Our Selection Of The Best Cash Back Credit Cards In Canada

Updated Aug 27, 2024
Fact checked by
Alexandrine Bertrand
Alexandrine Bertrand

Alexandrine Bertrand

Alexandrine Bertrand
An avid solo traveller, Alexandrine is an expert on loyalty programmes such as Aeroplan, Avios, AIR MILES, Flying Blue and Marriott Bonvoy. With a budget-conscious approach, she helps travellers make the most of their points and miles to experience affordable, off-the-beaten-path getaways. She also shares a love of gastronomy and enjoys exploring local flavours and culinary traditions.
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Cash Back Credit Cards
To the point Cash back credit cards are trendy in Canada. Find out why it's useful to have one and the best deals available.

Why You Should Use a Cash Back Credit Card?

Most banks in Canada issue cash back credit cards. Easy to use, these credit cards give you cash back for each purchase you made: either instantly, monthly, or yearly.

Thus, they will mainly address to those who :

  • believe that”Cash is king” and more tangible than points whose value can fluctuate, often downwards
  • are not in a credit card application bonus trigger period
  • have a lot of spending in specific or out of category stores

It is important to note that cash back credit card make up the majority of credit card issued in Canada! Far ahead of all other types of credit card travel points, airline miles, hotel points, etc.).

Best Cash Back Credit Cards - Consumers

These credit cards are excellent cash back credit cards in Canada.

CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card

The CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card is one of the best Visa credit cards with cash back in Canada.

Right now, with this welcome offer, get a 10% welcome bonus in the form of up to $300 cash back (period covered by your first 4 statements) and a first-year annual fee rebate!

With this CIBC Cash Back Credit Card, you get:

  • 4% cash back on gas, EV charging, and grocery purchases
  • 2% cash back on eligible transportation, dining purchases and recurring payments
  • 1% cash back on all other purchases

For example, if you spend $1,000 per month on groceries and/or gas and/or electric vehicle charging, you’ll earn $40 cash back per month or $480 cash back per year with this card for this category of purchases!

And that’s not counting the other purchases you’ll make with this card and the advantages it offers (particularly in terms of insurance).

And this CIBC Cash Back Credit Card offers many insurance coverages:

  • Auto Rental Collision/Loss Damage Insurance
  • $500,000 Common Carrier Accident Insurance
  • Out-of-Province Emergency Travel Medical Insurance
  • Purchase Security and Extended Protection Insurance

SimplyCash® Preferred Card from American Express

The SimplyCash® Preferred Card from American Express is the only credit card in Canada to earn 2% cash back on all purchases. In addition, you get :

  • 4% cash back on gas purchases
  • 4% cash back on grocery purchases

With this welcome offer, you can earn 10% cash back on all purchases (up to $2,000) for the first 3 months, or up to $200. Plus, receive a $50 statement credit after making a purchase in the 13th month.

The SimplyCash® Preferred Card from American Express Card is especially popular with those who have significant purchases to make: home improvement, furniture or appliance purchases since it offers 2% cash back at all stores.

This Card is stands out by the many insurances it offers : rental car theft and damage, $100,000 travel accident, emergency medical expenses (out-of-province or out-of-country), lost or stolen baggage, flight delay and misdirected baggage, hotel or motel burglary, Purchase Protection, Purchase Security.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

SimplyCash® Card from American Express

Do you want a cash back credit card with no annual fee and a great earning rate for everyday purchases? Here’s an option for you: the SimplyCash® Card from American Express.

With this no-annual-fee credit card, you earn:

  • 2% cash back on gas purchases
  • 2% cash back on grocery purchases
  • 1.25% cash back on all other purchases

And with this welcome offer, you can earn 5% cash back on all purchases (up to $2,000 in purchases) for the first 3 months (up to $100 in Statement credit).

You benefit from several types of insurance : $100,000 travel accident, Purchase Protection, Purchase Security.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

American Express Cobalt® Card

The American Express Cobalt® Card is the best credit card from American Express, whether you want points for travel or cash back.

The welcome bonus is distributed monthly for the first 12 months. You’ll earn 1,250 Membership Rewards points for every $750 in purchases charged to your card during the month (whether in the 1X, 2X, 3X or 5X category). That’s up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points.

You can easily use these points as statement credits for everyday or travel purchases. The value is the same for both: 1,000 points = $10.

Or you can transfer them into Aeroplan points, Avios (British Airways/Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors.

For example, with this welcome offer, if you decide to transfer your Membership Rewards points to a partner loyalty program, you would have the choice of earning up to:

  • 15,000 Aeroplan points
  • 15,000 Avios points
  • 11,250 Flying Blue Miles
  • 18,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

With the American Express Cobalt® Card, you can earn between 1 and 5 points per dollar:

Category Points per dollar
Grocery (Métro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, etc.) 5
Home food delivery 5
Restaurants and bars 5
Convenience stores 5
Streaming services 3
Gas station 2
Transport 2
Travel 1
Other 1

This is a 1 to 5% return on all these purchases.

For example, if you spend $1,000 per month on groceries and/or restaurants and/or food delivery, you’ll earn $50 cash back per month, or $600 cash back per year with this card for this category of purchases!

And if you decide to transfer your points to other programs like Aeroplan, you could get even more value!

In addition, this card provides excellent insurance coverage: rental car theft and damage, baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage, flight delay, $250,000 travel accident, hotel or motel burglary, Mobile Device Insurance, Purchase Security, Purchase Protection Insurance.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.

Scotia Momentum® VISA Infinite* Card

The Scotia Momentum® VISA Infinite* card is recognized year after year as one of the best cash-back credit cards in Canada.

Currently, there is no annual fee in the first year, including on additional cards. And you can earn 10% cash back on all purchases for the first three months (up to $2,000 in total purchases).

With the Scotia Momentum® VISA Infinite* card, you get:

  • 4% on groceries and recurring payments
  • 2% on gas and daily transit
  • 1% on all other purchases

For example, if you spend $1,000 per month on groceries and/or recurring payments, you’ll earn $40 cash back per month, or $480 cash back per year with this card for this category of purchases! And that’s not counting the other purchases you’ll make with this card and the advantages it offers (particularly in terms of insurance).

If you rent, for example, you could use the Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite* Card on the Chexy website to pay your rent and get 4% cash back!

The Scotia Momentum® VISA Infinite* card is an excellent Visa credit card for cash back.

And its insurance benefits are excellent!

BMO® CashBack® World Elite®* Mastercard®*

BMO CashBack® World Elite®* Mastercard®* is one of Canada’s best cash back Mastercard credit cards.

For a limited time, you will earn up to 10% cash back on select purchases for the first 3 months (that’s up to $260 cash back). Besides, the annual fee is waived in the first year!

With BMO CashBack® World Elite®* Mastercard®*, you get between 2% and 5% cash back on many categories of purchases:

  • 5% on grocery purchases (on the first $500 you spend monthly)
  • 4% on transit (on the first $300 you spend monthly)
  • 3% on gas and electric vehicle charging (on the first $300 you spend monthly)
  • 2% on recurring bill payments (on the first $500 you spend monthly)

Everywhere else, you’ll earn 1% cash back, including at Costco.

Finally, it is one of the only credit cards in its category to offer an extended warranty of 2 additional years.

Tangerine World Mastercard

If you have an individual income of $60,000 or a family income of $100,000, you may want to consider the World Mastercard Tangerine.

This credit card has no annual fee and offers cashback. With this limited-time welcome offer, you can earn an additional 10% cash back (up to $100) when you spend up to $1,000 on everyday purchases during the first 2 months.

You can choose two to three categories that interest you (groceries, gas, furniture, home improvement, recurring bills, pharmacy, etc.) to earn 2% cash back! And there is no annual cash back limit.

In addition, the Tangerine World Mastercard comes with several insurance coverages for your purchases and travel :

  • 90 days purchase insurance
  • One year extended warranty
  • Mobile Device Insurance
  • Rental Car Collision/Loss Damage Insurance

Finally, during your first 30 days, transfer balances and pay only 1.95% interest on the transferred balance for the first 6 months.

BMO® CashBack® Mastercard®*

The BMO CashBack Mastercard is a no-annual-fee, cash-back credit card. With the BMO CashBack Mastercard, you can earn 5% cash back for the first three months. It’s a maximum welcome bonus of $100.

Then you get:

  • 3% cash back on grocery purchases, including at Walmart Supercenters
  • 1% cash back on recurring bill payments

Finally, you can also get a 0.99% introductory rate on balance transfers for nine months.

Best Cash Back Credit Cards - Small Businesses

BMO CashBack® Business Mastercard®*

The BMO CashBack Business Mastercard is one of Canada’s best cashback Mastercard business credit cards.

You can get 10% cash back for three months on:

  • gas purchases
  • office supply purchases
  • cell phone/internet payments

After that, you’ll get 1.5% on these purchases and 1.75% at Shell.

You can also enjoy a 0% introductory interest rate on balance transfers for nine months (with a 3% transfer fee).

Bottom Line

Cash back credit cards probably won’t offer you a business-class seat to travel around the world.

On the other hand, these cards will offer you flexibility: you will be able to use this cash as you wish!

To discover our monthly ranking of the best credit card offers in Canada, it’s on this page!

Come to discuss that topic in our Facebook Group!
Jean-Maximilien Voisine

Jean-Maximilien Voisine

Jean-Maximilien Voisine
Jean-Maximilien, President and Founder of Milesopedia, is a recognized expert in rewards programs, credit cards, and travel in Canada and France. Approaching forty and a father of two, he has travelled to over 100 countries, half of them with his children and his wife, Audrey. Specializing in top loyalty programs like Aeroplan, American Express Membership Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy, he guides travellers to maximize their benefits across North America and Europe.
All posts by Jean-Maximilien Voisine
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