The SimplyCash Card is the no-fee way into Amex cash back, and I'd point to it for anyone who wants a flat rate without paying for a card. Everything earns 1.25% with no cap, and stand-alone gas stations and grocery stores in Canada earn 2% on up to $15,000 in purchases a year. That base rate is above what most no-fee cards pay on everyday spending.
The weak spots are the payout schedule and the extras. Cash back arrives once a year, on the September statement, and the insurance stops at travel accident, purchase protection and extended warranty. It is also an American Express, so I'd keep a Visa or Mastercard for the places that do not take Amex.
Welcome offer
The SimplyCash Card is offering up to $100 in bonus cash back, verified on the Amex page on October 13, 2026. For your first 3 months, every purchase earns a bonus 5% cash back on up to $2,000 in spending, on top of the regular rates.
The bonus window closes at 3 months or $2,000 in purchases, whichever comes first, and current or former SimplyCash Card Cardmembers are not eligible. The bonus is paid with the rest of your cash back on the September statement. No end date is published, so confirm the current offer on the issuer's page before applying.
The 5% bonus stops at $2,000, which works out to about $667 a month for 3 months. Since the card has no fee, there is no cost to keeping it after the bonus is paid.
Fees & eligibility
The annual fee is $0, and supplementary cards are also free, up to 9 per account (supplementary Cardmembers must be at least 13). Amex publishes no minimum income; the listed requirements are Canadian residency, a Canadian credit file and the age of majority in your province or territory.
The interest rate is 21.99% on purchases and funds advances, rising to 25.99% or 29.99% after missed payments, so the card only pays if you clear the balance each month. The product page does not state a foreign transaction fee, so check the cardholder agreement before using it abroad.
Earning rewards
Earning is three rates. Stand-alone gas stations and grocery stores in Canada earn 2%, and everything else earns 1.25% with no limit.
The 2% rate is capped at $15,000 in purchases a year, or $300 in cash back, after which those purchases earn 1.25%; the count resets on your card anniversary. Superstores, wholesale clubs, alcohol retailers and general merchandise retailers do not count as gas or grocery, so a big-box grocery run earns the base rate.
Redeeming rewards
There is nothing to redeem. Cash back builds up over the year and is applied as a credit to your account once a year, on the statement issued in September, so it simply reduces your balance.
The trade-off for that simplicity is the wait: cash back earned in October sits for almost a year before it shows up. There are no points to convert, no transfer partners and no portal to learn.
Perks & benefits
The perks are light, as you would expect at no fee. Basic Cardmembers can earn up to $375 a year in referral bonuses for approved referrals, and Amex Experiences adds Front Of The Line presale and reserved tickets plus the Cardmember Entrance and American Express Lounge at Rogers Stadium and RBC Amphitheatre.
You also get Amex Offers, deals through American Express Travel Online and Plan It installments. There is no lounge access, no travel credit and no statement credit perk like the Instacart credit on the SimplyCash Preferred.
Insurance
The insurance is limited to three coverages. $100,000 travel accident insurance applies when you charge the full fare for a plane, train, ship or bus to the card, and Purchase Protection covers new items against theft or accidental damage for 90 days, up to $1,000 per occurrence.
Buyer's Assurance extends a manufacturer's warranty by up to 1 extra year on warranties of five years or less, up to $10,000 per item and $25,000 a year. There is no emergency medical, trip cancellation, flight delay, baggage or car rental coverage, so plan to buy travel insurance separately or carry another card for trips.
My take
I'd get the SimplyCash Card if you want a no-fee card with a better-than-usual base rate and you can wait for an annual payout; I'd skip it if you need travel insurance from your card or shop where Amex is not taken.
The 1.25% floor is the reason this card exists. Plenty of no-fee cards pay 0.5% to 1% outside their bonus categories, so for spending that does not fit a category, this one pulls ahead without asking anything of you. The 2% gas and grocery rate is a modest bonus on top, capped at $300 a year.
The obvious comparison is the SimplyCash Preferred, which earns 2% on everything and 4% on gas and groceries for $119.88 a year. Very roughly, its extra 0.75% on everyday purchases covers that fee at around $16,000 a year of spending, sooner if a big share is gas and groceries. Below that, I'd stick with the free version.
The good
- No annual fee, including supplementary cards
- Unlimited 1.25% cash back on everything
- 2% at gas stations and grocery stores in Canada
The catch
- Cash back pays out once a year, in September
- 2% capped at $15,000 a year; superstores earn 1.25%
- No medical, delay, baggage or rental car insurance