Desjardins Business Credit Cards: Which of the 3 to Choose?
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Desjardins offers three cards in its Visa Business family: the first two pay a 1% rebate on annual purchases above CA$12,000, and the third settles your expenses directly in US dollars. They are the Desjardins Visa Business Card, the Desjardins Visa Business Advantage Card and the Desjardins Visa US Business Card. Your choice therefore comes down to two questions: how much does your company spend each year, and do you pay suppliers in the United States?
This guide reviews each Desjardins business credit card based on the official Desjardins product pages: fees, rebate, current offer and best fit. To compare with other issuers, see our ranking of the best business credit cards.
| Card | Annual fee | Rebate | Interest rate | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desjardins Visa Business Card | CA$60 per card (CA$40 from 5 cards), CA$0 the first year under a promotion | 1% of purchases between CA$12,000 and CA$500,000, max. CA$4,880 | Prime rate + 8.5% | Most small businesses and self-employed workers |
| Desjardins Visa Business Advantage Card | CA$25 per card, additional cards free for members | 1% of purchases between CA$12,000 and CA$750,000, max. CA$7,380 | Prime rate + 8.5% | Projected annual volume of CA$500,000 to CA$750,000 |
| Desjardins Visa US Business Card | US$30 per card | None | 19.4% | Regular spending in US dollars |
Who these Desjardins cards are for
Desjardins business credit cards target self-employed workers, professionals and small businesses that want to keep business spending apart from their personal finances. Each card lets you add cards for your employees and consolidate payments in a master account. You pay a single balance for the whole team.
However, none of the three cards earns travel points. If you want to collect Aeroplan points or transferable points, look instead at the American Express business cards or the Scotiabank business cards. Desjardins keeps things simple: a cash rebate paid once a year, and an interest rate based on the Desjardins prime rate.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | |||
| $599 | |||
| $799 |
How the Desjardins rebate works
The Visa Business and Visa Business Advantage cards use the same mechanism, the Business Savings Program. Desjardins totals your purchases over 12 months, starting on the anniversary date of the account opening. The first CA$12,000 of purchases earns nothing. Above that, Desjardins credits 1% of purchases to the company's account, once a year, the day after the anniversary date.
The "up to 1%" is therefore a ceiling, not your real rate. Here is what the Desjardins Visa Business Card pays back at different annual volumes:
- CA$30,000 in purchases: CA$180 rebate (1% of CA$18,000), or 0.6% of your spending
- CA$100,000 in purchases: CA$880 rebate, or 0.88%
- CA$500,000 in purchases: CA$4,880 rebate, the card's maximum
Cash advances, interest, fees and refunds do not count as eligible purchases. Then subtract your cards' annual fees to get your net gain.
Desjardins Visa Business Card: for most small businesses
The Desjardins Visa Business Card is Desjardins' entry-level card for businesses. It costs CA$60 per card, or CA$40 per card once you hold 5 cards, and additional cards carry no annual fee for Desjardins members. Right now, Desjardins waives the annual fee for the first year, a temporary promotion it can change or withdraw at any time.
With this card, you get:
- Rebate: 1% of annual purchases between CA$12,000 and CA$500,000, up to CA$4,880 per 12-month period
- Interest rate: prime rate + 8.5%
- Grace period: 21 days to pay your balance without finance charges, except on cash advances
- Protection: mobile device insurance, purchase protection and extended warranty
- Management: employee cards and consolidated payment through a master account
Foreign currency purchases carry a 2.5% conversion fee. As a result, if you often pay suppliers abroad, the US-dollar card described below deserves a look.
- Annual feeNo annual fee the first year
- $0 $60
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueAnnual fee rebated$60Total$60Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $60
- Welcome offer$60 annual fee rebated
- First Year Annual Fee Rebate
Apply Now
on Desjardins's website
Desjardins Visa Business Advantage Card: high volumes
The Desjardins Visa Business Advantage Card uses the same rebate formula with a higher ceiling. It costs CA$25 per card, and additional cards are free for Desjardins members.
Desjardins positions it for companies with a projected annual purchase volume between CA$500,000 and CA$750,000.
With this card, you get:
- Rebate: 1% of annual purchases between CA$12,000 and CA$750,000, up to CA$7,380 per 12-month period
- Interest rate: prime rate + 8.5%
- Business travel insurance: lost, damaged or delayed baggage, flight delay, denied boarding or missed connection, common carrier accident, and auto rental collision and loss damage
- Protection: mobile devices, purchase protection and extended warranty
On paper, it costs less than the Visa Business Card and pays more. However, it is built for heavy spenders: with a smaller volume, the Desjardins Visa Business Card is the better fit. This card has no welcome offer.
Desjardins Visa US Business Card: paying in US dollars
The Desjardins Visa US Business Card earns neither points nor a rebate. It does one job: it settles your company's expenses directly in US dollars. It costs US$30 per card, and its interest rate is 19.4% on purchases and cash advances. It also includes the Desjardins corporate insurance program: baggage, flight delay, common carrier accident and auto rental collision.
What a US-dollar card is for
With a Canadian-dollar card, every US-dollar purchase is converted to Canadian dollars, then charged a 2.5% conversion fee on Desjardins business cards. For example, a US$10,000 invoice from an American supplier costs you about US$250 more in fees. With the Visa US Business Card, that purchase stays in US dollars: no conversion, no fee.
The card earns its keep in three situations:
- You already earn revenue in US dollars, for example from American clients, and want to pay your US expenses with those same dollars
- You pay suppliers or subscriptions billed in US dollars, such as software, online advertising or web hosting
- Your employees travel to the United States often and you want to avoid foreign exchange fees on every expense report
Keep three limits in mind. First, purchases in a currency other than the US dollar are converted to US dollars, with a 2.5% fee. Second, if you must buy US dollars to pay the statement, a conversion still happens, once, on your financial institution's terms. Finally, to get this card, your company must already hold a Desjardins Canadian business credit card.
Welcome offers on Desjardins business cards
Desjardins does not offer a points or cash bonus on its business cards. The only current offer is the first-year annual fee waiver on the Desjardins Visa Business Card. The Visa Business Advantage and Visa US Business cards have no offer at all.
That is a real gap with the competition. For example, the TD Aeroplan Visa Business Card offers up to 60,000 Aeroplan points: 10,000 on the first purchase, 30,000 after $15,000 in spending within 180 days and 20,000 after $25,000 within 365 days. If a welcome bonus matters to you, compare with our ranking of the best Desjardins credit cards and our business card ranking.
| Criterion | Desjardins Visa Business Card | TD Aeroplan Visa Business Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | CA$60 per card | CA$149 per card (CA$49 per additional card) |
| Reward | Cash rebate | Aeroplan points |
| Earn rate | 1% of purchases between CA$12,000 and CA$500,000 | 1 point per dollar, 1.5 points per dollar on travel, dining, EV charging, shipping, internet and phone services, 2 points per dollar at Air Canada and Hyatt |
| Earnings on CA$100,000 in purchases | CA$880 rebate | At least 100,000 Aeroplan points |
| Net gain at 1¢ per point (illustration) | CA$820 | CA$851, more with the 1.5-point categories |
| Welcome offer | No bonus, CA$0 fee in year 1 under a promotion | Up to 60,000 Aeroplan points and first-year fee rebate |
Our verdict by profile
- Self-employed or small business: the Desjardins Visa Business Card, especially for its free first year. Below CA$18,000 in annual purchases, though, the rebate does not cover the CA$60 fee from the second year on.
- Company spending CA$500,000 to CA$750,000 a year: the Desjardins Visa Business Advantage Card, with up to CA$7,380 in rebates.
- Company paying American suppliers: the Desjardins Visa US Business Card, alongside one of the other two cards, for US-dollar purchases.
- Company looking for travel points: no Desjardins card. A card that earns Aeroplan or transferable points is a better fit for that goal.
- Company that carries a balance: compare the rate you are offered with the low-interest credit cards before you decide.
Conclusion
Desjardins business credit cards are management tools first and rewards cards second. The Desjardins Visa Business Card suits most small businesses that already bank with their caisse, while the Visa Business Advantage Card rewards high volumes. As for the Desjardins Visa US Business Card, it solves one specific problem: conversion fees on US-dollar spending.
If you also keep a personal card, see our 6 priced-out business and personal credit card combinations. To compare employee card costs across issuers, read our analysis of employee cards on 18 business credit cards.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | |||
| $25 | |||
| $30 |
To access offers reserved for members, create your free member account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Desjardins business credit card should I choose?
For most small businesses and self-employed workers, the Desjardins Visa Business Card is the starting point: CA$60 per card, free for the first year under a temporary promotion, and a 1% rebate on annual purchases above CA$12,000. The Desjardins Visa Business Advantage Card targets companies that spend CA$500,000 to CA$750,000 a year. The Desjardins Visa US Business Card is added to either one for US-dollar spending. Also compare with the [best business credit cards](https://milesopedia.com/en/best-credit-cards/business/).
How does the 1% rebate on Desjardins business cards work?
Desjardins totals the purchases charged to your cards over 12 months, starting on the account's anniversary date. The first CA$12,000 earns nothing; above that, you receive 1% of purchases, credited once a year to the company's account. The rebate tops out at CA$4,880 on the Visa Business Card and CA$7,380 on the Visa Business Advantage Card. Cash advances, interest and fees do not count. On CA$30,000 of purchases, the rebate is therefore CA$180, or 0.6% of your spending.
Does the Desjardins Visa US Business Card charge conversion fees?
Not on US-dollar purchases: they stay in US dollars, with no conversion. A purchase in any other currency, however, is converted to US dollars with a 2.5% fee. The card costs US$30 per card, its interest rate is 19.4%, and it earns neither points nor a rebate. To get it, your company must already hold a Desjardins Canadian business credit card. For personal spending abroad, see the [no foreign transaction fee credit cards](https://milesopedia.com/en/best-credit-cards/no-fx-fee/) instead.
Do Desjardins business cards have a welcome offer?
There is no points or cash bonus. The only offer is the first-year annual fee waiver on the Desjardins Visa Business Card, a temporary promotion Desjardins can change or withdraw at any time. The Visa Business Advantage and Visa US Business cards have no offer. If a welcome bonus matters to you, check our ranking of the [best business credit cards](https://milesopedia.com/en/best-credit-cards/business/).
Do Desjardins business cards earn travel points?
No. The Visa Business and Visa Business Advantage cards pay a cash rebate, and the Visa US Business Card earns nothing. If you want to collect Aeroplan points or transferable points with your company's spending, look at the [American Express business cards](https://milesopedia.com/en/reviews/credit-cards/american-express-small-business-cards/) or the [Scotiabank business cards](https://milesopedia.com/en/reviews/credit-cards/scotia-business-card/) instead.
How much do Desjardins employee cards cost?
On the Desjardins Visa Business Card, each card costs CA$60, or CA$40 per card once the company holds 5, but additional cards carry no annual fee for Desjardins members. On the Visa Business Advantage Card, the card costs CA$25 and additional cards are free for Desjardins members. The Visa US Business Card costs US$30 per card. To compare with other issuers, see our analysis of [employee cards on 18 business credit cards](https://milesopedia.com/en/small-business/employee-cards-business-credit-cards/).
What is the difference between the Visa Business and the Visa Business Advantage?
The 1% rebate is the same, but the purchase ceiling changes: CA$500,000 for the Visa Business (maximum rebate of CA$4,880) and CA$750,000 for the Visa Business Advantage (CA$7,380). The Visa Business Advantage adds business travel insurance and is aimed at companies with a projected annual volume between CA$500,000 and CA$750,000.
Does Desjardins offer other business credit cards?
Yes. Besides the three Visa Business cards in this guide, Desjardins offers the Visa Solutions Libre-Affaires, a package with monthly fees of $13.50 plus $3.50 per card, as well as the Visa Business (Entreprise) and Visa Procurement (Approvisionnement) cards, which focus on spending and credit-limit controls.