rbc cash back mastercard travel insurance

RBC ® Travel Insurance

Taking a trip see if your rbc ® credit card covers you..

In just a few minutes, you can see what travel insurance you have on your RBC credit card, whether you have enough coverage for your trip, or if you need to buy additional coverage. It’s that simple!

See what travel insurance coverage your card has:

Required Information

Which RBC credit card did you use to pay for the full cost of your trip?

Good news! Your card has some travel insurance coverage.

Your card provides some valuable travel insurance coverage for you and other covered persons (opens modal window) .

Covered Persons

Covered Persons refer to you (the cardholder), your spouse and your dependent child/children who travel with you or join you and/or your spouse on the same trip. Plus, if your card includes Trip Cancellation and Interruption insurance your dependent children who are age 16-24 can travel on their own (without you or your spouse) and be covered for Trip Cancellation and Interruption. (Note: children under 16 travelling on their own are not covered). Other travellers on the same trip are not covered under your credit card travel insurance coverage.

Covered Persons refer to you (the card applicant), your spouse and your dependent child/children who travel with you or join you and/or your spouse on the same trip. Plus, if your card includes Trip Cancellation and Interruption insurance your dependent children who are age 16-24 can travel on their own (without you or your spouse) and be covered for Trip Cancellation and Interruption. (Note: children under 16 travelling on their own are not covered). Co-applicants and authorized users are also covered but their spouse and dependent children are not covered. Other travellers on the same trip are not covered under your credit card travel insurance coverage.

Refer to the credit card Certificate of Insurance for complete coverage details, limitations and exclusions.

Summary of Your Card’s Coverage

• Under age 65: Unlimited coverage Disclaimer 1 for first fifteen (15) consecutive days of your trip
• Age 65+: Unlimited coverage Disclaimer 1 for first three (3) consecutive days of your trip

Out of Province/Country Emergency Medical Insurance

This insurance covers reasonable and customary expenses, in excess of any medical expenses payable by your government health insurance plan or any other insurance plan, for emergency treatment medically required during your trip as a result of a medical emergency.

This is a summary only. All travel insurance is subject to limitations and exclusions. Refer to the credit card Certificate of Insurance for complete coverage details, limitations and exclusions.

Trip Cancellation Insurance

This insurance protects eligible cardholders against the cost of non-refundable prepaid travel arrangements if the trip is cancelled prior to your departure, due to a covered reason. For this coverage to be effective, you must have purchased your prepaid travel arrangements with your RBC ® credit card and/or Avion ® points.

Trip Interruption Insurance

Flight delay insurance.

If you miss your connecting flight, are denied boarding or your flight is delayed, this insurance reimburses you, up to a certain maximum, for reasonable and necessary expenses you may have (for example, a hotel room or restaurant meals) as long as you have checked in with the air carrier and you paid for your airline ticket with your RBC ® credit card and/or Avion ® points.

Delayed Baggage Insurance

If your checked baggage is lost or delayed, this insurance reimburses you, up to a certain maximum, for reasonable and necessary emergency purchases that you need, as long as you paid for your airline ticket with your RBC ® credit card and/or Avion ® points.

Hotel/Motel Burglary Insurance

If you need to repair or replace personal property that has been damaged or lost due to a burglary of your hotel/motel room or cruise cabin and you are a registered guest, this insurance reimburses you, up to a certain maximum, as long as you paid for your hotel/motel room or cruise cabin with your RBC ® credit card and/or Avion ® points.

Travel Accident Insurance

This insurance covers you for accidental bodily injury or death if you are injured during an accident that occurs while you are travelling on a common carrier (such as a passenger plane) as long as you paid for these transportation arrangements with your RBC ® credit card and/or Avion ® points before departing on your trip.

Auto Rental Collision/Loss Damage Waiver Insurance

When you pay for the entire cost of the rental vehicle using your RBC ® credit card and/or Avion ® points, this Insurance covers you and/or a rental agency for loss/damages to eligible rental vehicles up to the actual cash value of the damaged or stolen rental vehicle. The length of time you rent the same vehicle must not exceed forty-eight (48) consecutive days.

All insurance is subject to limitations and exclusions. Download the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Certificate of Insurance (opens PDF in new window) for complete details.

Legal Disclaimer 1) Unless otherwise noted in the Certificate of Insurance, the maximum benefit for emergency medical insurance is unlimited.

All insurance is subject to limitations and exclusions. Download the RBC Avion Visa Platinum Certificate of Insurance (opens PDF in new window) for complete details.

Lost/Stolen Baggage

We will pay the covered person for loss or damage to owned baggage and personal effects used for the personal use of the covered person while in transit as checked-in baggage or carried on board the air carrier when the full cost of the airline ticket is paid with your RBC ® credit card and/or Avion ® points.

All insurance is subject to limitations and exclusions. Download the RBC ® Avion ® Visa Infinite Business ‡ Certificate of Insurance (opens PDF in new window) for complete details.

All insurance is subject to limitations and exclusions. Download the RBC Avion Visa Business Certificate of Insurance (opens PDF in new window) for complete details.

• Under age 65: Unlimited coverage Disclaimer 1 for first thirty one (31) consecutive days of your trip
• Age 65+: Unlimited coverage Disclaimer 1 for first seven (7) consecutive days of your trip

All insurance is subject to limitations and exclusions. Download the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege Certificate of Insurance (opens PDF in new window) for complete details.

All insurance is subject to limitations and exclusions. Download the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege for Private Banking Certificate of Insurance (opens PDF in new window) for complete details.

All insurance is subject to limitations and exclusions. Download the RBC Rewards ® Visa ‡ Preferred Certificate of Insurance (opens PDF in new window) for complete details.

All insurance is subject to limitations and exclusions. Download the RBC ® U.S. Dollar Visa ‡ Gold Certificate of Insurance (opens PDF in new window) for complete details.

All insurance is subject to limitations and exclusions. Download the RBC ® British Airways Visa Infinite ‡ Certificate of Insurance (opens PDF in new window) for complete details.

Next Step: Tell us who is travelling so we can give you an accurate quote.

Who do you want to get a quote for?

Why we ask: Since your credit card’s travel insurance covers you, your spouse and/or your dependent children, your quote will calculate the coverage you already have on your card—saving you money!

Why we ask: Since your credit card’s travel insurance does not cover travellers other than you (the cardholder), your spouse and/or your dependent children, your quote for these travellers will not factor in your credit card coverage.

Tip: You will need to get a quote and buy travel insurance for other eligible travellers separately so that we can give you an accurate quote for everyone.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this insurance coverage, a traveller must be:

• A client of the RBC companies or a spouse or child of a client
• A Canadian resident (applicable for Emergency Medical Insurance coverage)

Travel Insurance coverage is not included on your card, but we can cover you!

Although the card you used to purchase your trip does not include coverage, you can get a quote and buy affordable travel insurance now.

We are unable to determine the travel insurance coverage on your card

We can help make sure you’re protected financially every time you travel with affordable trip cancellation and interruption insurance, emergency medical insurance and more. Get a quote and buy affordable travel insurance now.

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In this guide

Frequently asked questions

Your reviews, rbc cash back mastercard review.

Receive unlimited cash back with no annual fees with the RBC Cash Back Mastercard. 

The RBC Cash Back Mastercard lets you rack up rewards on all your purchases with no limit on how much you can earn.

The RBC Cash Back Mastercard lets you rack up rewards on all your purchases with no limit on how much you can earn. It’s for people who like to use their credit cards for everyday purchases, such as purchases at grocery stores and gas stations.

Find out if the RBC Cash Back Mastercard is right for you.

30-second take

• Consider getting the RBC Cash Back Mastercard if you like to shop on credit for everyday items such as groceries.
• Choose something else if you’re looking for a credit card with low interest rates.
• You must be a Canadian resident and the age of majority in your province to apply for the card.

The RBC Cash Back Mastercard is designed to give you unlimited cash back on every purchase you make. For the first $6,000 you spend each year, you’ll earn 2% cash back at the grocery store and up to 1% on all other qualifying purchases.

As an RBC credit cardholder, you’ll also receive several value-added services for holding the Cash Back Mastercard, including balance protector insurance, optional travel insurance, identity protection and roadside assistance.

• Unlimited cash back. The RBC Cash Back Mastercard has no limits on how much cash back you can earn. Get up to 2% cash back on grocery store purchases, and up to 1% cash back on all other qualifying purchases and pre-authorized payments.
• No annual fee. Unlike other cash back credit cards, this one has no annual fee for the primary cardholder or any additional cards on the account.
• Safety. The RBC Cash Back Mastercard offers purchase security and extended warranty protection as well as balance protector insurance.
• Instant fuel savings. Link your card to Petro-Canada to save 3 cents per litre on fuel and earn 20% more Petro-Points. Get 50 Be Well points per dollar spent at Rexall. Enjoy a free 3-month DashPass subscription with DoorDash, and get unlimited $0 delivery fees on orders of $15+ when you pay with your card.

What to watch for

• High interest rate. You will be charged a standard interest rate on outstanding purchase balances and slightly more for cash advances.

RBC Cash Back Mastercard interest rates

What should i know before i apply, eligibility requirements.

• Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• Be the age of majority in your province/territory of residence

Required documents and information

• Your name, residential status and contact information
• Your social insurance number ( SIN ) and date of birth
• Your email address and phone number

How to apply

• Head to RBC’s website and click under ‘Credit Cards’ to find this card.
• Fill out the standard credit card application, which should take five minutes to complete.

Bottom line on the RBC Cash Back Mastercard

The RBC Cash Back Mastercard offers an easy and convenient way to earn cash back on everyday purchases. While you won’t earn as much outside the grocery store, you can still rack up the points if you use the card regularly and save on gas while you’re at it. No annual fee and zero liability protection offer additional incentives to sign up for this card.

Compare other credit cards

Is there a limit on how many times i can redeem cash back rewards with the rbc cash back mastercard.

There are no limits on how many times you can redeem your rewards, provided you have the minimum $25 earned.

Sam Bourgi is a contributing writer to Finder.com, where he specializes in financial markets. He has spent the past nine years focused on economics, markets and cryptocurrencies. His work has been featured in and cited by some of the world's leading newscasts, including Barron's, Yahoo, CBOE and Forbes. See full profile

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• $99 annual fee
• 1.5% cash back on all purchases
• Save 3¢/L on fuel and earn 20% more Petro-Points at Petro-Canada
• 50 Be Well points per $1 spent at Rexall
• $0 DoorDash delivery fees for 12 months
• Mastercard Airport Experiences provided by DragonPass

Welcome bonus and earn rate

The RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard typically has no welcome bonus. Considering the card comes with an annual fee of $99, you’d think there’d be some increased cash back offer when signing up. Even cash back credit cards with no annual fee usually have a small welcome bonus, so it’s disappointing that the RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard doesn’t come with one.

Despite the lack of a welcome bonus, the earning rate is respectable. You’ll earn a straight 1.5% return in cash back on all eligible purchases, but it’s capped at $25,000 in spending. Once you reach that limit, you’ll earn 1% cash back on all purchases. 

Some people prefer cards with bonus rewards on specific categories, such as gas and groceries, but this card gives you the same return on all purchases. This can benefit people who spend more on items that don’t fall under the base earn rate with other cards. For reference, most cash back cards only give you 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Benefits and perks

In another weird move, the RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard has no premium benefits. The perks you get are standard RBC ones and what’s available to all World Elite Mastercard holders.

Save at Petro-Canada

You can save 3¢ per litre on fuel and earn 20% more Petro points when using your linked RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard. While this may not seem like a big deal, you’re saving on gas, earning Petro points and cash back just by paying with your linked card. Sign in to RBC Online Banking to link your card and add your Petro-Points number.

Earn Be Well points at Rexall

When shopping at Rexall, you’ll earn 50 Be Well points for every dollar spent on eligible purchases. To get your bonus points, you need to scan your Be Well card and then pay with your RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard.

Save on delivery fees with DoorDash

As an RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard holder, you get a 3-month DashDash Pass subscription for free. This perk gives you unlimited free deliveries on orders of $15 or more with DoorDash. Your RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard must be set as the payment method for your $0 delivery fees to apply.

Purchase insurance

• Purchase security – Up to 90 days
• Extended warranty – Up to one additional year

With purchase security, any purchases that are fully paid with your RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard are protected from loss, theft, and damage for 90 days. The extended warranty doubles your manufacturer’s warranty, up to one additional year.

Free Boingo Wi-Fi

RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard holders get a free Boingo Wi-Fi account. This gives you access to more than 1 million Wi-Fi hotspots worldwide, including on planes. All you need to do is register your card at mastercard.boingo.com.

Auto Rental Collision/Loss Damage Waiver Insurance

When you rent a car and pay for it in full with your RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard, you get rental collision/loss damage waiver insurance for up to 48 days. Only vehicles with an MSRP of no more than $65,000 qualify, and you must decline the car rental agency’s insurance. Note that liability insurance is not included.

Airport lounge access

Another card benefit is free access to the Mastercard Travel Pass Program provided by DragonPass. This gives you access to 1,400+ airport lounges worldwide. Note that you still need to pay for each entry (normally $32U.S.), but you can’t get in at all without a membership.

When your RBC cash back is paid out

Cash back earned with RBC is automatically paid out in January. However, you can call customer service (1-800-769-2512) to get your cash back earlier as long as you’ve earned at least $25 in cash back. Some people will find this annoying as other cards allow you to redeem your cash back monthly.

RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard eligibility

• You’re a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• You’re at least the age of majority in your province or territory
• You have a minimum personal income of $80,000 or a household income of $150,000

Although no formal credit score is listed under the requirements, having a credit score of at least 700 is what I recommend before applying. This puts you in a better position to be approved for this premium credit card.

How the RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard compares

It’s time to go over comparables in this RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard review. There are a lot of cash back cards out there, but the following are other cards I recommend you look at.

RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard vs. Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite Card

The Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite Card is incredibly popular since you’ll earn 4% cash back on groceries, recurring bills, and subscription purchases, 2% on gas and daily transit purchases, and 1% on all other purchases. While the base earn rate is lower than the RBC card, the Scotiabank card has many generous bonus categories. In addition, the Scotiabank card comes with some great additional benefits, such as comprehensive travel and mobile device insurance. The annual fee for the Scotiabank card is a bit higher at $120, but there’s typically a welcome bonus of 10% cash back up to $2,000 in purchases.

RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard vs. American Express Cobalt Card

The American Express Cobalt Card is another card that has a very high earning rate. You’ll earn 5 American Express Membership Rewards points per $1 spent on eats and drinks, 3 points on streaming services, 2 points on travel, and 1 point on all other purchases. Although you earn points instead of cash, you can redeem 1,000 points for a $10 statement credit, so you treat it like a cash back card if you so desire. The annual fee for the Cobalt card is a bit high at $12.99 a month, but it has one of the highest earning rates in Canada.

RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard vs. SimplyCash Preferred Card from American Express

For those more focused on a solid base earning rate, the SimplyCash Preferred Card from American Express is worth a look. The earning rate is 4% cash back on groceries and gas purchases, and 2% cash back on all other purchases. You will pay a slightly higher annual fee of $9.99 monthly, and not all merchants accept American Express. That said, the earning rate is higher, and you get mobile device insurance.

Final thoughts

The RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard is RBC’s top cash back credit card and is ideal for people in the following situations:

• You want a cash back card – With cash back, you don’t need to worry about rewards charts or blackout dates like some travel rewards programs.
• You want a good flat rate return – The 1.5% cash back on all purchases is decent.
• You bank with RBC – Some people prefer to use credit cards from their financial institution.

While there are some benefits to the RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard, the earning rate is low compared to some of the best cash back credit cards in Canada . In addition, the lack of benefits is disappointing. If you bank with RBC and want to stick with them, this card is perfectly acceptable, but better options are available elsewhere.

About Barry Choi

Barry Choi is a Toronto-based personal finance and travel expert who frequently makes media appearances. His blog Money We Have is one of Canada’s most trusted sources when it comes to money and travel. You can find him on Twitter: @barrychoi

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Travel Insurance

More coverage in more places ®.

Get out there and enjoy yourself knowing you have the right coverage and 24/7 access to a caring team who’s always on call—no matter how big or how small the emergency.

More Coverage In More Places™

• Coverage Types
• Submit Claim

Explore Your Coverage Options

Travel packages.

Coverage for the widest range of unexpected travel situations.

Travel Medical

Coverage to fill the gap left by my provincial health insurance.

Cancellation & Interruption

Coverage for non-refundable and/or non-transferable trip expenses if my trip is cancelled or interrupted.

Visitors to Canada

When visiting, immigrating to or studying in Canada and need emergency medical coverage.

Travel Insurance Advice by Trip Type

Choose from the topics below for some quick advice on the type of coverage that may be right for you:

Travel Insurance FAQs

Have a question about travel insurance? Get the answers you need here.

For questions about travel and COVID-19, please visit the COVID-19 page.

• Eligibility
• Emergencies

Our goal is to make affordable travel insurance coverage available to as many Canadians as possible. In general, any Canadian resident can purchase some form of coverage with us. Factors such as where you are travelling, your health and the length of your trip may affect the specific coverage(s) available to you.

Note : Non-residents travelling to Canada, immigrants to Canada or foreign students studying in Canada may be eligible to purchase one of our Visitors to Canada Plans.

Generally speaking, no. While your age can affect your eligibility for certain coverages, we have packages and plans that cover all age groups. If you are age 65 or older, we may ask you to answer a few questions about your health to make sure you have the most appropriate coverage.

Yes, you may purchase a policy for your parents. Simply call us at 1-866-896-8172 , buy online , or visit an RBC Insurance Store . Depending on their age, they may be required to complete health questions in order to obtain coverage. If this is not a requirement, please keep in mind that all terms and conditions apply to your parents, therefore we recommend that you review the insurance with them prior to purchase.

Possibly. Depending on your age, medical condition and, if applicable, your answers to our health questions, pre-existing medical conditions are covered if they are stable for a certain time period (as specified in your policy) before your policy's effective date.

Note: Please refer to the policy document for complete coverage details regarding pre-existing conditions.

Your answers to the health questions (if applicable) will be used to help determine the benefits you are eligible to receive under your insurance policy.

When answering the health questions:

• Take your time. The questions may take up to 10 minutes to complete.
• You (the applicant) should complete and sign the Medical Questionnaire. (If you have someone else complete the Medical Questionnaire on your behalf, it is still your responsibility to make sure the answers to the questions are correct.)
• Read and answer each question carefully and accurately. Review your answers to confirm they are correct. Incorrect answers may lead to your coverage being voided or your claim denied.
• Have your prescriptions or a description of your medications nearby for reference.
• If you are unsure about any questions regarding your medical condition or medications, please speak to your physician.

If necessary, a family member or close friend can complete the questions on your behalf. Please keep in mind, however, that it is still your responsibility to sign the form and make sure the answers are correct.

Yes, it is recommended that you buy coverage for your spouse as well.

This answer depends largely on your child's age.

• If your child is under 2 years old and you are purchasing the Deluxe Package or a TravelCare ® Package, then your child receives emergency medical coverage at no extra cost.
• If your child is 2 or older , you'll need to purchase emergency medical coverage for him or her.
• No matter how old your child is , if you've purchased an airline ticket or made a separate trip deposit for him or her, consider buying a travel insurance package or trip cancellation and interruption insurance .

The right coverage for your trip depends on several factors, including (but not limited to) where you're travelling to, how long you’ll be gone, the kind of transportation you'll be using and, in some instances, your overall health. View all of our travel insurance products now.

An accident, illness or medical emergency can happen anywhere, anytime. If you need medical care or treatment in another country, your government health plan may cover only a portion of the costs. Travel insurance starts where these plans leave off.

Plus, with our emergency medical coverage, you have access to the multilingual representatives of Allianz Global Assistance.

Yes, if you are travelling outside your home province or territory. There are several reasons why it's important to get travel medical insurance when you're travelling within Canada. One reason is that accidents can happen anywhere. Another is that government health insurance plans do have limits on reimbursement of emergency medical expenses incurred while you are in another province. For example, the ambulance, emergency dental treatment and prescription drugs might not be covered by some government health insurance plans.

You may extend your coverage if you extend your trip, subject to certain conditions of your policy.

If you've purchased a single trip plan, the following conditions apply:

• If you have not had a medical condition during your trip or while covered under your policy, you can request an extension by contacting us at 1-866-896-8172 before your original policy’s expiry date.
• If you have had a medical condition during your trip and while covered under your policy, you must request the extension by contacting Allianz Global Assistance before the expiry date of your original policy. Your extension is subject to the approval of Allianz Global Assistance.
• You must pay the required additional premium before your original policy’s expiry date.
• If we are unable to extend your particular policy's coverage due to the trip duration limits of your policy, you may be able to purchase a new policy from us.

If you've purchased a multi-trip annual plan, the following conditions apply:

You may purchase a top-up policy for the additional number of days beyond the duration covered by your multi-trip annual plan as follows:

• Before your effective date, you may contact us at 1-866-896-8172 to purchase top-up coverage.
• After your effective date and if you have not had a medical condition during your trip, you must contact us at 1-866-896-8172 before your original policy’s expiry date to purchase top-up coverage.
• After your effective date and if you have had a medical condition during your trip, you must contact Allianz Global Assistance before your original policy’s expiry date to request approval for and to purchase top-up coverage.
• The terms, conditions and exclusions of the new top-up policy apply to you.
• You must pay the required top-up premium on or before the effective date of the top-up period.

If you do NOT top-up your coverage for a trip, you will not be covered for any claims you make outside the period of insurance for that trip. If the top-up policy you are purchasing requires you to complete health questions, you must complete the health questions.

Please see the policy documents for complete coverage details regarding trip extensions.

It may, but not always. We recommend that you carefully review the travel insurance coverage provided by your credit card, as well as any special conditions or stipulations.

Do you have an RBC Royal Bank ® credit card?

To review the travel insurance coverage that comes with your RBC Royal Bank credit card, visit: www.rbcroyalbank.com/cards/documentation/index.html and click the "Insurance Certificate" link for your card.

We recommend that you carefully review your government health plan coverage. Government plans may not cover all emergency medical expenses once you leave your home province/territory and typically cover only a limited portion once you leave the country. In fact, the Canadian Government (Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada) urges Canadians to purchase supplemental health insurance when leaving the country. They say:

Do not rely on your provincial or territorial health plan to cover costs if you get sick or are injured while abroad. Out-of-country health care can be costly, and your health plan may not cover any medical expenses abroad. It is your responsibility to seek information from your provincial or territorial health authority and to obtain supplementary travel insurance and understand the terms of your policy. 2

Plus, government health insurance plans don't guarantee coverage for special care (air ambulance or emergency dental services, for instance).

Unlike government health insurance plans, our insurance offers you:

• Unlimited coverage for eligible medical expenses 1
• Up-front payment of eligible medical expenses whenever possible
• 24-hour, multilingual emergency medical assistance—one toll-free phone call puts you in touch with a multilingual professional who will refer you to a local doctor or facility in order for you to receive the care you need

Government health insurance plans also don't provide coverage for situations such as lost, damaged or delayed baggage or trip cancellation and interruption. Our travel insurance can provide these coverages and more.

Yes, you do need travel insurance to protect yourself against the unexpected, even if you are going to the United States for a few days. An illness or accident can happen at any time, whether you're on the road for a few days, or a few months. And remember, the cost of health care is very expensive in the United States and very little of this cost would be covered by your government health insurance plan, credit card or company benefits plan. For a short trip, the cost of travel insurance is minimal, and it gives you the protection you need.

If you purchase trip cancellation and interruption insurance, it will help pay for your expenses to return home in the event of a covered emergency. There are a number of circumstances that qualify as an emergency (for example, the death or serious illness of a family member). The cost of cancelling a trip prior to departure can be very expensive, as most trips are non-refundable and/or non-transferable, especially if you have to cancel just before leaving on your trip. Having to return early from a trip can also be very expensive. Either way, trip cancellation and interruption insurance is very important to protect your travel investment.

You must purchase coverage before departing on your trip. You may benefit from purchasing coverage as soon as you make your initial trip deposit, especially if you are purchasing trip cancellation and interruption insurance —either as stand-alone coverage or as part of one of our insurance packages .

If you were to book your trip 6 months in advance, consider the unexpected situations that could occur in that time.

If you purchase travel insurance from RBC Insurance, we will pay the eligible bills directly to the hospital or physician whenever possible.

There are a number of sports that are not covered during your trip. For more details, see the Exclusions section of the individual policy document.

You may purchase a top-up policy for the extra number of days beyond the duration covered by your multi-trip annual plan. Here are the conditions:

• After your effective date and if you have had a medical condition during your trip, you must contact Allianz Global Assistance before your original policy’s expiry date to request approval for and purchase top-up coverage.

Please see the policy document for complete coverage details regarding top-up coverage.

If you purchase one of our travel medical insurance plans—either Classic Medical or TravelCare ® Medical—you can, subject to certain conditions:

• If you are travelling for more than 183 days, you may purchase single trip coverage for up to 365 days provided that you are covered under your government health plan for the full duration of your trip.
• If you are 40-74 years of age , you must also answer a few health questions, which will determine whether you are eligible to purchase coverage for trips beyond 183 days.

Yes, if you are travelling with your spouse/partner and children or other family members, you could save money with our family plan pricing.

The cost of a trip can be a significant financial investment. A lot can also happen in the time between booking your trip and departing—if a medical emergency or other unexpected event prevents you from going on your trip, you could potentially lose some (or possibly all) of the money you paid.

With trip cancellation and interruption insurance, you're protected when certain situations prevent you from travelling as planned. Examples include:

• You can't travel due to an illness, job loss or immediate family member's medical emergency
• You need to return home earlier than scheduled because of a family emergency or medical condition

Note : We strongly recommend that you purchase trip cancellation and interruption insurance at the time you pay your initial travel deposit. Please see the policy document for complete coverage details, including terms and conditions.

Yes! Tell them about our Visitors to Canada Plans , which offer affordable emergency medical protection to visitors, immigrants, foreign students and Canadians without government health plan coverage.

We strongly recommend you do. Your insurance policy is a valuable source of information and contains provisions that may limit or exclude coverage. Please read it before you go, keep it in a safe place and carry it with you when you travel.

RBC Insurance has appointed AZGA Service Canada Inc. (operating as “Allianz Global Assistance”) as the provider of all assistance and claims.

Whether you have a new claim or questions about an existing claim, representatives will work with you to make things as easy as possible. Visit the Travel Insurance Claims page for more details about how to submit a claim.

It's our goal to settle every claim as quickly as possible. While every claim is different, there are things you can do to speed things up:

• If you require emergency care on your trip , call our emergency contact number immediately, or at the earliest possible opportunity (someone else can call if you're unable to). If you do not, your coverage may be limited and your benefits could be reduced.
• If you need to cancel your trip prior to departing , call your travel agency, airline, tour company or the carrier immediately to cancel your trip no later than one business day after the cause of cancellation. Call Allianz Global Assistance the same day.
• For all claims , carefully read the instructions for submitting your claim. Make sure you fully complete any required claims forms and submit all required documentation at your earliest possible convenience. For example, you may need to provide information on your past health history if you are submitting an emergency medical claim or a trip cancellation claim due to a medical condition.

The documentation you need to provide will depend on the type of claim, the type of plan you purchased and the province/territory in which you live. Visit the Travel Insurance Claims page for more details about how to submit a claim.

No matter where in the world you are, we’ll be here for you. If you have an emergency, you can call Allianz Global Assistance toll-free 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-855-947-1581 from the U.S. and Canada or (905) 816-2561 collect from anywhere in the world . Or as an alternative, you can email Allianz Global Assistance at: [email protected] . Disclaimer 3

The multilingual representatives of Allianz Global Assistance are ready 24 hours a day, seven days a week when you have a medical emergency. You can rely on them to refer you or (when medically appropriate) transfer you to one of the accredited medical service providers within the Allianz Global Assistance network, so you can receive the care you need as quickly as possible.

Because the representatives are multilingual and have 24-hour access to real-time translation services, they can provide the help you need in your own language—and also have someone to communicate on your behalf with medical personnel who may speak a different language.

Whenever possible, Allianz Global Assistance will also request for the medical service provider within the network to bill the covered medical expenses directly to us instead of you—reducing stress and hassle.

Yes, as soon as medically possible. There are several reasons to call the emergency contact number first:

The multilingual representatives of Allianz Global Assistance are experienced experts in coordinating emergency care for travellers in foreign lands.

They're available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you don't call Allianz Global Assistance first, your benefits may be reduced and your coverage may be limited. As stated in your policy, if you do not contact Allianz Global Assistance at the time of your medical emergency or you choose to receive treatment from a medical service provider outside the Allianz Global Assistance network, you will be responsible for 30% of your medical expenses covered under your insurance and in excess of your medical expenses paid by your government health plan.

You can call Allianz Global Assistance toll-free 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-855-947-1581 from the U.S. and Canada or (905) 816-2561 collect from anywhere in the world.

Of course, obtaining urgent care in an emergency is your #1 priority—and our representatives are here to help at our toll-free emergency contact number. However, if your medical condition Opens in new window prevents you from calling before seeking emergency treatment, then you must call as soon as medically possible.

Someone else (a family member, friend, hospital or physician's office staff, etc.) may call on your behalf–so it's a very good idea to carry your RBC Insurance travel insurance wallet card with you at all times.

They may call Allianz Global Assistance toll-free 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-855-947-1581 from the U.S. and Canada or (905) 816-2561 collect from anywhere in the world.

Or as an alternative, they can email3 Allianz Global Assistance at: [email protected] .

We will pay your eligible medical bills directly to the medical provider or hospital for you whenever possible.

Travel together. Save together.

Travelling with a group of 10 or more? Save with a group discount and enjoy all the benefits of RBC ® Travel Insurance.

Reasons to Love RBC Travel Insurance

Coverage available for all ages.

If you are travelling with your spouse/partner and children or other family members, you could save money with our family plan pricing.

Simplified Medical Questionnaire

Age 65 or over? Buying travel insurance is faster than ever – no long, complicated medical questionnaires.

Variety of Coverages

Whether you’re going on an overseas adventure, or a quick jaunt to another province or state for the weekend, a variety of packages and plans are available to cover your travels.

24/7 Worldwide Emergency Medical Assistance

Experienced staff at the 24/7 assistance centre will provide:

• Caring, multilingual support
• Help finding local medical care
• Access to emergency air ambulances
• Access to expert medical professionals who will monitor your care
• Help with transportation to the nearest medical facility

For emergency medical and travel assistance

• See Emergency Contact Details

For questions about travel insurance or claims

• Speak to a Travel Advisor at 1-888-896-8172
• Get a Quote

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RBC Cash Back Mastercard   🇨🇦

• No annual fee
• Accepted at Costco

Unlimited cash back on your spending*

• 2% cash back on groceries*
• Up to 1% cash back on all other qualifying purchases and pre-authorized payments
• Link your RBC card with a Petro-Points membership and instantly save on fuel at Petro-Canada stations and earn 20% more Petro-Points

Get $0 delivery fees for 3 months from DoorDash – Add your eligible RBC credit card to your DoorDash account to:

• Get a 3-month complimentary DashPass subscription – a value of almost $30
• Enjoy unlimited deliveries with $0 delivery fees on orders of $15 or more when you pay with your eligible RBC credit card

Exclusive savings and rewards

• Become an Avion Rewards Premium member when you get the RBC Cash Back Mastercard.
• Download the Avion Rewards app to activate your membership and get access to points, cash back deals, and savings all in one program.
• Plus, download the Avion Rewards ShopPlus browser extension to save with cash back deals right where you shop online from 1,900+ retailers.

Fees & Conditions

Per dollar of purchases

Travel Insurance

There may be a daily maximum amount depending on the type of fees paid

Other Insurance

The RBC Cash Back Mastercard is a no-annual-fee credit card.

With this card, you earn up to 2% cash back on your grocery purchases (up to $6,000 in groceries annually). You’ll earn 1% cash back on your grocery purchases as soon as you exceed this threshold.

You’ll also earn 0.5% cash back on all your other purchases, up to a maximum of $6,000 in other purchases per year. You’ll earn 1% cash back on all your other purchases as soon as you exceed this threshold.

With the RBC Cash Back Mastercard you benefit from several advantages such as:

• Instant fuel savings at Petro-Canada
• 3 months free delivery with DoorDash
• Best RBC Credit Cards - Royal Bank of Canada - April 2024
• Best Cash Back Credit Cards in Canada - April 2024
• Best No-Fee Credit Cards in Canada - April 2024
• Canada's Best Credit Card Offers - April 2024

Refer to RBC page for up to date offer terms and conditions

RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard review

• Rates & Fees

1.5% Earn up to 1.5% cash back on your spending without limit.

$0.03 Link your card and instantly save 3¢/L on fuel and get 20% more Petro-Points

50 Get 50 Be Well points for every $1 spent on eligible products at Rexall

$99 Annual Fee

20.99% Purchase APR

22.99% Cash Advance APR

22.99% Balance Transfer Rate

Good Recommended Credit Score

$80,000 Required Annual Personal Income

$150,000 Required Annual Household Income

By Money.ca

   min read

Compare other RBC credit cards

• Best RBC credit cards in Canada
• WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard
• WestJet RBC Mastercard
• RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card

Compare other travel credit cards

• Best travel credit cards in Canada
• TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card
• BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®*
• Rogers™ World Elite® Mastercard®

Compare other Mastercard credit cards

• Best Mastercard credit cards in Canada
• PC® Mastercard®
• Amazon.ca Rewards Mastercard
• MBNA True Line Gold Mastercard

The RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard eliminates all of the confusion and noise surrounding cash back – providing a consistent 1.5% cash back on all purchases¹ with no purchase categories or restrictions until you reach $25,000 in annual spending. Cross that threshold and the cash back rate suddenly drops to 1% on everything. This may sting a bit but wait until you see this card’s other perks.

Pros and cons

High flat cash back rate

No annual fee for additional cardholders

No limit to cash back earned²

Access to Mastercard World Elite Benefits

Save 3₵ per litre on Gas at Petro-Canada and Earn 20% More Petro-Points⁷

Redeem Cash Back Anytime Once You Hit $25

Complimentary Access to Boingo‡ Public Wi-Fi

Auto Rental Collision/Loss Damage⁴, Purchase and Extended Warranty Insurance³

High minimum income requirements

$25,000 Cap on 1.5% Cash Back (but earn 1% Cash Back after $25,000)¹

No medical, travel or accidental death insurance

No welcome bonus or introductory rates

One rate on all purchases

For those who just want to receive cash back and not have to think about it, this card provides up to 1.5% across all purchases¹. For example, if you spend $100, you’ll get $1.50 back. If you apply that same rate to every purchase, cash back quickly adds up.

Though there’s no limit to how much cash back you can acquire or how many rewards you can redeem over the life of your credit account, the maximum amount of cash back earned at 1.5% in a year is $375 ($25,000 annual spend), after which you earn unlimited cash back at 1% for remainder of the year

If you happen to spend over $25,000 in a single year, the cash back rate on all purchases becomes 1%, so that same $100 purchase only gives a dollar back. The likelihood cardholders will reach $25,000 in spending a year is low and if you do happen to cross the $25,000 threshold, you only have to wait until January of next year for the 1.5% rate to be reinstated, so it’s not the end of the world.

How to redeem cash back

Redeeming cash back on the RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard is just as automatic and stress-free as earning cash back on this card.

Do nothing and cash back is redeemed automatically at the end of each year and is applied to your January statement as a credit. You can also request cash back to be redeemed any time during the year if your cash back balance has reached $25.00 or more.

Be warned, once you request a cash back redemption the total of your available cash back is redeemed automatically and can’t be redeemed incrementally at your discretion. Still, many other cash back cards only allow you to redeem cash back annually, so being able to redeem any time you want is a huge plus.

Other benefits and features

In addition to cash back, this card offers a suite of other benefits.

Petro points

If you link this card to your Petro-Points card by entering your Petro-Points card number when you log into online banking or the RBC Mobile App, you will save 3Ȼ per litre on gas at Petro-Canada and 20% more Petro-Points on all qualifying purchases at Petro-Canada⁷.

Wi-Fi anywhere

Boingo ‡ has a global network of over one million Wi-Fi hotspots on airlines and at airports, concert venues and stadiums around the world. While others have to log into a paid account, RBC Cash Back World Elite Preferred cardholders get it complimentary.

Rental car insurance

This card also offers three types of insurance. Its rental car insurance⁴ covers the actual value and any expenses associated with the loss of use of eligible vehicles for up to 48 straight days as long as you pay for the cost of the vehicle with your card and decline the collision damage waiver offered by the rental company.

Purchase security and extended warranty insurance³

The purchase security insurance covers any loss or damage to an item up to 120 days after it was charged to the card to a maximum of $50,000. The extended warranty insurance automatically triples the original manufacturer’s warranty to a maximum of two years. Both coverages are supplemental to any individual insurance coverage you may already have on the item.

Become a world elite member

Meanwhile, World Elite benefits can make you feel like a VIP, giving you exclusive benefits from complimentary Boingo ‡ Wi-Fi access at over 1 million hotspots worldwide, and get exclusive benefits⁶ and offers from a variety of on-demand apps and subscription services, like Foodora and Ritual.

Rates and fees

• Annual fee: $99 ($0 for additional cards)
• Purchase APR: 20.99%
• Balance transfer APR: 22.99% (21.99% if you reside in Quebec)
• Balance transfer fee: $3.50
• Cash advance APR: 22.99% (21.99% if you reside in Quebec)
• Cash advance fee: $3.50 (in Canada) and $5.00 (outside of Canada)
• Dishonoured payment fee: $45
• Overlimit fee: $29 (does not apply in Quebec)

Looking at the above fees, there’s nothing that immediately jumps out as cause for alarm. These fees are pretty standard across the Canadian credit card industry, including the annual interest rates for purchases, balance transfers and cash advances.

The only thing one may quibble with is the $99 annual fee, since the card only has one main benefit in the flat-rate cash back and all other benefits are supplemental. However, the benefits are numerous, with the World Elite exclusives alone worth the annual fee. Then when you add the complementary Boingo‡ Wi-Fi network membership, the Petro-Canada gas savings⁷ and the three insurances and it actually starts to look reasonable. Credit cards with a similar number of benefits usually carry annual fees of $120 and sometimes $150, which makes $99 annually a steal by comparison. If you have family members, you can request additional cards with no yearly fee, to help maximize your cash back rewards.

Eligibility requirements

To qualify for the card you must be the age of majority in your province and a Canadian resident. You’ll also have to have good/excellent credit (a score above 670) and not have declared bankruptcy in the last seven years. Most importantly, you’ll need to have a minimum personal income of $80,000 or a minimum household income of $150,000. If you meet all these requirements, you’re good to go apply for the card.

How to apply

To apply for the RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard, click the “Apply Now” button on the card’s landing page. In addition to your name, address and date of birth, you will be asked to provide your social insurance number along with whether you rent or own your home, the type of home it is and how long you have lived there.

You will then be asked to provide details of your employment situation such as whether you work, full-time or part-time, are retired or self-employed, along with what you do, where you work, how long you’ve worked there and how much money you make. You will also be asked if you have any additional income generated by some other means, such as investments and how much you make from those means. You will also need to provide a code word to verify your identity when communicating with RBC.

Finally, you will be asked if you want BalanceProtector Premiere Plus – a balance insurance product that promises to pay off your balance if you die or gain a disability that renders you unable to work. Then, just agree to the application terms and conditions before clicking “submit.” You can expect to receive confirmation of submission instantly with approval subject to the discretion of RBC.

How it compares

The RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard is solidly middle-of-the-pack when compared against the BMO Cash Back World Elite Mastercard and the SimplyCash Preferred by American Express.

While the BMO CashBack ® World Elite ® * Mastercard ® * has virtually identical benefits to the RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite it does come with a big sign-up bonus of 10% cash back on all purchases in the first three months to a maximum of $2,600 ($260 cash back)* and both travel and medical insurance*. However, it also has a much larger $120 annual fee, which is waived for the first year*, for those benefits than the RBC card.

As for the SimplyCash TM Preferred Card from American Express, it beats the RBC Cash Back Preferred in the benefits department, including offering a higher regular cash back rate on all purchases at 2% along with the 10% cash back welcome bonus that the BMO CashBack ® World Elite ® * Mastercard ® * has for four months, (not three) similar exclusive offers and front-of-the-line access to events as the World Elite program, car rental insurance and purchase insurance together with extensive emergency medical and travel insurance. One Caveat, Amex still isn’t as widely accepted as Visa and Mastercard in Canada, so the RBC Cash Back Preferred might still better suit your needs.

*Terms and conditions apply

Is it worth it?

The RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard is for that affluent upper-middle class working professional who prefers simplicity and transparency with their credit card loyalty programs. They want to accumulate cash back rewards, but they don’t want to have to think about it. It’s for the person who doesn’t want to have to manually switch into quarterly purchase categories each season or see the maximum potential cash back they could earn be neutered by tiered rates, caps and restrictions.

But, (and this is a big but) this isn’t a card for the average joe. The slate of complimentary benefits in addition to cash back more than equal the relatively pedestrian $99 annual fee, but the high minimum income requirements mean that the truly middle class won’t even be able to touch this. So, is it worth it? If you’re that upper middle-class professional who doesn’t care that there’s no travel or medical insurance for your trouble, then absolutely. But if you’re anyone else, what this card offers and requires from applicants is so specific to a particular type of person, that you should look the other way.

Refer to RBC Page for up to date offer terms and conditions.

BMO is not responsible for maintaining the content on this site. Please click on the Apply now link for the most up to date information.

About our author

The Money.ca Editorial Team is a group of passionate financial experts, seasoned journalists, and content creators who are deeply committed to providing unbiased, relevant, and accurate financial information. With years of combined industry experience, our team is dedicated to maintaining the highest journalistic standards and delivering informative and engaging content. From personal finance and investing to retirement planning and business finance, we cover a broad range of topics to suit the financial needs of our diverse readership. You can trust the Money.ca Editorial Team to empower you with the knowledge and tools necessary to make wise financial decisions.

These articles do not include bylines, as they are intended to provide information about the company or have been written by an internal team at Money.ca, rather than stories by individual writers or contributors. Bylines are used for all other articles.

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The best RBC credit cards in Canada for 2024

Discover the best RBC credit cards, whether you’re looking for cash back, travel points or low interest.

Why trust us

MoneySense is an award-winning magazine, helping Canadians navigate money matters since 1999. Our editorial team of trained journalists works closely with leading personal finance experts in Canada. To help you find the best financial products, we compare the offerings from over 12 major institutions, including banks, credit unions and card issuers. Learn more about our  advertising and trusted partners .

The best RBC credit cards in Canada by category

By Sandra MacGregor on March 1, 2024 Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Royal Bank of Canada offers an array of credit cards catering to various preferences and spending habits. Whether you prioritize travel rewards with Avion points, seek the flexibility of cash back, or prefer unique benefits like WestJet dollars, RBC has a card for you. With credit cards spanning the Visa and Mastercard networks, cardholders can tailor their shopping experience to suit their preferences. Let’s explore the standout features of the best RBC credit cards in Canada.

Best RBC travel credit card

At a glance: The RBC Avion Visa Infinite is a premium travel credit card that has a flexible rewards program and exclusive benefits. Cardholders earn 1 Avion point per $1 spent, and a boosted 1.25 points on eligible travel expenses (like flights, cruises and car rentals).

RBC Avion Visa Infinite

• Annual fee: $120
• Earn rate: 1.25 Avion points per $1 spent on travel (including flights, hotels, taxis and public transit) and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
• Welcome bonus: You can earn 35,000 Welcome Points on approval and 20,000 bonus points when you spend $5,000 in your first 6 months*. Apply by April 30, 2024. Apply online and get a response in as little as 60 seconds.
• Annual income requirement:  Personal income of $60,000 or household income of $100,000
• Point value: 1 RBC Avion point = Up to $0.023 when redeemed for travel using RBC’s Air Travel Redemption Schedule. 
• Recommended credit score : None specified
• Interest rates: 20.99% on purchases, 22.99% on cash advances, 22.99% on balance transfers
• RBC Avion points can be worth as much as $0.023 each when redeemed for travel, which is a high value among travel rewards cards.
• Avion has a lot of travel redemption flexibility. You can redeem your points for travel using RBC’s Air Travel Redemption chart, transfer points to select airlines (including WestJet), and redeem for travel purchases through RBC. 
• There are no blackout periods or seat restrictions, even during periods of high demand. 
• Exclusive access to concert tickets, including Taylor Swift . 
• Impressive travel insurance coverage, including trip cancellation and interruption and emergency medical. It even features mobile device insurance of up to $1,500.
• You’ll pay a foreign transaction fee of 2.5% on all purchases not in Canadian dollars. 
• The highest earn rate is 1.25%, which is not very high for a premium card; other premium cards feature significantly higher earn rates.
• The personal annual income requirement of $60,000 (or household income of $100,000) may be too high for some applicants.

Best RBC airline travel credit card

At a glance: With perks like a yearly round-trip companion voucher, free checked bags and Boingo Wi-Fi access, the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard makes an attractive travel buddy. In fact, it’s the best credit card in Canada for frequent WestJet flyers—full stop. Cardholders earn 2% back in WestJet dollars on purchases of WestJet flights and vacation packages and get 1.5% back on all other spending. One WestJet dollar has a value of one Canadian dollar.

WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard

• Annual fee: $119
• Earn rate : 2% back in WestJet dollars on WestJet flights and vacations packages and 1.5% back on all other purchases
• Welcome offer : You can earn up to $450 in WestJet dollars with the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard. Plus, get a Round-Trip Companion Voucher Every Year – for any WestJet destination starting from $119 CAD (plus taxes, fees, charges and other ATC).
• Annual income requirements : Personal income of $80,000 or household income of $150,000
• Point value: 1 WestJet Dollar = $1 CAD when redeemed for eligible flights or vacation packages
• Recommended credit score: None specified
• Interest rates : 20.99% on purchases, 22.99% on cash advances
• Travel perks include complimentary first checked bags for the primary cardholder and up to eight companions.
• Get an annual round-trip companion voucher for any WestJet destination, starting at $119 (plus taxes, fees and other charges) or opt to exchange it for four lounge vouchers.
• Extensive travel insurance, including emergency medical, trip interruption and flight delay coverage. 
• Cardholders can save up to $0.03 on fuel at Petro-Canada and can also earn Rexall’s Be Well points.
• The card grants access to over 1 million Boingo Wi-Fi hotspots worldwide.
• WestJet dollars can’t be used to pay for taxes and fees.
• Unlike with Aeroplan, for example, rewards are not flexible as they can only be used for WestJet flights and WestJet vacations. 
• A minimum personal income of $80,000 (or $150,000 household income) is required to apply.

Best RBC no-fee travel rewards credit card

At a glance: The RBC ION Visa is a no-annual-fee rewards credit card that gives you 1.5 Avion points per $1 spent on groceries, rides, gas (and EV charging), streaming, subscriptions and digital gaming. Get 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

RBC ION Visa

• Annual fee: $0
• Earn rate: 1.5 Avion points per $1 spent on groceries, rideshares, daily transit, gas, EV charging, streaming, digital gaming and subscriptions; and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
• Welcome bonus: You can earn 3,500 Avion points upon approval
• Annual income requirement:  None
• Some redemption flexibility. You can redeem your points for travel, statement credits, merchandise, gift cards and more. 
• Enjoy fuel savings at Petro-Canada, a three-month free DashPass subscription, and Be Well points with purchases at Rexall pharmacies.
• Good for gamers: The RBC ION Visa is one of the only cards in Canada that lets you earn rewards on gaming subscriptions, digital downloads and in-game purchases.
• The card features purchase security and extended warranty insurance.
• The RBC Avion rewards program includes three different membership tiers: Avion Select, Avion Premium and Avion Elite. The RBC ION Visa is part of the Avion Premium tier, meaning you can’t redeem your points through RBC’s Air Travel Redemption Schedule—which offers the highest value for your points. That feature is part of Avion Elite, which requires having an RBC Avion card. 
• The card has limited insurance coverage.

Best RBC cash back credit card

At a glance: With the RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard, you’ll earn cash back on all your purchases. You’ll get 1.5% on the first $25,000 charged to the card annually and 1% thereafter. Enjoy additional benefits like instant fuel savings at Petro-Canada, Be Well points at Rexall and $0 delivery fees for 12 months from DoorDash.

RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard

• Annual fee: $99
• Earn rate: 1.5% back on all your purchases
• Welcome bonus: You can earn unlimited cash back, no limit to what you can get back
• Annual income requirement:  Personal income of $80,000 or household income of $150,000
• Recommended credit score for approval: None specified
• The annual fee of $99 is lower than many other premium cards.
• If you link your RBC card to your Petro-Points account, you’ll save $0.03 cents per litre on gas at Petro-Canada and also get a 20% bonus of Petro-Points.
• You can earn 50 points per $1 spent at Rexall when you link your RBC card and your Rexall Be Well card.
• Card comes with a 12-month free DashPass subscription.
• Weak insurance offering compared to other premium cards. It only includes rental theft and car damage, purchase protection and extended warranty.
• The boosted rate of 1.5% is capped at your first $25,000 spent annually.

Best RBC no-fee cash back credit card

At a glance: Like some of the best cash back credit cards in Canada , the RBC Cash Back Mastercard offers cash back with no annual fee. Earn up to 2% on groceries and up to 1% on all other purchases. Benefit from instant fuel savings at Petro-Canada, enhanced Be Well points at Rexall and $0 delivery fees for three months from DoorDash.

RBC Cash Back Mastercard

• Earn rate: 2% cash back on groceries and 1% back on all other purchases
• Welcome bonus: You can
• The card comes with purchase security and extended warranty protection.
• Save $0.03 per litre on fuel at participating Petro-Canada stations and earn 20% more Petro-Points.
• Get 50 Be Well points per $1 spent at Rexall.
• Enjoy a complimentary DashPass subscription for the first three months.
• The unusual rewards structure requires cardholders to read the fine print carefully to understand the spending limits at which their rewards will increase or decrease. You’ll get 2% cash back on groceries for the first $6,000 spent, which then drops to 1% per additional dollar spent in the category. For all other purchases, you’ll get 0.5% cash back on the first $6,000 spent—and 1% thereafter. 
• Very limited insurance offering, with only purchase security and extended warranty.

Best RBC low-interest credit card

At a glance: For individuals trying to tackle credit card debt, the RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option is a valuable card. It offers a consistent 12.99% interest rate for purchases and cash advances—that can’t be said of all low-interest credit cards in Canada . While it may lack extensive perks, it does provide advantages like discounts at Petro-Canada and complimentary delivery services through DoorDash.

RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option

• Annual fee: $20
• Welcome offer: None
• Annual income requirement: None
• Interest rates: 12.99% on purchases, 12.99% on cash advances, 12.99% on balance transfers
• With its affordable $20 annual fee and no minimum income requirement, this card is within reach for the majority of Canadians.
• Additional cards are available at no cost.
• Enjoy RBC Offers, which gives cardholders access to deals and savings.
• Earn more Petro-Points and get a discount on fuel at Petro-Canada.
• The card comes with a three-month complimentary subscription to DashPass.
• This card doesn’t come with any travel insurance.
• While the low interest rate is a boon to those with credit card debt, it doesn’t feature a balance transfer promotion, so you can’t move debt from a higher-interest card.

More of Canada’s best credit cards :

• Best credit cards in Canada
• Best travel credit cards
• Best travel insurance credit cards
• Best Air Miles credit cards
• Best no foreign transaction fee credit cards

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Table of contents

• Top RBC credit cards at a glance
• Best RBC cards by category

About Sandra MacGregor

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Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance for RBC Clients 1

Things don't always go as planned.

Protect your travel investment—just in case your trip gets cancelled or interrupted.

Get a Quote

Financial protection for your trip expenses.

Have you bought an airline ticket or made a non-refundable and/or non-transferable hotel deposit? This coverage protects your purchase in case you get sick or an unexpected event forces you to cancel your trip, come home early or delay your return home. Here’s how it can help:

Before Departure 2

Trip cancellation insurance reimburses you for non-refundable and/or non-transferable deposits on pre-paid travel arrangements and cancellation penalties that a transportation carrier or tour guide may charge.

See More See Less

Insurance Documents:

For complete coverage details, limitations and exclusions, see:

• Trip Cancellation and Interruption
• Trip Cancellation and Interruption Quebec Documents

After Departure 2

Trip interruption insurance covers extra costs if you need to return home sooner or later than planned and reimburses you for non-refundable and/or non-transferable portions of unused, prepaid travel arrangements.

Other Expenses 2

Out of Pocket expenses reimburses you for extra expenses like a hotel, meals, taxi fares (ride sharing, or rental car in lieu of taxi fares) if a covered situation happens.

Do you need medical coverage, too?

Consider a travel insurance package instead if you think you may need coverage for emergency medical expenses and other situations. All of our packages include trip cancellation and interruption insurance.

Make sure you have the right travel insurance—get an online quote or call the Enrollment Centre.

Have an RBC Royal Bank credit card with travel coverage?

If you’re using an RBC Royal Bank credit card to pay for your trip in full, see if your card provides enough coverage for your trip.

See If My Card Covers Me

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Travel HealthProtector Has Been Replaced with New and Improved Coverage!

On May 1, 2020, we replaced Travel HealthProtector insurance with a new travel insurance product lineup.

RBC clients 1 can now enjoy:

• More choice, including robust travel insurance packages and travel medical plans
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance as part of a package or stand-alone plan
• A shorter and simpler medical questionnaire (for clients age 65 and older vs. age 60 and older)

1) RBC client is defined as a client of the RBC Companies or a spouse or child(ren) of a client.

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RBC® Cash Back Mastercard

Annual fee:

Earning rate:.

The RBC ® Cash Back Mastercard   is a card geared towards students, newcomers to Canada, or individuals with new or recovering credit files who want to build a strong relationship with RBC ® while earning some cash back.

Bonuses & Fees

Currently, there’s no welcome bonus on the RBC ® Cash Back Mastercard.

There’s no annual fee and supplementary cards are also free.

Earning Rewards

The RBC ® Cash Back Mastercard earns  2% cash back †  on groceries  up to $6,000 and 1% on groceries above $6,000. Otherwise, it earns 0.5% cash back † on non-grocery purchases up to $6,000 and 1% cash back † on non-grocery purchases above $6,000.

This is a relatively weak offering, especially in comparison to the Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card, which allows you to earn 2% cash back † in up to three categories (including groceries).

Redeeming Rewards

There are two ways to redeem RBC ® cash back:

• Upon reaching a cash back balance of at least $25, call RBC ® (1-800-769-2512) to credit the entire amount to your account
• Automatically credited every January and appears on February statement

Perks & Benefits

The RBC ® Cash Back Mastercard does include a few interesting benefits, including 3 months of free DashPass from DoorDash † .

It also includes a 3¢/L saving on fuel at Petro-Canada, along with earning 20% more Petro-Points † .

Finally, you can earn 50 Be Well points for every $1 spent on eligible products at Rexall, as well as a have an improved redeeming ratio of 25,000 Be Well points = $10 † .

Insurance Coverage

The RBC ® Cash Back Mastercard offers a doubling of the manufacturer’s warranty up to one additional year † as well as provides 90 days of purchase protection † .

As a basic no-fee product, the RBC® Cash Back Mastercard has no minimum income requirement. Refer to RBC® page for up to date offer terms and conditions.

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The Forbes Advisor editorial team is independent and objective. To help support our reporting work, and to continue our ability to provide this content for free to our readers, we receive payment from the companies that advertise on the Forbes Advisor site. This comes from two main sources.

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Best Cash Back Credit Cards With No Annual Fee In Canada For April 2024

Updated: Apr 9, 2024, 4:18pm

Cash-back credit cards make tapping your plastic even more tempting, since they turn some of your everyday purchases into cash rewards. They do so by allowing cardholders to earn back a percentage of their eligible credit card spending, either as a deposit into their bank account or as a statement credit.

That all sounds well and good, but some of the best cash-back credit cards have a major catch: They come with an annual fee that ends up eating into your rewards. And while some of these earn enough cash back that they cancel out said fee, spending enough to cover (or even surpass) the fee can be a big commitment—especially if you’re not sure how much you’ll spend each year on the card in question.

If thinking about such a prospect gives you anxiety, there are cash-back cards that have no annual fee —meaning their rewards don’t come with a yearly cost, so it’s pure reward. These cards can be a way to earn cash back without any kind of barrier hindering your earning potential. Here are the best cash back credit cards with no annual fee in Canada.

Featured Partners

Best Cash Back Credit Cards With No Annual Fee in Canada for April 2024

Rogers red world elite® mastercard®, simplycash card from american express, cibc costco mastercard, triangle world elite mastercard, neo standard mastercard, tangerine money-back credit card, tangerine world mastercard, rbc cash back mastercard, simplii financial cash back visa, bmo cashback mastercard, here’s a summary of best cash back credit cards with no annual fee in canada for april 2024, methodology, what is cash back on a credit card, how to choose a no annual fee cash back credit card, how to apply for a cash back credit card with no annual fee, frequently asked questions (faqs).

• Best Credit Cards
• Best Travel Credit Cards
• Best Airport Lounge Access Credit Cards
• Best Cash Back Credit Cards
• Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit
• Best Aeroplan Credit Cards
• Best No Foreign Transaction Fee Credit Cards
• Best Balance Transfer Credit cards

TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card

On TD’s Website

Welcome Bonus

Up to 85,000 Aeroplan points†

Regular APR (Purchases) / Regular APR (Cash Advances)

20.99% / 22.99%

American Express Cobalt® Card

On American Express’s Secure Website

Up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points

$155.88 ($12.99 per month)

Regular APR

MBNA True Line Mastercard

On MBNA’s Website

0% interest for 12 months on balance transfers within 90 days of account opening, with a 3% transfer fee

12.99%-19.99%

Best For U.S. Dollar Purchases

Regular APR (Purchases)

Not only do you get flat-rate cash back on all purchases, a great 3% cash back rate on all purchases made in U.S. dollars, airport lounge access and five types of insurance, you get all that for no annual fee.

• No annual fee
• Earn 2% cash back on all purchases if you have one qualifying service with Rogers, Fido or Shaw
• Earn 1.5% cash back if you do not have a qualifying service with Rogers, Fido or Shaw
• Earn 3% cash back on U.S. dollar purchases
• Complimentary membership to Mastercard Travel Pass provided by Dragon Pass
• Includes some travel insurance coverage
• High income requirements to qualify
• The highest cash-back rate is for U.S. purchases only
• Airport lounge visits cost $32 USD per person, per visit, on top of the complimentary lounge access membership
• 2% unlimited cash back (exclusively for eligible Rogers, Fido or Shaw customers); otherwise, earn 1.5% unlimited cash back on non-U.S. dollar purchases
• 3% unlimited cash back on U.S. dollar purchases
• 5 Roam Like Home days at no cost with an eligible Rogers mobile plan (up to $75 value)
• 50% more cash back every time you redeem for Rogers, Fido or Shaw purchases
• Annual income requirements of $80,000 personal and $150,000 household
• Complimentary membership to Mastercard Travel Pass provided by DragonPass with access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide at a cost of $32 USD per person, per visit
• Included insurance benefits: Extended Warranty and Purchase Protection, Rental Car Collision/Damage, Out-of-Province/Out-of-Country Emergency Medical, Trip Interruption and Trip Cancellation

best for groceries and gas

Up to $100 in statement credits

This card offers a 2% rate on the two areas hardest hit by inflation in Canada: groceries and gas. The icing on the cake is that it comes with no annual fee, a slightly above average 1.25% base rate and even has some other perks like a little travel insurance.

Learn more: Read our SimplyCash Card from American Express Review

• 2% cash back on groceries and gas
• Includes consumer insurance and some travel insurance
• American Express is not accepted at some retailers
• In your first 10 months as a new SimplyCash® Card from American Express Cardmember, you can earn a $10 statement credit for each monthly billing period in which you spend $300 in purchases on your Card. This could add up to $100 in statement credits in the first 10 months
• Earn accelerated earn rates on eligible gas and grocery purchases
• Earn 2% cash back on eligible gas purchases in Canada, 2% cash back on eligible grocery purchases in Canada (up to $300 cash back annually)
• Earn 1.25% cash back on all other eligible purchases
• Access events and special offers curated for Cardmembers with American Express® Experiences
• Insurance coverage and 24/7 Customer Service
• American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information click the Apply now link. Conditions apply

best for restaurants and costco

$0 (requires a Costco membership)

If you’re a Costco member, this card racks up cash back as your stock up on winter essentials. With no annual fee (aside from your Costco membership, of course) there’s no commitment and you can reap oversized rewards at this major retailer.

Learn more: Read our CIBC Costco Mastercard Review

• Earns 3% cash back on restaurants and at Costco Gas
• Includes mobile device insurance, purchase security and an extended warranty
• No welcome bonus
• Only offers 1% cash back at Costco (the Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card earns 2%, for instance)
• Earns 3% cash back at restaurants and at Costco Gas
• Earns 2% at other gas stations and on Costco.ca
• Earns 1% cash back on all other purchases (including at Costco brick and mortar stores)
• Your rewards could add up to $367.62 a year in rewards value (or $422.58 with Costco purchases), according to Forbes Advisors calculations based on average spending among Canadians
• Comes with valuable mobile device insurance
• Includes purchase security and extended warranty insurance

Best For Roadside Assistance

This card has no annual fee, yet it earns Canadian Tire Money on your spending and offers a Gold Roadside Assistance plan with up to 250 km towing distance in Canada or the U.S, as well as emergency fuel delivery, battery boosts, accident assistance, flat tire changing and lock-out service.

• High cash back rewards at Canadian Tire
• Built-in car rental insurance
• Complimentary roadside assistance
• Only grants cash-back rewards from specific store chains
• Only gives digital Canadian Tire Money as cash-back rewards
• Gives 4% back in Canadian Tire Money on qualifying pre-tax purchases at Canadian Tire, Sport Chek, Mark’s/L’Équipeur, Atmosphere, Party City, Sports Rousseau, Hockey Experts, L’Entrepôt du Hockey, and participating Sports Experts stores
• Gives 3% Canadian Tire money on groceries up to $12,000 per year (does not include Walmart or Costco)
• Gives 0.5% per litre in Canadian Tire money at gas stations and on all other purchases
• Forbes Advisor estimates $327.64 in annual rewards value based on average Canadian spending
• Car rental collision/loss damage waiver insurance
• Extended warranty protection and return protection
• Roadside assistance with up to 250 km towing distance in Canada or the U.S.
• Requires a minimum annual income of $80,000, or $150,000 in household income

best for retail shopping

Welcome bonus

Up to 15% cash back on the first purchase at a Neo retailer

This card’s earn rate and flexibility are impressive, as are its lack of any annual fee and its welcome bonus offer.

Learn more:  Read our Neo Standard Mastercard Review

• Average of 5% unlimited cash back at Neo partners
• The welcome bonus and cash back only applies to Neo partners
• Does not include travel insurance or other perks
• Welcome bonus of up to 15% cash back on your first purchase at a Neo retail partner. The exact amount depends on what the partner is willing to offer
• Average of 5% instant and unlimited cash back at over 10,000 Neo partners
• Forbes Advisor estimates $577.22 in annual cash back based on average Canadian spending

best for customizable cash back

10% cash back ($100 value)

This card is unique in that it allows you to customize where you earn the most cash back. Users can choose two of 10 spending categories that will earn 2% cash back (without limits) and get 0.5% on everything else. If you opt to deposit your cash-back rewards into a Tangerine Savings Account, you get to add a third category that earns 2% cash back as well.

That said, it is a bit sparing when it comes to other perks, but if you meet the income requirements for its high-end counterparts, the Tangerine Money-Back World Mastercard, you can get a few more frills, like travel perks, rental car collision loss/damage insurance and mobile device insurance.

Learn more:  Read our Tangerine Money-Back Card Review

• Welcome bonus of 10% cash back on up to $1,000 in purchases in your first two months ($100 value) when you apply by April 30, 2024
• Earns 2% back in two spending categories of your choosing
• Get 2% cash back in a third category when you deposit your savings into a Tangerine Savings Account
• Cash back is unlimited and paid monthly
• Includes extended warranty and purchase protection
• No additional perks, aside from extended warranty and purchase protection
• Welcome bonus of 10% cash back on up to $1,000 in purchases in your first two months ($100 value) when you apply by January 31, 2024
• 2% cash back in two spending categories of your choice, including grocery, furniture, restaurants, hotel or motel stays, gas, recurring bill payments, drug store, home improvement, entertainment, public transportation and parking
• Earn 2% cash back in a third category of your choice when you opt to deposit cash-back rewards into a Tangerine Savings Account
• 0.5% cash back on all other spending with no limit
• Forbes Advisor estimates based on average Canadian spending that you can earn $302.69 in cash back per year by using this card
• Balance transfers made in your first 30 days get a 1.95% interest rate on the transferred balance for six months

best for travel perks

The Tangerine World Mastercard is similar to the Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card in that cardholders can choose two of 10 spending categories that will earn 2% cash back (without limits) and get 0.5% on everything else. They can also add a third category if they deposit cash back into a Tangerine Savings Account. The only real difference is that the World Mastercard gets you a few more frills, like travel perks, rental car collision loss/damage insurance and mobile device insurance.

• A customizable rewards program
• No annual spending cap for any categories
• Minimum income requirements
• Mediocre rewards for most purchases
• The welcome bonus offers an extra 10% cash back on up to $1,000 in purchases made within the first two months of owning the card when you apply by April 30, 2024.
• Earn 2% cash back in two spending categories of your choice, including groceries, furniture, restaurants, hotels, gas, recurring bill payments, drug stores, home improvement, entertainment, public transportation and parking
• If you deposit your rewards into a Tangerine Bank savings account, you get a third 2% cash-back spending category
• All other spending categories earn 0.5% cash back
• The card carries an estimated annual net earnings of $302.69 per year based on average Canadian spending
• The card requires an annual minimum income of $60,000 personal, $100,000 in household income or $250,000 or more in Tangerine Bank Savings Accounts or Investment Fund Accounts
• A balance transfer rate of 1.95% for six months
• Credit card balance protection
• Rental car insurance
• Cell phone insurance
• Airport lounge access provided by DragonPass
• Checked baggage insurance

best for groceries

This low-maintenance cash back card earns 2% on groceries and 1% on everything else, with no annual fee.

• Unlimited 1% cash back
• Cash-back rewards only apply to every $100 purchase
• $6,000 cap on 2% earn rate
• 2% cash back for every $100 grocery store purchase (up to $6,000)
• 5% cash back for every $100 on qualifying purchases, up to $6,000 (1% cash back applies after)
• Forbes Advisor estimates a rewards value of $338.51 in annual earnings, based on average Canadian spending, with the annual fee factored in

best for restaurants, bars and coffee shops

Up to 20% cash back† ($100 value)

Interest Rate (Purchases) / Interest Rate (Cash Advances)

20.99% / 22.99%‡

This card gives you great cash back at bars and restaurants with no annual fee.

Learn more:  Read our  Simplii Financial Cash Back Visa Review

• 4% cash back at bars and restaurants
• $15,000 in minimum household annual income
• A low selection of insurance options
• Low base rate cash back
• Get 20% cashback in your first 3 months on eligible gas, groceries, drugstore purchases and pre-authorized payments (up to $500 spend)†
• Get a 20.99% interest rate on purchases‡
• Get a 22.99% interest rate on cash advances ‡
• Earn 4% cash back at bars, coffee shops and restaurants up to $5,000 annually, after that 0.5% unlimited†
• Earn 1.5% on eligible gas, groceries, and drugstore purchases, as well as pre-authorized payments up to $15,000 per year, after that 0.5% unlimited†
• Earn 0.5% on all other purchases†
• Purchase security and extended protection insurance are included†
• †Terms and conditions apply. Click ‘Apply Now’ for complete details. This offer is not available for residents of Quebec.”
• ‡ “Purchase” means any Transaction other than a Cash Advance, Balance Transfer or Convenience Cheque. “Cash” means a Cash Advance, Balance Transfer and Convenience Cheque. Interest rates may change from time to time.

best for balance transfers

5% cash back

A basic no-fee cash back card that offers high returns on groceries and has a competitive welcome bonus and balance transfer offer. It even offers discounts on Cirque du Soleil shows.

• Balance transfer offer of 0.99% for 9 months with a 2% transfer fee
• Flexible redemption options
• No minimum income requirement
• Low spending caps
• 0.5% base earn rate
• Welcome offers of 5% cash back on $2,500 in total purchases for three months and 0.99% interest on balance transfers with a 2% fee for nine months
• 3% cash back at eligible grocery stores (up to $500 monthly)
• 1% cash back on recurring bills (up to $500 monthly)
• 0.5% cash back on every other purchase
• Forbes Advisor estimates a rewards value of $289.24 in annual earnings based on average Canadian spending, with the annual fee factored in
• 15% off Cirque du Soleil shows in Canada and 20% off shows in Las Vegas
• Up to 25% off rentals at National Car Rental and Alamo Rent a Car participating locations

When determining a rating for individual credit cards, the Forbes Advisor Canada editorial team factors in an exhaustive list of data points. With no-annual-fee cash back, the scoring model used takes into account factors such as, but not limited to, cash-back rates and categories, fees, welcome bonuses, and other rewards and features. Keep in mind, what may be best for some people might not be right for you. Conduct informed research before deciding which cards will best help you achieve your financial goals.

It offers 3% for purchases made in American dollars.

Rewards: Earn unlimited 2% cash back (exclusively for eligible Rogers, Fido or Shaw customers) on non-U.S. dollar purchases, otherwise earn 1.5% unlimited cash back. Earn unlimited 3% cash back on U.S. dollar purchases.

Welcome Offer: N/A

Annual Fee: $0

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: With this card, you get access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide, extended warranty and purchase protection on select items, rental car collision/damage insurance, out-of-province/country emergency medical care and trip Interruption and cancellation insurance. A drawback: To qualify, your annual personal income must be over $80,000, or your household income over $150,000.

This American Express card is the only Canadian card offering 1.25% cash back on everything—and 2% on groceries and gas, up to a limit of $300 per year.

Rewards: Get 2% cash back on gas and groceries up to $300 cash back annually, and 1.25% cash back for everything else with no limit.

Welcome Offer: In your first 10 months with the card, you can earn a $10 statement credit for each monthly billing period when you spend $300 on your card, which could add up to a total of $100.

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: The card’s benefits include $100,000 travel accident insurance, automatic extended warranty on select purchases made with the card, 24/7 customer service, a fraud protection guarantee and emergency card replacement. One drawback is that American Express still isn’t as widely accepted as Visa and Mastercard .

Related: SimplyCash Card from American Express Review

This card earns you 3% cash back at restaurants and Costco gas stations, 2% at other gas stations and when you shop at Costco.ca and 1% everywhere else.

Rewards: Earn 3% cash back when you dine out at selected restaurants and fill-up at Costco gas stations on the first $5,000 net annual card purchases. You’ll earn 2% at other gas stations and Costco.ca until you hit $8,000 in purchases when it will revert back to the base rate of 1% on all other purchases.

Welcome Offer: None.

Annual Fee:  $0

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: This card offers up to $1,000 in repair or replacement coverage for your phone for up to two years, as well as purchase security and extended warranty insurance for some new items purchased with your card.

Related: CIBC Costco Mastercard Review

This card gives you 4% back in Canadian Tire (CT) Money on select items at a range of retailers beyond CT, five to seven cents  per  litre in CT Money on fuel, and 3% back in CT Money when you buy groceries.

Rewards: Earn 4% cash back in CT Money on select items at retailers including Canadian Tire, Sport Chek, Mark’s and Party City. Also, earn five to seven cents when you pump gas, 3% at grocery stores on the first $12,000 you spend per year (excluding Costco and Walmart) and 1% in CT Money everywhere else.

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: With this card, you get roadside assistance , purchase security, extended warranty and rental car insurance . But the cash-back earnings are in CT Money, making this only a card for those who frequent the home improvement store.

This card earns you up to 15% cash back on the first purchase from a Neo retail partner, then an average of 5% cash back at Neo partner locations.

Rewards: Collect an average of 5% cash back when shopping at Neo partner locations and an extra 0.5% cash back when you meet a minimum spending requirement (until you reach $50 in earnings).

Welcome Offer: Earn up to 15% cash back on the first purchase from a Neo retail partner.

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: With this card, you can choose one or multiple rewards packages for boosted cash back and app subscriptions, but it doesn’t come with any basic insurance or other benefits.

Related: Neo Standard Mastercard Review

This card offers unlimited 2% cash back in two or three purchase categories of your choice and 0.50% cash back on all eligible everyday purchases.

Rewards: Get unlimited 2% cash back in up to three categories of your choice (like groceries , gas and entertainment) and 0.50% cash back on all everyday purchases. Plus, get extra rewards when your earnings are deposited into your Tangerine Savings Account.

Welcome Offer: Receive an extra 10% cash back on up to $1,000 worth of everyday purchases made in the first two months of owning the card.

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: While this card is unique, in that it allows you to choose your cash back categories, it does not offer any additional perks like travel insurance .

Related: Tangerine Money-Back Card Review

Like the above card, this one offers unlimited 2% cash back in two or three categories of your choice and 0.50% cash back on all everyday purchases with a few Mastercard network benefits thrown in.

Rewards: Get unlimited 2% cash back in up to three categories of your choice (like groceries, gas and entertainment) and 0.50% cash back on eligible everyday purchases. Plus, get extra rewards when your cash-back earnings are deposited into your Tangerine Savings Account.

Welcome Offer: Be rewarded with an extra 10% cash back on up to $1,000 worth of everyday purchases made in the first two months of owning the card.

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: Unlike Tangerine’s Money-Back Card, this one offers rewards when travelling outside Canada, access to select airport lounges for a fee and special offers for on-demand and subscription services. However, to apply, your annual personal income must be $80,000 or $150,000 per household.

Collect up to 2% cash back on groceries and unlimited 1% cash back on everything else.

Rewards: Earn 2% cash back on every $100 you spend at grocery stores, up to a maximum reward of $120 per year or $6.000 in annual spend. After that spend threshold is crossed, get 1% cash back per $100 spent on in-store grocery purchases with no spending limit. Also earn an unlimited 0.5% cash back on all purchases other than those at the grocery store, including recurring bill payments, until a maximum of $6,000 net purchases is made for a maximum reward of $30 per year., After the $6,000 limit is reached on all purchases outside of groceries, earn an unlimited 1% on all non-grocery purchases after that.

Welcome Offer: None

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: Get  purchase security, extended warranty protection and special discounts and offers at Petro-Canada, Rexall and DoorDash for no annual fee. However, the low earn rates on this card and restrictive $6,000 spending limits on those rates ensure you won’t be earning a lucrative cash back return with this card.

This card earns a whopping 4% cash back at restaurants, bars and cafes—making it a great card for any foodie to have in their wallet.

Rewards: Earn 1.5% cash back on eligible gas, groceries, drugstore purchases and pre-authorized payments for an annual cash-back earnings maximum of $150.

Welcome Offer: Be rewarded with 20% cash back on eligible gas, groceries and drugstore purchases and any pre-authorized payments, during your first three months, up to a $500 spend ($100 value).

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: Get purchase security and extended protection insurance with this card, but you can only cash in cash back at the end of the year, when it’s automatically applied to your December statement.

Related: Simplii Financial Cash Back Visa Review

The BMO CashBack Mastercard is an ideal choice for individuals that spend less than $500 on groceries and recurring bills every month.

Rewards: 3% cash back on groceries, 1% on monthly bills and 0.5% on other eligible purchases.

Welcome Offer: 5% cash back for the first three months and 0.99% interest on balance transfers for the first nine months.

Other Benefits and Drawbacks: This card offers a pretty high earn rate on groceries—a major spending category. It also has a competitive balance transfer offer. That said, it has low spending caps and has little to offer in the way of other perks.

Some credit cards offer cash-back rewards, meaning cardholders can receive a small percentage of their purchases back in cash. For instance, if your card offers 4% cash back on groceries, and you spend $100 at the grocery store, you’d receive $4 in cash back. The cards act as a way to help you to “save” a little on everyday spending, while helping to pay off your credit card bill or fund your bank account (depending on how you redeem it).

Typically, cardholders can redeem their cash back earnings for a cash deposit in their bank account or a credit towards their monthly bill.In some instances, you can only redeem cash back once per year and it’s applied to your credit card statement automatically. Often, if you redeem as you go, you’ll have to earn a certain amount of cash back to redeem (like a $25 minimum) but some cash-back cards allow you to redeem smaller amounts.

Typically, cash back credit cards have a base earn rate—usually 0.5% to 1%—that applies across all eligible purchases.Often, they’ll allow you to earn more cash back—typically 1% to 4—in select purchase categories, like gas, groceries, restaurants or recurring bills. Some cards have a cap on how much of your spending is eligible. For example, you may get 2% cash back on gas transactions when you spend $500 or less filling up your tank each month, but after that, you’ll only earn the 1% base rate on gas purchases.

How Does Cash Back on a Credit Card Work?

Every time you use your cash back credit card, you earn back a percentage of your spending in cash, which accumulates in your cardholder account. You can typically see how much you’ve accumulated on your online bank account or mobile banking app. Some purchases you make will earn you a higher percentage of cash back rewards than others, depending on the card you have. It’s worth noting that your card may require you to accumulate a minimum amount of cash back before cashing in on the rewards. Once eligible to collect, you can get your rewards deposited into your bank account or credited towards your next monthly bill. You may also be able to get the cash back on a gift card.

What Does No Annual Fee on a Cash Back Credit Card Mean?

Some credit cards charge you an annual fee, which could be as low as $25 or over $500. With a no-annual-fee cash-back card, that fee doesn’t exist—but there may be other fees to consider. Foreign transaction fees, interest charges, balance transfer fees, and cash advance fees are all common with credit cards. Read your card agreement carefully to learn the details about fees so you can avoid those fees when possible.

Why Do Some Cash Back Credit Cards Have an Annual Fee?

Cash back credit cards that have an annual fee typically offer higher rewards rates, more attractive welcome bonuses , and/or other perks. Before selecting a card with an annual fee, carefully evaluate if its extra benefits justify the additional cost. If they don’t, there are many cash-back credit cards that don’t come with an annual fee that also offer fair rewards and perks.

Not every cash-back credit card with no annual fee is perfect for everyone. Since each card offers different perks based on purchasing habits, you’ll need to consider your lifestyle and find the credit card that best compliments it.

Forbes Advisor simply highlights the key facts about each credit card to make it easier for you to compare them and find the best one for you. It’s up to you to do the math and consider which one makes the most sense based on your spending history and plans. Here’s what you should consider:

• Fees: Do you often do balance transfers? Make purchases outside of Canada? You may want to consider a card with low balance transfer and FX fees .
• Annual percentage rate (APR): Will you be paying off your credit card in full every month? Credit card interest rates are often higher than other loans. The best card for you may be one with a low interest introductory APR offer.
• Earn rate: Do you drive a lot? Like to dine out? Consider yourself a frequent flyer? Choose a card that’ll give you the greatest percentage back in those areas.
• Bonus categories: If a card offers 5% on rotating categories (meaning you can swap out the categories from which you get a large percentage of cash back) but you don’t want to keep track of them, it’s probably not the card for you.
• Redemption and rewards: Is it easy to redeem your cash back? Is there a minimum or maximum redemption amount? Make sure you can get your rewards in the way that is ideal for you.
• Other perks: Does the card offer other perks you could benefit from? Some offer rental car insurance, built-in travel insurance, extended warranties and more that could help save you money.

Once you’ve read through all of the card details, found out how much you spend in different categories, and considered the bonus features that could be beneficial to you, you’re better equipped to make a well-informed decision.

Applying for a cash-back credit card with no annual fee is the same as applying for any other credit card. Once you find one that is right for you and you’re eligible for (meaning, your credit score and income requirements align), you can visit a bank to apply in-person or sign up by yourself online. No matter the option you choose, you’ll be asked to provide personal information, including your Social Insurance Number and financial details. Once finished, you could get approved instantly or you may have to wait for your application to be reviewed manually. Once approved, you’ll receive your card in a few days or weeks.

What are the benefits of a no annual fee cash back credit card?

The benefits of a no annual fee cash-back credit card depend on the card. Common benefits include:

• The ability to earn cash back with no annual fee
• Consumer protections like purchase protection and extended warranties
• Travel protections such as rental car insurance

Before choosing the right no annual fee cash back credit card for you, consider your lifestyle, spending habits and compare the offerings of all cards, including the earning rates, fees and other benefits.

How do I choose the best no annual fee cash back credit card for me?

To choose the best cash-back card with no annual fee, take a look at where you spend your money most—groceries, gas, entertainment, etc.—and find a card that offers the greatest cash back for those categories. Also take into account the extra benefits the card offers (such as rental car insurance) to discover if they could be of use for you, as well as its fees (like low FX fees) to decide if they could be an extra perk for your lifestyle.

How do I redeem my cash back rewards?

How you redeem your cash-back rewards will depend on the card you have. Each card has different rules that will dictate how you can use and manage your cash backs. For example, some cards have a minimum redemption amount, meaning you’ll have to wait until you accumulate a certain amount of points before you can retrieve your points, which again, will depend on the card. You can have the cash back deposited into your bank account and/or credited to your monthly bill. Sometimes, you can get them back on a gift card.

What are the drawbacks of a no annual fee cash back credit card?

By choosing a no-annual-fee cash-back credit card, you could miss out on larger amounts of cash back in the long run. That’s because credit cards that charge an annual fee have higher rates and more benefits. To determine if a card with an annual fee makes sense for you, estimate how much cash back you could earn—if it’s higher than the annual fee, it may be the right option.

But remember: Most cash-back cards charge high APRs—so if you don’t think you’ll pay off your card each month in full, you’ll pay a hefty sum in interest. In that case, a credit card or loan with a lower interest rate may be a better option.

How can I improve my chances of getting approved for a no annual fee cash back credit card?

If you want to improve your chances of getting approved for a no-annual-fee cash-back credit card, first check your credit score and report so you know where you stand. If you have a poor credit score, you may not get approved for the card you’re interested in. In that case, work on paying down existing debt to prove you’ll be able to pay off your card balance. You can also find out if you prequalify for a card, which means your credit score and financial profile matches its eligibility criteria.

Renée Reardin is a writer and editor with over a decade of experience in the lifestyle and wellness spaces. She's the former senior digital editor at Best Health magazine and Canadian Living magazine, where she handled content that covered everything from food and fitness to fashion and finance. She currently freelances for publications like Allure, Glossy, InStyle, The Toronto Star, and Teen Vogue.