Find the best cash back credit cards personalized for you
- More than 90 cards from 17 providers
- Instantly see your approval chances
- All without hurting your credit score

Compare the best cash back credit cards
Why use CardFinder
CardFinder has no impact on your credit score, no SIN required
Industry-standard protection
Match with cards you're most likely to qualify for
Your information is encrypted & never shared
Cash back credit cards FAQ
What's the best overall cash back credit card in Canada?
What's the best cash back card for gas and groceries?
What's the best no fee cash back card in Canada?
How do cash back credit cards work?
When can I redeem my cash back?
How much can I earn on a cash back credit card?
How can I maximize cash back rewards?
Have your credit card questions answered with our education centre
Find your perfect credit card in under 60 seconds - No SIN required
Tell us a bit about yourself
Answer some questions so we can personalize our recommendations - this won't impact your credit score
Check your eligibility
We confirm your eligibility with our partner, TransUnion. This will be a āsoft credit checkā which you can see but lenders cannot
Find your perfect matches
We show you the cards youāre most likely to want and most likely to get
The knowledge bank
A wealth of knowledge delivered right to your inbox.
In-depth: The best cash back credit cards in Canada
Ratehub staff
Best flat-rate cash back credit card
SimplyCash Preferred Card from American Express
- Annual fee: $9.99/month ($119.88 annually)
- Current welcome offer: For the first 10 months, earn a $40 statement credit for each monthly billing period in which you spend $750 in purchases (up to a possible total of $400 cash).
- Everyday rewards: 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
- Income required: None
Why it made our Best Of list: If youāre looking for a no-nonsense rewards credit card and donāt want to think about bonus categories or tiered earn rates, the SimplyCash Preferred Card from American Express is right up your alley. This card will earn you 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. Plus, for the first 10 months, you can enjoy a $40 statement credit for every month you spend $750 on the card (up to $400).
Aside from its impressive rewards and welcome bonus, the card does stand out for a few other reasons. For one, itās free to add authorized users (not an extra $50 every year like with other premium cards) and you wonāt need to meet any specific income requirements to get approved. Additionally, itās got some great benefits including up to $5 million in out of province travel medical insurance for trips up to 15 days, entertainment perks like access to ticket pre-sales through American Express Invites, concierge services, and more. Since this card is issued by American Express, youāll want to consider carrying a back-up debit or no fee Visa or Mastercard just in case a store or restaurant doesnāt accept Amex.
Best cash back credit cards with no annual fee
Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card
- Annual fee: $0
- Everyday rewards: Earn 2% cash back in 2 categories of your choice (or 3 when you also open a free Tangerine Savings Account), and 0.5% on everything else.
- Welcome offer: New users can earn an extra 10% back on up to $1,000 in everyday purchases within the first 2 months. Must apply by May 2, 2023.
- Income required: $12,000
Why it made our Best Of list: Ever since it was launched in 2016, itās been a no brainer to include the Tangerine Money-Back Card in our annual rankings of the best cash back credit cards in Canada. The card has no annual fee, no limits or caps on the amount of rewards you can earn, and offers 2% in up to three spending categories. All that and we havenāt even touched on the biggest advantage the Tangerine Money-Back has over other credit cards: flexible bonus categories.
While most cash back credit cards lock you into earning higher rewards on the same typical bonus categories (think groceries, gas, and bills), Tangerine actually lets you pick up to three of your own from a broad selection that includes: restaurants, groceries, gas, drugstores, entertainment, home improvement, hotels/motels, recurring bills, public transportation and parking (including taxis and rideshares). Since youāre not stuck with any pre-set bonus categories, you can customize your card to align with your particular spending habits and earn more cash back. You can even change your bonus categories at any time on the Tangerine app (though changes will take about one statement period to process). For all your purchases that donāt fit under one of your bonus categories, youāll earn 0.5%.
The fact the Tangerine Money-Back has no annual fee and offers the unique ability to pick your own bonus categories also makes it a great option for pairing with another credit card. For instance, while a credit card like the TD Cash Back Visa Infinite excels by offering 3% on groceries it earns just 1% on dining. If you also carried the Tangerine Money-Back Card, you could choose restaurants as one of your bonus categories and double your returns whenever you eat out without owing any additional annual fees.
Like many no fee cards, the Tangerine Money-Back Card offers few frills (outside of the conventional card benefits like purchase protection and complimentary extended warranties). But if you do earn an annual income of at least $60,000, you could automatically be referred to the higher-tier Tangerine World Mastercard and receive additional perks like mobile device insurance and up to $60,000 in rental car collision/loss/damage/waiver insurance.
American Express SimplyCash Card
- Annual fee: $0
- Welcome offer: For the first 10 months, earn a $10 statement credit for each monthly billing period in which you spend $300 in purchases (up to a possible total of $100 cash).
- Everyday rewards: 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
- Income required: None specified
The American Express SimplyCash Card earns 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.
The card also includes a strong welcome offer: for the first 10 months, new users can earn a $10 statement credit for each monthly billing period in which they spend $300 in purchases (up to a possible total of $100 cash). The card doesnāt include any income requirements and even offers extra perks including: up to $100,000 in travel accident insurance, access to pre-sale tickets to major live events and concerts through Amexās Front of the Line service, and the ability to snag special discounts from a range of retailers with Amex Offers.
Best cash back card for groceries and gas
CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite
- Annual fee: 120 (rebated for the first year)
- Welcome offer: Digital only - new users who sign up online can earn 15% cash back welcome bonus of up to $300 (first 4 statements).
- Everyday rewards: Earn 4% cash back on groceries and gas, 2% on dining, daily transit, and recurring payments. Get 1% cash back on all other purchasesā .
- Link and use your CIBC DividendĀ® Visa Infinite* Card with Journie Rewards to automatically save up to 10 cents per litreā at participating Pioneer, Fas Gas, Ultramar and Chevron gas stations.ā
- Income required: $60,000 (or $100,000 as a household)
The CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite was revamped on February 1st, 2021 and now earns more cash back across a wider spectrum of bonus categories than ever before.
Its most popular feature - 4% cash back on both groceries and gas - remains, but now it also earns 2% cash back on dining (including food deliveries), recurring bill payments, and daily transit (from Uber rides to public transit). The cardās redemption system has also become more flexible. Previously, cash back was redeemed only once per calendar year in December and now cardholders can access their rewards at any time in increments of at least $25. The cardās beefed-up earn rate does come at a cost in the form of an annual fee increase (from $99 to $120) and some scaled back travel insurance benefits (flight delay and baggage insurance have now been scrapped), but when considering how much more potential cash back you can rack up every year, we consider the changes an overall win. Not to mention, if you bundle bank accounts with CIBC and open the CIBC Smart Plus Account, you can have the cardās annual fee rebated on an ongoing basis (though, itāll only really be worth your while if you can maintain a minimum chequing account balance of $6,000 to avoid all monthly banking fees).
There's also their current digital-only welcome bonus where new users who sign up online can earn 15% cash back welcome bonus of up to $300 (first 4 statements). Not only that, but CIBC has now partnered with Journie Rewards to save you some money at the pumps. Link and use your CIBC DividendĀ® Visa Infinite* Card with Journie Rewards to automatically save up to 10 cents per litreā at participating Pioneer, Fas Gas, Ultramar and Chevron gas stations.ā
Best cash back card for no FX fees
Home Trust Preferred Visa
- Annual fee: $0
- Everyday rewards: 1% on all Canadian-dollar purchases
- Income required: None specified
The Home Trust Preferred Visa charges no annual fee and earns a flat 1% cash back on everything you buy in a Canadian currency. That on its own is a pretty decent offering, but what really sets this card apart is the fact it also waives its foreign transaction fees.
Unlike most other cards in Canada, you wonāt rack up an additional 2.5% fee for making a purchase in a foreign currency. That makes the Home Trust Preferred Visa a great card to use for online shopping (in case you purchase from e-commerce sites that only accept USD) or for travelling abroad. Since itās a Visa Card, it's widely accepted overseas. Just one small caveat: the Home Trust Preferred has what's known as an inactivity fee; a $12 charge that'll kick in if you don't make at least one transaction on the card over a consecutive 365-day period. So, just be sure to swipe the card at least once every year, even if it's just for a small purchase.
Best cash back card for household spending
TD Cash Back Visa Infinite* Card
- Annual fee: $139 (rebated for the first year)
- Current welcome offer: New users can Earn 10% cash back for the first three months on up to a total of $2,000 in purchases. Plus, receive a first-year annual-fee rebate for the primary and additional cardholders. Must apply online by May 28, 2023.
- Everyday rewards: Earn 3% cash back on groceries, gas, and recurring billsā . Get 1% on everything elseā .
- Income required: $60,000 (or $100,000 as a household)
Why it made our Best Of list: When describing what makes the TD Cash Back Visa Infinite* so great, itās hard to ignore the value of its welcome offer. New users can Earn 10% cash back for the first three months on up to a total of $2,000 in purchases. Plus, receive a first-year annual-fee rebate for the primary and additional cardholders. Must apply online by May 28, 2023.
Aside from the welcome offer, this card has three regular bonus categories - gas, groceries, and recurring bills - which each earn 3%ā . To top it off, the TD Cash Back Visa Infinite* also offers drivers the added benefit of a complimentary roadside assistance membership that can help you save on everything from road towings and battery replacements to emergency gas deliveries, and more. Plus, youāll have 24/7 access to an emergency roadside assistance hotline.
This card also comes with built-in travel insurance coverage and access to Visa Infinite* benefits (i.e. concierge services).
Best cash back card for students
Student BMO CashBack Mastercard
- Annual fee: 0
- Current welcome offer: up to 5% cash back in your first three months
- Everyday rewards: 3% cash back on grocery purchases, 1% cash back on recurring bills and streaming services, and subscriptions, 0.5% cash back on everything else
- Income required: Earn annual income from employment, scholarship/grant, student loan or family allowance.
For students looking to get their first credit card, the Student BMO CashBack Mastercard is a perfect fit. Not only does the card offer no annual fee and an excellent welcome bonus of up to 5% cash back in the first three months, it also carries an impressive standard rate of 3% cash back on all grocery purchases - a big win when youāre trying to save on essentials.
The cardās flexible redemption system is also ideal for younger users: you can redeem as much or as little cash back as you want at any time, and choose between depositing the savings into a BMO bank account or using it to help pay off your next statement. Cardholders can also enjoy added benefits such as extended warranty and purchase protection on any purchases made with the card, and up to 25% off on car rentals at participating National Car Rental and Alamo Rent a Car locations.
Summary (+/-)
Natasha Macmillan, Business Director of Everyday Banking
With over a decade of experience in the finance industry, Natasha works closely with Canada's top financial institutions - from banks to credit unions - to help Ratehub.ca's 1,200,000 monthly users get matched with the right banking products. read more
About Ratehub.ca
Whether you need a mortgage, credit card, savings account, or insurance coverage, we help you find and compare the best financial products for your specific needs.
When it comes to mortgages, Ratehub.ca is more than just a place to research and compare the best rates. Our goal is to give Canadians the best mortgage experience from online search to close. This means offering Canadians the mortgage tools, information and articles to educate themselves, allowing them to get personalized rate quotes from multiple lenders to compare rates instantly, and providing them with the best online application and offline customer service to close their mortgage all in one place.
Ratehub.ca has been named Canada's Mortgage Brokerage of the Year for four years straight (2018-2021). With over 12 years of mortgage experience, and over $11 billion in mortgages funded, we deliver you the best mortgage experience in Canada.
How does Ratehub.ca make money?
Financial institutions pay us for connecting them with customers. This could be through advertisements, or when someone applies or is approved for a product. However, not all products we list are tied to compensation for us. Our industry-leading education centres and calculators are available 24/7, free of charge, and with no obligation to purchase. To learn more, visit our About us page.