Credit Card Comparison

Net rewards/yr = Σ(category reward) × 12 − annual fee, across groceries, gas & transit, dining, recurring bills, and everything else. Each category earns the card's boosted rate up to its annual spend cap, then the card's base rate above the cap, so a "5% up to $6,000/yr, then 1%" card is credited honestly once your spend clears the cap.

Recurring bills: subscriptions, phone, insurance and utilities earn each card's dedicated recurring/pre-authorized rate (e.g. Scotia Momentum and CIBC Dividend boost this category); cards with no special recurring rate simply earn their "everything else" rate on it.

Welcome bonus: with the toggle on, the estimated bonus is added only when your spend meets the required minimum within the bonus window (e.g. $9,000 in 12 months). Cards whose minimum you don't reach show "bonus not counted", so a big first-year number never assumes spending you won't do.

Point value: earn rates are quoted at a conservative ~1¢/point, so the default 1.0¢ leaves every figure unchanged. Raising the cents-per-point value only lifts transferable points cards (Membership Rewards on Amex Cobalt/Platinum/Business Edge, Aeroplan on TD) — Cobalt-style transfers to airline partners routinely reach 1.5–2¢. Cash-back cards and fixed-value programs (Scene+, PC Optimum ~1¢) are never scaled.

Income: enter your annual income to dim cards whose stated minimum you don't meet (they drop to the end of the list for reference, with no apply link, and are excluded from the #1 pick). Leave it at $0 to skip the check. A card qualifies once your income clears its lowest stated bar — personal income is usually the easier path than the household figure.

Which caps are modelled: clean per-category caps are applied (BMO CashBack World Elite groceries $6,000/yr; Simplii dining $5,000/yr). Combined annual caps that span several bonus categories at different rates (Scotia Momentum, CIBC Dividend, Amex Cobalt) are not modelled, so at high spend those cards' figures are optimistic ceilings, check the issuer's combined cap.

Low interest view: ranked by purchase APR, not rewards, if you carry a balance, a 12.99% rate beats any cash back. Pair with the payoff calculator and debt payoff planner.

What this doesn't model: combined/shared caps, insurance packages, per-card point valuations, first-year-free promos, and credit approval odds. Figures as of , pending verification, issuer pages are the source of truth.

How do I pick the best card?

Compute net rewards on your own numbers, category spend × earn rate, minus the fee. That's exactly what the table does; the "best" card changes with your budget, which is the point.

Are annual-fee cards worth it?

Only when the extra earn beats the fee, roughly $500+/mo in the card's bonus categories for a $120 fee at a 2-point edge. The toggle shows how bonuses distort year one.

Do welcome bonuses matter more than rates?

Year one, usually. But they rotate monthly, require minimum spend, and the card must still earn its keep in year two, check the ongoing rate.

Does applying hurt my credit score?

A hard inquiry costs a few points for a few months; one or two a year are immaterial. New credit can help long-term by lowering utilization.

Carrying a balance?

Then rewards are noise, 20% interest erases 2% cash back instantly. Optimize the rate (low-interest or 0% balance-transfer) and build the exit plan with the payoff calculator.