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The best gas rewards credit cards 2023
Get rewarded every time you fill up your tank by earning accelerated cash back, rewards points or discounts with one of the best credit cards for gas in Canada.
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If you’re on the go a lot, frequent gas station trips can be unavoidable. While gas prices seem to always be rising, you can get some relief by using the right credit card. With one of the best credit cards for gas rewards you’ll benefit each time you pay for fuel — choose between discounts per litre or earn high rates of cash back or rewards points when you purchase gas. Almost all gas stations in Canada accept credit cards, whether it’s a Mastercard, Visa or American Express branded credit card — so using plastic to pay at the pump can be both rewarding and convenient.
The American Express Cobalt Card offers a generous return on points for everyday purchases. You can collect points for every dollar you spend on dining out plus 2 points for gas and transit purchases and 1 point for everything else. This card also comes with up to a 30,000 points welcome bonus if you spend a certain amount of money each month. You'll also get a full suite of travel insurance and purchase protection when you sign up.
Welcome offer Earn up to 30,000 points in your first few months when you spend a certain amount of money.
Accelerated rewards Collect a higher return on rewards when you make dining, gas and transit purchases.
Comprehensive benefits Take advantage of benefits such as travel medical, flight and baggage delay insurance, car rental coverage and purchase protection.
Annual fee You'll have to pay $155.88 per year to maintain this card.
Annual Fee
$155.88
Purchase APR
20.99%
Cash Advance Rate
21.99%
Balance transfer APR
N/A
Welcome offer
Earn up to 30,000 Membership Rewards points in your first year. Earn 2,500 Membership Rewards points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $500 in net purchases on your card (up to 30,000 points). That’s up to $300 towards a weekend getaway or concert tickets.
Rewards
Earn 5x the points on eligible eats and drinks in Canada, including groceries and food delivery, 3x the points on eligible streaming subscriptions in Canada, 2x points for every $1 spent on eligible transit & gas purchases in Canada and eligible travel purchases, and earn 1 point for every $1 in Card purchases everywhere else.
Best for no annual fee Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card
Earn 2% cash back in two Tangerine credit card categories of your choice (or three categories if you open a Tangerine Savings Account and directly deposit your cash back into the account), and 0.5% cash back on everything else. Categories include groceries, restaurants, hotels, gas, recurring bill payments, drug store, home improvement and entertainment. Plus, get access to a 1.95% interest rate on a balance transfer for the first 6 months.
Earn rewards fast. Earn 2% cash back in two Tangerine credit card categories of your choice (or three categories if you open a Tangerine Savings Account and directly deposit your cash back into the account), and 0.5% cash back on everything else.
Annual fee. This card comes with a $0 annual fee.
Balance transfer rate. Get a 1.95% interest rate on balance transfers for the first six months. To take advantage of this offer, you must complete the Balance Transfer request within 30 days of account approval and activate your card within 45 days of approval. A balance transfer fee equaling the greater of 3% or $5 will be charged on each transferred amount (fee is waived by Tangerine if you're a resident of Quebec).
Low return on other purchases. Receive only 0.5 cash back on all other categories of spending.
Currency conversion. You'll pay a foreign transaction fee of 2.5% on all overseas purchases.
Balance trasnfer fee. Pay a balance transfer fee of 3% of the total transferred amount or $5, whichever is greater.
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
19.95%
Balance transfer APR
1.95% intro for the first 6 months (then 19.95% )
Balance transfer fee
$5 or 3% of the transaction, whichever is greater
Rewards
Earn 2% cash back in two Tangerine credit card categories of your choice (or three categories if you open a Tangerine Savings Account and directly deposit your cash back into the account), and 0.5% cash back on everything else.
Best for signup bonus Scotiabank Gold American Express Card
The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card is a powerful everyday credit card as well as a strong travel companion.Book and redeem any flight for any time through Scotia Rewards Travel Service, a full-service travel agency. Plus, take advantage of the Best Price Guarantee on airfare. Enjoy peace of mind with a broad array of travel insurance options including Emergency Medical (up to $1,000,000), Travel Accident, Trip Cancellation and Interruption, Flight Delay, Delayed or Lost Baggage and Rental Car Collision Loss/Damage.
Signup bonus. Earn up to 40,000 bonus Scene+ points in your first year (that's up to $650 towards travel) and get the first year annual fee waived. Apply by October 31, 2023. To qualify for the 40,000 bonus Scene+ points offer, earn 20,000 bonus Scene+ points by making at least $1,000 in purchases in your first 3 months. Plus, earn a 20,000 Scene+ point bonus when you spend at least $7,500 in purchases in your first year.
Earn rewards points. Earn 6 Scene+ points for every $1 you spend in Canada at Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo, Foodland and more, 5 Scene+ points per $1 spent on eligible grocery, dining and entertainment purchases, 3 Scene+ points per $1 spent on eligible gas, transportation and select streaming services, and 1 Scene+ point per $1 spent on eligible purchases elsewhere.
No foreign transaction fees. Spend overseas or online with international retailers and avoid any foreign transaction fees.
Travel insurance. Enjoy peace of mind with a broad array of travel insurance options including Emergency Medical (up to $1,000,000), Travel Accident, Trip Cancellation and Interruption, Flight Delay, Delayed or Lost Baggage and Rental Car Collision Loss/Damage.
Travel perks. Book and redeem any flight for any time through Scotia Rewards Travel Service, a full-service travel agency. Plus, take advantage of the Best Price Guarantee on airfare.
American Express rewards. Receive early access to tickets for shows, concerts and live events, plus get invites to exclusive events and discounts.
Annual fee. This card has an annual fee of $120.
Signup bonus restrictions. You'll need to charge at least $1,000 of eligible purchases to your card within the first 3 months as a cardholder to receive bonus points.
Eligibility requirements. You'll need to earn a minimum income of $12,000 a year.
Annual Fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year ($120 thereafter)
Purchase APR
20.99%
Cash Advance Rate
22.99%
Balance transfer APR
22.99%
Welcome offer
Earn up to 40,000 bonus Scene+ points in your first year (that's up to $650 towards travel) and get the first year annual fee waived. Apply by October 31, 2023. To qualify for the 40,000 bonus Scene+ points offer, earn 20,000 bonus Scene+ points by making at least $1,000 in purchases in your first 3 months. Plus, earn a 20,000 Scene+ point bonus when you spend at least $7,500 in purchases in your first year.
Rewards
Earn 6 Scene+ points for every $1 you spend in Canada at Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo, Foodland and more, 5 Scene+ points per $1 spent on eligible grocery, dining and entertainment purchases, 3 Scene+ points per $1 spent on eligible gas, transportation and select streaming services, and 1 Scene+ point per $1 spent on eligible purchases elsewhere.
Best gas card for bad credit Home Trust Secured Visa
Home Trust offers a secured visa card that acts as a revolving line of credit. You submit a security deposit at the time of application, and, if approved, your deposit becomes your credit limit. Charge purchases to your card, get cash advances and make payments just like a non-secured credit card. Your security deposit will be returned if you close your account, after all purchases and fees have cleared.
Low interest. Pay 19.99% interest on your purchases. Alternatively, you can choose the Home Trust Secured Visa, which comes with an annual or monthly fee but a lower interest rate.
Security deposit. The amount of security deposit you offer up will determine your monthly credit limit. Credit limits range from $500 to $10,000.
Your money is safe. Home Trust is a member of the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC), so your security deposit is safe even if the company fails.
Additional user. Cardholders have the option of adding one authorized user to their account.
Credit check is required. Home Trust will check your credit report for this card, however the approval rate is quite high.
Withdrawal fees. Every time you withdraw funds from an ATM, you'll be charged a small percentage fee. Different fees apply for withdrawals in Canada, the US and other countries.
Qualification restrictions. This card is not available in Quebec. You also don't qualify if you're currently in bankruptcy, however, you can qualify once you're discharged.
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
19.99%
Balance transfer APR
N/A
Recommended minimum credit score
300
We’ve chosen the cards on this page based on the providers available through Finder. These cards are not representative of the entire market. Our top gas cards offer a high value of rewards points or cash back on gas purchases, exclusive perks such as complimentary travel insurance and roadside assistance, and a signup bonus. We’ve also considered annual fees and balance transfer fees.
No single gas card will be the best choice for everyone, so compare your options before picking your new card.
Credit cards accepted at major gas stations
At all major gas station chains, you can use your credit card — whether it’s a Visa, Mastercard or American Express. A notable exception is Costco gas stations, where you’ll need to have a Costco branded Mastercard in order to shop at the store and purchase gas from the Costco branded gas stations.
Two types of credit cards with rewards on gas purchases
There are typically 2 different types of credit cards with gas rewards in Canada:
Rewards credit cards with perks for gas. Credit cards that provide you with perks like cash back or rewards points when you fill up your tank at almost any gas station across Canada.
Partner cards. Credit cards from providers that have partnered with gas stations, meaning you can only reap rewards when you fill up your tank at that brand of stations. One such card is the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard. If you link this card, you'll save 3¢/L on fuel at Petro-Canada and always earn 20% more Petro-Points. You'll also get 50 Be Well points at Rexall for every $1 spent and be able to redeem 25,000 Be Well points for $10. Plus, save at DoorDash with $0 delivery fees for 12 months and get unlimited deliveries with $0 delivery fees on orders of $15 or more when you pay with your eligible RBC credit card
Rewards credit cards vs. gas station partner cards
Rewards credit card
Gas station partner credit cards
Use:
Can be used at almost every gas station across Canada, earning rewards at all stations.
Can be used anywhere, although rewards or discounts will typically be affiliated with a single gas station brand.
Earn:
Allows you to accumulate cash back or rewards points that you can redeem.
May offer instant discounts on gas purchases or accelerated rewards.
Interest rates:
Interest rates will likely be standard. Some cards may come with balance transfer offers.
Interest rates will likely be standard. Some cards may come with balance transfer offers.
Credit limit:
Credit limit will depend on your credit score and the specific card you choose.
Credit limit will depend on your credit score and the specific card you choose.
Rewards:
Earn rewards on all eligible gas purchases.
Rewards and/or discounts at specific brands of gas stations.
Credit score:
Usually requires good to excellent credit.
Usually requires good to excellent credit.
Consider a gas credit card if…
You spend a lot on gas each month. If you spend several hundred dollars or more each month on gas, a gas credit card will give you a big break on gas costs. If you rarely drive and spend little each month on gas, you might get more out of another type of rewards card.
You buy gas from the same gas station brand. If you typically buy gas from the same brand and you can find a card that offers accelerated rewards or discounts for that brand, then the card will likely be of value to you.
You pay your balance in full each month. Watch out for your card’s interest rate. If you carry a balance from month to month, you’ll accrue interest charges that will likely offset any rewards you receive from your card. Paying your balance in full every month lets you avoid paying interest on your purchases and increases the value of your card’s rewards.
Can I get a gas credit card with bad credit?
Your available choices for gas cards are rather slim if you have bad credit. To make picking the right gas credit card easier, you’ll want to make your decision is based on a few factors:
Can you afford an annual fee? An annual fee can eat into your rewards and can hurt if you have poor credit. If you decide to pay for a card, consider whether the rewards will outweigh the cost.
What are your reasons for using the credit card? If your main goal is to build your credit score, you should prioritize a card with better terms, even if it doesn’t offer gas rewards.
How to choose a gas credit card
While gas benefits are likely most important to you, other features of each card — such as fees and additional perks — should factor into your decision. Consider the following factors when comparing gas rewards credit cards:
Decide whether you want to be tied to a specific gas-station brand. If you get gas with one company, a card that offers rewards or discounts with a specific brand of gas station might offer more attractive benefits. If you shop for gas across a variety of different stations, consider a general card that offers cash back or rewards points across all eligible gas stations.
Signup bonus. Compare signup bonuses and consider any minimum spend requirements in order to receive the signup bonus.
APR. It’s wise to check a card’s APR before applying. Compare both purchase interest rates and cash advance interest rates.
Annual fee. If you want to save money, an annual fee might not be worth paying. Look for a card with a low or $0 annual fee. If a card has an annual fee, calculate what level of rewards you might earn based on your spending. You want these rewards to offset the card’s cost.
Other rewards and perks. While your primary goal is to find a credit card that will reward you for spending on gas, any other rewards you receive will only sweeten the deal. Other perks may include complimentary travel insurance coverage, shopping benefits, concierge services, early ticket access and more.
How to maximize your gas rewards
Choose a gas card based on nearby gas stations. It may not be worth burning fuel to drive to a gas station that’s out of the way. If there are no credit cards affiliated with gas stations near you, consider looking into a general rewards card that offers cash back or rewards points on all gas purchases.
Buy all your gas with your credit card. You’ll save the most money — and earn the most rewards points or cash back — when you make your gas purchases exclusively with your credit card.
If you’ve got a station specific card, try to exclusively buy gas there. If you opt for a credit card that offers discounts or accelerated rewards at a specific brand of gas station, try to exclusively purchase gas from those gas stations.
Compare gas rewards credit cards
Bottom line
A gas credit card is a smart choice if you’re constantly filling up. Consider a general gas rewards card if you shop at a variety of different gas stations and look for a specific brand of gas station card if you buy fuel with one company.
This depends on your card provider. Some rewards points programs have expiry dates on points, while others don’t. To make sure, give your provider a call or read your card’s terms and conditions.
In most cases you’ll need to have a credit score of 650 or higher to be approved for a gas rewards credit card. In general, any credit cards you can get with a lower credit score, like a secured card, don’t tend to come with extra perks like rewards on gas fill ups. If you’re interested in a specific card, reach out to the provider and ask about any minimum credit score requirements. You can learn more about credit scores in our guide here.
While it can vary between providers, typical eligibility criteria usually includes:
Be at least 18 years of age, or the age of majority in your province or territory.
Be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident.
Meet any minimum credit score requirements, which is usually a score of 650 or higher.
Emma Balmforth is a producer at Finder. She is passionate about helping people make financial decisions that will benefit them now and in the future. She has written for a variety of publications including World Nomads, Trek Effect and Uncharted. Emma has a degree in Business and Psychology from the University of Waterloo. She enjoys backpacking, reading and taking long hikes and road trips with her adventurous dog.
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