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Published Oct 30, 2025 10:51 AM • 9 min read
One common expense Canadians have are recurring transactions. Think continuous monthly costs like streaming services, subscriptions, and bill payments. In this blog post, we'll highlight the best credit cards in Canada that optimize this category.
Data-driven rankings of 120+ credit cards using a proprietary algorithm
Comprehensive analysis using 25+ data points including terms and conditions, points programs, and more
Objective editorial approach - we strive for unbiased reviews following our editorial guidelines
FinlyWealth's credit cards content, including rankings and recommendations, is overseen by a team of engineers and writers who specialize in credit cards, banking, and personal finance. Our work has been featured in The Globe and Mail, GoBankingRates, and AOL. Our proprietary analysis systems evaluate product features, terms, and conditions to deliver comprehensive reviews and comparisons while maintaining strict editorial standards for accuracy and integrity.
Our choice for: Best Overall
on Scotiabank's website
Welcome Bonus
10% Cash Back (up to $200 value)
Annual Fee
$120 $0
Interest Rates
20.99% / 22.99%
The 4% cashback offered on groceries and recurring purchases is the highest among all other credit cards. With the first year's annual fee waived, and with the right transactions used on this credit card, a high amount of cashback could be earned.
Pros
Cons
Rewards
Insurance
Coverage
Mobile Device Insurance
Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
Travel Medical Insurance
Trip Interruption
Trip Cancellation
Flight Delay
Lost or Stolen Baggage
Baggage Delay
Car Rental Damage & Theft
Purchase Protection
Extended Warranty
Benefits
Details
Car Rental Discount
Visa Infinite Exclusive Benefits
Eligibility
Credit Score
Annual Income
Our choice for: Best for Boosted Cashback
on Neo Financial's website
Welcome Bonus
N/A
Annual Fee
$125
Interest Rates
19.99% - 26.99%□ / 22.99% - 28.99%
This card offers some of the highest cash back rates in Canada for gas, groceries, and recurring purchases, which is pretty hard to beat. While the cash back rates are very high, you need to mind the spend caps set for each category to see if your earning potential is really that high compared to most other credit cards. However, if you're the average person whose spending is generally below $12k per year in groceries, $6k per year in recurring bills and $12k per year in gas, then you'll be doing pretty well, especially with the great insurance and benefit offers.
Pros
Cons
Rewards
Insurance
Coverage
Travel Medical Insurance
Trip Cancellation
Trip Interruption
Flight Delay
Baggage Delay
Hotel Burglary Insurance
Car Rental Accident
Car Rental Damage & Theft
Car Rental Personal Effects
Purchase Protection
Extended Warranty
Lost or Stolen Baggage
Benefits
Details
Airport Lounge - Dragon Pass
Eligibility
Credit Score
Annual Income
Our choice for: Best for Streaming Services
on American Express' website
Welcome Bonus
Up to 15,000 Membership Rewards® points
Annual Fee
$191.88⁕
$15.99 Paid Monthly
⁕ For Quebec, $191.88/year
Interest Rates
21.99%* / 21.99%*
This card was voted one of the Best Credit Card in Canada by FinlyWealth. The rewards earned on this card for a person with average spending exceed those of other credit cards in Canada by a huge margin! In addition, this card has a good benefits coverage, a flexible amex cobalt bonus points redemption program (1:1 transfer to Aeroplan® or Avios), making it the best candidate to become the main credit card for the majority of people.
Pros
Cons
Rewards
Insurance
Coverage
Travel Medical Insurance
Flight Delay
Baggage Delay
Hotel Burglary Insurance
Lost or Stolen Baggage
Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
Car Rental Damage & Theft
Mobile Device Insurance
Purchase Protection
Extended Warranty
Benefits
Details
Amex Experiences™
Travel Credit
Eligibility
Credit Score
Annual Income
Our choice for: Best for Household Utility Purchases
on MBNA's website
Welcome Bonus
Up to 30,000 points ($245 in cash back value or $300 when redeemed for MBNA Travel)††
Annual Fee
$120
Interest Rates
21.99% / 22.99%
The MBNA Rewards World Elite® Mastercard® is one of the best reward credit cards in Canada, offering high rewards on frequently spent categories such as groceries and restaurant purchases. The annual birthday bonus, unique to this card, also provides a significant boost to your yearly earnings. Additionally, the card features a comprehensive list of benefits, including price protection—a rare and valuable perk not found with many other cards in Canada. These factors make this card one of the best to have in Canada.

Pros
Cons
Rewards
Insurance
Coverage
Mobile Device Insurance
Purchase Protection
Extended Warranty
Car Rental Damage & Theft
Flight Delay
Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
Travel Medical Insurance
Lost or Stolen Baggage
Baggage Delay
Benefits
Details
Annual Birthday Bonus
Car Rental Discount
Trip and legal Assistance
Concierge Services
Price Protection
Eligibility
Credit Score
Annual Income
Our choice for: Best for Rogers Customers
on Rogers Bank's website
Welcome Bonus
N/A
Annual Fee
$0
Interest Rates
20.99% - 25.99%* / 22.99% - 27.99%*
This card is one of the best in Canada, especially if you are a Rogers, Fido, or Shaw customer. With those services, you can effectively get a 3% cashback rate, which is higher than what almost any other card offers, even those with annual fees! Additionally, for a no-fee card, you gain access to an extensive list of travel benefits, many of which are typically offered only with cards that have annual fees. Therefore, we recommend this card to anyone who meets the income requirements, even if you are not a Rogers customer!

Pros
Cons
Rewards
Insurance
Coverage
Travel Medical Insurance
Travel Medical Insurance (65+)
Trip Cancellation
Trip Interruption
Car Rental Damage & Theft
Purchase Protection
Extended Warranty
Benefits
Details
Airport Lounge - Dragon Pass
No Cost roaming
Eligibility
Credit Score
Annual Income
Our choice for: Best for Mid-Tier Cashback
on TD's website
Welcome Bonus
Earn up to $600 in value†, including 10% in Cash Back Dollars in the first 3 months on Bonus Eligible Purchases up to a total spend of $3,500†. Conditions apply.
Annual Fee
$139 $0
Interest Rates
21.99% / 22.99%□
This is a great keeper card, especially for recurring bills and subscriptions. A main notable benefit is the roadside assistance, which is a great valuable perk to have.
Pros
Cons
Rewards
Insurance
Coverage
Travel Medical Insurance†
Travel Medical Insurance (65+)†
Lost or Stolen Baggage†
Baggage Delay†
Car Rental Damage & Theft†
Mobile Device Insurance†
Purchase Protection†
Extended Warranty†
Benefits
Details
Extra points†
Concierge Services†
Visa Infinite Exclusive Benefits†
Roadside Assistance†
Car Rental Discount†
Eligibility
Credit Score
Annual Income
Our choice for: Best for Extensive Earning Opportunities
on Scotiabank's website
Welcome Bonus
Up to 50,000 Scene+ points ($500 value)
Annual Fee
$120 $0
Interest Rates
20.99% / 22.99%
The Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card is one of our favorite cards. It has a very solid rewards program, earning one of the highest rewards among all credit cards in Canada. In addition, it offers comprehensive travel benefits, including the rare and valuable no foreign transaction fee benefit, making it a great and balanced credit card in terms of both rewards and benefits. The first-year annual fee waiver is the cherry on top, providing even greater value to cardholders.

Pros
Cons
Rewards
Insurance
Coverage
Travel Medical Insurance
Travel Medical Insurance (65+)
Trip Cancellation
Trip Interruption
Lost or Stolen Baggage
Baggage Delay
Flight Delay
Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
Car Rental Damage & Theft
Hotel Burglary Insurance
Mobile Device Insurance
Purchase Protection
Extended Warranty
Benefits
Details
No Foreign Transaction Fees
American Express® Experiences
Concierge Services
Discount
Eligibility
Credit Score
Annual Income
Our choice for: Best for Customizable Cashback
on Tangerine's website
Welcome Bonus
$120 bonus after spending $1.5k in 3 months†† + 1.95% balance transfer promo rate for 6 months†
Annual Fee
$0
Interest Rates
20.95%* / 22.95%*
While we think Tangerine World Mastercard isn't the best single credit card to own, it's still a valuable card to have in your arsenal for maximizing your rewards. It offers one of the highest cashback rates for pharmacy and recurring bill payments, areas where your other credit cards might not provide significant rewards. For no annual fees
Pros
Cons
Rewards
Insurance
Coverage
Purchase Protection
Extended Warranty
Mobile Device Insurance
Car Rental Damage & Theft
Benefits
Details
Airport Lounge - Dragon Pass
Wireless Credit
Mastercard On-Demand and Subscription Services
Eligibility
Credit Score
Annual Income
Our choice for: Best for Benefits
on BMO's website
Welcome Bonus
Get up to $335 in additional cash back**
Annual Fee
$120 $0
Interest Rates
21.99% / 23.99%□
If you're seeking a cashback credit card, the BMO CashBack® World Elite® Mastercard® stands out for its excellent balance between rewards and benefits. It offers a robust rewards program and a comprehensive benefits list, making it a solid choice. The high first-year value is enhanced by the annual fee waiver, and those with a BMO Premium Chequing Account can enjoy continued fee waivers. While it's highly ranked for rewards alone, it may not be the absolute top choice if benefits are less important to you.
Pros
Cons
Rewards
Insurance
Coverage
Travel Medical Insurance
Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
Flight Delay
Lost or Stolen Baggage
Baggage Delay
Hotel Burglary Insurance
Car Rental Damage & Theft
Purchase Protection
Extended Warranty
Benefits
Details
Airport Lounge - Dragon Pass
Roadside Assistance
Car Rental Discount
Hotel Booking Discount
Global Data Roaming plan
Gas Discount
Eligibility
Credit Score
Annual Income
Our choice for: Best for No-Fee Boosted Cashback
on Neo Financial's website
Welcome Bonus
N/A
Annual Fee
$0
Interest Rates
19.99% - 29.99%□ / 22.99% - 31.99%
This card offers balanced rewards for everyday purchases. There's a secured version of this card too, which would be beneficial for those wanting to build credit and earn cash back at the same time at only $7.99/month.
Pros
Cons
Rewards
Insurance
Coverage
Purchase Protection
Extended Warranty
Eligibility
Credit Score
Annual Income
The Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card offers impressive cashback rates on common categories like recurring purchases and groceries, so you can optimize bill payments and restocking the refrigerator at the same time. Topped off with strong insurance coverage, car rental discounts, and a first-year-annual-fee rebate, it's no wonder this Visa card takes first place.
Note, however, that there are some annual income requirements you'll need to meet to qualify. Get the full breakdown in our Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card Review.
Sometimes, with Canadian credit cards, what you see isn't what you get. At first glance, the Neo World Elite Mastercard's cashback rates on recurring purchases, groceries, and gas are already tempting, but there's more than meets the eye. You can actually collect extra cashback on these categories, as well as others, when purchasing from Neo Partners. This means that recurring purchases, like subscription fees from Netflix, Spotify, and Amazon Prime, can be optimized even further.
The catch? This card comes with high annual income requirements, making it a little less accessible. Learn more in our Neo World Elite Mastercard Review.
Eager to optimize streaming services specifically? Look no further than the American Express Cobalt Card, one of the best credit cards in Canada. With solid points per dollar spent on eligible streaming services in Canada, you can optimize every couch binge. The card also offers amazing points per dollar spent on eligible dining, grocery, and food delivery purchases.
Cardholders can also expect commendable coverage and a hotel travel credit, just mind the annual fee. Find out more in our American Express Cobalt Card Review.
This contender grants you strong points per dollar spent on household utility purchases, plus digital media, and membership purchases, all of which can be considered recurring transactions. The MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard is also recognized as one of the best grocery credit cards in Canada. These reward rates are complemented by perks like an annual birthday bonus, car rental discounts, and price protection.
To qualify for this card, however, you'll need to pay an annual fee and meet high annual income requirements. See more in our MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard Review.
Perhaps you're a qualifying Rogers, Fido, Comwave or Shaw customer. If so, you should consider the Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard, also know as one of Canada's best no annual fee credit cards. Qualifying members receive extraordinary cashback on all USD and non-USD purchases, plus even more cashback when they redeem their rewards towards eligible service purchases.
As if that wasn't enough, this card also includes an airport lounge Dragon Pass, no cost roaming opportunities, and valuable travel insurance like trip interruption, trip cancellation, and emergency medical coverage (which is rare for a no-fee card!). Of course, all of these perks come with one caveat: high annual income requirements. Discover more in our Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard Review.
Sure, we've examined plenty of credit cards that optimize recurring purchases more than the TD Cash Back Visa Infinite Card, but this contender doesn't require high annual income requirements or memberships to collect that cashback, making it a good mid-tier option.
For relatively lower annual income requirements, cardholders receive admirable cashback on recurring bill payments and streaming, plus other common categories like gas, groceries, and transit. Another notable addition to this card is roadside assistance, offering 24-hour emergency road services through a Deluxe TD Auto Club membership. Read more in our TD Cash Back Visa Infinite Card Review.
Looking for more more control over how you earn cashback? The Tangerine World Mastercard has you covered, allowing cardholders to select 2 cashback categories out of the 13 offered by Tangerine, plus a third when you deposit your rewards into a Tangerine Savings Account. One of these available categories, of course, is recurring bill payments.
To tempt you even further, the Tangerine World Mastercard offers a Dragon Pass membership, avoids annual fees, and provides valuable coverage like mobile device insurance. Just make sure you meet the annual income requirements. For more information, check out our Tangerine World Mastercard Review.
If you want a handful of helpful benefits on top of recurring transaction optimization, then the BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard is for you. On top of decent cashback rates on recurring payments, plus solid rates on groceries, transit, and gas, this card includes valuable perks like an airport lounge Dragon Pass, roadside assistance, a global data roaming plan, and discounts on gas and rental cars.
To make the card more enticing, the first year fee is completely waived and BMO Premium Chequing Account holders can receive continuous yearly fee waivers. Just note that the card comes with high annual income requirements. Get all the information in our BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard Review.
If you liked the cashback-boosting opportunities presented by the Neo World Elite Mastercard, budget-friendly cardholders will love the Neo World Mastercard. For no annual fee and much smaller annual income requirements, this card offers decent cashback rates on recurring purchases, groceries, and gas. Both the specialized categories and additional categories can also receive extra cashback at Neo Partners, effectively earning you bonus cashback when you use your card for eligible subscription fees. Read the full report in our Neo World Mastercard Review.
To determine the best recurring transaction credit cards in Canada, our editors analyzed each card’s reward rate on recurring purchases such as streaming services, phone bills, and subscriptions. We also considered whether cards offered additional value in other essential spending categories like groceries and gas. Annual fees, ease of redeeming rewards, and accessibility based on income requirements played an important role, along with valuable perks such as insurance coverage, airport lounge access, and travel or mobile protection. Finally, we looked at which cards provided the most flexibility for Canadians who automate bill payments or prefer customized cashback options.
Utilities are considered a recurring purchase or a non-recurring purchase depending on whether you allow the payment to be taken automatically from your credit card or not.
So, if you have pre-authorized payments in place for your utility bills, then most of the cards above are your good options, especially the MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard, which optimizes household utilities specifically.
When you allow a merchant to automatically deduct money from your credit card for their product or service, this is considered a recurring transaction. Cards that optimize recurring transactions will effectively reward you for those payments.
A few examples of recurring transactions are:
Some of these services might ask you to pay directly from your online banking. For example, many utilities don't take credit cards; therefore, when you pay from direct banking, you would not qualify for credit card rewards. Also, if some of these services offer you month-to-month payments manually instead of setting up automatic billing, your transaction might not qualify as a recurring transaction.
When you are given the option to pay your bills (like utilities) with your credit card, it's good to check whether there are any additional fees when you choose this option.
Most companies try to choose direct payments because they have very few fees, but if they choose to accept credit cards, associated fees can typically range between 1% and 3% to the credit card processors. Because of this, in many cases, companies may choose to pass on this fee to you, which makes the transaction more expensive than direct payments.
In these cases, do the math and see whether it's worth the rewards you get in return with a recurring transaction credit card or not.
Most of the time, yes! Simply because you would miss out on credit card rewards.
But as previously mentioned, there are some cases, when direct payment from the bank is available, where paying with a credit card might come with some additional fees. In these cases, do some calculations and see whether the rewards you get from your credit card are higher than the fees.
When you authorize recurring payments, you're allowing a merchant to charge your credit card number periodically for a service or subscription. If you get a new card (due to expiration, loss, or fraud), the recurring charges might initially fail because the card details have changed.
However, there are certain exceptions to this rule. Some credit card issuers participate in an account updater service which automatically provides the merchant with your new card info. That said, we don't recommend you to wait and see if this happens.
If you don't want the services you are using to be interrupted, we recommend changing your credit card info for your recurring payments proactively.
Yes, you are allowed to contact your credit card company and stop a recurring payment.
Be advised, though, that cancelling your automatic payments does not mean that your contract with your service provider is also cancelled. If you have a contract that requires payments in the future, it's better to check with the service provider or merchant so that you don't incur penalties or future bills.
It depends on whether the merchant or service provider accepts American Express or not. Because American Express usually charges merchants more than Mastercard or Visa, many choose not to accept American Express.
You can check this yourself by going to the merchant's payment portal and see if you see American Express as a payment option or not. You can also contact the merchant directly for confirmation.
Recurring payments themselves don't directly impact your credit score. The only indirect way they might affect your credit score is if you don't make on-time payments on those transactions, which then could cause your credit score to decrease.
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About the author

Sara Skodak
Lead Writer
Since graduating from the University of Western Ontario, Sara has built a diverse writing portfolio, covering topics in the travel, business, and wellness sectors. As a self-started freelance content ...
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Kevin Shahnazari
Credit Card Expert
Kevin started FinlyWealth and juggles a bit of everything—digging into data, running our marketing, and keeping the finances on track. Before this, he spent years as a data scientist at tech companies...
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