One of Canada's strongest everyday-earning cards, with 5x on five common categories and generous caps. The modest $120 fee and birthday bonus make it a compelling all-purpose keeper.
At a glance
Annual fee
$120
Welcome bonus
~$300
Foreign tx fee
2.5%
Network
MASTERCARD
Rewards
points
Purchase APR
21.99%
Rewards & earn rates
Groceries$50,000 annual cap per category; 1x after
5x
Restaurants
5x
Digital media
5x
Memberships & household utilities
5x
Everything else
1x
Welcome offer: Up to 30,000 MBNA Rewards points (worth $300); reduced offer for Quebec residents (10,000 points on approval plus 20,000 points after spending $2,000 in the first 90 days).
Pros & cons
Pros
Exceptional 5x earn rate on groceries, dining, utilities, memberships and digital media
Birthday bonus effectively boosts all earnings by up to 10%
Flexible points: cash, travel, gift cards
Cons
No travel medical coverage for those 65+ and no trip cancellation insurance
Only 1x on travel and everything outside the bonus categories
Perks & insurance
Key perks
Annual birthday bonus: 10% of points earned over the prior 12 months (up to 15,000 points)
5x earn across five everyday categories with very high $50,000 caps
Works at Costco (Mastercard accepted)
Mobile device insurance up to $1,000
Avis and Budget car rental discounts
Insurance
Travel emergency medical $2,000,000 (21 days, under 65)
