Best cash back credit cards in Canada
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Fact Checked: Scott Birke
Updated: September 22, 2023
We adhere to strict standards of editorial integrity to help you make decisions with confidence. Please be aware that some (or all) products and services linked in this article are from our sponsors.
We adhere to strict standards of editorial integrity to help you make decisions with confidence. Please be aware this post may contain links to products from our partners. We may receive a commission for products or services you sign up for through partner links.
A cashback card is a card that allows you to earn a percentage of cash back in specific purchase categories or a flat rate on all purchases. The way cash back credit cards work is that you receive your cash as a statement credit, a cheque, or deposit you can use towards a financial goal.
Cash back is one of the most attractive credit rewards options because unlike points, you can spend it however you choose. There are no rules or restrictions on how you use your cash.
But which cashback credit card is best for you? We’ve done the leg work of comparing all the options to help you pick the perfect cash back card for your spending.
Best Canadian cash back credit cards by category
Expert tip: How to choose the best cash back credit card
Shop around for a cash back card that has an accelerated rate in spending categories that you will use the most but be mindful of spending caps. When it comes to rewards credit cards, cash back is a popular choice because it means your money can go towards any purchase. It’s often applied to your statement credit but some cards allow you to deposit the cash back into your savings account as well. Cash back cards vary in the percentages of cash back that you can earn, how often the cash back is paid out (ie: monthly or annually), as well as how much cash back you can actually earn. Some cash back credit cards have spending caps (monthly or annually) while others have no limits on how much cash back you can earn.
—Hannah Logan, Money.ca credit card, saving and travel expert
Best no annual fee cash back credit card
Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card
Quick Facts
Who's eligible?
Minimum credit score: Fair-good
Minimum income: $12,000
Age: 18+/age of majority
Residency: Canadian resident/permanent resident
Other: No bankruptcy for the past 7 years
Offer overview
The Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card lets you earn 2% cash back in 2 spending categories, or 3 spending categories if you deposit your cash back into a Tangerine Savings Account. These spending categories are flexible enough to reflect your spending habits which, if they happen to change from time to time, you can choose new categories every 90 days. You’ll earn 0.5% cash back on all other purchases, without any tiers, caps, or limits. Your cash back is dispersed monthly, which means you never have to wait to reap the rewards of your spending.
For the first 30 days of card membership, cardholders can transfer a balance to Tangerine and pay just 1.95% interest for 6 months, 1% transfer fee applies* (19.95% after that).
It’s important to note that if you have an annual personal income of $60K or household income of $100K, it makes sense to consider the Tangerine World Mastercard® instead, which offers the same rewards rates as the Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card, but it comes with more features like mobile device insurance, airport lounge access, and car rental insurance.
Key features
- Annual Fee: $0
- Cash Back Structure: 2% cash back on 2 personal spending categories you select (can be changed every 90 days), 0.5% on all other purchases
- Cash Back Perk: An extra purchase category (totaling 3) to earn 2% cash back if you deposit the cash back you earn to a Tangerine Savings Account
- Additional Perks: Extended warranty doubles the manufacturers’ original warranty by up to one additional year
- Welcome Offer: Special 10% extra cash back rate on the first $1,000 spent with the card on everyday purchases (max. $100 cash back) in the first two months if you're approved, apply by July 5, 2023.*
Our take
We think the Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card offers the best flexibility in earning cash back. Even though there’s a limit to how often you can change your spending categories, you still get to choose your own and there is no limit to the cash back you can earn, ensuring you’re truly getting the most bang for your buck on all your spending, plus there’s no annual fee.
Tangerine’s Money-Back Credit Card is the perfect option for pure cash back potential without any limits or fees. Tangerine will also give you an extra high earning cash back purchase category if you direct your cash back earned to a Tangerine Savings Account, making this the best card for anyone who’s using cash back towards a financial goal.
Apply for the Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card.
*Terms and Conditions apply
Best for gas and groceries
CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite Card
Quick Facts
Who's eligible?
Minimum credit score: Excellent
Minimum income: $60,000 individual or $100,000 household
Age: Age of majority in province
Residency: Canadian resident
Other: No bankruptcy for the past 7 years
Offer overview
The CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card caters to Canadians that dole out a substantial amount of their funds on eligible gas, EV charging, and grocery purchases, giving high 4% cash back rates for purchases in those categories after the Welcome Offer ends†. Though there are annual caps for earning at the card’s accelerated rates (see ‘Cash Back Restrictions’ below), the limits are quite high, and there’s no cap on how much cash back can be earned overall.
Key features
- Annual Fee: $120 primary cardholder, $30 each authorized user (up to 3)
- Welcome Offer: Get a first-year annual fee rebate and earn 10% cash back welcome bonus of up to $200 (first 4 statements)!†
- Cash Back Structure: After that 4% cash back on eligible gas, EV charging, and grocery purchases†; 2% cash back on eligible transportation, dining purchases and recurring payments†; 1% cash back on all other purchases†. Also, get cash back on demand – redeem your cash back at any time when you have a minimum of $25 through CIBC Online and Mobile Banking®†
- Cash Back Restrictions: 4% and 2% cash back rates apply up to $20K worth of annual eligible grocery, gas, EV charging, transportation, dining, and recurring bills; or up to $80K in annual purchases overall.† After crossing one of those two milestones all eligible spending earns 1% until the rates are reset in December.
- Interest Rates: 20.99%† Purchase Annual Interest Rate, 22.99%† (for non-Quebec residents only) Cash Advance Annual Interest Rate, and 22.99%† (for non-Quebec residents only) Balance Transfer Annual Interest Rate
Our take
Take a look at your monthly spending. If gas and groceries took the biggest bite out of your budget, which is likely the case for many families and commuters, we recommend applying for the CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card and calling it a day. If you spend at least $250 on gas and groceries each month, you’ll earn enough cash back in a year to make up for the annual fee.
Note: If you don’t meet the CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card’s annual income requirements, check out the CIBC Dividend Platinum® Visa* Card instead. Its cash back features are almost as strong as the CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card’s, but it comes with a less comprehensive insurance package and a minimum annual household income requirement of just $15,000.†
Apply for the CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card.
This is a digital-exclusive offer.† To be eligible for this offer:
1) this offer must have been directly communicated to you from CIBC or from a partner/affiliate; and
2) you must apply for the eligible card through the link provided in the CIBC or partner/affiliate communication to you.†
This offer is reserved for you. Please do not forward it to anyone else. If you have opened, transferred or cancelled another eligible card within the last 12 months, we may approve your application, but you may not receive this offer.†
†Conditions apply
Quebec Residents – Learn More about this CIBC product here
Résidents du Québec : Pour en savoir plus sur ce produit CIBC, suivez ce lien
Best flat-rate cash back
SimplyCash Preferred Card from American Express
Quick Facts
Who's eligible?
Minimum credit score: Good-excellent
Minimum income: N/A
Age: 18+/age of majority
Residency: Canadian resident
Offer overview
The SimplyCash® Preferred Card from American Express provides you with a nice Welcome Bonus: In your first 10 months as a new SimplyCash® Preferred Card from American Express Cardmember, you can earn a $40 statement credit for each monthly billing period in which you spend $750 in purchases on your Card. This could add up to $400 in statement credits in the first 10 months. Conditions apply. Earn 4% cash back on eligible gas station purchases in Canada, 4% cash back on eligible grocery store purchases in Canada (up to $1,200 cash back annually) and 2% cash back on all other purchases. The card also offers buyer’s assurance and purchase protection, doubling the manufacturer’s warranty on purchases by up to one year while also insuring them against damage or theft.
Key features
- Annual Fee: $9.99/month (Equals a total fee of $119.88 annually)
- Welcome Bonus: In your first 10 months as a new SimplyCash® Preferred Card from American Express Cardmember, you can earn a $40 statement credit for each monthly billing period in which you spend $750 in purchases on your Card. This could add up to $400 in statement credits in the first 10 months. Conditions apply.
- Cash Back Structure: Earn 4% cash back on eligible gas station purchases in Canada, 4% cash back on eligible grocery store purchases in Canada (up to $1,200 cash back annually) and 2% cash back on all other purchases
- Additional Perks: Access events and special offers curated for Cardmembers with American Express® Experiences, $100,000 Travel Accident Insurance, Buyer’s Assurance Protection Plan and Purchase Protection Plan
Our take
We love that with the SimplyCash® Preferred Card from American Express, you’ll get the nice value everywhere, all the time, with the base earn rate. The annual fee, although not the highest we’ve seen, is still an annual fee that other cards may forego.
Apply for the SimplyCash® Preferred Card from American Express.
Best cash back for travel
Rogers World Elite Mastercard
Quick Facts
Who's eligible?
Minimum credit score: Good-excellent
Minimum income: $80,000 (personal)
Age: 18+
Residency: Canadian resident
Offer overview
The Rogers™ World Elite® Mastercard® gives you $25 in cash back rewards as soon as you make your first purchase. You’ll earn 3% cash back on purchases made in U.S. dollars, either online or abroad and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
There is a foreign transaction fee of 2.5%, but there are some additional perks like the travel insurance coverage and complimentary membership to Mastercard Travel Pass provided by DragonPass
Key features
- Annual Fee: $0
- Welcome Bonus: $25 bonus cash back after first purchase (conditions apply)
- Cash Back Structure: 3% cash back on purchases made in U.S. dollars and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases
- Additional Perks: purchase protection and extended warranties on purchases you make with the card.
Our take
For a no-fee card, the Rogers™ World Elite® Mastercard® truly delivers. Their earn rate on U.S. dollar purchases and everyday rate all purchases means this card puts money in your pocket, no matter where you’re shopping. Moreover, the sweet travel perks make it the perfect trip companion.
Cardholders will earn 3% cash back on each of their purchases made in U.S. dollars, which nets them 0.5% after factoring out the foreign transaction fee (2.5%). If you’re a U.S. frequent traveler and cash back is your favorite credit reward, this is the only card you should have in your wallet!
Apply for the Rogers™ World Elite® Mastercard®.
Best cash back for groceries and bills
Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card
Quick Facts
Who's eligible?
Minimum credit score: Excellent
Minimum income: You must have a minimum annual income of $60,000 or a minimum household income of $100,000 or a minimum assets under management of $250,000
Age: 18+
Residency: Canadian resident/permanent resident
Offer overview
With the Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite* card, you’ll earn 4% for every $1 you spend on groceries, recurring bills, and subscription services, 2% on gas purchases and daily transit, and 1% on everything else with no cash back limit.
The 4% cash back at grocery stores as well as on subscriptions like Netflix, HelloFresh, or Chefs Plate is the highest earn rate for these budget items we pay. With 2% on on gas purchases and daily transit (including Uber) and 1% on everything else, the Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite* card is an urban professional’s dream.
Key features
- Annual Fee: $120 (waived in the first year¹)
- Welcome Bonus: Earn 10% cash back on all purchases for the first 3 months (up to $2,000 in total purchases).¹ No annual fee in the first year, including on supplementary cards.¹ Offer ends June 30, 2023.
- Cash Back Structure: 4% cash back on all grocery, recurring bills, and subscription services, 2% cash back on gas purchases and daily transit, and 1% cash back on everything else with no cash back limit
- Additional Perks: New mobile Device Insurance, Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Insurance, plus Travel Emergency Medical Insurance, Flight Delay Insurance, Delayed and Lost Baggage Insurance
Our take
If you think about how many recurring bills you have, from cellphone bills to your gym membership, you can see how the Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite* card will let you earn a ton of cash back easily. Few credit cards can keep up with the cash back earn rate of the Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite* card.
However, there is one major downside: your cash back accumulates monthly but is only paid out once per year. If you like to get your hands on your rewards sooner rather than later, waiting for your annual payout can be a major bummer.
Nevertheless, the extra perks of the card including travel insurance and new mobile device insurance can make waiting for your cash back payout worth it.
Apply for the Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite* card.
¹ Conditions Apply. Visit here for the Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite* Card to learn more.
Best no annual fee card for groceries
BMO CashBack Mastercard
Quick Facts
Who's eligible?
Minimum credit score: Good
Minimum income: $15,000
Age: Age of majority in province/territory
Residency: Canadian resident
Offer overview
The BMO CashBack® MasterCard®* offers the highest cash back on groceries in Canada without paying an annual fee†, at 3%*. That’s competitive with a number of upper-tier cards charging annual fees in excess of $100+. It also offers a second accelerated earn rate of 1% on recurring bills, as well as a more standard 0.5% on all other eligible purchases*.
Key features
- Annual Fee: $0
- Welcome Offer: Get up to 5% cash back in your first 3 months, plus a $50 cash back bonus (when you spend $6,000) in your first year – that’s up to $175 cash back in your first year!*
- Regular Cash Back Structure: 3% on groceries*; 1% on recurring bills*; 0.5% on all other purchases*
- Balance Transfer Promotion:0.99% introductory interest rate on Balance Transfers for 9 months, 2% fee applies to balance amounts transferred*.
Our take
If groceries represent a huge, ever-present expense for you (as they do for most people), it’s a smart move to get a credit card that pays back on your repeated trips to the market. The BMO CashBack® Mastercard®* is an accessible way to maximize return on spending for those who can’t stomach paying an annual fee, or who don’t meet the income requirements for some of the upper-tier cards on this list.
The card’s only real shortcoming is that the enhanced cash back rates are limited: You can earn at the 3% and 1% rates only on the first $500 worth of grocery and recurring bill payments respectively each month*. If your monthly expenditures in those categories exceed $500, you should probably shell out for a card with an annual fee, but with a higher ceiling on the amount of cash back you can accrue.
Apply for the BMO CashBack® MasterCard®*.
*Terms and conditions apply
†Statement based on a comparison of the non-promotional grocery rewards earn rate on Canadian cash back credit cards as of January 4, 2023.
Best cash back credit card for perks
Neo Credit
Quick Facts
Who's eligible:
Minimum credit score: Fair-good
Minimum income: N/A
Age: Age of majority in province/territory
Residency: Canadian citizen/permanent resident
Offer overview
No credit card “has it all,” but some come pretty close. The Neo Credit Card makes sure you get what you want out of your credit card by, well, letting you choose what you want.
Everybody will earn up to an average of 5% cash back on qualifying purchases with more than 10,000 Neo partners. These include your favourite restaurants, stores, and even utilities companies (although that last one probably isn’t your “favourite” anything) so cash back below or above that advertised average depends on current offers and partners. There are no limits on how much cash back you can earn. Plus, you can get up to 15% back in Welcome Bonuses for first-time purchases at certain Neo partners.
As for the benefits, those can be up to you. You’ll be able to choose from more than six different subscription packages that include benefits and perks like cash back boosts, insurance, and more. For example, the Travel package helps you earn boosted cashback at travel partners and includes comprehensive travel insurance, and the Everyday Essentials package gives you a 1.5x cash back boost when you buy groceries or gas at partners.
You can choose all of these, none of these, or stack a few and switch things up whenever by just subscribing or unsubscribing to perks. Perks range from $0.99 to $9.99 a month.
Key features
- Annual Fee: $0
- Cash Back Structure: Earn an average of 5% cash back at more than 10,000 partners
- Cash Back Perk: Unlimited cash back, up to 15% cash back on first-time purchases at select Neo partners
- Additional Perks: Varies depending on which subscriptions you choose
- Welcome Offer: New Neo Credit Cardholders receive a $25 Welcome Offer Bonus for signing up with our link. Terms and conditions apply.
Our take
All-in-all, we think Neo Credit is a terrific card, and it probably doesn’t need our help showing you that. This is the card for anyone who’s ever felt like they need to choose between two cards because you like the rewards better for one and the perks better for the other. This card gives you great base rewards with the option to pay extra for a more premium experience.
Obviously, our favourite thing about Neo Credit is the monthly perk subscriptions. The subscriptions are flexible, convenient, and varied enough that this card can cover most of the top spending categories including dining, travel, shopping, and more. And for the value a subscription can offer you if you take full advantage, we think the prices are more than fair.
Breakdown by annual cash back earned
How we compared and chose the best cash back cards in Canada
For each cash back credit card there are some broad criteria we look at when assessing a card’s merit. Here are some of the factors we considered when determining the best credit card in every category and the best card overall:
- Cash Back Earn Rate: The point of a cash back credit card is to earn cash back! However, which card will deliver the most cash back depends a lot on how you spend your money. Because most cash back credit cards provide more value in some purchase categories than others, your own spending patterns will determine if a tiered rewards or flat-rate earnings structure is best.
- Promotional bonuses: We love credit cards that deliver major perks sooner than later, which is why the promotional balance matters when signing up for a credit card. We did our main assessment without factoring any time-sensitive bonuses, but make sure you consider how extra cash back or a faster earn rate for a certain period can make one card stand out above the others for you.
- Annual Fee: An annual fee can really cut into the value of a cash back credit card, so you have to ensure the dollar value it provides in cash back and other perks exceeds this cost. In order to come up with an accurate comparison, we presented the above cards’ net cash back earnings after subtracting the annual fee.
- Redemption Structure: How you get your cash back is as important as earning it! Some cards disperse cash back monthly, others annually, and some only when you hit a minimum balance threshold. Since many cash back credit cards will only disperse cash back to a chequing or savings account at the same bank, you might want to stick with one of the financial institutions you’re already using if you really want cold hard cash. However, virtually all cash back credit cards let you use your cash back as statement credit, so you have your pick!
- Overall Value Relative to Cost: Free isn’t always better. We determine if features like a big welcome bonus, strong redemption value, or high earn rate trump a card’s annual fee.
- Other fees: Annual fees aren’t always the only cost of owning a credit card. We factor in other charges like foreign transaction fees and balance transfer fees into the mix.
- Special features and perks: Benefits like extended warranties, discounts, premium insurance packages and exclusive invites warrant scrutiny. When assessing a card’s added perks, we also consider their relevance for the cardholder. We know cash back cards are a favorite of savvy shoppers, so discounts or freebies stand out as fringe perks.
How to choose the best cash back credit card
When comparing cash back cards, make sure to consider how much cash back it will really deliver to your budget. Where and how you spend your money is the biggest determining factor! However, other things like where you bank, how often you want to receive cash back, how you want to use your cash back, and if you want other perks from your credit card will make it easier to choose. The items listed below are the most important to think about when applying for a cash back credit card.
Promotional earn rate
Many cash-back credit cards will offer a short term promotional earn rate, that will let you earn a supercharged amount of cash back on some or all of your purchases. This typically lasts for up to 3 months and can make a big difference in the card’s benefits to you. If you’re planning to make a large purchase with your credit card, like booking a vacation, a generous cash back promotion can really pay off!
Earn rate by spending category
Cash back credit cards either offer a flat rate of cash back, or they offer tiered rates, with higher returns in some spending categories than others. Knowing your personal budget and spending behavior will tell you where you spend the most money, and therefore can reap the most rewards! Many cards offer higher cash back earn rates on groceries and gas purchases, but a lower rate on everything else. Review your own spending patterns to determine if you’ll earn the most from a flat-rate cash back card, or if you can benefit from one that rewards specific categories of purchases.
Cash back caps
One of the more frustrating aspects of some cash back credit cards is a cap on how much cash back you can earn. Sometimes this cash back is only for the promotional period at a higher earn rate, but sometimes it’s for a specific spending category or overall for the card. Most cash back caps are quite high, but some are surprisingly low which can really put a damper on the value of a card. However, there are plenty of cash back credit cards out there that let you earn unlimited cash back! Knowing how much you’re planning to charge to your credit card before you apply will tell you if you’ll hit a cash back limit or not, so do the math before you apply.
Redemption frequency and flexibility
Virtually all cash back cards will give you the option to use your cash back for statement credit. Others will deposit it to a chequing or savings account. Some cash back cards require you to hit a minimum cash back balance of $25 or $50 to redeem, whereas others will automatically disperse any amount you’ve earned. There are cash back cards that pay monthly, and ones that pay annually! The schedule and threshold required to access your cash back that you feel comfortable with is totally personal to your spending habits.
Annual fee
Paying an annual fee for a cash back credit card seems counter-intuitive, but it can be worth it if the card offers a particularly high cash back rate and other perks. Don’t write off a card with a fee immediately, as the rewards sometimes pay off the fee. Do the math to find out if the amount you plan to spend on the card will generate enough cash back to justify the cost!
Processor
A card’s payment processor, whether Visa, Mastercard, or American Express, can tremendously impact its cash back value to you. If your favourite grocery store where you do most of your spending doesn’t accept American Express, it doesn’t matter how great the cash back rate is! To truly earn cash back from a credit card, you need to make sure it’s accepted where you shop, so take this into consideration before you apply.
What are the types of cash back cards?
Cash-back credit cards come in three main categories:
Flat percentage: these cash-back cards are just as they sound --- they pay cash back at the same rate for all purchases.These cards are best for people who want something back without having to overthink it. The trade-off for this convenience is that you typically only earn 1% or 2% for each transaction.
Tiered rewards: These cash back cards are great for people who tend to spend more on certain things. If you do all the grocery shopping for your household and a lot of the driving, a tiered rewards card that pays a higher percentage for groceries and gasoline may be an excellent option. You’ll get a smaller return on other purchases.
Bonus category: These cards are for dedicated rewards earners. They offer high rebates of up to 5% in specific spending categories, such as at restaurants.The bonus categories can change every quarter, and you may have to register, or "opt in," for the bonus category each quarter.
Spending that earns the bonus may also be capped at a certain amount, like $1,500 during the quarter; and purchases in other categories will likely earn you just 1% cash back.
How do you master cash back rewards?
Choose a card that best suits your lifestyle and spending habits and that won't lure you into spending more than you should, just to chase after rewards.
Never buy what you don’t need. Track your spending for a month, and then pick a card that matches what you already spend. Always make sure you pay off your balance each month.
Credit card interest rates have been hovering around 19-21% on average. That's way higher than rewards earnings. Rolling over your balance for a couple of months can quickly eat away at your returns.
The bottom line on cash back credit cards
Cash back is one of the most attractive credit card rewards options because it has the most flexibility. Instead of being limited to travel redemptions or merchandise purchases, you can use your cash however you want. The best cash back card for you depends on your spending behavior and earning preferences, but you can feel confident choosing one from our list.
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