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Side by Side Credit Cards Comparison
Which one is better?

American Express CobaltĀ® Card
4.9
RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE*

RBC ION Visa
3.8
RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE*
Welcome Bonus
Earn 1,250 Membership RewardsĀ® points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $750 in purchases on your amex cobalt credit card in the first Year. That's up to 15,000 Membership RewardsĀ® points.
Welcome Bonus
Get up to 11,000 Avion points, a $75 of value in gift cards, when you apply by May 6, 2026. Get 4,000 Welcome Points and earn 7,000 bonus points when you spend $500 in your first 3 months.
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$960.38
American Express Membership Rewards
First Year Bonus Value
+
$255
American Express Membership Rewards
Annual Fee
-
$191.88
First Year Value
$1,023.5
$768.5 in years after
Based on a hypothetical $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$289.64
RBC Avion (Premium) Rewards
First Year Bonus Value
+
$110
RBC Avion (Premium) Rewards
Annual Fee
-
$0
First Year Value
$399.64
$289.64 in years after
Based on a hypothetical $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
How to Earn Rewards
How to Earn Rewards
Insurance Included
Extended Warranty
Purchase Protection
Lost or Stolen Baggage
Baggage Delay
Car Rental Damage & Theft
Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
Mobile Device Insurance
Hotel Burglary Insurance
Travel Medical Insurance
Flight Delay
Insurance Included
Extended Warranty
Purchase Protection
Extra Benefits
Travel Credit
Amex Experiencesā¢
Extra Benefits
Gas Discount
Discount
Extra points
Extra points
Interest Rates
Purchase:
21.99%1
Cash Advance:
21.99%1
1 If you have 2 separate missed Payments, the applicable rates for your account will be 25.99%. If you have 3 or more separate missed payments, the applicable rates will be 29.99%.
Interest Rates
Purchase:
20.99%
Cash Advance:
22.99%
Balance Transfer:
22.99%
Annual Fee
$191.88 (paid monthly)
Annual Fee
$0
Income Required
Min Personal Income:
N/A
Min Household Income:
N/A
Income Required
Min Personal Income:
N/A
Min Household Income:
N/A
Loyalty Program
Loyalty Program
Point Redemption Options
Statement Credits (Cash)
Gift Cards
Merchandise
Most Optimal
AeroplanĀ® Flights
Transfer to Airline Partners
Fixed Point Travel Program
Transfer to Hotel Partners
Amazon.ca
Point Redemption Options
Gift Cards
Merchandise
Statement Credits (Cash)
Most Optimal
Transfer to WestJet
Financial Products
Travel
Is this card worth it?
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 AeroplanĀ® or Avios), making it the best candidate to become the main credit card for the majority of people.
Is this card worth it?
This is a decent no annual fee card, great for starting out and low-intermediate rewards. It offers great gas savings, especially for petro Canada gas customers, though insurance coverage is quite limited.
Pros
Pros
Cons
Cons
vs Marriott BonvoyĀ® American ExpressĀ®* Card
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vs American Express Platinum CardĀ®
vs SimplyCashĀ® Card from American Express
vs American ExpressĀ® AeroplanĀ®* Reserve Card
vs American ExpressĀ® AeroplanĀ®* Card
vs Scotia MomentumĀ® Visa* Card
vs CIBC Costco Mastercard
vs CIBC AeroplanĀ® Visa Infinite* Card
vs BMO CashBackĀ® World EliteĀ® MastercardĀ®
vs Tangerine Money-Back Mastercard
vs Amazon.ca Rewards MastercardĀ®
vs SimplyCash⢠Preferred Card from American Express
vs TD First Class TravelĀ® Visa Infinite* Card
vs TDĀ® AeroplanĀ® Visa Infinite Privilege* Credit Card
vs Scotia MomentumĀ® Visa Infinite* Card
vs MBNA Rewards World EliteĀ® MastercardĀ®
vs PC World Elite Mastercard
vs American ExpressĀ® Green Card
vs Simplii Financial⢠Cash Back Visa* Card
vs RBC ION+ Visa
vs Neo MastercardĀ®
vs American Express Gold Rewards CardĀ®
vs Walmart Rewards⢠World Mastercard®
vs Walmart Rewards⢠Mastercard®
vs Rogers Red World EliteĀ® MastercardĀ®
vs Scotiabank PassportĀ® Visa Infinite* Card
vs Scotiabank Gold American ExpressĀ® Card
vs Rogers Red MastercardĀ®
vs TD AeroplanĀ® Visa Infinite* Card
The American Express CobaltĀ® Card and the RBC ION Visa have a significant difference in their annual fees. The CobaltĀ® Card has a moderate annual fee, while the RBC ION Visa comes with no annual fee, making it more accessible to those looking for a no-cost option. Both cards do not have specific income requirements, allowing a broad range of users to apply. The fee difference could be a deciding factor depending on your budget and willingness to pay for premium benefits.
When comparing the rewards structure, the American Express CobaltĀ® Card offers significantly higher potential rewards, especially in categories like dining and groceries, where it provides a high multiplier on points. It also includes a generous welcome bonus for new cardholders, which further enhances its value. The RBC ION Visa, on the other hand, offers more modest rewards and a smaller welcome bonus, making it less competitive for those seeking maximum returns on everyday spending.
When it comes to redeeming rewards, the American Express Cobalt Card offers more flexibility and potentially higher value. It allows you to redeem points for statement credits, travel, gift cards, merchandise, and even transfer to airline and hotel partners, providing multiple ways to maximize the value of your points. On the other hand, while the RBC ION Visa also offers various redemption options, including travel, financial products, and gift cards, its point value is generally lower, and the redemption flexibility is not as robust as the Cobalt Card. For users who prefer straightforward and high-value redemptions, the Cobalt Card's options are superior, especially since statement credits offer greater flexibility compared to other forms of redemption.
The American Express CobaltĀ® Card stands out with its comprehensive benefits and insurance coverage, including travel insurance, car rental insurance, and mobile device protection, among others. These perks are extensive compared to the RBC ION Visa, which offers only basic insurance and fewer overall benefits. Additionally, the CobaltĀ® Card provides unique experiences and perks, like access to American Express exclusive events, that the RBC ION Visa does not match.
For most users, the American Express CobaltĀ® Card is the superior choice due to its higher rewards, robust benefits, and comprehensive insurance coverage. It is ideal for those who spend significantly on dining and groceries and are willing to pay an annual fee for premium perks. However, if you prefer a no-fee card with basic rewards and benefits, the RBC ION Visa could be more suitable, particularly for budget-conscious individuals or those with lower spending in the higher-reward categories.
Legal
*Terms and conditions apply.
If you have 2 separate missed Payments, the applicable rates for your account will be 25.99%. If you have 3 or more separate missed payments, the applicable rates will be 29.99%.
American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.
® / ⢠Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. RBC and Royal Bank are registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. ┠All other trademarks are the property of their respective owner(s).
^ This offer only applies to new applications for an RBC ION Visa credit card received between January 21, 2026 and May 6, 2026 (āOffer Periodā) and approved by Royal Bank of Canada (āRoyal Bankā), subject to the conditions below. Additional cardholders(s) (co-applicant and authorized user(s)) on the RBC ION Visa credit card account, as well as existing cardholders on any RBC Royal Bank personal credit card transferring to an RBC ION Visa credit card during the Offer Period, are not eligible for this offer.
4,000 Avion points (āWelcome Pointsā) will appear on your monthly credit card statement within sixty (60) days after your application has been approved, provided that your RBC ION Visa credit card account (āCredit Card Accountā) remains open and in good standing at the time the Welcome points are credited to your account, āgood standingā meaning that your Credit Card Account must not be past due for more than two (2) consecutive credit card account statement periods, closed, charged off or in credit revoked status.
7,000 additional Avion points (āBonus Pointsā) will be awarded to you if a total of $500 or more (āQualifying Transaction Amountā) in qualifying net purchases and/or pre-authorized bill payment transactions (āQualifying Transactionsā) are posted to your Credit Card Account within the first three (3) months from your Credit Card Account opening date (āPeriodā). The Bonus Points will appear on your monthly credit card statement within sixty (60) days after you reach $500 in Qualifying Transactions, provided your Credit Card Account is in good standing at the time the Bonus Points are credited to your account.
Qualifying Transactions exclude cash advances (including balance transfers, cash-like transactions and bill payments that are not pre-authorized charges that you set up with a merchant), interest charges and fees, and credits for returns and adjustments posted to your Credit Card Account during the Period will reduce the amount of your Qualifying Transactions. The Qualifying Transaction Amount is based on the transaction posting date of each Qualifying Transaction, not the transaction date. This means that transactions that take place prior to the last day of the Period will not be considered for the Qualifying Transaction Amount if they have not yet been posted or processed by the merchant, the payment network (Visa) or Royal Bank by the last day of the Period.
If you close or change your RBC ION Visa credit card for another type of RBC Royal Bank credit card before the Welcome Points and/or the Bonus Points have been credited to your account, you may lose the benefit of this offer. This offer may not be combined or used in conjunction with any other offer. Royal Bank reserves the right to cancel, modify or withdraw this offer at any time without notice, even after your application has been approved, including if we suspect that you may be manipulating or abusing it, or engaging in any suspicious or fraudulent activity, as determined by Royal Bank in its sole discretion. For complete terms and conditions that apply to the Avion Rewards Program, please visit www.avionrewards.com or call 1-800-769-2512.
ā To get $75 worth of gift cards/certificates, you will need a total of 11,000 Avion points. Minimum redemption of 1,400 Avion points for most $10 gift cards/certificates. Some exceptions apply. Point redemption values may fluctuate. For general redemption terms, conditions and restrictions that apply to the Avion Rewards program, as well as for current point redemption values, please visit https://www.avionrewards.com/terms-and-conditions.html or call 1-800-769-2512.
2 You will earn 1.5 Avion points for every $1.00 in Grocery, Rides, Gas, Electric Vehicle Charging, Streaming, and Digital Gaming & Subscriptions Purchases you make on your RBC ION Visa credit card at merchants classified by Visaās āMerchant Category Codeā (MCC). Depending on how certain merchants are categorized by Visaās āMerchant Category Codeā (MCC) they may not qualify as an eligible MCC. Eligible MCCs are listed as:
(i) āGrocery Stores and Supermarketsā (MCC 5411) are āGrocery Purchasesā;
(ii) āService Stations (With or without Ancillary Services)ā (MCC 5541), āAutomated Fuel Dispensersā (MCC 5542), āTaxicabs and Limousinesā (MCC 4121), āLocal and Suburban Commuter Passenger Transportation, Including Ferriesā (MCC 4111), Electric Vehicle Chargingā (MCC 5552) are āRides, Gas & Electric Vehicle Charging Purchasesā. Non-commuter passenger railway purchases and non-commuter bus line purchases do not qualify as part of āRides, Gas & Electric Vehicle Charging Purchasesā;
(iii) āDigital Goods Media ā Books, Movies, Musicā (MCC 5815), āDigital Goods ā Gamesā (MCC 5816), āDigital Goods ā Applications (Excludes Games)ā (MCC 5817), āDigital Goods ā Large Digital Goods Merchantsā (MCC 5818), āCable, Satellite, and Other Pay Television/Radio/Streaming Servicesā (MCC 4899) are āStreaming, Digital Gaming & Subscriptions Purchasesā. The āDigital Goods ā Gamesā MCC does not include games of chance and gambling.
You will earn 1 Avion point for every $1.00 on all other purchases (including pre-authorized bill payments) you make on your RBC ION Visa credit card. Even though some merchants may sell Grocery, Rides, Gas, Electric Vehicle Charging, Streaming, and Digital Gaming & Subscriptions merchandise, purchases made at these locations may not necessarily qualify as Eligible MCCs if the merchant is not classified as such by Visa. Also, you may make a purchase at a merchant that is not classified as an Eligible MCC but is located on the premises of a merchant that is classified as an Eligible MCC, in which case your purchase would not qualify as an Eligible MCC. We cannot guarantee that any merchant, operating in whole or in part as a Grocery, Rides, Gas, Electric Vehicle Charging, Streaming, and Digital Gaming & Subscriptions merchant is classified as an Eligible MCC and in no event will we be liable or responsible for any claims with respect to a Grocery, Rides, gas, Electric Vehicle Charging, Streaming, and Digital Gaming & Subscriptions purchase made at a merchant that is not classified as an Eligible MCC. Avion points are earned on net purchases only; they are not earned on cash advances (balance transfers, cash-like transactions and bill payments that are not pre-authorized charges that you set up with a merchant), interest charges or fees, and credits for returns and adjustments will reduce or cancel the points earned by the amounts originally charged.
Refer to RBC page for up to date offer terms and conditions. The Website may engage in affiliate marketing, which is done by embedding tracking links into The Website. If you click on a link for an affiliate partnership, a cookie will be placed on your browser to track any sales for purposes of commissions.
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