SimplyCash® Card from American Express Review
If you classify yourself as an everyday spender who’s looking for reliable cashback, no annual fees, and exclusive Amex advantages, then the SimplyCash Card from American Express is the card for you.
Sep 23, 2026 2:56 PM
The Bottom Line
For those looking for a cashback credit card with no annual fees, great rewards, and Amex perks, the SimplyCash Card from American Express matches your criteria. Overall, it’s a pretty standard card, especially if you’re not looking to overcomplicate things.
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Welcome Bonus
Up to $100 in Statement Credits
Annual Fee
$0
Interest Rates
21.99%* / 21.99%*
RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE
Rewards
- 2% cash back on eligible gas and grocery purchases in Canada (up to $300 cash back annually)
- 1.25% cash back on all other eligible purchases
Insurance
Coverage
Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
Up to $100,000
Purchase Protection
90 days or theft up to $1,000 per occurrence
Extended Warranty
1 year
Benefits
Details
Amex Experiences™
Access events and special offers curated for Cardmembers with Amex Experiences™
Eligibility
Credit Score
GoodAnnual Income
N/A
Welcome Bonus Details
In your first 3 months as a new SimplyCash® Card from American Express Cardmember, you can earn a bonus 5% cash back on all purchases (up to $2,000 in purchases). That’s on top of your everyday cash back earn rates. That’s up to $100 in bonus cash back.
Card Details
Interest Rates
Purchase APR
21.99%*
Cash Advance APR
21.99%*
Fees
Annual Fee
$0
Additional Cards
0
Eligibility
Minimum Individual Income
N/A
Minimum Household Income
N/A
Credit Score Estimate
Good
Type
Card Type
Credit
Reward Type
Cash BackPros & Cons
Pros
- No annual fee
- Attractive cashback rates
- Exclusive Amex perks
- Instant decision. No credit impact.
Cons
- Annual cashback cap
- Limited insurance
- Lower acceptance
Our Detailed Review
How You Earn Rewards with the SimplyCash Card from American Express
The SimplyCash Card from American Express has a solid cashback system, with 2% cash back on eligible gas and grocery purchases in Canada, allowing you to accumulate up to $300 in cash back annually. As for the rest of your eligible purchases, like streaming services and travel, you’ll receive a rate of 1.25%.
For a more accurate estimate of your potential earnings, always check your card's terms and conditions on the American Express website.
Redeeming Rewards
With this SimplyCash Card, your rewards turn into bank credits which are typically applied to your September statement each year. You can verify the specifics surrounding redemption timelines through your credit card's terms and conditions.
Benefits and Perks
5 Benefits of The SimplyCash Card from American Express
There are multiple perks that make the SimplyCash Card from American Express one of the top Amex credit cards in Canada for the budget-conscious.
With American Express' personal cards, you can see if you will be approved before you apply, without impacting your credit score. To make this decision, Amex runs a soft credit check instead of a hard credit check.
Most lenders perform a hard credit check when you apply for a new card, which can temporarily impact your credit score. A soft credit check, however, does not affect your credit score.
Instant decisions are only available for personal card applications and the soft credit check process is not available for applications done by phone.
The best part about this cashback card? You don’t have to buy your way in. Simply go about your everyday spending, and get some money back.
Alongside its everyday optimized cashback rewards, in your first 3 months as a SimplyCash cardholder, you can earn a bonus of 5% cash back on all your purchases, capped off at $2,000 (just be sure to check the latest terms on the Amex website).
Calling all concert-goers! It’s exciting enough that the SimplyCash Card is admission-free, but what if we told you that it also offers perks in early admission? Get early access to concert tickets through the American Express Front of The Line program.
A little bit of travel coverage can go a long way, the SimplyCash Card offers up to $100,000 worth of travel accident coverage. Considering that the SimplyCash Card is a no-annual-fee credit card – cards that typically don’t have tons of travel insurance – this is a great feature! Even if you're not a frequent traveler, having some sort of coverage on your trips is always helpful, especially when you don't have to pay for it.
Drawbacks and Considerations
3 Downsides of the SimplyCash Card from American Express
This wouldn’t be a fair assessment without the inclusion of the SimplyCash Card’s cons. Here’s an overview of the card’s downsides:
Unfortunately, with this card, cash flow is limited regarding cashback, with a $300 cap on gas and grocery purchases annually. Keep in mind though that you can get this category's 2% cashback rate on your first $6,000 worth of purchases which is something larger households might reach in a year.
While the card does offer some benefits, it could provide more comprehensive travel and shopping coverage. There are other no-annual-fee cards, like the Rogers World Elite Mastercard, that offer more benefits. However, these cards typically come with higher credit score and income requirements, making them harder to qualify for.
American Express isn’t always the best in terms of being widely accepted. There are still limitations to where you can use cards under this network, especially when traveling.
Compare to Similar Cards
Feeling like this isn’t quite the right fit for you? There are a couple of higher-rated no-fee cashback cards with similar features, but better perks in certain categories. It all depends on what type of spender you are.
American Express
3.8
Tangerine
4.4
Rogers Bank
4.5
Simplii Financial™
4.3
Neo Financial
4.6
Annual Fee
$0
$0
$0
$0
$149
$0 first year
Interest Rates
Purchase
21.99%*
Cash advance
21.99%*
Rate details
Purchase
20.95%*
Cash advance
22.95%*
Balance transfer
22.95%*
Rate details
Purchase
21.99% - 25.99%*
Cash advance
22.99% - 27.99%*
Balance transfer
22.99% - 27.99%*
Rate details
Purchase
20.99%*
Cash advance
22.99%*
Balance transfer
22.99%*
Rate details
Purchase
19.99% - 26.99%
19.99% - 23.99%
Cash advance
22.99% - 28.99%
Balance transfer
22.99% - 31.99%
Welcome Bonus
Up to $100 in Statement Credits
10% Cash Back (up to $100 value) + 1.95% balance transfer promo rate for 6 months
Welcome Bonus varies
20% cashback† up to $500 in spending
$0 First-Year Annual Fee and $100 Welcome Bonus
Rewards
$409.2
First year rewards
$382.86
First year rewards
$360
First year rewards
$438.18
First year rewards
$625.48
First year rewards
on American Express' website
Apply with Confidence — won't impact your credit score
on Tangerine's website
on Rogers Bank's website
on Simplii Financial™'s website
on Neo Financial's website
Welcome Bonus Details
Earn Rates
Insurance Coverage
Extra Benefits
Requirements
SimplyCash Card vs Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard
Budget-friendly Rogers customers benefit the most from the Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard, one of the best no-fee credit cards in Canada and best cashback credit cards in Canada. This card earns you generous cashback on eligible U.S. dollar purchases, plus solid cashback on all other purchases, especially if you have 1 qualifying service with Rogers, Fido, Shaw or Comwave. For benefits, expect Roam Like Home Days with an eligible Rogers mobile plan and a Dragon Pass airport lounge membership. Cardholders are also thoroughly protected with coverage like travel medical, trip interruption, and trip cancellation insurance. To qualify for this card, however, you'll need to meet some high annual income requirements. You'll also want to note this contender's annual spending cap.
Verdict: The Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard is a leading no-fee cashback contender, especially for high-earning Rogers customers who want notable perks and coverage. The SimplyCash Card remains more accessible and straightforward.
SimplyCash Card vs Tangerine Money-Back Mastercard
For some customizable cashback, check out the Tangerine Money-Back Mastercard, one of the best credit cards in Canada. This card allows you to pick two earn categories out of the 13 offered by Tangerine, two of which are gas and groceries. You can even select a third category when you deposit your earnings into a Tangerine Savings Account. That said, this contender comes with an annual income requirement, plus it lacks travel coverage and perks.
Verdict: The Tangerine Money-Back Mastercard is an excellent cashback option for flexibility, but the SimplyCash Card is still more accessible and provides better value, coverage, and perks.
SimplyCash Card vs Simplii Financial Cash Back Visa Card
For some of the best earning potential on restaurant, bar, and coffee shop purchases, opt for the Simplii Financial Cash Back Visa Card, one of the best dining credit cards in Canada. This card also earns slightly less cashback on gas, groceries, drugstore, and pre-authorized payments. Unfortunately, this contender also lacks travel coverage and perks.
Verdict: The Simplii Financial Cash Back Visa Card is simply the best no-fee cashback card for dining.
SimplyCash Card vs Neo World Mastercard
The Neo World Mastercard earns solid cashback on groceries, gas, and recurring purchases. These categories (and more) can be boosted even further when you purchase from Neo Partners. However, aside from its unique and lucrative rewards program, this card lacks travel insurance and perks. It also comes with some annual income requirements.
Verdict: If you qualify, the Neo World Mastercard offers a more valuable rewards program, but the SimplyCash Card is better for travel coverage and perks.
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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SimplyCash® Card from American Express
3.8
FinlyWealth Rating
Apply with Confidence — won't impact your credit score
on American Express' website
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SimplyCash® Card from American Express Cash Back Calculator