On milesopedia, we analyze nearly 200 credit cards offered to Canadians.

Every month, we update our ranking of the best credit card offers, as well as the twenty or so credit card categories, so that you can find the best credit card offer for you right now.

A credit card offer may be excellent at certain times of the year, but not so much at others: that’s why it’s important to keep up to date with the current offers.

On this page, we will not talk about “offers”, but rather an evaluation based on the overall characteristics of the credit card. Several factors are thus considered to choose the best credit card in 2021 in Canada by category like:

• Rewards earned on purchases (points, miles or cash back)
• Benefits offered (VIP lounge access, concierge, annual credit, etc.)
• welcome bonus for new holders
• Insurance coverage (travel, purchases, etc.)
• the annual cost
• Travel Partners
• Card acceptance in Canada and worldwide
• Income requirements
• the opinions of our readers and members of the milesopedia community

If you want to know more about each card in this ranking, check out our editor’s note.

The American Express Cobalt^MD Card is the best credit card in Canada in 2021.

With this card, you earn 5 points per dollar for purchases at grocery stores, food deliveries, restaurants and bars, and convenience stores.

And 2 points per dollar for gas station purchases, local transportation or travel. Everywhere else, you will get 1 point per dollar.

Points can be used in many ways:

• Booking airline tickets with the American Express fixed price scale
• Statement credit for travel (plane tickets, hotels, airbnb, car rentals, etc.)
• Statement credit for purchases
• Transfer to Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors
• To store on amazon.ca

In addition, Cardholders benefit from regular promotional offers.

For all these reasons, the American Express Cobalt^MD Card is the best credit card in Canada in 2021.

The Scotia Momentum^® Visa Infinite* Card is the best cash back credit card in Canada in 2021.

With this card, you earn 4% cash back on groceries and recurring payments and 2% cash back on transportation and gas purchases. Everywhere else it will be 1% cash back.

In addition, the first year is often offered and a welcome bonus is regularly offered to new holders. Finally, this credit card comes with excellent insurance and Visa Infinite benefits.

Here are some other great credit card choices for earning cash back:

The American Express Cobalt^MD Card is the best grocery credit card in Canada in 2021.

With this card, you earn 5 points per dollar for purchases at grocery stores, food deliveries, restaurants and bars, and convenience stores.

That’s a 5% return when you use your points for travel purchases made with your card. And up to 10% when you use your points for airfare with the American Express Fixed Points Travel Program.

You also earn 2 points per dollar for purchases at gas stations, local transportation or travel. Everywhere else, you will get 1 point per dollar.

Here are some other great credit card choices for grocery shopping:

The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card is the best gas and transit credit card in Canada in 2021.

With this card, you earn 5 points per dollar on transit, gas, grocery and restaurant purchases. That’s a 3.33% return when you use your points for travel purchases with BMO Rewards.

Plus, each year you’ll receive a $50 annual credit to use as you see fit. This credit card also comes with mobile device insurance and the full range of Visa Infinite benefits.

Here are some other great credit card choices for gas and transit purchases:

The MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus^MD Mastercard^MD Credit Card is the best no annual fee credit card in Canada for 2021.

With this card, you earn 2 points per dollar of gas, grocery and restaurant purchases and 1 point per dollar everywhere else.

Plus, you can earn up to 10,000 welcome bonus points, a $100 value.

Here are some other great choices for no annual fee credit cards:

National Bank World Elite Mastercard^® is Canada’s Best Insured Credit Card for 2021.

With this card, you have full travel insurance for up to 60 days and benefit from insurance for trip cancellation or interruption, lost luggage and up to 48 days for car rental.

It’s also one of the few credit cards that offer triple the manufacturer’s warranty (up to 2 additional years) and purchase insurance against theft or damage for up to 180 days from the date of purchase!

In addition, this card offers you up to $250 on your travel expenses per year and allows you to enjoy the National Bank Lounge free of charge with a guest at Montreal-Trudeau airport!

Here are some other great credit card choices for insurance:

The HSBC World Elite^MD Mastercard^MD is the best no-conversion-fee credit card in Canada for 2021.

With this card, you will pay no conversion fee for foreign currency transactions, where most other credit cards charge 2.5%.

You earn 6 points per dollar for travel and 3 points per dollar everywhere else. Plus, you’ll receive an annual $100 Travel Privilege credit.

You are also covered for medical emergencies while traveling for 31 days, as well as trip cancellation and interruption.

In addition, this card regularly offers a very generous welcome bonus for new cardholders.

Here are some other great credit card choices with no conversion fees:

The HSBC World Elite^MD Mastercard^MD is the best travel points credit card in Canada for 2021.

With this card, you get 6 points per dollar for your travels, which means a 3% return when you use your points for travels paid with the card: plane ticket, hotel, apartment rental on Airbnb, train ticket, cruises, etc.

Since this card does not charge any conversion fees for foreign currency transactions, it is particularly interesting to use it for your foreign travel purchases!

You are also covered for medical emergencies while traveling for 31 days, as well as trip cancellation and interruption.

In addition, this card regularly offers a very generous welcome bonus for new cardholders.

Here are some other great choices for travel credit cards:

The American Express^MD Gold Rewards Card is the best hybrid points credit card in Canada for 2021.

Hybrid points can be used in a variety of ways: account credit, transfer of points to partner programs, flat rate pricing for airline tickets, etc.

With this card, you get 2 points per dollar spent in grocery stores, gas stations, pharmacies and travel.

That’s a 2% return when you use your points for travel purchases made with your card. And up to 4% when you use your points for airfare with the American Express Fixed Points Travel Program.

You can also transfer your points to many airline partners (Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Delta Skymiles, etc.) and hotel partners (Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy).

Here are some other great choices for hybrid credit cards:

The Marriott Bonvoy^MD American Express^MD* Card is the best credit card for hotels in 2021 in Canada.

With this card, you earn 5 points per dollar for most of your spending at Marriott Bonvoy locations. And 2 points per dollar on all your purchases.

What’s more, each year at renewal, you’ll receive an annual one-night free certificate worth 35,000 points, plus 15 Elite nights per year, counting towards your Marriott Bonvoy status.

Here are some other great credit cards to earn points for free hotel nights:

Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card is Canada’s top airport VIP lounge credit card for 2021.

With this card, you get a Priority Pass membership as well as 6 annual accesses to Priority Pass airport lounges and restaurants. No other card in this range offers this much access.

It is also an attractive card for travelers as it does not charge conversion fees for foreign currency transactions.

Here are some other great credit card choices for VIP lounge access:

The BMO^® AIR MILES^® Mastercard^®* is the best credit card to get started with reward points in Canada for 2021.

This card has no annual fee and offers a great welcome bonus to get you started with AIR MILES, a loyalty program that is easy to understand and offers discounts at many stores when you check out.

Here are some other great credit card choices for getting started with points:

The BMO^® CashBack^® Mastercard^®* for Students is the best credit card for students in Canada 2021.

This credit card has no annual fee. This is a great credit card to start with, and to keep year after year to build your credit history.

With this card, you earn 3% cash back on grocery purchases, 1% cash back on recurring bill payments and 0.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Here are some other great choices for student credit cards:

The National Bank World Elite Mastercard^® is the best credit card for retirees in Canada in 2021.

With this card, you have a complete travel insurance:

• 54 years and under: 60 days
• 55 to 64 years: 31 days
• 65 to 75 years old: 15 days

And you benefit from insurance for trip cancellation or interruption, lost luggage and up to 48 days for car rental.

It’s also one of the few credit cards that offer triple the manufacturer’s warranty (up to 2 additional years) and purchase insurance against theft or damage for up to 180 days from the date of purchase!

In addition, this card offers you up to $250 on your travel expenses per year and allows you to enjoy the National Bank Lounge free of charge with a guest at Montreal-Trudeau airport!

Here are some other great choices for retirees:

The American Express Business Edge^MD Card (now discontinued) is Canada’s Best Small Business Credit Card for 2021.

With this card, you earn 3 points per dollar on purchases of office supplies, electronics, transportation, gasoline and at restaurants, bars and bistros.

That’s a 3% return when you use your points for travel purchases made with your card. And up to 6% when you use your points for airfare with the American Express Fixed Points Travel Program.

In addition, you can obtain up to 99 additional cards at no cost, which is ideal if your business grows or for businesses that require multiple cards (e.g., carriers for their drivers’ gas purchases).

Here are some other great credit card choices for small businesses:

The TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite* Card TD^MD Aeroplan^MD is the best Aeroplan credit card in Canada for 2021.

With this card, you earn 1.5 points per dollar spent on gas, groceries and Air Canada purchases (including Air Canada Vacations). And 1 point per dollar everywhere else.

When you travel with Air Canada, you save on checked baggage fees (up to 8 travel companions can check their first bag for free)! Also, you get a $100 discount on the NEXUS membership fee.

In addition, the first year is often offered and a very attractive welcome bonus is offered to new holders. And this credit card comes with excellent insurance.

Here are some other great choices for earning Aeroplan points:

The BMO^® AIR MILES^® World Elite Mastercard is the best AIR MILES credit card in Canada for 2021.

With this card, you earn 1 AIR MILES mile for every $12 in purchases, including at Costco.

In addition, the first year is often offered and a very attractive welcome bonus is offered to new holders. And this credit card comes with excellent insurance.

Here are some other great credit card choices for earning AIR MILES miles:

The American Express Cobalt^MD Card is the best American Express credit card in Canada in 2021.

With this card, you earn 5 points per dollar for purchases at grocery stores, food deliveries, restaurants and bars, and convenience stores.

That’s a 5% return when you use your points for travel purchases made with your card. And up to 10% when you use your points for airfare with the American Express Fixed Points Travel Program.

And 2 points per dollar for gas station purchases, local transportation or travel. Everywhere else, you will get 1 point per dollar.

In addition, Cardholders benefit from regular promotional offers.

Here are some other great American Express credit card choices:

The HSBC World Elite^MD Mastercard^MD is the best Mastercard credit card in Canada for 2021.

With this card, you earn 6 points per dollar for travel and 3 points per dollar everywhere else. Plus, you’ll receive an annual $100 Travel Privilege credit.

You are also covered for medical emergencies while traveling for 31 days, as well as trip cancellation and interruption.

In addition, this card regularly offers a very generous welcome bonus for new cardholders.

Here are some other great Mastercard choices:

The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card is the best Visa credit card in Canada in 2021.

With this card, you earn 5 points per dollar spent on groceries, restaurants, bars, home delivery, gas and local transportation. That’s a 3.33% return when you use your points for travel purchases with BMO Rewards.

Everywhere else it will be 1 point per dollar.

In addition, the first year is often offered and a very attractive welcome bonus is offered to new holders. And a $50 account credit, every year!

Here are some other great Visa credit card choices:

The HSBC +Rewards Mastercard^MD is the best low-interest credit card in Canada for 2021.

With this card, you earn an 11.9% interest rate and you can earn rewards on your purchases: 2 points per dollar for dining and entertainment purchases and 1 point per dollar for all other purchases.

This credit card is one of the only ones in Canada to offer a Price Protection Service: find a lower price within 60 days of your purchase, the difference will be refunded, up to $500 per eligible item!

Here are some other great choices for low-interest credit cards:

The BMO^® CashBack^® Mastercard^®* is the best credit card for balance transfers in Canada for 2021.

With this card, you get an interest rate of 1.99% for 9 months with a 1% fee on the amount transferred.

Here are some other great credit card choices for balance transfers: