The RBC Rewards+ Visa Card is one of three student credit cards offered by the bank. The other student cards are the RBC Cash Back Mastercard and the RBC ION Visa.
Students looking for a credit card often consider factors like no-annual fees and a flexible rewards program. The RBC Reward+ Visa delivers on both fronts.
This RBC Reward+ Visa review covers its benefits, downsides, and alternatives.
The RBC Rewards+ Visa and Signature RBC Rewards Visa cards no longer accept applications. You can apply for the RBC ION Visa, RBC Cash Back Mastercard or RBC ION+ Visa cards instead (see details below).
RBC Rewards+ Visa Alternatives
RBC ION Visa
Entry-level RBC rewards credit card
Annual fee: $0
Welcome offer: Get 3,500 bonus Avion points following approval.
Rewards: Earn 1.5x Avion points per $1 spent on groceries, rides, gas, streaming, subscriptions, digital gaming, and EV charging; 1 Avion point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
Interest rates: 19.99% on purchases and 22.99% on cash advances.
Minimum income requirement: None
Recommended credit score:
Good or better
On RBC’s website
RBC ION+ Visa
Entry-level RBC credit card
Annual fee: $48
Welcome offer: Get 7,000 bonus Avion points following approval.
Rewards: Earn 3x Avion points per $1 spent on groceries, rides, gas, streaming, subscriptions, digital gaming, and EV charging; 1 Avion point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
Interest rates: 19.99% on purchases and 22.99% on cash advances.
Minimum income requirement: None
Recommended credit score:
Good or better
On RBC’s website
RBC Rewards+ Visa Features and Benefits
$0 annual fee: This card does not charge an annual fee.
RBC Rewards points: Cardholders earn 1 RBC Rewards point for every $1 spent on gas, grocery, and drugstore purchases. On all other purchases, the earn rate is 1 point per $2 spent.
You can easily redeem RBC Rewards points for merchandise and popular gift cards like Amazon, Starbucks, Indigo, and Winners.
Save on gas: When you link your RBC credit card to your Petro-Points card, you save 3 cents per litre when you purchase gas at Petro-Canada gas stations.
Purchase security and extended warranty: Purchases made with your card are protected against theft, damage, or loss for up to 90 days. The RBC Rewards+ Visa card also doubles the manufacturer’s warranty for up to 1 extra year.
Other rewards: You can link your card to the Be Well card and earn points on eligible purchases at Rexall. Also, new cardholders can get a 3-month complimentary DashPass subscription for DoorDash orders.
Optional features: Cardholders can pay to access extra benefits like travel insurance, roadside assistance, identity theft and credit protection.
Interest rate: It has a 19.99% interest rate for purchases and 22.99% for cash advances.
Downsides of the RBC Rewards+ Visa
This card’s 1% cash back offer is limited to only gas, grocery, and drug store purchases. There are no-annual-fee credit cards offering a higher cash back rate.
It is also lacking in travel insurance coverage if this is a benefit you require.
RBC Rewards+ Visa vs. Other RBC Student Credit Cards
The RBC Cash Back Mastercard has no annual fees. It pays up to 2% cash back on groceries (maximum $6,000 spend) and 0.50% to 1% cash back on other purchases. Like the RBC Rewards+ Visa, this card is one of RBC’s entry-level credit cards.
You can also apply for one of two new RBC credit cards, the RBC ION Visa or the RBC ION+ Visa. Both cards offer easy-to-redeem Avion points.
| RBC Rewards+ Visa | RBC ION Visa | RBC Cash Back Mastercard | RBC ION+ Visa | |
| Annual fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $48 |
| Rewards | 1 point/$1 on gas, grocery, drugstore purchases; 1 point/$2 spent elsewhere | 1.5 points/$1 spent on gas, grocery, food delivery, streaming, digital gaming, and daily transit; 1 point/$1 spent elsewhere | Up to 2% cash back on groceries ($6,000 annual cap), 1% back on other purchases ($6,000 annual cap); 0.50% back otherwise | 3 points/$1 spent on gas, grocery, food delivery, streaming, digital gaming, and daily transit; 1 point/$1 spent elsewhere |
| Purchase protection and extended warranty | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Travel benefits | No | No | No | No |
| Mobile device insurance | No | No | No | Yes |
Alternative Cash Back Credit Cards
The following cash back credit cards do not have annual fees, and they are easy to qualify for.
Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card
The Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card offers 2% unlimited cash back on 2-3 purchase categories. You can choose to earn the 2% rate on spending related to groceries, gas, restaurants, recurring bills, entertainment, public transit, and more.
All other purchases outside of the 2% categories you choose earn at a 0.50% rate.
This card includes purchase protection and extended warranty coverage, and new clients can take advantage of the 1.95% promotional balance transfer interest rate.
To qualify for this card, you need a $12,000 annual income and a credit score of 600 or higher.
Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card
Rewards: Earn up to 2% unlimited cash back in up to 3 spending categories and 0.50% on all other purchases.
Welcome offer: Get an extra 10% cash back on up to $1,000 in spending in the first 2 months ($100 value); 1.95% balance transfer rate for 6 months.
Interest rates: 19.95% for purchases, balance transfers, and cash advances.
Annual fee: $0
Neo Financial Mastercard
The Neo Financial Mastercard offers up to 5% cash back at over 7,000 retailers (Neo partners) in Canada.
This no-annual-fee credit card also guarantees an overall 0.5% cash back across all purchases subject to maximum spending of $5,000 each month.
Learn more about its features in this Neo Credit Card review.
Neo Mastercard (Standard)
Rewards: Average of 5% cash back at 10,000+ partners and a minimum of 0.50% cash back across all purchases
Welcome offer: Get 15% cash back on your first purchases, plus a $25 welcome cash bonus.
Interest rates: 19.99% – 26.99% on purchases; 24.99% – 28.99% for cash advances.
Annual fee: $0
RBC Rewards+ Visa FAQs
1,000 RBC Rewards points are worth at least $10 when redeemed for travel at a rate of 100 points = $1 CAD.
You can convert RBC Rewards points to Avios, Asia Miles, AAdvantages miles, or WestJet dollars.
No, the RBC Rewards+ Visa Card does not offer car rental insurance as part of its free perks.
