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Best Rewards Credit Cards in Canada for 2020

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Rewards credit cards offer frequent flyer points and merchandise discounts to encourage frequent use. By maximizing points, users benefit from affordable airfare, hotel room benefits, and exclusive dining and shopping experiences.

Overview of Rewards Credit Cards

Customers who use rewards cards are offered miles or points for each purchase they charge to the card. Points can be redeemed for hotel or motel stays, free flights, entertainment, brand and select product purchases, and gift cards and vouchers.  Points can also be exchanged for specialized services, charity donations, classes and training, and recurring bill payments. Some banks feature a catalogue with a range of products to choose from, including movie tickets, spa and wellness, travel merchandise, accessories, and clothing. Sign-up bonuses are also offered to encourage spending.

Best Rewards Cards Overall

The best cards offer customers the choice to exchange points or miles for a number of options. These include catalogue merchandise, discounts on hotel bookings, cruises, and vacation packages, and statement credits. Cardholders also benefit from transferable points that can be transferred to hotel loyalty programs, airlines, and other partners.

Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card

One of the top cards to earn extra points is the Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card, featuring access to exclusive events and special offers, supplementary cards, and comprehensive insurance coverage. Holders earn 1 point for each dollar spent on daily purchases, 3x points on select streaming services, transit, and gas, and 5x points on dining, groceries, and entertainment. Extra points are offered for theatre and movie tickets, food subscription and delivery, fast food, and restaurant purchases. The card also comes with comprehensive insurance package, including travel accident, lost and delayed baggage, and flight delay insurance. The first $1,000 spent on everyday purchases earn 20,000 points. Added perks include no foreign transaction fees, front of the line tickets, and airport lounge access.

Eligibility criteria:

  • Minimum personal income required: $12,000
  • Interest Rate: 19.99%
  • Have not filed for bankruptcy: 7 years
  • Annual fee: $120

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Best No Fee Rewards Card

No fee cards are great in that they combine two perks – no annual fees and frequent flyer or rewards points. This helps customers save on fees while earning money in the form of points. Common benefits also include travel and return protection, complimentary memberships, travel assistance services, and low introductory interest rates.

Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card

A great card to save on annual fees, the Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card also features unlimited money-back rewards that are paid on a monthly basis. Customers earn unlimited rewards and can either redeem them into their savings accounts or add them to their card balance. Holders earn 2 percent cash back across different categories such as entertainment, home improvement, drug store purchases, and parking and public transportation. While everyday purchases earn 0.5 cash back, recurring bill payments and gas, restaurant, and furniture purchases earn 2 percent money back. Additional perks include free supplementary cards, promotional balance transfer rate, and complimentary $250 credit for $5,000 spent on everyday purchases during the first three months from opening the account.

Eligibility criteria:

  • Annual income: $12,000 or higher
  • Interest Rate: 19.95%
  • Have not declared bankruptcy: 7 years
  • Annual fee: none

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Best Cashback Card

Cashback cards offer money back on everyday spending and feature shopping perks, entertainment benefits, and sign-up bonuses. The main types are rotating bonus category, tiered cashback, and flat-rate cashback. Rotating bonus category cards offer extra rewards for spending in select categories that change quarterly. Examples of bonus categories include dining, groceries, and gas. Keeping track of the cashback calendar helps maximize rewards.

Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite

This Scotiabank rewards credit card with extra cash back, the Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite has the most awards in 2019. Customers earn 1 percent back on daily purchases, 2 percent on transit and gas, and 4 percent on subscription services, recurring bill payments, and grocery store purchases. Two percent back is offered on rideshare, trains, taxis, and buses. Customers earn 4 percent back on subscription payments such as lifestyle boxes, music and video streaming, and meal kit delivery. They also earn 4 percent back on bill payments such as gym memberships, utility bills, and insurance premiums. Supplementary cards are also available.

Added benefits include hotel room upgrades, guaranteed best available rates, complimentary concierge service, and car rental discounts. The card also comes with comprehensive insurance coverage, including flight delay, travel emergency and new mobile device insurance.

Eligibility criteria:

  • Household income: $100,000 or higher
  • Annual income: $60,000 or higher
  • Interest Rate: 20.99%
  • Annual fee: $120

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Best Travel Rewards Card

The best cards that come with rewards allow holders to redeem points for travel, shopping, and cash and often feature rotating cashback categories. Added incentives include extra points, annual travel credit, sign-up bonuses, and no earning caps or redemption limitations.

Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card

As one of the best rewards credit cards to earn bonus points, the Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card offers generous complimentary bonuses. Customers earn 10,000 rewards points when they spend $40,000 or more on an annual basis. Cardholders earn double points for entertainment, dining, grocery purchases, and daily transit. Transit purchases include taxis, subways, and buses. There is an option to add supplementary cards to maximize rewards. Added benefits for users include airport lounge access, no foreign transaction fees, and Avis Preferred Plus Membership. The card also comes with comprehensive insurance package, featuring travel accident, flight delay, travel emergency medical, and other types of insurance.

Eligibility criteria:

  • Annual fee: $139
  • Minimum personal income: $60,000
  • Minimum household income: $100,000
  • Interest Rate: 19.99%
  • Have not declared bankruptcy: 7 years

Best Store Card

A store card is a good choice for customers with little or no credit exposure and those who need to rebuild their credit history. This enables borrowers to access more affordable credit solutions. Store cards come with additional benefits such as free shipping, discounts at stores, cafes, and restaurants, and free item returns.

PC Financial World Elite MasterCard

The PC Financial World Elite MasterCard is one such store card that comes with no annual fee and features standard and optional benefits. Customers earn 45 points per $1 when shopping at Shoppers Drug Mart and 30 points at PC Travel, Esso, and Mobil. All other purchases earn 10 points per $1. PC Financial also offers an easy to use rewards calculator to help cardholders calculate points across different categories. Spending categories include groceries, travel, gas, and health expenses. Holders who spend $500 on travel, for example, earn 180,000 PC Optimum points worth $180. Optional extras that come with this card include victim assistance, credit education, and daily surveillance and monitoring. Customers are also offered concierge service, identity theft assistance, travel emergency medical insurance, and more.

Eligibility criteria:

  • Minimum household income: $150,000
  • Minimum personal income: $80,000
  • Interest Rate: 19.97%
  • Annual fee: None

Best Card for Groceries

Grocery credit cards offer generous cash back on grocery store purchases and are thus ideal for big and frequent shoppers. Many cards also feature cash back on gas purchases, utility bills, and other expenses. Some cards come with rotating categories while others offer multiple rewards rates or flat rates. Co-branded cards are also available as to allow customers to earn extra points or cash back at select stores.

Triangle World Elite MasterCard by Canadian Tire

One of the best cards offering rewards, the Triangle World Elite MasterCard by Canadian Tire offers customers access to personalized offers and member-only events. Holders earn 4 percent back at participating retailers, including SportChek, Hockey Experts, Sports Rousseau, Atmosphere, and Canadian Tire. Spend and collect bonuses are also available at select retailers such as L’Entrepôt du Hockey, Sports Rousseau, Canadian Tire, and others. Cardholders also earn 7 cents per litre in CT Money at Husky and Canadian Tire Gas+. In addition, they are offered perks and incentives such as no interest financing, concierge service, and roadside assistance. The Triangle App helps cardholders to organize their finances and keep track of purchases and weekly exclusive offers. The card also comes with car rental loss damage/collision waiver and priority queuing.

Eligibility criteria:

  • Minimum income: $80,000
  • Annual Fee: None
  • Interest Rate: 19.99%

The best rewards credit cards offer multiple benefits such as points and cash, annual fee waivers, comprehensive insurance, and access to exclusive events and loyalty programs. Customers also benefit from one-time bonuses, unlimited cashback or points on grocery store, dining, and other purchases, and VIP status. Bonus points are also offered after the card member anniversary. The best cards with rewards also come with no category restrictions, seat restrictions, and blackout dates when promotions or discounts are no longer available.

Most issuers have minimum income requirements to ensure that customers have sufficient income to make regular payments. Persons with higher incomes are also more likely to be big shoppers who regularly charge purchases on points cards.

Tangerine Cashback Credit Card

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Money-Back Credit Card
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Tangerine cashback credit cards are offered by Scotiabank-owned Tangerine bank. They are available exclusively in Canada. It’s one of the most popular cash back credit cards available in Canada.

Overview

The main draw of the Tangerine cashback credit cards is that there is no annual fee attached to it. Each purchase a user makes using the Tangerine cards earns cash back. The earned rewards can be deposited directly back to the credit card account so that it applies towards the balance.

A user has to select 2% money-back categories to get 2% cash back on these purchases, plus 1% on all other purchases. Tangerine credit cards are usually attached to a Tangerine savings account, so the rewards can easily be deposited. Cashback rewards deposited to the savings accounts are treated just like other savings deposits and will earn interest. Users can choose the redemption option on the savings accounts and choose two 2% cash back categories. The other option is to have the money directly deposited into a credit account, where the rewards will be applied against the other balance.

The advantage of Tangerine is that rewards do not need to be requested in advance. Rewards are also unlimited and are not subject to a throng of restrictions. Lack of annual fee means users can get cashback without rewards being deducted by service charges. Money-back rewards are also awarded on a monthly basis, rather than an annual basis.

It’s important to note that white there is no annual fee, there are several charges for other transactions. Each foreign currency exchange will have a 1.50% charge added to the converted transaction amount. Cash advances are $2.50 in Canada and $5 outside Canada. Balance transfer charge is 1% of the transfer amount or a minimum of $5. Dishonoured payments cost $25. The overcharge limit is $20, and only one overcharge payment is allowed each month. If you want to print a past statement, it will cost you $5. No charges apply to print current monthly statements.

Tangerine cashback cards are for personal use only, and businesses are not issued these cards. A single card can have up to 5 authorized users attached to the account. These authorized users will be able to make purchases and can take cash advances on the individual credit cards issued to them. However, authorized users cannot change the credit limit on the account or request balance transfers to other accounts. The primary cardholder will be responsible for paying the total balance on the account. It’s important to note that the primary cardholder is responsible for any and all transactions authorized users make.

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Users can change the 2% money-back categories after activating the card anytime. Changes will take effect once the first monthly statement arrives. Users have the freedom to request changes throughout. However, existing categories must have been in place for 90 days before the changes can be implemented.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • No annual fee being charged. Most money-back credit cards have annual fees of close to a $100.
  • Cash back is unlimited.
  • Users receive 4% cash back as a welcome bonus for the first 90 days.
  • After the first three months, users can receive 2% cash back on any two categories of their choosing, and an additional 1% cash back on all other purchases.
  • No earning caps or restrictions imposed on non-category purchases.
  • Cardholders can choose two categories from 10 options, which covers expenses such as gas, clothes, electronics, pharmacy, and certain recurring bill payments.
  • Freedom to change categories any time as wished.
  • Cash back rewards can be deposited to a savings account if desired.
  • Rewards are granted automatically. No requesting process necessary.
  • Add up to 5 authorized users to a single account.
  • Schedule automatic payments online.

Cons

  • No travel perks.
  • While the Tangerine cashback card can be used outside Canada, transactions may be limited or restricted considering international banking regulations and safety of overseas transactions.
  • A 1% balance transfer charge applies.
  • Balance transfers between authorized users is not allowed.
  • Overcharging is limited to only $20, and only one overcharge is allowed per month.

Comparison to Other Canadian Cashback Credit Cards

Currently, Tangerine cashback credit cards are highly favoured by consumers over other Canadian credit cards available on the market such as American Express Simply Cash Card and Rogers Platinum MasterCard.

One of the biggest advantages that Tangerine has is that cash back is unlimited and is deposited automatically without the need for formal requests. Users often have to make requests and sort through complicated bonus rewards programs to get the money-back on other similar cards.

Most cashback rewards programs offer bonuses at the end of each year. Tangerine cards offer cashback rewards on a monthly basis. Redeeming rewards is effortless and convenient. The rewards can be arranged to be deposited to a savings account or towards the balance of the account. This is an option absent from many other similar programs.

While the Tangerine card charges 1.5% foreign transaction fee, this is quite low compared to what many other money-back credit cards charge. Most offer rates closer to 2.5%.

There are other cards offering flat 2% to 4% rewards and bonus points for all purchases. However, these also require cardholders to show a minimum monthly income of $6,000 or more. The Tangerine card’s monthly income requirement is much lower. So, this is a good option for entry-level workers and those firmly in the mid-income category.

As there is no annual fee, the Tangerine credit card stands as a desirable alternative to cash back cards that demand premium yearly service charges.

Other similar programs, like American Express’s Simply Cash, offers 1.25% money back on all purchases. Tangerine offers only 1% money back on all purchases.  But remember, this is in addition to the 2% you get on selected categories. It’s easy to apply the higher rate for transactions you tend to conduct more frequently, like paying for gas, and also earn rewards for non-frequent transactions, like buying clothes, as well.

Cashback vs. Rewards Credit Cards – What is the Better Choice?

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Cash back and rewards cards are often reserved for creditworthy clients with high income and offer exclusive perks and discounts. The question whether a cash back or rewards card is a better choice depends on many factors, including financial habits and lifestyle, personality, short- and long-term goals, and credit history. Customers who are frequent travelers often opt for a rewards credit card. Some people also choose a rewards card to get merchandise rewards or services. Most cash back cards offer 1 percent back but there are attractive options. Look for cards that feature extra points on a selection of categories you will actually use.

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Cash Back Credit Cards

Benefits

Cash back cards offer plenty of benefits and perks such as long interest-free periods, low introductory rates, and special promotions that allow holders to earn at a double or triple rate. Signature cash back cards offer premium benefits and exclusive payback schemes to creditworthy customers. Some issuers feature a high earn rate of 4 – 5 percent during the first 6 months to attract clients and encourage spending. It is a good idea to pay the balance in full, however, because there are cards with interest rates of 19 – 25 percent. Some cards go with higher rates or annual fees in exchange for perks such as no limit on cash back, no rotating categories, no annual fee, and others. Some issuers also emphasize the fact that points never expire and there is bonus cash back if you reach a certain spending level.
On the downside, some issuers have annual income requirements and usually offer better terms to clients with stellar credit. There are issuers that offer eligibility calculators online to help customers make the right choice based on factors such as annual income, current bank, and residential and employment status.

Features

Some cash back credit cards offer the option to transfer high interest balances and clients benefit from a zero introductory rate over the first 6 to 12 months. The standard rate usually varies between 12.9 and 24.9 percent and is based on income and credit rating. Issuers offer cards by Visa, MasterCard, and AMEX, and usually require good, very good, or excellent credit. Cash back is offered on purchases at different retailers and establishments such as coffee shops, movie theaters, retail stores, gas stations, and grocery stores.

How Does It Work?

In essence, cash back cards work like loyalty and rewards schemes. This means that customers are rewarded for charging purchases on their cards. Issuers feature different options, and there are programs that offer a flat rate on all purchases. Many issuers offer a rate of 1 percent, and cash back is paid in the form of statement credit or check. There are financial institutions that advertise extra cash back on certain categories. In any case, money back is usually calculated based on spending level. Once customers reach a certain level, they can request statement credit or order a check. Some programs are somehow complex in that financial institutions may not disclose which purchases earn at a flat rate and which categories earn at a tired rate.

Rewards Credit CardsLOC31

This is a type of a premium card with special perks and benefits, complimentary bonuses, and generous reward schemes. Airmiles and rewards cards usually required very good or stellar credit to qualify. Some financial institutions also have annual household income requirements. The goal is to deselect risky and unprofitable clients and move existing clients up-segment. In any case, it pays to check the credit requirements because some issuers accept only applicants with excellent credit while others are more lenient and offer specialty cards to customers with fair credit.

Benefits

There are plenty of benefits for holders, one being a degree of flexibility in how to use and redeem bonus points. Rewards are offered on all purchases, and customers earn extra points on certain dining, travel, and shopping categories. Financial institutions also emphasize the fact that premium cards offer a greater degree of control and freedom. То attract customers, retain existing clients, and encourage spending, finance companies and banks offer added incentives and benefits such as complimentary lounge access, access to sporting, concert, and exclusive events, complimentary benefits and upgrades at resorts and luxury hotels, and a lot more. Customers also benefit from a selection of platinum services such as shopping and dining advice, booking, travel planning, and assistance, and a lot more. Holders also benefit from priority boarding, discounts on in-flight refreshments and snacks, and flight upgrades. You can check your first bag free-of-charge as well.

Features

Specialty credit cards offer different types of rewards, including shopping rewards, discounts on gas, and points. Some cards go with zero introductory fees during the first 6 months or 1 year while others have no annual fee. There are also issuers that charge high annual fees in exchange for exclusive benefits and add-ons. The interest rate varies, based on income, credit rating, debt to income ratio, issuer, and other factors. Issuers usually offer a variable interest rate. Rewards can be earned on different types of purchases such as retail, gas, department store, and others. With airmiles cards, holders also collect points toward flight discounts and free flights. Some issuers offer points on standard purchases and extra points on flight and hotel bookings. With other issuers, clients earn 1 point on standard purchases and 2 points on utility, grocery store, and gas purchases.

How It Works

LOC32Rewards cards are popular among bank customers and offer access to attractive loyalty programs and schemes. Basically, cardholders earn points on all purchases charged to the card. The earn rate varies by issuer and purchase category. The points earned can be exchanged for travel and retail purchases or for cash rebates. Some providers also offer the option to redeem points for services. Basically, you can choose between cash and merchandise. Note that limitations and restrictions may apply and some types of purchases may be excluded. Customers are also offered bonus points for online bill payment.

Conclusion

The choice between cash back and rewards credit cards depends on many factors, among which spending habits, income level, lifestyle, and types of incentives and rewards and loyalty programs offered. There are other factors to look into, for example, the grace period, penalty rate, interest rate, balance transfer fee, annual fee, foreign transaction fee, and others. Some issuers also offer complementary and supplemental credit cards. The type of card to choose also depends on your spending level. Many customers use their card on a daily basis to get the most of the rewards or cash back scheme. The type of card to choose also depends on your credit rating. Creditworthiness is an important factor for financial institutions and they use it as an indicator to measure risk level. Customers with a solid payment history and on-time payments are offered premium cards with exclusive rewards and experiences. In fact, if you have fair credit, your application for a cash back or rewards credit card may be turned down. It pays to check your credit report for mistakes and omissions and improve your rating first and then apply for a specialty credit card.