SimplyCash Preferred
Category cardWhat the roles mean
- Groceries and gas: 4% cash back (first $30,000 a year combined), and 2% on everything else
Welcome offer now
Earn 10% cash back on all purchases for the first 3 months (up to $2,000 in purchases = up to $200), plus a $50 statement credit for a purchase in month 13 — up to $250 total.
Checked on Amex's own page October 21, 2026. See Amex's page
What it earns in a year
$732 back a year
After the $120 annual fee.
Based on $30,000 a year of spending ($9,600 groceries, $3,000 gas, $3,000 dining…). Welcome offer not included.
Try it with your own spending →
- Gas / EV (First $30,000 a year, shared by gas and groceries, then 2%): 4% back.
- Groceries (First $30,000 a year, shared by gas and groceries, then 2%): 4% back.
- Everything else: 2% back.
Highlighted = use this card here.
How to apply for the SimplyCash Preferred
Check first
- Bonus once per lifetime: you can't get it if you've ever had this card
- Check you qualify No minimum income listed. You need to live in Canada and be the age of majority in your province.
- Have this ready Your address and how long you've lived there, your employer and yearly income, and your monthly rent or mortgage. Your SIN is optional for a credit card; you can leave it blank.
- Expect a credit check Applying adds a hard inquiry to your credit report, which lowers your score a little for a few months. Space applications about 90 days apart.
- Apply on Amex's own site Apply online from the bank's product page, where the offer above is shown. This isn't an affiliate link: we earn nothing if you apply.Apply on Amex's site →
- After you're approved Put the spending needed for the welcome offer on the card before the deadline, and pay the full balance every month.
How to use it
- Groceries and gas: stand-alone grocery stores and gas stations earn 4%. Superstores and wholesale clubs earn 2%
- Everything else: 2%, no cap, wherever Amex is accepted
- Where Amex isn't taken: Costco and many Loblaw-banner grocers (Superstore, No Frills); carry a Visa or Mastercard for those
- Cash back: paid once a year, on your September statement
- Example: $800/month groceries + $250 gas + $550 of other spending = $636 a year back, $516 after the fee
Posts about this card
Key facts
- Annual fee
- $119.88
- Purchase interest
- 21.99%
- Foreign currency fee
- 2.5%
- Min. personal income
- None published
- Min. household income
- None published
- Rewards
- Cash back
Annual fee waiver
- None
From americanexpress.com product page, checked October 17, 2026. Not an affiliate link.
More Amex cards
Best paired with
SimpliiCash Back Visa
Simplii Cash Back Visa
- This card: groceries, gas / ev, bills & subscriptions, travel, transit, drugstore / pharmacy, entertainment, everything else
- Simplii Cash Back Visa: dining & restaurants
- Together: $792 a year after both fees, vs $732 with this card alone
Computed on our standard household ($30,000 a year): each kind of spending goes to whichever card pays more, both fees taken off. Partners are everyday, category and churning cards on Visa or Mastercard. Points at their simplest redemption. Welcome offers not included.
Pros
- 2% cash back on everything, no cap
- 4% on gas and groceries, up to $30,000 of combined spending a year ($1,200 back)
- Year one: 10% back on the first $2,000 in 3 months (up to $200), plus $50 for a purchase in month 13
- $5 million travel medical (first 15 days, under 65) and rental car cover
- $1,000 phone insurance
- Up to $60 a year in Instacart credit, to December 31, 2027
- Free additional cards; no published minimum income
Cons
- $9.99 a month ($119.88 a year), including year one
- Amex: not accepted at Costco (Mastercard only) or many Loblaw-banner grocers, which cuts into the 4% on groceries
- 4% on gas and groceries shares one $30,000 yearly cap, then 2%
- Cash back is paid only once a year, in September
- No trip cancellation insurance
- 2.5% on foreign-currency purchases
- No welcome offer if you have held this card before
- A Visa/Mastercard pair earns about the same and works everywhere: Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite (4% groceries and bills) + Rogers Red World Elite ($0, 2% for Rogers customers)
Insurance included
- Travel medical: $5 million, first 15 days, under 65
- Flight delay: $500
- Delayed bags: $500, after 6 hours
- Lost bags: $500 per trip
- Hotel burglary: $500
- Travel accident: $100,000
- Rental car damage: up to 48 days, cars up to $85,000
- Phone: up to $1,000
- Purchases: 90 days of theft/damage cover (up to $1,000), +1 year warranty
- Trip cancellation: none
Maximums as Amex lists them. Conditions apply; the insurance certificate decides claims.
Perks
- Instacart: up to $60 a year in statement credits
- Referrals: up to $750 cash back a year for approved friends
- Amex Offers: targeted statement credits, added in the Amex app
- Plan It: split purchases of $100+ into monthly instalments for a flat fee
Other cards for groceries
Back a year on $9,600 of groceries, caps included. Points at best-case value. Before annual fees.
| Card | Earns on groceries | Back a year | Annual fee | Terms checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amex Cobalt | 5× points≈ 10.0% in value | $960 | $192 | October 21, 2026 |
| Scotiabank Gold Amex | 6× points | $576 | $120 | November 2, 2026 |
| Neo World Elite Mastercard | 5% back | $480 | $149 | October 21, 2026 |
| National Bank World Elite Mastercard | 5× points | $480 | $150 | October 21, 2026 |
| Desjardins Cash Back World Elite Mastercard | 4% back | $384 | $100 | October 23, 2026 |
| SimplyCash Preferred | 4% back | $384 | $120 | October 21, 2026 |
Other cards for gas / ev
Back a year on $3,000 of gas / ev, caps included. Points at best-case value. Before annual fees.
| Card | Earns on gas / ev | Back a year | Annual fee | Terms checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SimplyCash Preferred | 4% back | $120 | $120 | October 21, 2026 |
| Amex Cobalt | 2× points≈ 4.0% in value | $120 | $192 | October 21, 2026 |
| Amex Gold Rewards | 2× points≈ 4.0% in value | $120 | $250 | October 21, 2026 |
| CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege | 2× points≈ 4.0% in value | $120 | $499 | October 21, 2026 |
| CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite | 4% back≈ 3.9% in value | $118 | $120 | October 21, 2026 |
| BMO eclipse Visa Infinite | 5× points≈ 3.4% in value | $101 | $120 | October 21, 2026 |
How the offer has changed
One row per check of Amex's page, newest first. Old rows are never edited.
| Checked | Welcome offer | Fee, year one | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 21, 2026 | Unchanged: bonus 10% cash back in the first 3 months (up to $2,000 in purchases = up to $200) + $50 statement credit for a purchase in month 13 ("up to $250 in bonus value")Page text identical to October 17, 2026 | $9.99/mo ($119.88/yr; $119/yr in Quebec), not waived | none stated |
| October 17, 2026 | Unchanged: bonus 10% cash back in the first 3 months (up to $2,000 in purchases = up to $200) + $50 statement credit for a purchase in month 13 ("up to $250 in bonus value")First row in this table. Still live after the reported July 28, 2026 end date. Footnote: 4% gas and grocery share one $30,000/yr purchase cap | $9.99/mo ($119.88/yr; $119/yr in Quebec), not waived | none stated |
General information, not financial advice. Offers change; confirm on Amex's page before you apply.