What credit cards can be used at Walmart in Canada?
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In an effort to incentivize customer loyalty, Walmart now issues its own Canadian Mastercards, which earn rewards that can be redeemed in brick-and-mortar Walmart stores or at Walmart.ca. But Canadians have no shortage of cash back and rewards cards to consider, and some of the other options out there might actually be more lucrative than Walmart’s official Mastercards, depending on your shopping habits.
Finding the right credit card for Walmart is a matter of knowing what kind of Walmart shopper you are and what share of your purchases are made at Walmart vs. other retailers. Do you spend a lot of money in Walmart Supercentres? In that case, go with a Mastercard that earns extra cash back on groceries. Or do you make the bulk of your Walmart purchases on Walmart.ca? Then hopefully you’ll qualify for Walmart’s World Mastercard, which is really advantageous for online shopping.
What credit cards does Walmart Canada accept?
Walmart is a flexible retailer in that all credit and debit cards are accepted in any of its stores, including Visa, Amex, and Mastercard. Though there was a minor dispute between Visa and Walmart Canada in 2017 over interchange fees, the situation has since been resolved. Visa was briefly banned in some stores in Ontario, but the companies reached a compromise that saw the return of Visa as an accepted payment method at any Walmart in Canada.
Is Walmart considered a grocery store by credit cards?
Though you can use a Visa, Amex, or Mastercard to make purchases at all Walmart stores, Visa and Amex don’t categorize any type of Canadian Walmart as a grocery store. Reports from shoppers indicate Mastercard is the only card processor that treats Walmart Supercentres as grocery stores (Merchant Category Code 5411), though it still treats ‘regular’ Walmart locations as warehouses/wholesale stores.
Why is this important? If you shop frequently at Walmart Supercentres you can pile up a heap of rewards/cash back by paying with a Mastercard that has a high grocery earn rate. But if you tend to shop at regular Walmart stores it makes more sense to go with a credit card that has a high base earn rate on all purchases.
Learn more about Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) and how to use them to your benefit.
The best credit cards Canadians can use at Walmart
It might surprise some readers to learn that Walmart’s official Mastercards aren’t always the most profitable cards for Walmart purchases. Cardholders must also consider that Walmart will not be the only place they shop, though we’ve outlined the best cards for those who rely on the mega-retailer for most of their shopping.
Walmart Rewards Mastercard
Quick Facts
Minimum Credit Score: Fair-good
Minimum Income: $0
Age: Age of majority in province/territory
Residency: Canadian resident
The official Walmart Rewards™️ Mastercard® is a great way to begin saving instantly at Walmart stores across Canada. Its earn rate is strong considering its $0 annual fee: each purchase at any Walmart store (or Walmart.ca) earns 1.25% back in Walmart Reward Dollars. Purchases made elsewhere earn these rewards at a rate of 1%. Walmart Reward Dollars are redeemable online and at the register in any Walmart, where cardholders can simply tap their card and redeem as little as $5 instantly. Customers can also order a Walmart credit card for their spouse or partner at no extra charge and will get up to 25 Walmart Reward Dollars the first time they sign up.
Though its earn rates are good for such an accessible, no annual fee card, it does have a notable achilles heel: Reward Dollars can only be redeemed at Walmart itself, so it’s somewhat inflexible compared to regular cash back cards, which usually allow you to redeem your cash back directly against your card’s balance.
- Annual Fee: $0
- Welcome Offer: Up to 25 Walmart Reward Dollars for new cardholders
- Rewards Rates: 1.25% at Walmart or Walmart.ca; 1% elsewhere
If you have an annual income of at least $100K you’ll qualify for the Walmart Rewards™️ World Mastercard®, which earns special rates of 3% on walmart.ca purchases and 1.25% on gas purchases, in addition to the regular card’s 1.25% at brick-and-mortar Walmart locations and 1% everywhere else.
Apply for the Walmart Rewards™️ Mastercard®
BMO CashBack Mastercard
Quick Facts
Minimum Credit Score: Good
Minimum Income: $15,000
Age: Age of majority in province/territory
Residency: Canadian resident
The BMO CashBack® Mastercard® is the ideal fit for people who prefer not to pay an annual fee for their credit card and who shop a lot at Walmart Supercentres, where the Mastercard’s 3% cash back rate on groceries applies*. Cash back can be redeemed against your card statement whenever you want, which is a particularly flexible policy.
That said, keep in mind that the card will earn a relatively meagre 0.5%* at regular Walmart discount stores, so it’s not such a boon unless you do the lion’s share of your Walmart shopping in Supercentres. Another potential drawback is that the high 3% earn rate* is limited—it only applies to $500 spent on groceries per month ($15 in cash back); after you cross that maximum you’ll only earn 0.5% per month on groceries until the next month starts*. If you find that you’re spending more than $500 per month on groceries it probably makes sense to pay an annual fee for an upper-tier card with a higher earn rate.
- 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: 3% on groceries*; 1% on recurring bills (conditions apply)*; 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*
Learn more by reading our complete BMO CashBack® Mastercard®* review.
*Terms and conditions apply.
BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard
Quick Facts
Minimum Credit Score: Excellent
Minimum Income: $80,000 individual/$150,000 household
Age: Age of majority in province/territory
Residency: Canadian resident
Other: No bankruptcy in the past seven years
The BMO CashBack® World Elite®* Mastercard®* has an amped-up 5% cash back rate for up to $500 spent on groceries per month* (i.e., up to $25 in cash back per month). Those who max out that monthly limit at Walmart Supercentres can earn up to $300 in cash back over the course of a year, which is way more than double the card’s $120 annual fee.
Unfortunately its base cash back earn rate, which will apply to regular Walmart stores, is only 1%*. That said, its welcome offer is among the strongest offered by any cash back card in Canada (see below), and items you buy with the card benefit from some of the best extended warranty and purchase protection coverage offered by any credit card in Canada as well.
- Annual Fee:$120
- Welcome Offer: 10% cash back for the first three months, up to $2,600 in spending ($260 cash back)* + first year annual fee waiver*
- Regular Cash Back Rates: 5% back on groceries (up to $500 spent per month)*; 4% back on ground transit (up to $300 spent per month)*; 3% back on gas and electric vehicle charging (up to $300 spent per month)*; 2% back on recurring bills (up to $500 spent per month)*; and 1% back on everything else (unlimited)*
- Shopping Coverage: Extra two years added to purchased items’ extended warranties* + 180 days of purchase protection coverage if the items are stolen or damaged*
Learn more by reading our complete BMO CashBack® World Elite®* Mastercard®* review.
*Terms and conditions apply.
SimplyCash® Card from American Express
Quick Facts
Minimum Credit Score: Fair-good
Minimum Income: N/A
Age: 18+
Residency: Canadian resident
The regular SimplyCash® Card from American Express (not to be confused with the SimplyCash® Preferred Card from American Express below) works well for saving money at Walmart or any of the other Canadian stores where Amex cards are accepted.
New cardholders start off with an impressive welcome offer: In your first 10 months as a new SimplyCash® Card from American Express Cardmember, you can earn a $10 statement credit for each monthly billing period in which you spend $300 in purchases on your Card. This could add up to $100 in statement credits in the first 10 months. Conditions apply.
Earn 2% cash back on eligible gas purchases in Canada, 2% cash back on eligible grocery purchases in Canada (up to $300 cash back annually), and 1.25% cash back on all other eligible purchases. Though this makes it even with the 1.25% collected by Walmart’s Mastercard at Walmart stores, unlike the official Walmart card, the cash back you earn with this Amex card can be redeemed directly against your card balance. SimplyCash® Card from American Express cardholders will also appreciate that the card has no annual fee.
Though the insurance benefits for the standard SimplyCash® Card from American Express aren’t as impressive as the insurance benefits for the Preferred card version, you’ll still get coverage for travel accidents, as well as extended warranties and insurance on newly purchased items.
- Annual Fee: $0
- Welcome Offer: In your first 10 months as a new SimplyCash® Card from American Express Cardmember, you can earn a $10 statement credit for each monthly billing period in which you spend $300 in purchases on your Card. This could add up to $100 in statement credits in the first 10 months. Conditions apply.
- Cash Back Rate: Earn 2% cash back on eligible gas purchases in Canada, 2% cash back on eligible grocery purchases in Canada (up to $300 cash back annually), and 1.25% cash back on all other eligible purchases. No limits on the base earn rate.
- Extra Benefits: Travel accident insurance; extended warranties and purchase protection; Access events and special offers curated for Cardmembers with American Express® Experiences
Apply for the SimplyCash® Card from American Express or learn more by reading our complete SimplyCash® Card from American Express review.
SimplyCash® Preferred Card from American Express
Quick Facts
Minimum Credit Score: Good-excellent
Minimum Income: N/A
Age: 18+/Age of majority
Residency: Canadian resident
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. Though its annual fee of $9.99/month (Equals a total fee of $119.88 annually) is on the higher end, the earn rate makes it easy to earn this much and more in one year. 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. And cardholders can also get $100 cash back for every referral they make (up to $1,500 per year). Add in a suite of comprehensive travel insurance and shopping coverage and this Amex card really starts to look like “the complete package.”
- Annual Fee: $9.99/month (Equals a total fee of $119.88 annually)
- Welcome Offer: 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.
- Regular Cash Back Rate: 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.
- Other Benefits: Comprehensive insurance coverage, referral bonuses, access events and special offers curated for Cardmembers with American Express® Experiences
Apply for the SimplyCash® Preferred Card from American Express or learn more by reading our complete SimplyCash® Preferred Card from American Express review.
Rogers™ World Elite® Mastercard®
Quick Facts
Minimum Credit Score: Good-excellent
Minimum Income: $80,000 individual/$150,000 household
Age: 18+/Age of majority
Residency: Canadian resident
The Rogers™ World Elite® Mastercard® has a high 1.5% flat cash back rate on all purchases in Canadian dollars, which makes it a great option for earning back at regular, non-Supercentre Walmart stores in Canada. Its 3% cash back on USD purchases also makes it ideal for snowbirds who shop at any Walmart store in the United States. This means that while you travel (or shop online at foreign eCommerce retails that accept US dollars), you’ll earn 0.5% above the universal 2.5% foreign transaction fees.
For such a comprehensive cash back deal, it’s surprising that the card has no annual fee. The cash back you earn is more flexible than Walmart’s Mastercard as well, as it can either be redeemed as a statement credit once yearly, or on-demand via the Mastercard app Pay with Rewards. A cherry on top comes in the form of a nice insurance package, which includes coverage for new purchases, rental vehicles, emergency medical needs and trip interruption and cancellation.
Just remember that the card’s annual income requirements can be prohibitive—$80,000 for individuals or $150,000 for households. It also has a rare annual $15,000 spending requirement just to maintain eligibility for the card; spend less than that and your card may be cancelled or demoted to another Rogers card with less favourable cash back rates.
- Annual Fee: $0
- Welcome Offer: $25 after making a purchase within the first three months of getting your card (conditions apply)
- Cash Back Rates: 1.5% cash back on all purchases made in CAD; 3% cash back on all purchases made in USD
- Extra Benefits: Impressive insurance coverage for travelers; complimentary membership to Mastercard Travel Pass provided by DragonPass
Apply for the Rogers™ World Elite® Mastercard® or learn more by reading our complete Rogers™ World Elite® Mastercard® review.
Walk out of Walmart with more savings
Walmart shoppers are consummate bargain hunters, and the easiest way to save an extra 1%–5% on top of Walmart’s super-low prices is to pay with the right credit card. Just remember the following:
- 1.
Walmart’s own credit cards are great for saving on Walmart purchases, but the rewards they earn are less flexible than what you’ll get from standard cash back cards.
- 2.
All Canadian credit cards are accepted at Walmart, but not all card processors categorize Walmart stores in the same way.
- 3.
When shopping at Walmart Supercentres it’s smart to use a Mastercard with a high earn rate on groceries.
- 4.
When shopping at regular Walmart discount stores it’s smart to use any credit card with a high base earn rate on all purchases.
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American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information click the Apply now link. Conditions apply.
BMO is not responsible for maintaining the content on this site. Please click on the Apply now link for the most up to date information.
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