Desjardins Bonus Visa Review
The Desjardins Bonus Visa has a unique cash back program that earns cardholders BONUS-DOLLARS. While the rewards are decent, there are more valuable no-fee options available.
Mar 21, 2026 9:13 AM
The Bottom Line
For notable no-fee coverage and a one-of-a-kind rewards program, check out the Desjardins Bonus Visa, the most affordable Desjardins credit card. For better overall cash back value, check out its closest competitors from other issuers.
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on Desjardins' website
RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE
Rewards
- 2% in BONUS-DOLLARS on restaurant & pre-authorized purchases (up to $3,600 spend per category)
- 2% in BONUS-DOLLARS on entertainment and transit purchases
- 0.5% in BONUS-DOLLARS on all other purchases
Insurance
Coverage
Extended Warranty
1 year
Purchase Protection
90 days
Mobile Device Insurance
$1,000
Trip Cancellation
$500
Trip Interruption
$1,000
Travel Medical Insurance (64 & under)
3 daysTravel Medical Insurance (65 to 75)
3 days
Baggage Delay
$500
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$500
Benefits
Details
Car Rental Discount
15% off base rate off Hertz car rental, no young drivers surchargeCar Rental Discount
10% off base rate off Hertz car rental, no young drivers surcharge
Eligibility
Credit Score
GoodAnnual Income
N/A
Card Details
Interest Rates
Purchase APR
20.90%
Cash Advance APR
21.90%
Balance Transfer APR
21.90%
Fees
Annual Fee
$0
Additional Cards
$0
Eligibility
Minimum Individual Income
N/A
Minimum Household Income
N/A
Credit Score Estimate
Good
Type
Pros & Cons
Pros
- No annual fee
- Decent cashback
- Strong insurance
- Car rental discounts
Cons
- Limited physical branch access
- Low base earn rate
- No welcome bonus
Our Detailed Review
How to Earn Rewards with the Desjardins Bonus Visa
With the Desjardins Bonus Visa, cardholders earn the following:
- 2% in BONUS-DOLLARS on restaurant & pre-authorized purchases (up to $3,600 spend per category)
- 2% in BONUS-DOLLARS on entertainment and transit purchases
- 0.5% in BONUS-DOLLARS on all other purchases
This rewards program is quite unique, functioning as a hybrid cash back and points system. While you technically earn cash back, the "cash" you receive is called BONUS-DOLLARS, which are redeemable towards specific categories.
How to Redeem Rewards with the Desjardins Bonus Visa
You can redeem your earned BONUS-DOLLARS towards:
- Travel
- Financial Products
- Entertainment
- Restaurants
- Gift Cards
- Merchandise
To learn more about Desjardins BONUS-DOLLARS and the value of each redemption category, check out our Desjardins Points Value Calculator.
Benefits and Perks
5 Benefits of the Desjardins Bonus Visa
There are a few benefits that make the Desjardins Bonus Visa one of the best Desjardins Credit Cards in Canada.
For starters, the Desjardins Bonus Visa avoids annual fees, making the card extremely affordable for budget-conscious cardholders.
For a no-fee credit card, the Desjardins Bonus Visa collects commendable cash back in BONUS-DOLLARS on common expenses like dining, pre-authorized purchases, entertainment, and transit.
The BONUS-DOLLARS rewards program boasts plenty of redemption categories, allowing cardholders to put their cash back towards multiple types of purchases.
This no-fee contender also comes with impressive insurance coverage, offering valuable protections like trip interruption, trip cancellation, and travel medical insurance.
Cardholders also receive discounts on rental cars at Hertz, Thrifty, and Dollar locations, complete with perks like a no young drivers surcharge, no fee for additional drivers, and more.
Drawbacks and Considerations
3 Downsides of the Desjardins Bonus Visa
Before you commit to the Desjardins Bonus Visa, you'll also want to consider the card's downsides.
Compared to other popular no-fee credit cards in Canada, the Desjardins Bonus Visa Card doesn't yield the best overall value.
While BONUS-DOLLARS are redeemable towards plenty of purchase categories, compared to typical cash back cards, redemption opportunities are limited. Regular cash back cards usually allow you to deposit your earnings back into an eligible account, which can ultimately cover any kind of purchase, not just categorical ones.
For purchases beyond bonus categories and those that exceed the restaurant and pre-authorized purchase caps, the reward rate is below average.
Compare to Similar Cards
In this section, we're going to compare the Desjardins Bonus Visa to other BONUS-DOLLARS-collecting credit cards in Canada, plus a couple of cash back contenders with higher values.
Here's a preview of the comparisons we'll be making:
Desjardins
2.5
Simplii Financial™
4.3
Tangerine
4.4
Annual Fee
$0
$130
$395
$0
$0
Interest Rates
Purchase
20.90%
Cash advance
21.90%
Balance transfer
21.90%
Purchase
20.90%
Cash advance
21.90%
Balance transfer
21.90%
Purchase
11.90% - 19.90%
Cash advance
12.90%
Balance transfer
12.90%
Purchase
20.99%*
Cash advance
22.99%*
Balance transfer
22.99%*
Rate details
Purchase
20.95%*
Cash advance
22.95%*
Balance transfer
22.95%*
Rate details
Welcome Bonus
—
—
—
20% cashback† up to $500 in spending
10% Cash Back (up to $100 value) + 1.95% balance transfer promo rate for 6 months
Rewards
$240
First year rewards
$302
First year rewards
1.75% - 4%
$438.18
First year rewards
$382.86
First year rewards
on Desjardins' website
on Desjardins' website
on Simplii Financial™'s website
on Tangerine's website
Welcome Bonus Details
Earn Rates
Insurance Coverage
Extra Benefits
Requirements
Desjardins Bonus Visa vs Desjardins Odyssey World Elite Mastercard
For better BONUS-DOLLAR optimization, applicants should check out the Desjardins Odyssey World Elite Mastercard. This cards earns similar cash back in BONUS-DOLLARS on restaurant purchases, entertainment, and transit, plus impressive cash back on grocery purchases. The rewards program is paired with additional rental car coverage, plus perks like access to the Boingo Wi-Fi hotspot and free passes to the Desjardins Odyssey airport lounge. The catch? You'll need to pay a high annual fee and meet some hefty income requirements to qualify.
Bottom Line: The Desjardins Odyssey World Elite Mastercard comes with better travel perks and coverage, plus grocery optimization. The Desjardins Bonus Visa still holds up for those who want affordable and accessible BONUS-DOLLAR optimization with fewer perks, coverage, and reward opportunities.
Desjardins Bonus Visa vs Desjardins Odyssey Visa Infinite Privilege
For the highest annual fee but the best perks, coverage, and optimization, applicants can opt for the Desjardins Odyssey Visa Infinite Privilege Card instead. This contender earns impressive BONUS-DOLLARS cash back on dining, entertainment, transit, travel, and groceries. The card also tacks on some rental car insurance, plus perks like ample Desjardins Odyssey airport lounge passes per year, concierge services, and more. To qualify for this card, applicants will also need to meet some of the highest annual income requirements.
Bottom Line: The Desjardins Odyssey Visa Infinite Privilege Card is most premium (and exclusive) BONUS-DOLLARS credit card in Canada, complete with extra perks, coverage, and optimization.
Desjardins Bonus Visa vs Simplii Financial Cash Back Visa
For better cash back on restaurants, check out the Simplii Financial Cash Back Visa Card, one of the best dining credit cards in Canada. This contender also optimizes groceries, gas, drug store, and pre-authorized payments. Since cash back isn't rewarded in loyalty currency, it's a lot more flexible as it doesn't adhere to specific redemption categories. That said, the coverage on the Desjardins Bonus Visa is much more extensive. While the Simplii Financial Cash Back Visa Card lacks perks, the Desjardins Bonus Visa provides some car rental discounts. The Simplii Card also comes with a small annual income requirement.
Bottom Line: The Simplii Financial Cash Back Visa Card is the better option for dining optimization and cash back flexibility, but the Desjardins Bonus Visa still comes out on top for coverage and perks.
Desjardins Bonus Visa vs Tangerine Money-Back Mastercard
For something customizable, cardholders can opt for the Tangerine Money-Back World Mastercard, one of the best credit cards in Canada. This competitor allows you to pick two categories out of the 13 offered by Tangerine. Categories include entertainment, restaurants, recurring bill payments, transportation, and more. You'll even earn a third category when you deposit your rewards into a Tangerine Savings Account. That said, the Desjardins Bonus Visa still has better coverage and includes car rental discounts. The Tangerine Money-Back Mastercard also comes with a small annual income requirement.
Bottom Line: For similar cash back rates you can customize, try the Tangerine Money-Back World Mastercard.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you want to avoid annual fees, collect BONUS-DOLLAR cash back, and pocket valuable coverage, the Desjardins Bonus Visa could be worth it.
Both. The Desjardins Bonus Visa collects cash back on bonus categories but the cash back you earn comes in the form of BONUS-DOLLARS. BONUS-DOLLARS can be redeemed towards categorical purchases like travel, financial products, entertainment, restaurants, and more.
The Desjardins Bonus Visa stands out for affordable coverage and a hybrid cash back and points program.
When you earn BONUS-DOLLAR cash back, you can only redeem those earnings towards specific redemption categories. When you earn cash back on regular cash back credit cards, your earnings are typically credited to an eligible account and can be put towards any purchase.
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
Co-founder
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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