Guru Picks: the best credit cards in Canada

Updated June 2026 · 13 picks · Independently chosen by the CreditCardGuru editorial team

A Guru Pick is a card our editors actually recommend — the standouts that win their category on rewards, perks, fees and real-world value. Here are all 13, ranked, with the honest reason each one earned the badge.

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Suggested score 720+ · Excellent credit

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#1 Guru Pick American Express®

American Express® Cobalt® Card

4.8

The Cobalt is the gold standard for food-and-grocery earning in Canada. If you spend heavily at restaurants and supermarkets and value flexible, transferable points, nothing else comes close.

Best-in-class earn rate on dining and groceries
Membership Rewards transfer to Aeroplan, Marriott & more
Low monthly fee is easy to justify for foodies

First-year value: ~$300
Annual fee: $156
Best for: Foodies and everyday spenders who want maximum points on dining and groceries

Suggested score 720+ · Excellent credit

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#2 Guru Pick Scotiabank®

Scotiabank® Gold American Express®

4.7

A do-it-all rewards card: category-leading grocery earning, strong dining and entertainment multipliers, and no FX fee for when you travel or shop in USD.

No 2.5% foreign transaction fee
6x on groceries is one of the highest in Canada
Reasonable $120 annual fee for the value

First-year value: ~$650
Annual fee: $120
Best for: Grocery shoppers and travellers who want no foreign transaction fees

Suggested score 720+ · Excellent credit

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#3 Guru Pick American Express®

American Express® Platinum Card

4.7

Canada's flagship premium travel card. The lounge access, travel credits and hotel status can outweigh the steep fee for those who travel often — and the points are the most flexible going.

Best lounge access in Canada
Premium travel credits and hotel status
Flexible, transferable Membership Rewards points

First-year value: ~$1,200
Annual fee: $799
Best for: Frequent travellers who want top-tier lounge access and transferable points

Suggested score 720+ · Excellent credit

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#4 Guru Pick TD® Bank

TD® Aeroplan® Visa® Infinite

4.5

If you fly Air Canada even a couple of times a year, the free checked bag and Aeroplan earning make this an easy pick. Outside that ecosystem, look elsewhere.

Free first checked bag pays for the fee quickly
Aeroplan points have high redemption ceilings
Strong 21-day travel medical coverage

First-year value: ~$1,200
Annual fee: $139
Best for: Air Canada flyers who want free checked bags and Aeroplan points

Suggested score 720+ · Excellent credit

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#5 Guru Pick CIBC®

CIBC® Dividend® Visa® Infinite Card

4.5

CIBC's best card for most people — the 4% grocery/gas rate and broad 2% categories outpace nearly every competitor, easily justifying the fee for typical family spending.

4% on gas and groceries is among the highest in Canada
Strong 2% middle tier covers dining, transit and bills
First-year fee rebate on current offer

First-year value: ~$350
Annual fee: $120
Best for: Households with heavy grocery and gas spend who want maximum cash back.

Suggested score 720+ · Excellent credit

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#6 Guru Pick Scotiabank®

Scotia Momentum® Visa® Infinite + Card

4.5

Canada's perennial best-cash-back-card winner: 4% on groceries and recurring payments plus strong insurance easily outearns the annual fee for most families.

Top-tier 4% on groceries and recurring bills
Multi-year winner of best cash back card awards
Anytime redemption and full insurance package

First-year value: ~$420
Annual fee: $120
Best for: Households with large grocery and bill spending who want maximum cash back.

Suggested score 660+ · Good credit

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#7 Guru Pick Tangerine®

Tangerine® Money-Back Credit Card

4.4

The smartest no-fee cash-back card for people who want to tailor their bonus categories. Pair it with a Tangerine savings account for a third 2% category.

Pick the 2% categories that match your spending
Truly no-fee with monthly payouts
Third 2% category if you redirect rewards to savings

First-year value: ~$100
Annual fee: No fee
Best for: No-fee cash back with customizable bonus categories

Suggested score 660+ · Good credit

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#8 Guru Pick Wealthsimple®

Wealthsimple® Credit Card

4.4

A standout no-fee card: a flat 1% with zero foreign transaction fees is rare, and Wealthsimple clients can push it to 2%. A no-fuss everyday and travel card.

Rare no-fee card with no FX fees
Flat 1% on everything, auto-invested
Higher rates for Wealthsimple clients

Annual fee: No fee
Best for: No-fee, no-FX everyday cash back — especially for Wealthsimple clients

Suggested score 720+ · Excellent credit

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#9 Guru Pick TD® Bank

TD® First Class Travel Visa® Infinite

4.4

TD's headline travel card, currently with a record welcome bonus. Best value comes from booking travel through Expedia For TD; the everyday 6x is a nice bonus.

Huge welcome bonus
High earn rate on Expedia For TD travel
Strong everyday 6x on dining and groceries

First-year value: ~$800
Annual fee: $139
Best for: A big TD Rewards welcome bonus for travel booked through Expedia

Desjardins Odyssey Visa Infinite Privilege

Suggested score 760+ · Excellent credit

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#10 Guru Pick Desjardins®

Desjardins® Odyssey® Visa® Infinite Privilege

4.2

Desjardins's flagship card pairs elite-tier earn rates and 60-day travel coverage with a rare sub-12% interest rate, though the rewards currency and lounge network skew heavily toward Quebec residents.

4% back on dining, entertainment and transit with a strong 1.5% base
60-day travel insurance plus 18 combined lounge visits per year
Premium card with an exceptionally low 11.9% interest rate

Annual fee: $295
Best for: Affluent Quebec travellers who want luxury Visa Infinite Privilege perks, generous earn rates and best-in-class travel insurance.

Suggested score 720+ · Excellent credit

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#11 Guru Pick TD® Bank

TD® Cash Back Visa® Infinite Card

4.1

One of Canada's top cash back cards thanks to broad 3% categories and the included TD Auto Club membership — just make sure your spending justifies the fee.

Strong 3% earn across five everyday categories
Free roadside assistance is a rare, genuinely useful perk
Simple redemption toward your balance anytime

First-year value: ~$489
Annual fee: $139
Best for: Drivers and households with big grocery, gas and bill spend who want simple cash back plus roadside assistance.

Suggested score 720+ · Excellent credit

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#12 Guru Pick Canadian Tire® Bank

Triangle® World Elite Mastercard®

4.1

Arguably Canada's best store-branded card: 3% on groceries, 4% at Triangle stores and free Gold roadside assistance, all for $0 a year. Just be content redeeming rewards within the Canadian Tire family.

Outstanding value for a no-fee card: 4% at Canadian Tire family stores and 3% on groceries
Free Gold roadside assistance is a genuine ~$100 annual perk
Unique bill-pay feature earns rewards on normally card-ineligible bills

Annual fee: No fee
Best for: Drivers and Canadian Tire/Sport Chek shoppers who want strong no-fee rewards plus free roadside assistance.

Desjardins Cash Back World Elite Mastercard

Suggested score 720+ · Excellent credit

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#13 Guru Pick Desjardins®

Desjardins® Cash Back World Elite Mastercard®

4.1

One of Canada's best grocery cash back cards, returning up to $400 a year on groceries alone for a $100 fee; the weak 3-day travel insurance is the main gap.

Market-leading 4% on groceries and 3% on dining, entertainment and transit
Strong purchase protections and rental car coverage for the fee

Annual fee: $100
Best for: High-income households that spend heavily on groceries and dining and want maximum cash back.

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