniversary
Strategic fit5.5/10
This input asks whether the card fills a distinct role in a small wallet rather than duplicating another card; redemption quality is not counted again here.
- Ranking roles: cash-back.
- Fit case: Rogers, Fido, or Shaw customers who don't clear the World Elite's income bar but want the same 2% ecosystem rate.
- Main conflict: You have no Rogers service (1% is beatable for free) or you want basic purchase coverage included.
Already have it?
Should you keep it?
There’s no annual fee, so keeping it costs nothing; the only renewal question is whether a different no-fee card would earn more on your spending. Check the rankings or the card finder if you suspect it would.
The bottom line
Is it the right card for you?
Who it’s for
Rogers, Fido, or Shaw customers who don't clear the World Elite's income bar but want the same 2% ecosystem rate.
Who should skip it
You have no Rogers service (1% is beatable for free) or you want basic purchase coverage included.
Rewards math assumes you pay your balance in full every month — interest charges quickly exceed any rewards value.
Source: issuer card page · Last reviewed Oct 4, 2026. Details change often: confirm current terms with the issuer before applying.
Was this review useful?
Alternatives