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Reward credit cards allow you to maximize the return on your purchases. However, what you spend the most on and how you plan to use your points makes a big difference. Some cards are very flexible, offering strong rewards across various spending categories and allowing you to redeem points for a wide range of options. Other cards are more specialized, focusing on specific types of spending or specific redemption options. Below, you'll find a selection of the best cards that offer the highest rewards for your spending.
Our choice for: Highest rewards on groceries & dining
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%
RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE
5/5
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.
Awards & Recognition

Best Rewards Credit Card
2026
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 (64 & under)
Lost or Stolen Baggage
Baggage Delay
Price Protection
Benefits
Details
Annual Birthday Bonus
Car Rental Discount
Trip and legal Assistance
Concierge Services
Eligibility
Credit Score
Annual Income
The MBNA card offers excellent rewards across many different categories and provides strong redemption value for its points. It’s a Mastercard, which means it’s widely accepted, making it the best overall choice for most people.
Our choice for: Best travel points earning credit card in Canada
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%*
RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE
4.9/5
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.
Awards & Recognition

Best Travel Rewards Credit Card
2026
Pros
Cons
Rewards
Insurance
Coverage
Travel Medical Insurance (64 & under)
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
The Cobalt card is great for travelers, as it offers the highest earning rate on rewards in Canada when points are collected or redeemed toward travel and flights.
Our choice for: High cash back on groceries & gas
on Neo Financial's website
Welcome Bonus
N/A
Annual Fee
$125
Interest Rates
19.99% - 26.99%□ / 22.99% - 28.99%
RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE
4.6/5
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.
Awards & Recognition

Best Cash Back Credit Card
2026
Pros
Cons
Rewards
Insurance
Coverage
Travel Medical Insurance (64 & under)
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
If you want the most flexible type of rewards, you can’t go wrong with straightforward cash back. This card takes the top spot for the highest cash-back rate among all cards.
Our choice for: Everyday spending card with a low fee and high rewards
on RBC's website
Welcome Bonus
Get up to 21,000 Avion points^ - that’s up to $150 of value in gift cards!
Annual Fee
$48
Interest Rates
20.99% / 22.99%□
RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE
4.5/5
The RBC Ion+ Visa delivers exceptional value for its modest $48 annual fee, offering an impressive 3x Avion points on a comprehensive range of everyday spending categories including groceries, dining, gas, streaming, and transit. What makes this card particularly appealing is its standout mobile device insurance coverage up to $1,000 for two years, plus the fee waiver for students with qualifying RBC accounts. While the card earns Avion Premium points, they can be converted 1:1 to the more valuable Avion Elite points when paired with an eligible RBC Avion card, unlocking premium travel redemptions and airline transfers, making this one of the best low-cost rewards cards available in Canada.
Pros
Cons
Rewards
Insurance
Coverage
Purchase Protection
Extended Warranty
Mobile Device Insurance
Benefits
Details
Gas Discount
Extra points
Extra points
Discount
Eligibility
Credit Score
Annual Income
Some people prefer not to spend a lot on credit card annual fees. If you're looking for a much lower-fee option, the RBC ION+ Visa is the best choice available.
on Tangerine's website
Welcome Bonus
10% Cash Back (up to $100 value) + 1.95% balance transfer promo rate for 6 months
Annual Fee
$0
Interest Rates
20.95%* / 22.95%*
RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE
4.4/5
While we think Tangerine 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. This card only requires a Fair credit score, making it an excellent choice for people who don't have a high credit score yet.
Awards & Recognition

Best Starter Credit Card
2026
Pros
Cons
Rewards
Insurance
Coverage
Purchase Protection
Extended Warranty
Eligibility
Credit Score
Annual Income