Best credit cards for students in Canada for 2026

Verified Oct 16, 2026CAD

Cards with no annual fee and no income requirement, ranked by 3-year value on a student's spending. Each card shows Year 1 against every year after, so a card that's mostly its welcome bonus is easy to spot.

Advertiser disclosure: we may earn a commission when you apply through some links on this page. It never affects rank: cards are ordered by the value worked out from your spending. How we make money · Methodology

Spending: Student · $985/moRank these on my own spending

#1
PC Financial
PC World Elite Mastercard
No annual feeGroceries 30xDrugstores 45x
after fees: After the card's annual or monthly fee, and foreign transaction fees if you set foreign spending. Additional-card fees and memberships some benefits need (such as Amazon Prime) aren't included.
Year 1$237
Year 2+$187
3 years $610 after fees· no fee to cover
Apply
Breakdown, earn rates and why it's ranked here
Year 1$237
Year 2+$187
Welcome or anniversary bonus$50 / $0Rewards on spending$187 / $187Fees (taken off the end)-$0 / -$0
No annual fee
Year 1Year 2Year 3
Earn rate by category
30x
Groc
Groceries
10x
Dine
Dining and takeout
10x
Gas
Gas and EV charging
10x
Air
Flights
10x
Hotel
Hotels and car rentals
10x
Transit
Transit and rideshare
10x
Stream
Streaming
45x
Drug
Drugstores
10x
Online
Online shopping
10x
Bills
Phone, internet and utilities
10x
Other
Everything else
Why it's ranked here
Ranked #1 of 8. By 3-year value on the student preset's spending. Over 3 years it's worth $610 after fees.
Year 1. $237 = welcome bonus $50 + rewards $187.
Each year after. $187 = rewards $187.
Against #2. Beats Rogers Bank Red World Elite Mastercard by $78 over 3 years, mostly on welcome bonus (+$50).
Points valued at 0.10¢ each; move the "Value points as" slider above to see what they're worth transferred.
Verified Oct 16, 2026Every term and assumption
#2
Rogers Bank
Red World Elite Mastercard
No annual fee
after fees: After the card's annual or monthly fee, and foreign transaction fees if you set foreign spending. Additional-card fees and memberships some benefits need (such as Amazon Prime) aren't included.
Year 1$177
Year 2+$177
3 years $532 after fees· no fee to cover
Apply
Breakdown, earn rates and why it's ranked here
Year 1$177
Year 2+$177
Rewards on spending$177 / $177Fees (taken off the end)-$0 / -$0
No annual fee
Year 1Year 2Year 3
Earn rate by category
1.5%
Groc
Groceries
1.5%
Dine
Dining and takeout
1.5%
Gas
Gas and EV charging
1.5%
Air
Flights
1.5%
Hotel
Hotels and car rentals
1.5%
Transit
Transit and rideshare
1.5%
Stream
Streaming
1.5%
Drug
Drugstores
1.5%
Online
Online shopping
1.5%
Bills
Phone, internet and utilities
1.5%
Other
Everything else
Why it's ranked here
Ranked #2 of 8. By 3-year value on the student preset's spending. Over 3 years it's worth $532 after fees.
Year 1. $177 = rewards $177.
Each year after. $177 = rewards $177.
Against #1. Trails PC Financial PC World Elite Mastercard by $78 over 3 years, mostly on welcome bonus (−$50).
Against #3. Beats TD Rewards Visa by $80 over 3 years, mostly on rewards on spending (+$156).
Verified Oct 16, 2026Every term and assumption
#3
TD
Rewards Visa
No annual feeGroceries 3xDining 3x
after fees: After the card's annual or monthly fee, and foreign transaction fees if you set foreign spending. Additional-card fees and memberships some benefits need (such as Amazon Prime) aren't included.
Year 1$201
Year 2+$125
3 years $452 after fees· no fee to cover
Apply
Breakdown, earn rates and why it's ranked here
Year 1$201
Year 2+$125
Welcome or anniversary bonus$76 / $0Rewards on spending$125 / $125Fees (taken off the end)-$0 / -$0
No annual fee
Year 1Year 2Year 3
Earn rate by category
3x
Groc
Groceries
3x
Dine
Dining and takeout
1x
Gas
Gas and EV charging
1x
Air
Flights
1x
Hotel
Hotels and car rentals
3x
Transit
Transit and rideshare
2x
Stream
Streaming
1x
Drug
Drugstores
1x
Online
Online shopping
2x
Bills
Phone, internet and utilities
1x
Other
Everything else
Why it's ranked here
Ranked #3 of 8. By 3-year value on the student preset's spending. Over 3 years it's worth $452 after fees.
Year 1. $201 = welcome bonus $76 + rewards $125.
Each year after. $125 = rewards $125.
Against #2. Trails Rogers Bank Red World Elite Mastercard by $80 over 3 years, mostly on rewards on spending (−$156).
Against #4. Beats Scotiabank Scene+ Visa by $2 over 3 years, mostly on welcome bonus (+$26).
Points valued at 0.50¢ each; move the "Value points as" slider above to see what they're worth transferred.
Verified Oct 16, 2026Every term and assumption
#4
Scotiabank
Scene+ Visa
No annual feeGroceries 2x
after fees: After the card's annual or monthly fee, and foreign transaction fees if you set foreign spending. Additional-card fees and memberships some benefits need (such as Amazon Prime) aren't included.
Year 1$183
Year 2+$133
3 years $450 after fees· no fee to cover
Apply
Breakdown, earn rates and why it's ranked here
Year 1$183
Year 2+$133
Welcome or anniversary bonus$50 / $0Rewards on spending$133 / $133Fees (taken off the end)-$0 / -$0
No annual fee
Year 1Year 2Year 3
Earn rate by category
2x
Groc
Groceries
1x
Dine
Dining and takeout
1x
Gas
Gas and EV charging
1x
Air
Flights
1x
Hotel
Hotels and car rentals
1x
Transit
Transit and rideshare
1x
Stream
Streaming
1x
Drug
Drugstores
1x
Online
Online shopping
1x
Bills
Phone, internet and utilities
1x
Other
Everything else
Why it's ranked here
Ranked #4 of 8. By 3-year value on the student preset's spending. Over 3 years it's worth $450 after fees.
Year 1. $183 = welcome bonus $50 + rewards $133.
Each year after. $133 = rewards $133.
Against #3. Trails TD Rewards Visa by $2 over 3 years, mostly on welcome bonus (−$26).
Against #5. Beats RBC Cash Back Mastercard by $12 over 3 years, mostly on rewards on spending (+$62).
Points valued at 1.00¢ each; move the "Value points as" slider above to see what they're worth transferred.
Verified Oct 16, 2026Every term and assumption
#5
RBC
Cash Back Mastercard
No annual feeGroceries 2%Transit 1%
after fees: After the card's annual or monthly fee, and foreign transaction fees if you set foreign spending. Additional-card fees and memberships some benefits need (such as Amazon Prime) aren't included.
Year 1$213
Year 2+$113
3 years $438 after fees· no fee to cover
Apply
Breakdown, earn rates and why it's ranked here
Year 1$213
Year 2+$113
Welcome or anniversary bonus$100 / $0Rewards on spending$113 / $113Fees (taken off the end)-$0 / -$0
No annual fee
Year 1Year 2Year 3
Earn rate by category
2%
Groc
Groceries
0.5%
Dine
Dining and takeout
1%
Gas
Gas and EV charging
0.5%
Air
Flights
0.5%
Hotel
Hotels and car rentals
1%
Transit
Transit and rideshare
0.5%
Stream
Streaming
0.5%
Drug
Drugstores
0.5%
Online
Online shopping
0.5%
Bills
Phone, internet and utilities
0.5%
Other
Everything else
Why it's ranked here
Ranked #5 of 8. By 3-year value on the student preset's spending. Over 3 years it's worth $438 after fees.
Year 1. $213 = welcome bonus $100 + rewards $113.
Each year after. $113 = rewards $113.
Against #4. Trails Scotiabank Scene+ Visa by $12 over 3 years, mostly on rewards on spending (−$62).
Against #6. Beats Scotiabank Momentum No-Fee Visa by $60 over 3 years, mostly on rewards on spending (+$60).
Verified Oct 16, 2026Every term and assumption
#6
Scotiabank
Momentum No-Fee Visa
No annual feeGroceries 1%Bills 1%
after fees: After the card's annual or monthly fee, and foreign transaction fees if you set foreign spending. Additional-card fees and memberships some benefits need (such as Amazon Prime) aren't included.
Year 1$192
Year 2+$92
3 years $377 after fees· no fee to cover
Apply
Breakdown, earn rates and why it's ranked here
Year 1$192
Year 2+$92
Welcome or anniversary bonus$100 / $0Rewards on spending$92 / $92Fees (taken off the end)-$0 / -$0
No annual fee
Year 1Year 2Year 3
Earn rate by category
1%
Groc
Groceries
0.5%
Dine
Dining and takeout
1%
Gas
Gas and EV charging
0.5%
Air
Flights
0.5%
Hotel
Hotels and car rentals
1%
Transit
Transit and rideshare
1%
Stream
Streaming
1%
Drug
Drugstores
0.5%
Online
Online shopping
1%
Bills
Phone, internet and utilities
0.5%
Other
Everything else
Why it's ranked here
Ranked #6 of 8. By 3-year value on the student preset's spending. Over 3 years it's worth $377 after fees.
Year 1. $192 = welcome bonus $100 + rewards $92.
Each year after. $92 = rewards $92.
Against #5. Trails RBC Cash Back Mastercard by $60 over 3 years, mostly on rewards on spending (−$60).
Against #7. Beats RBC ION Visa by $47 over 3 years, mostly on rewards on spending (+$28).
Verified Oct 16, 2026Every term and assumption
#7
RBC
ION Visa
No annual feeGroceries 1.5xTransit 1.5x
after fees: After the card's annual or monthly fee, and foreign transaction fees if you set foreign spending. Additional-card fees and memberships some benefits need (such as Amazon Prime) aren't included.
Year 1$164
Year 2+$83
3 years $330 after fees· no fee to cover
Apply
Breakdown, earn rates and why it's ranked here
Year 1$164
Year 2+$83
Welcome or anniversary bonus$81 / $0Rewards on spending$83 / $83Fees (taken off the end)-$0 / -$0
No annual fee
Year 1Year 2Year 3
Earn rate by category
1.5x
Groc
Groceries
1x
Dine
Dining and takeout
1.5x
Gas
Gas and EV charging
1x
Air
Flights
1x
Hotel
Hotels and car rentals
1.5x
Transit
Transit and rideshare
1.5x
Stream
Streaming
1x
Drug
Drugstores
1x
Online
Online shopping
1x
Bills
Phone, internet and utilities
1x
Other
Everything else
Why it's ranked here
Ranked #7 of 8. By 3-year value on the student preset's spending. Over 3 years it's worth $330 after fees.
Year 1. $164 = welcome bonus $81 + rewards $83.
Each year after. $83 = rewards $83.
Against #6. Trails Scotiabank Momentum No-Fee Visa by $47 over 3 years, mostly on rewards on spending (−$28).
Against #8. Beats TD Cash Back Visa by $57 over 3 years, mostly on welcome bonus (+$81).
Points valued at 0.58¢ each; move the "Value points as" slider above to see what they're worth transferred.
Verified Oct 16, 2026Every term and assumption
#8
TD
Cash Back Visa
No annual feeGroceries 1%Bills 1%
after fees: After the card's annual or monthly fee, and foreign transaction fees if you set foreign spending. Additional-card fees and memberships some benefits need (such as Amazon Prime) aren't included.
Year 1$91
Year 2+$91
3 years $274 after fees· no fee to cover
Apply
Breakdown, earn rates and why it's ranked here
Year 1$91
Year 2+$91
Rewards on spending$91 / $91Fees (taken off the end)-$0 / -$0
No annual fee
Year 1Year 2Year 3
Earn rate by category
1%
Groc
Groceries
0.5%
Dine
Dining and takeout
1%
Gas
Gas and EV charging
0.5%
Air
Flights
0.5%
Hotel
Hotels and car rentals
1%
Transit
Transit and rideshare
1%
Stream
Streaming
0.5%
Drug
Drugstores
0.5%
Online
Online shopping
1%
Bills
Phone, internet and utilities
0.5%
Other
Everything else
Why it's ranked here
Ranked #8 of 8. By 3-year value on the student preset's spending. Over 3 years it's worth $274 after fees.
Year 1. $91 = rewards $91.
Each year after. $91 = rewards $91.
Against #7. Trails RBC ION Visa by $57 over 3 years, mostly on welcome bonus (−$81).
Verified Oct 16, 2026Every term and assumption

All values are after each card's annual or monthly fee, and foreign transaction fees when you set foreign spending. Additional-card fees and memberships some benefits need (such as Amazon Prime or Instacart+) aren't included.

Rates, fees and offers are set by the issuer and may change. Check the issuer's terms before you apply. We don't estimate approval odds.

Values for points and miles are estimates based on published redemption valuations; actual value depends on how you redeem.

More best-of lists

The ranking in numbers

Student preset, $985 a month, after fees. "~" marks estimates.

Card	Year 1	Year 2+	3 years
PC Financial PC World Elite Mastercard	$237	$187	$610
Rogers Bank Red World Elite Mastercard	$177	$177	$532
TD Rewards Visa	$201	$125	$452
Scotiabank Scene+ Visa	$183	$133	$450
RBC Cash Back Mastercard	$213	$113	$438
Scotiabank Momentum No-Fee Visa	$192	$92	$377
RBC ION Visa	$164	$83	$330
TD Cash Back Visa	$91	$91	$274

Frequently asked questions

What are the best credit cards for students?

On student spending ($985 a month), PC Financial PC World Elite Mastercard ranks first: $237 in year 1 and $187 a year after fees.

How were these cards picked?

Cards with no annual fee and no income requirement, ranked by 3-year value on a student's spending. The order comes from the same calculation as the comparison tool, with the same tie-breakers; commission never changes it.

Will the order be the same for me?

Only if you spend like the preset. Spending more in a card's bonus categories moves it up. Set your own numbers in the tool to see your order.

Sources

Estimates for information only; not financial advice. See how cards are ranked.