Canada · October 2026
Best credit cards in Canada
244 credit cards from 26 Canadian issuers, ranked by estimated net annual rewards value in Canadian dollars. Fees, earn rates and rules are read on each issuer’s own website and dated.
Top personal cards right now
Earn 6 Scene+ points per $1 at Sobeys-type grocers, 5 on dining, food delivery, other groceries and entertainment, 3 on gas, transit and streaming, 1 on everything else; no foreign transaction fees.
Earn: base 1 pts · groceries 6 pts · gas 3 pts · dining 5 pts · travel 1 pts
- Annual fee
- $120 (Waived with Ultimate Package chequing (first year with Preferred); supplementary cards $29)
- Est. net value / yr
- $792
- Welcome offer
- Up to 50,000 bonus Scene+ points: 30,000 at $2,000 in 3 months plus 20,000 at $7,500 in first year. Open account Jul 2 to Nov 1, 2026
- Purchase rate
- 21.99%
- Foreign transaction fee
- None
Earn Avion points: 3 per $1 on groceries, gas, dining, food delivery, rideshare, streaming and more, 1 per $1 on other purchases.
Earn: base 1 pts · groceries 3 pts · gas 3 pts · dining 3 pts
- Annual fee
- $48 (Annual fee rebated for students/age 24 and under with RBC Advantage Banking for Students; additional card $0)
- Est. net value / yr
- $775
- Welcome offer
- Up to 28,000 Avion points: 7,000 on approval, 14,000 when you spend $1,500 in first 6 months, 7,000 anniversary bonus. Apply by Nov 4, 2026
- Purchase rate
- 20.99%
- Foreign transaction fee
- 2.5%
Earns 4% cash back on gas and on groceries in Canada (grocery capped at $1,200 cash back a year) and 2% on everything else with no limit.
Earn: base 2% · groceries 4% · gas 4% · everyday 2%
- Annual fee
- $120 ($9.99/month for non-Quebec residents ($119.88/year); $119/year Quebec; no fee for Additional Cards)
- Est. net value / yr
- $696
- Welcome offer
- Up to $200 bonus cash back (extra 10% on up to $2,000 purchases in first 3 months) plus $50 statement credit with a purchase in month 13
- Purchase rate
- 21.99%
- Foreign transaction fee
- Not stated
Earns 5 points per $1 on restaurant, grocery, digital media, membership and household utility purchases and 1 point on everything else, with a birthday bonus and rental collision coverage.
Earn: base 1 pts · groceries 5 pts · dining 5 pts · everyday 1 pts
- Annual fee
- $120 ($120 primary / $50 additional cardholder)
- Est. net value / yr
- $660
- Welcome offer
- 20,000 bonus points after $2,000 in eligible purchases within 90 days plus 10,000 points for enrolling in paperless e-statements (up to 30,000)
- Purchase rate
- 21.99%
- Balance transfers
- 22.99%
- Foreign transaction fee
- Not stated
Earn 1.5 Aeroplan points per $1 on Air Canada, gas, EV charging, groceries and Hyatt, and 1 point per $1 on everything else; free first checked bag.
Earn: base 1 pts · groceries 1.5 pts · gas 1.5 pts · travel 1.5 pts
- Annual fee
- $139 (First-year rebate for primary and up to three authorized users; additional cards $50 each)
- Est. net value / yr
- $657
- Welcome offer
- Up to 50,000 Aeroplan points: 10,000 on first purchase, 15,000 at $6,000 spend in 6 statements, 25,000 anniversary bonus at $12,000 in 12 statements
- Foreign transaction fee
- 2.5%
Rates, fees and offers are shown as we read them on each issuer’s own website on the date shown, in Canadian dollars, and can change at any time. Confirm current terms with the issuer before applying. General information, not financial advice. Partner links, where they exist, never change the order. Affiliate disclosure. Card rules and consumer protections: Financial Consumer Agency of Canada.
Canadian card guides
- Best credit cards in Canada
- Best cash back credit cards in Canada
- Best travel credit cards in Canada
- Best no-annual-fee credit cards in Canada
- Best low-interest credit cards in Canada
- Best balance transfer credit cards in Canada
- Best student credit cards in Canada
- Best secured and credit-building credit cards in Canada
- Best business credit cards in Canada
- Best credit cards with no foreign transaction fee in Canada
- Best grocery credit cards in Canada
- Best gas credit cards in Canada
- Best Affinity Rewards credit cards in Canada
- Best Collabria Flex Rewards credit cards in Canada
- Best Aeroplan credit cards in Canada
- Best Amex Membership Rewards (Canada) credit cards in Canada
- Best BMO Rewards credit cards in Canada
- Best CIBC Aventura credit cards in Canada
- Best Meridian Rewards credit cards in Canada
- Best RBC Avion Rewards credit cards in Canada
- Best Scene+ credit cards in Canada
- Best Vancity Rewards credit cards in Canada
More
How these cards are ranked
Rankings are by the numbers only: no issuer can pay to be listed, left out or ranked higher. For rewards cards we estimate net annual value in Canadian dollars: rewards earned on a reference household budget of $30,000 a year ($8,400 groceries, $3,600 dining, $2,400 gas, $3,600 travel, $12,000 everything else) at the earn rate the issuer states for each category, with points valued at the cents-per-point on our Canadian point values page, minus the annual fee. Welcome bonuses are shown separately and not counted. A card whose issuer page does not state an earn rate is not given a value. Every figure was read on the issuer’s own website; see our Canada methodology.
Frequently asked questions
How do you rank Canadian credit cards?
By estimated net annual value in Canadian dollars on a reference budget of $30,000, using the earn rates the issuer states and our stated cents-per-point for each program, minus the annual fee. No issuer can pay to be ranked higher.
Where does the data come from?
Only from each issuer’s own website. We do not use comparison sites. Each card shows the date we read it.
Can I use a US credit card in Canada, or a Canadian card in the US?
Yes, cards work across the border but foreign currency fees usually apply. See our cross-border guide for no-FX-fee cards and shared points programs.