RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option Review

Conquer your credit card debt with the RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option, one of the best balance transfer and low-interest credit cards in Canada.

May 27, 2026 8:06 PM

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The Bottom Line


If you carry a credit card balance, the RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option is one of the best remedies in the face of debt. Complete with a low interest welcome bonus, an annual fee rebate, and valuable perks.

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Welcome Bonus

Enjoy a 1.9% introductory interest rate for the first 10 months on balance transfers^ and no annual fee for the first year*. Apply by January 12, 2027.

Rewards Rate

N/A

Annual Fee

$20 $0

Interest Rates

12.99% / 14.99%

RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE

300
Poor
560
Fair
660⁎
Good
725⁎
Very Good
760⁎
Excellent
⁎Estimates based on Equifax scoring

Rewards

  • Get a low, fixed annual interest rate of 12.99% on purchases and 14.99% on cash advances including balance transfers1. 
  • Your RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option card includes purchase security and extended warranty insurance coverage4.
  • Get special partner offers from brands like Petro Canada, Rexall and DoorDash.

Insurance

Coverage

  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection4

    90 days
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty4

    Doubled Up to 1 year

Benefits

Details

  • reward cup

    Extra points5

    50 Be Well points for every $1 spent on eligible products at Rexall
  • gas station

    Gas Discount3

    save 3¢/L on fuel and always earn 20% more Petro-Points at Petro-Canada and 20% more Avion points at Petro-Canada
  • discount

    Discount7

    Get a 6-month complimentary DashPass subscription — a value of almost $60. Plus, enjoy unlimited deliveries when $0 delivery fees on orders of $15 or more when you pay with your eligible RBC credit card.

Eligibility

  • Credit Score

    Good
  • Annual Income

    N/A

Welcome Bonus Details


  • Enjoy a 1.9% introductory interest rate for the first 10 months on balance transfers^ and no annual fee for the first year*.
  • Apply by January 12, 2027.

Card Details


Interest Rates

Purchase APR

12.99%

Cash Advance APR

14.99%

Balance Transfer APR

14.99%

Promotional Balance Transfer Rate

Promotional Rate

1.9%

Promotional Period

10 months

Transfer Fee

$5

Fees

Annual Fee

$20

$0 first year

Additional Cards

$0

Eligibility

Minimum Individual Income

N/A

Minimum Household Income

N/A

Credit Score Estimate

Good

Type

Card Type

Credit

Reward Type

None

Pros & Cons


Pros

  • Low annual fee
  • Lower interest rates
  • Low interest welcome bonus
  • first-year fee rebate

Cons

  • No rewards

Awards


Best Low Interest Credit Card

Best Low Interest Credit Card

2026

Our Detailed Review


The RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option doesn't earn any points or cash back rewards, instead the card offers a rewarding introductory interest rate on balance transfers and no annual fee for the first year of membership. Other perks include extra Be Well points on eligible Rexall purchases, gas discounts, and extra Petro-Points at Petro-Canada, plus a limited-time complimentary DashPass subscription with free deliveries on eligible purchases.

When you combine the promotion and perks, it's no wonder that the RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option is ranked one of the best low-interest credit cards in Canada and one of the best balance transfer credit cards in Canada.

Benefits and Perks


5 Benefits of the RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option


There are a handful of benefits that make the RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option one of the top RBC credit cards in Canada.


The best part about the RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option is its introductory interest rate on balance transfers, available for the first several months of membership. Even beyond the promotional period, cardholders can expect relatively low interest rates on purchases, cash advances, and balance transfers.


For the first year of membership, the RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option's annual fee is waived completely. Afterwards, the annual fee is still pretty affordable.


Cardholders collect extra Be Well points per dollar spent on eligible Rexall purchases when they link their RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option card to their account.


Expect more Petro-Points at the pump, plus discounted fuel at Petro Canada when you link your RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option card to your account.


Enjoy a complimentary DashPass subscription for the first half of your first year. Not to mention, unlimited deliveries without delivery fees on eligible orders of $15 or more when you pay using your RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option card.

Drawbacks and Considerations


2 Downsides to the RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option


There are also a couple of downsides to consider before submitting an application.


Unfortunately, as mentioned, the RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option lacks any rewards earned on eligible purchases.


For coverage, the RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option only comes with standard extended warranty and purchase protection insurance.

Compare to Similar Cards


In this section, we're going to compare the RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option against other leading low-interest and balance transfer credit cards in Canada.


MBNA True Line® Mastercard®

MBNA

5.0

Balance transfer and interest savings

Annual Fee

$20

$0 first year

$0

$29

$0 first year

$29

$0 first year

Interest Rates

Purchase

12.99%

Cash advance

14.99%

Balance transfer

14.99%

Purchase

12.99%*

Cash advance

24.99%*

Balance transfer

17.99%*

Rate details

Purchase

13.99%*

Cash advance

13.99%*

Balance transfer

13.99%*

Rate details

Purchase

13.99%*

Cash advance

15.99%*

Balance transfer

15.99%*

Rate details

Welcome Bonus

Enjoy a 1.9% introductory interest rate for the first 10 months on balance transfers^ and no annual fee for the first year*. Apply by January 12, 2027.

0% rate on balance transfers for 12 months (3% fee applies). Not available for residents of Quebec.†

0% interest on balance transfers for 9 months + first year fee rebate + extra savings at shell

Get a 0% introductory interest rate on Balance Transfers for 18 months with a 3% transfer fee and a $29 first-year annual fee rebate.*

Rewards

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Apply now

on RBC's website

Apply now

on MBNA's website

Apply now

on Scotiabank's website

Apply now

on BMO's website


RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option vs MBNA True Line Mastercard


The MBNA True Line Mastercard offers a lower and longer-lasting promotional interest rate on balance transfers, and by lower and longer, we mean 0% interest for a full year. That said, the transfer rate for the RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option is much lower by comparison. This close competitor also lacks coverage, but it offers car rental discounts at Avis and Budget locations. The best part? You can get your hands on this contender for no annual fee.


Verdict: The MBNA True Line Mastercard is the superior balance transfer credit card in Canada for those who need a full year to clear their balance. For those who can pay it off in slightly less than a year (10 months), the RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option is the better choice.



RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option vs Scotiabank Value Visa Card


The Scotiabank Value Visa Card has a nearly identical promotional period, but it's slightly shorter. For coverage, cardholders can expect balance protection insurance. As an added perk, the card provides car rental discounts at Avis. While the annual fee is slightly higher, it's waived for the first year of membership.


Verdict: The RBC Classic Low Rate Option still has a better promotion, superior coverage, and more perks compared to the Scotiabank Value Visa Card.



RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option vs BMO Preferred Rate Mastercard


The BMO Preferred Rate Mastercard waives interest on your carried balance for the first several months of membership. That said, after the promotional period is up, the balance transfer interest rate, as well as purchase and cash advance rates, are higher than the base interest rates provided by the RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option. Regardless, BMO Preferred Rate Mastercard cardholders also receive a first-year annual fee rebate. On top of basic coverage, expect some Instacart perks when you enroll your card.


Verdict: While the BMO Preferred Rate Mastercard is another zero-interest option, its interest rates after the promotional period are lower than the RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option. Therefore, the RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option is still the better choice in the long run.

Frequently Asked Questions

The RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option stands out for its low-interest balance transfer welcome bonus as well as its decent bundle of partner perks.

Yes. The RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option has a small annual fee. That said, the fee is waived for the first year of membership.

The RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option is the best balance transfer contender for those who can clear their balance in 10 months, considering its low promotional rate and transfer fee. If you need a full year to pay off your balance, we consider the MBNA True Line Mastercard to be superior. This contender has a longer and lower-interest promotional period, but a higher transfer fee.

About the author

Sara Skodak

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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^ In order to benefit from the 1.9% introductory interest rate on cash advances for 10 months, your application must be submitted via online RBC channels by January 12, 2027 and approved by us. This offer only applies to new applications for an RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option credit card received between November 5, 2026 and January 12, 2027 (“Offer Period”) and approved by Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”), subject to the conditions below. Please note this offer is only available online and for approved applications that are submitted via online RBC channels. The introductory interest rate offer is applicable to all cash advances (i.e. cash withdrawals from a bank branch or ATM with your RBC Royal Bank credit card, balance transfers, cash-like transactions and bill payments that are not pre-authorized charges that you set-up with a merchant). All other account activities, including purchases, are subject to the standard account annual interest rate(s) as shown in the Information Box. Interest is charged from the day the cash advance is made, until we receive your payment for the total amount you owe. The introductory interest rate on cash advances remains in effect through the first 10 full monthly statement periods (approximately 10 months from account open date). The Interest Rate Chart on your monthly statement will indicate the date on which the introductory interest rate expires, as long as you have a remaining balance associated with your introductory interest rate. If we do not process statements on the expiry date (for example, if it falls on a holiday or weekend), you will continue to benefit from that introductory interest rate until your statement is prepared, the next processing day. Once the offer expires: (i) all cash advances; and (ii) any remaining balances, which were subject to the introductory interest rate under this offer, will be subject to the cash advances interest rate indicated on your monthly statement. In general, if your credit card account consists of balances with different interest rates, such as purchases at the standard interest rate and cash advances at an introductory or promotional interest rate (e.g. a special lower rate balance transfer, or a temporary lower rate on all cash advances), any payment that exceeds the minimum payment due will be allocated to those balances in a proportionate manner. Your payment will not be applied to the balance(s) of your choice, such as the balance(s) with the highest interest rate, or to any category of balance(s) following a specific order. Please see the RBC Royal Bank Credit Card Agreement for details on how we allocate your payments. If you miss making any minimum payment by the payment due date and if you have not paid it before the date we prepare your next monthly statement, and/or if you change your actual RBC Royal Bank credit card for another type of card before the expiration of the offer, you will lose the benefit of this and any other introductory or promotional interest rate offer(s) in which you are participating and any remaining balance(s) which were subject to the introductory or other promotional annual interest rate under an offer(s) will be subject to the annual interest rate(s) indicated on your monthly statement, beginning on the first day of the third statement period after the missed payment. Cash advances do not qualify for Avion® points, partner rewards or cash back credits if your credit card is a type that earns rewards. Balance transfers cannot be used to pay any RBC Royal Bank credit card account or used for pre-authorized payments. Please call customer service at 1-800 ROYAL 1-2 (1-800-769-2512) for up-to-date information on your credit card account. Your RBC Royal Bank Credit Card Agreement explains the terms under which you use your RBC Royal Bank credit card. Please refer to it for full details.


*To be exempt from the RBC Visa Classic Low-Rate Option annual fee for one year, your application must be received by January 12, 2027, and approved by us. Additional cardholders (co-applicant and authorized user(s)), existing RBC Visa Classic Low-Rate Option cardholders, as well as existing cardholders of any RBC personal credit cards, applying for or transferring to an RBC Visa Classic Low-Rate Option, as of the offer eligibility period, are not eligible for this offer. This offer may not be combined or used in conjunction with any other offer.


1 Cash Advances, including Balance Transfers and cash withdrawals from an ATM, can be made up to your available credit and daily limits. There is no interest-free period for cash advances, which means that interest is charged from the day the cash advance is made until we receive your payment for the total amount you owe. Cash advance fees may apply depending on the type of cash advance. Please refer to your RBC Royal Bank Credit Card Agreement for more details.


3 To participate in this offer, you must have an RBC debit card or a credit card which is issued by Royal Bank of Canada (excluding RBC commercial credit cards) (“RBC Card”). RBC business clients will only be able to link up to two (2) RBC business credit cards and one (1) RBC business debit card to a Petro-Points card.

You must be enrolled in RBC Online Banking or the RBC Mobile app in order to link your RBC Card to your Petro-Points card. Card linking may take up to 2 business days to process before savings and bonus points can be applied to purchases. A linked RBC Card means an RBC Card linked to a Petro-Points Account. Your linked RBC Card acts as your Petro-Points card. You will automatically earn Petro-Points when you pay for qualifying purchases with your linked RBC Card at Petro-Canada locations and you do not need to swipe your Petro-Points card before you pay. You can redeem your Petro-Points at Petro-Canada using your linked RBC Card.

Each time you use your linked RBC Card to purchase any grade of gasoline, or diesel, at a Petro-Canada location, you will save three cents ($0.03) per litre at the time of the transaction.

Each time you use your linked RBC Card to pay for qualifying purchases at a Petro-Canada location, you will earn a bonus of twenty percent (20%) more Petro-Points than you normally earn, in accordance with the Petro-Points terms and conditions available at www.petro-canada.ca/en/personal/terms-conditions.

Petro-Points are not awarded on tobacco products, vaping products, gift cards, transit tickets and taxes on non-petroleum purchases.


4 Coverage underwritten by RBC Insurance Company of Canada.

All insurance is subject to limitations and exclusions. Please refer to the insurance certificates included in your printed Welcome Kit for complete details or online in Credit Card Documentation.


5 To participate in this offer, you must have an eligible RBC Debit Card, Personal Credit Card or Business Credit Card which is issued by Royal Bank of Canada (excluding RBC commercial credit cards) (“RBC Card”). RBC Business Owners will only be able to link up to two (2) Business Credit Cards and one RBC Debit Card to a Be Well Card.


Eligible RBC Debit Cards are debit cards tied to a personal banking or savings account or a business banking or savings account in good standing that is set up to pay for goods and services at a store or merchant that has point of sale or other designated debit card terminals that accept debit card payments.


You must be enrolled in RBC Online Banking or the RBC Mobile app in order to link your RBC Card to your Be Well Card. Card linking may take up to 2 business days to process before Be Well points can be applied to purchases. Each time you scan your Be Well Card and pay with your Linked RBC Card, you will earn 50 Be Well points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases at Rexall Locations, in accordance with the Be Well Terms and Conditions available at https://www.letsbewell.ca/terms-conditions.


Be Well points are not awarded on taxes; tobacco products; products containing codeine; lottery tickets; alcohol; bottle deposits; gift cards; prepaid cards and wireless or long distance phone cards; event tickets; transit tickets and passes; post office transactions; stamps; passport photos; cash back; gifts with purchases; delivery charges; environmental levies; Home Health Care services/rentals and any other products or services that we may specify from time to time or where prohibited by law.


7 To receive a complimentary DashPass subscription for $0 delivery fees on orders of $15 or more at eligible restaurants when you pay with your Eligible RBC Credit Card, you must subscribe to DashPass by adding an Eligible RBC Credit Card, accept the DoorDash terms and conditions, and activate your benefit by clicking “Activate Free DashPass” before November 16, 2028 (“Offer Period”). If you are an existing DashPass subscriber and have already added an Eligible RBC Credit Card to your account you must activate your benefit by clicking “Activate Free DashPass” during the Offer Period. If you have been charged for DashPass you will receive a refund to the method of original payment, in the amount of the monthly subscription fee for the month you activate your complimentary subscription. For all clients, by clicking on “Activate Free DashPass” you agree to the DoorDash terms and conditions which can be found at https://help.doordash.com/consumers/s/terms-and-conditions .

Eligible RBC Credit cardholders include primary cardholders, co-applicants, authorized users, primary business cardholders and secondary business cardholders on an Eligible RBC Credit Card account.

The DashPass monthly subscription fee will be waived (“Complimentary DashPass Subscription”) and you will receive either a 6 months or 12 months Complimentary DashPass Subscription based on the Eligible RBC Credit Card you use to subscribe to DashPass.

DashPass subscriptions purchased through third parties, including third-party payment accounts, or online or mobile digital wallets (like Apply Pay and Google Pay) are not eligible for the Complimentary DashPass Subscription.

Eligible RBC Credit Cards: Your Eligible RBC Credit Card may only be used with one DoorDash account to receive a Complimentary DashPass Subscription. Once you have received a Complimentary DashPass Subscription you cannot use the same eligible RBC Credit Card to obtain a Complimentary DashPass Subscription with another DoorDash account.

You are only eligible for one 12 month Complimentary DashPass Subscription and one 6 months Complimentary DashPass Subscription during the Offer Period. The Complimentary DashPass Subscription commences on the date you subscribe to receive the Complimentary DashPass Subscription. For example, if you subscribe to a 12 month Complimentary DashPass Subscription in on the last day of your second month of a 6 months Complimentary DashPass Subscription you will receive a total of 14 months of Complimentary DashPass Subscription. In order to validate your credit card as an Eligible RBC Credit Card, Royal Bank may need to administer a $0.50 charge to validate your card enrollment. This charge will be reversed in 3 to 5 days once your account has been validated.

12 Month Complimentary DashPass Subscription is available for the following Eligible RBC Credit Cards:

As an RBC Avion Visa Platinum, RBC Avion Visa Infinite , RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege, RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege for Private Banking, WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard, RBC Rewards Visa Preferred, RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard, More Rewards RBC Visa Infinite, RBC British Airways Visa Infinite, RBC Avion Visa Business, RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business, WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard for Business (Elite Benefit cards) cardholder.

You are eligible for a Complimentary DashPass Subscription for 12 months from the date you subscribe to receive the Complimentary DashPass Subscription. You will be auto-enrolled into full-price membership at the then-current rate after the end of the 12 month Complimentary DashPass Subscription. Your RBC credit card account must be open and not in default to maintain the benefits of DashPass.

6 Months Complimentary DashPass Subscription is available for the following Eligible RBC Credit Cards:

As an Rewards+TM Visa‡, Signature® RBC Rewards® Visa‡, RBC® Visa‡ Platinum, RBC® Visa‡ Cash Back, RBC® Cash Back Mastercard‡, RBC® Visa‡ Classic Low Rate Option, RBC® Visa‡ Classic, RBC® Student Visa‡ Classic, RBC® Visa‡ Classic II Student, RBC® Visa‡ Gold, RBC® U.S. Dollar Visa‡ Gold, RBC Rewards Visa‡ Gold, RBC RateAdvantage® Visa‡, WestJet RBC® Mastercard‡, RBC ION Visa, RBC ION+ Visa, More Rewards RBC Visa, RBC Staff VISA Classic Expense, RBC Staff VISA Gold Expense, RBC® Visa‡ Business, RBC® Visa‡ Business Gold, RBC® Visa‡ CreditLine for Small BusinessTM, or RBC® Business Cash Back Mastercard‡, WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡ (Premium Benefit Cards).

You are eligible for a Complimentary DashPass Subscription for 6 months from the date you subscribed to the Complimentary DashPass Subscription. You will be auto-enrolled into full-price membership at the then-current rate after the end of the 6 months Complimentary DashPass Subscription. Your RBC credit card account must be open and not in default to maintain the benefits of DashPass.

DoorDash not Royal Bank of Canada, is responsible for (i) services and products provided through DoorDash; (ii) DashPass, including the DashPass Benefits, the administration of DashPass and (iii) the DoorDash terms and conditions. The Complimentary DashPass Subscription offer may be amended or withdrawn at any time. To learn more about DashPass, visit www.doordash.com/dashpass (opens to external site). For full DashPass for RBC Program Terms and Conditions, visit rbcroyalbank.com/credit-cards/documentation/pdf/full-doordash-tcs-en.pdf.


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.


RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option
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