Lab Certified 2026
Our yearly awards for the credit cards and accounts that come out on top when we run the numbers. Every winner is scored from the rates and fees we check against each issuer’s own site. Card rewards use our typical budget of $2,600 a month across groceries, dining, recurring bills, pharmacy, gas, transit, entertainment, travel and everything else.
Credit cards
MBNA Rewards World Elite® Mastercard®
Earns $888 a year on our typical budget, after its $120 annual fee.
Every personal credit card we review, ranked by yearly rewards on our typical budget after the annual fee. Welcome bonuses are left out so a short-term promo can’t win the year.
Runner-up: Scotiabank® Gold American Express® Card
Read our review
Scotiabank® Gold American Express® Card
Earns $852 a year on our typical budget plus $2,000 spent abroad, after its $120 annual fee, with no foreign transaction fee.
Points and miles cards that include travel medical insurance, ranked by yearly rewards on our typical budget after the annual fee, minus the foreign transaction fee on $2,000 a year of spending abroad.
Runner-up: MBNA Rewards World Elite® Mastercard®
Read our review
SimplyCash® Preferred Card from American Express
Pays $744 cash back a year on our typical budget, after its $119.88 annual fee.
Cash back cards, ranked by yearly cash back on our typical budget after the annual fee. Welcome bonuses are left out.
Runner-up: Neo World Elite® Mastercard
Read our review
Capital One Guaranteed Mastercard
$0 annual fee, guaranteed approval if you meet the issuer’s basic conditions, and no security deposit.
Secured and guaranteed cards for people with little or no credit history, ranked by the cost to hold (annual fee first), then guaranteed approval, then whether you need a security deposit, then rewards.
Runner-up: Capital One Guaranteed Secured Mastercard
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Scotiabank® American Express® Card
Earns $504 a year on our typical budget, after its $0 annual fee.
Cards with no annual fee that anyone can apply for, ranked by yearly rewards on our typical budget. Welcome bonuses are left out.
Runner-up: MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus® Mastercard®
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MBNA True Line® Mastercard®
Costs $260 a year to carry a $2,000 balance: 12.99% on purchases plus its $0 annual fee.
Cards anyone can apply for, ranked by what it costs to carry a $2,000 balance for a year: the regular purchase rate plus the annual fee. Promo rates are left out.
Runner-up: RBC Visa Classic Low Rate Option
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Wealthsimple Credit Card
Earns $384 a year on our typical budget, after its $240 annual fee, with no foreign transaction fee.
Cards with no foreign transaction fee that anyone can apply for, ranked by yearly rewards on our typical budget after the annual fee. A lower annual fee breaks a tie.
Runner-up: Scotiabank® Passport® Visa Infinite +* Card
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Neo World Elite® Mastercard
Earns $271 a year on $700 a month of groceries, after its $149 annual fee.
Cards anyone can apply for, ranked by yearly rewards on the grocery part of our typical budget ($700 a month) after the annual fee. A lower annual fee breaks a tie.
Runner-up: National Bank World Elite Mastercard
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Scotiabank American Express Card for Students
Earns $504 a year on our typical budget, after its $0 annual fee.
Cards made for students, ranked by yearly rewards on our typical budget after the annual fee.
Runner-up: Scotia Momentum Visa Card for Students
Read our review
WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard for Business
Earns $401 a year on our typical budget, after its $175 annual fee.
Business credit cards, ranked by yearly rewards on our typical budget after the annual fee. Welcome bonuses are left out.
Runner-up: CIBC Aeroplan® Visa* Business Card
Read our review
Savings and GICs
Neo Savings Account
2.75% regular interest with no monthly fee.
Everyday savings accounts any adult can open with no monthly fee, ranked by the regular interest rate. Promo rates and registered accounts are left out.
Runner-up: Everyday Growth Account
Read our reviewSaven Financial GIC
3.8% on a 1-year non-redeemable GIC, with deposit insurance.
Non-redeemable 1-year GICs with deposit insurance, ranked by the regular rate. GIC rates move often, so we re-check this one whenever we update rates.
Runner-up: Oaken Financial GIC
Read our review
How we pick
We score every credit card we review with our rewards calculator, using our typical budget of $2,600 a month across groceries, dining, recurring bills, pharmacy, gas, transit, entertainment, travel and everything else. Points are valued at the rates we publish for each program, the annual fee is subtracted, and welcome bonuses are left out so a short-term promo can’t win the year. Savings accounts and GICs are ranked on their regular rates, not promos. Each award has its own rule, shown on its card above.
Awards are decided in the order shown and a product can win only one: if a card has already won, the next card in that ranking takes the award. We lock the winners once a year (this year’s on 2026-11-05) so badges don’t change from week to week, and we re-check them whenever we update a card’s rates and fees.
Lab Certified is CreditLab’s editorial award. It isn’t an endorsement by any issuer or card network, and it doesn’t guarantee approval: issuers decide using your full credit profile. Commissions never affect the results. See our methodology and how we make money.