Past Winners: Best Credit Cards in Canada

Best Credit Cards in Canada Winners 2022

RATESDOTCA’S Best Credit Cards in Canada Award analyzes the top credit cards in Canada every year, using the Best of Finance methodology to find the best credit cards for you.

Here are our top credit card category winners for 2022.

Category  2022 Winner
Best Overall Rewards Credit Card American Express Cobalt®Credit Card

Best No-Fee Cash Back Card  

Tangerine World Mastercard® 

Best No-Fee Travel Card  

MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus® Mastercard®  

Best Overall Travel Card  

CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card  

Best Overall Cash Back Card  

BMO Cash Back World Elite* Mastercard*  

Best Low Interest Card  

MBNA True Line Gold Mastercard  

Best Balance Transfer Card  

CIBC Select Visa* Card  

Best Card for Building Credit  

No Fee Home Trust Secured Visa* Card  

Best Card for Young Professionals  

 American Express Cobalt® Credit Card 

  

Best Card for Students  

BMO CashBack® Mastercard®* for Students  

Best Card for Earning Travel Points  

American Express Cobalt® Credit Card 

 

Best No FX Fees Card for Long Stay Travellers  

Scotiabank®* Gold American Express® Card  

Best Family Card for Gas and Groceries  

President’s Choice Financial® World Elite Mastercard® 

Best Card for Staying at Home and Ordering In  

 Scotiabank®* Gold American Express® Card 

Best No-Frills Cash Back Card 
 

Simply Cash Card from American Express  

Best Overall Mastercard  

MBNA Rewards Elite® Mastercard® 

Best Overall Visa Card  

 CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card 

 

Best Credit Cards in Canada 2021


Here are our top credit card category winners for 2021.

Category

Winner  

Best Overall Rewards Credit Card  

American Express Cobalt™ Credit Card  

Best No-Fee Cash Back Credit Card  

BMO CashBack® Mastercard®*  

Best No-Fee Travel Credit Card  

MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus® Mastercard®  

Best Overall Travel Credit Card  

CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite™ Card  

Best Overall Cash Back Credit Card  

Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite* Card  

Best Low Interest Credit Card  

True Line® Gold Mastercard® Credit Card  

Best Balance Transfer Credit Card  

CIBC Select Visa* Card  

Best Secured Credit Card for Building Credit  

No Fee Home Trust Secured Visa* Card  

Best Credit Card for Young Professionals  

American Express Cobalt Credit Card  

Best Student Credit Card  

BMO CashBack® Mastercard®* for Students  

Best Credit Card for Earning Travel Points  

American Express Cobalt™ Credit Card  

Best Credit Card with No Foreign Transaction Fees for Long Stay Travellers  

Scotiabank®* Gold American Express® Card  

Best Family Credit Card for Gas and Groceries  

President’s Choice Financial® World Elite Mastercard®  

Best Credit Card for Staying at Home and Ordering In  

Scotiabank®* Gold American Express® Card  

Best No-Frills Cash Back Credit Card  

SimplyCash™ Card from American Express 

Best Credit Cards in Canada Winners 2020

Here are our top credit card category winners for 2020.

Category 

Winner 

Best Rewards Credit Card 

American Express Cobalt™ Card 

Best No Fee Credit Card 

MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus® Mastercard® 

Best Cash Back Credit Card 

TD Cash Back Visa Infinite* Card 

Best Travel Credit Card 

Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card 

Best Premium Perks Credit Card 

The Platinum Card® from American Express 

Best Credit Card for Families 

President’s Choice Financial® World Elite Mastercard® 

Best Credit Card for Frequent Flyers 

Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card 

Best Credit Card for Paying Down Your Balance 

HSBC +Rewards™ Mastercard® 

Best Credit Card for Rebuilding Your Credit 

Home Trust Secured Visa* 

Best Credit Card for Young Professionals 

American Express Cobalt™ Card 

Best Credit Card for Students 

BMO® CashBack® Mastercard®* for Students 

Best Credit for Snowbirds or Cross-border Shoppers 

Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card 

Best Credit Card for Newcomers to Canada 

BMO® CashBack® Mastercard®* 

 

 

*The RATESDOTCA Best of Finance methodology assumes the cardholder spends an average of $2,000 a month on their card to determine the first-year value. The calculation includes all welcome bonuses and promotional offers at the time of publishing.

See our top credit card picks for the current year.

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