Whether you’re new to credit cards or an occasional card user trying to avoid hefty fees, no-fee credit cards don’t need to mean no rewards. Many of our top picks for no-fee credit cards in Canada come with rewards and other perks like insurance coverage and discounts.
The best no-fee credit cards in Canada
Need a credit card with no yearly fee? Compare card details of our top picks in this category.
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Best cash back card with no fee
SimplyCash Card from American Express
Earn 1.25% cash back on all purchases, plus 2% cash back on gas and groceries.
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Annual Fee:
$0
Interest Rates:
21.99% purchase, 21.99% cash advance, N/A balance transfer
Welcome offer:
$100 value
Earn a bonus 5% cash back on all purchases (up to $2,000 in purchases). That’s on top of your everyday cash back earn rates. That’s up to $100 in bonus cash back.
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Best no forex card with no fee
Home Trust Preferred Visa
Get 1% cash back when shopping in Canada, and benefit from no forex fees on foreign purchases.
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Annual Fee:
$0
Interest Rates:
21.99% purchase, 21.99% cash advance, N/A balance transfer
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Best travel card with no fee
American Express Green Card
Earn 1 point per dollar on all purchases, with the option of transferring points to airline partner programs.
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Annual Fee:
$0
Interest Rates:
21.99% purchase, 21.99% cash advance, N/A balance transfer
Welcome offer:
$100 value
Earn 10,000 Membership Rewards points when you charge $1,000 in purchases to your card in the first three months of cardmembership.
| Award | Card | Annual fee | Rewards | Income requirement | Recommended credit score | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold: Best no-fee cash back credit card | SimplyCash Card from American Express | $0 | At least 1.25% cash back on all purchases | None specified | 725 or higher | Apply |
| Silver: Best no-fee cash back credit card | Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card | $0 | 2% cash back in up to 3 categories of your choice | $12,000 (household or personal) | 660 or higher | n/a |
| Gold: Best no-fee travel credit card | American Express Green Card | $0 | 1 Amex Membership Rewards point per $1 spent | None specified | 725 or higher | Apply |
| Gold: Best for no foreign transaction fees | Home Trust Preferred Visa | $0 | 1% cash back on all Canadian purchases | None specified | 660 or highe | Apply |
| Gold: Best no-fee, low-interest card | Desjardins Flexi Visa | $0 | None | None specified | 660 or higher | n/a |
| Gold: Best no-fee secured card | Home Trust Secured Visa | $0 | None | None specified | No credit required | n/a |
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Best for cash back: American Express SimplyCash Card
As the name suggests, the SimplyCash Card from American Express keeps things simple—and rewarding. The 1.25% base earn rate is among the most generous available in Canada, and it only gets sweeter from there with 2% back on gas and grocery purchases, making this the best no-fee cash back card in the country.
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SimplyCash from American Express
Annual fee: $0
Rewards: 1.25% – 2% cash back
- 2% cash back on gas and groceries
- 1.25% cash back on all other purchases
Welcome offer: Earn a bonus 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in purchases during your first three months (up to $100 in bonus cash back).
Card details
| Interest rates | 21.99% on purchases, 21.99% on cash advances, penalty APR on purchases and cash advances (rates are variable) |
| Income required | None specified |
| Credit score | 725 or higher |
Pros and cons
Pros
- Generous base earn rate: Most no-fee cash back credit cards in Canada have a base earn rate of 0.5%. With this card, you get at least a full percentage more on all your purchases.
- Travel insurance benefits: Many no-fee cards in Canada only give you extended warranty and purchase protection, but this one comes with $100,000 in travel accident insurance.
- Amex privileges: Get access to Front of the Line Presale and Reserved tickets for concerts, theatre performances, movie screenings and other events.
Cons
- Redemption options: Your cash back rewards are applied once per year to your account as a statement credit every September. Compare this to cards that pay out quarterly or on demand.
- Bonus cap on groceries: You’ll only earn 2% on the first $15,000 spent annually on groceries (equal to $300 in cash back). After that, you’ll earn at the base rate of 1.25%.
- Amex acceptance: American Express is less widely accepted in Canada than Visa or Mastercard, so you might want to also carry a secondary card for purchases at certain stores, including Costco and Loblaws.
Runner-up for cash back: Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card
As the only card in Canada that lets you pick your bonus rate categories, the Tangerine Money-Back card is a perennial favourite among Canadians looking for a flexible no-fee card that fits their spending habits. Cardholders select two categories at a time from a list of 13 options and receive 2% cash back on purchases in those categories. Those with a Tangerine Savings Account can even unlock a third 2% cash-back category.
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Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card
Annual fee: $0
Rewards: 0.5% – 2% cash back
- 2% in up to 2 categories of your choice (including groceries, gas and dining) or 3 categories if you deposit your Rewards into a Tangerine Savings Account and get a third 2% Money-Back category.
- 0.5% cash back on everything else
Welcome offer: Earn an extra 10% cash back during the first two months (up to $100 in cash back). Offer expires January 30, 2026
Card details
| Interest rates | 20.95% on purchases, 22.95% on cash advances and 22.95% on balance transfers |
| Income required | Personal or household income of $12,000 |
| Credit score | 660 or higher |
Pros and cons
Pros
- Unmatched cash back flexibility: This is the only card in Canada that allows you to pick your own bonus categories and change them over time to reflect your evolving spending habits.
- 13 categories to choose from: Pick your two (or three) categories from a list that includes grocery, gas, restaurants, entertainment, public transit, and recurring bills. You can also switch bonus categories every 90 days.
- Easy redemption: Rewards are automatically deposited into your account monthly.
- Free additional users: Add up to 5 free authorized users and earn faster as a group.
- Low balance transfer interest rate: Transfer balances during the first 30 days and pay only 1.95% interest on the balance for the first 6 months (plus a 1% balance transfer fee).
Cons
- Limited insurance and perks: Only the most basic two coverages are included (purchase assurance and extended warranty) and extra perks are limited.
- Low base rate: Purchases that don’t fall into one of your chosen 2% categories will only earn 0.5% cash back.
- No physical branches: Tangerine does not have any physical locations, so you must be comfortable with online banking.
Best for travel: American Express Green Card
Earn points on everyday purchases and enjoy the flexibility of redeeming them for a variety of rewards with this no-fee credit card. Plus, Amex Membership Rewards are transferable at a 1:1 value to other frequent flyer and rewards programs, creating an opportunity to boost the value of your rewards.
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American Express Green Card
Annual fee: $0
Rewards: 1 – 2 Points per dollar
- 1 point for every $1 spent on all purchases
- 1 additional point for every $1 spent on hotel or car bookings made on americanexpress.ca.
Welcome offer: earn 10,000 Membership Rewards points when you charge $1,000 in purchases to your card in the first three months of cardmembership.
Card details
| Interest rates | 21.99% on purchases, and 21.99% on cash advances, penalty APR on purchases and cash advances (rates are variable) |
| Income required | None specified |
| Credit score | 725 or higher |
| Point value | 1 Amex Membership Rewards point = $0.01 when redeemed with the Flexible Points Travel Program, $0.015 on average with the Fixed Points Travel Program, and up to $0.02 with airline points transfers. |
Pros and cons
Pros
- Strong earning potential: Earn a flat rate of 1 point per $1 on all purchases with no spending limits, and double for hotel or car rental bookings made through Amex Travel Online.
- Transfer points to increase value: When you transfer points to certain partner programs, like Aeroplan, you can double their value to 2 cents per point.
- Amex Membership perks: Take advantage of curated dining, shopping, and entertainment events with rewards like Amex Experiences, and get advance access to tickets with Front of the Line.
Cons