Top Cash Back Credit Card Offers for January 2019

This is the first cash back list of the new year, so expect that most of the offers are carried over from 2018.

I must say, 2018 was an amazing year for cash back credit cards. Can they top it this year?

Personally, I still rather collect miles and points. So my hope is that the competitive cash back market is going to put pressure on partnerships with airlines and hotels to up their game. That being said, I feel slightly pessimistic about this hope because it does seem like the industry is going to continue to shift towards more cash back. Here’s hoping that I am wrong!

For this post, I listed the credit cards based on their annual fees.

Simplii Financial Cash Back Visa Card

• No annual fee
• Earn 10% cash back on restaurants and bars (up to $500 in spending or within the first 4 months) (no time limit specified)
• Earn 4% cash back on restaurants and bars (after the bonus offer expires)
• Earn 1.5% cash back on gas, groceries, drugstore purchases and pre-authorized payments
• Earn 0.5% cash back on all other purchases
• Have at least $15,000 in annual household income

BMO CashBack MasterCard

• No annual fee
• Earn 5% cash back on all purchases (for the first 4 months, up to $2,000 in spending or $100 in cash back) (if you apply before November 30, 2019)
• Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
• Receive cash back: (1) direct deposit into a BMO chequing, savings or InvestorLine account; or (2) a statement credit
• Redeem: (1) annually; (2) when a recurring amount has accumulated a minimum of $50 and in increments of $10; or (3) a one-time lump sum with a minimum of $50 and in increments of $10

BMO SPC CashBack MasterCard

• No annual fee
• Earn 5% cash back on all purchases (for the first 4 months, up to $2,000 in spending or $100 in cash back) (if you apply before November 30, 2019)
• Earn 1% cash back on all purchases
• Receive cash back through a: (1) direct deposit into a BMO chequing, savings or InvestorLine account; or (2) statement credit
• Redeem: (1) annually; (2) when a recurring amount has accumulated a minimum of $50 and in increments of $10; or (3) a one-time lump sum with a minimum of $50 and in increments of $10

Laurentian Bank Visa Dollars

• $65 annual fee (receive 50% off if you apply before March 31, 2019)
• No annual fee for a supplementary cardholder
• Earn $25 cash back after the first purchase (after the first purchase within 60 days, if you apply before March 31, 2019)
• Earn 3% cash back on pre-authorized debits
• Earn 2% cash back on gas and grocery
• Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases

Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card

• $99 annual fee (first year fee waived if you apply before February 28, 2019)
• $30 annual fee for a supplementary cardholder
• Earn 10% cash back on first $2,000 in spending or within the first 3 months (whichever is completed first) (if you apply before February 28, 2019)
• Earn 4% cash back for every $1 spent on gas and grocery purchases
• Earn 2% cash back for every $1 spent on drug store purchases and recurring bill payments
• Earn 1% cash back for every $1 spent on all other purchases
• Have at least $60,000 in personal annual income, $100,000 in annual household income or $250,000 in assets under management

CIBC Dividend Visa Platinum Card

• $99 annual fee for first time cardholders
• $30 annual fee for a supplementary cardholder (maximum 3 cards)
• Receive 1 year free Amazon Prime (after spending $500 in the first 4 months, if you apply before February 28, 2019)
• Earn 4% cash back on gas and grocery purchases
• Earn 2% cash back on Tim Hortons and TELUS purchases
• Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
• Cash back awarded automatically on the December statement
• Have at least $15,000 in annual household income

Note, the 4% and 2% cash back are on the first $80,000 in total purchases (meaning all card purchases by all cardholders, at any type of merchant) or $20,000 on gas, grocery, TELUS or Tim Hortons purchases on your account, whichever comes first.

CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite Card

• $99 annual fee for first time cardholders
• $30 annual fee for a supplementary cardholder (maximum 3 cards)
• Receive 1 year free Amazon Prime (after spending $500 in the first 4 months, if you apply before February 28, 2019)
• Earn 4% cash back on gas and grocery purchases
• Earn 2% cash back on Tim Hortons and TELUS purchases
• Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
• Cash back awarded automatically on the December statement
• Have at least $60,000 in personal annual income, $100,000 in annual household income

Note, the 4% and 2% cash back are on the first $80,000 in total purchases (meaning all card purchases by all cardholders, at any type of merchant) or $20,000 on gas, grocery, TELUS or Tim Hortons purchases on your account, whichever comes first.

Meridian Visa Infinite Cash Back Card

• $99 annual fee (first year fee waived for a limited time)
• $30 annual fee for supplementary cardholders
• Earn 4% cash back on gas and grocery store purchases (on the first $25,000 in purchases, then 1% for all other purchases)
• Earn 2% pharmacy purchases and utility bill payments (on the first $25,000 in purchases, then 1% for all other purchases)
• Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
• Cash back awarded as an account credit
• Available to Ontario residents only
• Have at least $60,000 in personal annual income, $100,000 in annual household income

There is no specified end date for the first year fee waived, but it does say that it is limited time only:

• First year free is a limited time offer and is activated after the first transaction. Annual fee will appear on initial statement and a credit will be applied on the second statement following the transaction. Meridian reserves the right to modify or withdraw this offer at any time without prior notice. 

RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite MasterCard

• $99 annual fee
• No annual fee for a supplementary cardholder
• Earn 1.75% cash back for the first 6 months (could be limited time)
• Earn 1.5% cash back on all other purchases (after the promotional period for up to $25,000 in an Annual Period)
• Earn 1% cash back (after the first $25,000 in a Annul Period)
• Receive a complimentary Boingo Wi-Fi account
• Have at least $80,000 in personal annual income, $150,000 in annual household income

There does not seem to be an expiry date on the 1.75% cash back bonus. However, on the main RBC website, it still shows that you can only earn 1.5%. Because it is a special link only, I am uncertain how long it will be available for.

TD Cash Back Visa Infinite Card

• $120 annual fee
• Earn 6% cash back on all purchases (for the first 3 months, up to $3,500 in spending or $210 in cash back) (if you apply before February 25, 2019)
• Earn 3% cash back on gas, grocery and recurring bill payments
• Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
• Have at least $60,000 in personal annual income, $100,000 in annual household income

BMO CashBack World Elite MasterCard

• $120 annual fee
• Earn 5% cash back on all purchases (for the first 4 months, up to $4,000 in spending or $200 in cash back) (if you apply before November 30, 2019)
• Earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases
• Receive cash back: (1) direct deposit into a BMO chequing, savings or InvestorLine account; or (2) a statement credit
• Redeem: (1) annually; (2) when a recurring amount has accumulated a minimum of $50 and in increments of $10; or (3) a one-time lump sum with a minimum of $50 and in increments of $10
• Have at least $80,000 in personal annual income, $150,000 in annual household income

Keep in mind that we also have an going Top Cash Back Credit Cards page which consists of permanent and temporary offers, while this post focuses on temporary offers only.

Note that we also have two other types of recent monthly lists going on:

• Best Current First Year Fee Waived Cards
• Top Higher than Normal Sign Up Bonus Offers

As usual, please let us know if we missed any credit cards in the comment section below!