Brim Mastercard® Review

Updated October 14, 20266 min read

I'd treat the Brim Mastercard as a no-fee card for spending in other currencies, not as a rewards card. It earns 1 point per $2, each point worth 1 cent, so 0.5% back, which is the low end for a no-fee card. What sets it apart is the 1.5% foreign transaction fee, a point below the 2.5% most Canadian cards charge.

The rest is basic: purchase security, extended warranty, $500 mobile device cover and common carrier accident insurance, but no travel medical, trip or rental car cover. If you shop online in US dollars now and then and don't want to pay for a card, it makes some sense to me. For everyday spending in Canada, most no-fee cash back cards earn more.

The bonus

Welcome offer

There is no welcome bonus on the Brim Mastercard as of October 13, 2026. Brim's page points instead to Brim Open Rewards, where a first purchase at a participating merchant can earn bonus points (Brim's footnote says up to $500 in Brim points across those merchants).

Those offers depend on where you shop and change over time, so they are not a sign-up bonus you can plan around.

Insider tip

Open the Brim app before a large first purchase and check whether that merchant has a first-time offer. A merchant offer replaces the base rate at that store rather than adding to it, and at 1 point per $2 the base rate is low, so most offers beat it.

What it costs

Fees & eligibility

The Brim Mastercard has no annual fee, and additional cardmembers are free. Foreign currency purchases carry a 1.5% foreign transaction fee, lower than the 2.5% typical of Canadian cards but still a cost on every purchase abroad or in US dollars online.

Brim's application lists an income requirement only for its World Elite card, not this one. The preferred interest rates are 19.99% on purchases and balance transfers and 21.50% on cash advances, rising to a standard 24.99% after two missed minimum payments in 12 months. Purchases get a 21-day grace period, and at 0.5% back, carrying a balance costs far more than the card earns.

Annual fee$0

Supplementary card$0

Points per dollar

Earning rewards

Earning is flat: 1 Brim point per $2 of net purchases, with no categories and no cap. Points are worth 1 cent each, so the base return is 0.5%, calculated on the Canadian dollar amount of the purchase.

Brim Open Rewards adds higher earn rates and first-purchase bonuses at participating merchants, which Brim describes as up to 30% back in points. Each offer is merchant-specific and replaces the base rate at that store, so treat it as an occasional extra rather than part of the card's earn rate.

Everything1 point per $2 of net purchases, uncapped; points worth 1 cpp0.5x

Brim Open Rewards merchantsMerchant-specific offers and first-purchase bonuses that replace the base rate at that storeVaries

There is no cap on points and they don't expire while the account is open and in good standing. Points earned by additional cardmembers go to the primary account, and only the primary cardmember can redeem.

Getting value out

Redeeming rewards

Redemption is fixed at 1 cent per point (cpp). In the app you swipe on any purchase to pay it with points, or in the online portal you click Redeem next to a transaction; you can also apply points as cashback against your statement balance at any time.

The minimum is 100 points ($1), and any purchase counts, not just travel. Apart from occasional redemption multipliers in the Brim Marketplace, there is no transfer partner or travel portal to push the value above 1 cpp, but there is also nothing to learn.

Pay off a purchaseRedeem against any posted purchase in the app or portal, from $1.

Cashback on the statementApply points to the statement balance at any time, at 1 cpp.

No expiryPoints last while the account is open and in good standing.

Beyond the points

Perks & benefits

Most of the perks live in the app. Installment Pay splits purchases over $500 into monthly payments for an up-front installment fee instead of interest, additional cards are free with Family Card monthly spending limits, and you can lock the card or block foreign and online transactions instantly.

There is no lounge access of any kind: Brim's comparison chart lists Mastercard Travel Pass for World Elite only. Mobile device insurance of up to $500 per claim is the most useful extra for a $0 card.

Mobile device insuranceUp to $500 per claim for a phone or tablet bought on the card or financed through a Canadian carrier with it.

1.5% FX feeLower than the 2.5% surcharge Brim says most other cards charge on foreign currency purchases.

Brim Open RewardsMerchant offers and first-purchase bonuses inside the Brim app.

Family CardFree additional cards, each with a monthly spending limit you set.

Installment PaySplit purchases over $500 into monthly payments for an up-front fee, with no interest.

Coverage included

Insurance

The insurance covers purchases more than trips. Purchase security protects new items against theft or damage for 90 days (up to $1,000 per account in any 12 months), and extended warranty doubles the manufacturer's warranty by up to 1 extra year, with a $60,000 lifetime account maximum across both. Mobile device insurance pays up to $500 per claim, one claim in any 12 months and two in any 48 months, after a 10% deductible ($25 minimum).

The only travel coverage is common carrier accident insurance of up to $100,000 per person when the full fare is on the card. There is no emergency medical, trip cancellation, flight delay, baggage or rental car insurance, so you need separate cover for trips. Coverage is secondary to other insurance, and the common carrier cover is not available to Quebec residents.

Purchase securityTheft or damage within 90 days of purchase, up to $1,000 per account in any 12 months. Lost items are not covered.

Extended warrantyDoubles the manufacturer's warranty by up to 1 extra year, up to $25,000 per account in any 12 months; $60,000 lifetime with purchase security.

Mobile deviceUp to $500 per claim for loss, theft or accidental damage; 10% deductible ($25 minimum) and 2% monthly depreciation on replacements.

Common carrier accidentUp to $100,000 per insured person, $300,000 per accident, when the full fare is on the card. Not available to Quebec residents.

Not includedEmergency medical, trip cancellation and interruption, flight and baggage delay, lost baggage and rental car coverage.

Opinion

My take

JasonRated 4.5 / 10

I'd get the Brim Mastercard only as a no-fee card for occasional foreign currency purchases; I'd skip it as a main card, since 0.5% back is too little for everyday spending.

The 1.5% FX fee is the reason to look at it. On $1,000 of US dollar purchases it saves $10 against a card charging 2.5%, and the points add about $5 more, which is modest but costs nothing. Points redeem against any purchase from $1, so a small balance never gets stuck.

It falls short everywhere else. A card with no FX fee saves the whole surcharge abroad, and most no-fee cash back cards earn more on groceries and gas at home. The $89 Brim World Elite doubles the earn rate and adds a real travel insurance package, so if you travel and meet its $80,000 income bar, I'd look there first.

The good

No annual fee and free additional cards
1.5% foreign transaction fee, below the usual 2.5%
Points redeem against any purchase from $1, at a fixed 1 cpp

The catch

Flat 0.5% earn rate, the low end for a no-fee card
No travel medical, trip, delay or rental car insurance
No welcome bonus

— Jason

Questions

Frequently asked

Is there an annual fee?

No. The Brim Mastercard has a $0 annual fee, and additional cardmembers are also free.

Is there a foreign transaction fee?

Yes, 1.5% on purchases in a foreign currency. Brim puts the usual surcharge at other banks at 2.5%, so it is lower, but it is not zero.

How much are Brim points worth?

Points are worth 1 cent each (1 cpp). You earn 1 point per $2, so the base return is 0.5%, and points can be applied to any purchase or to your statement balance from 100 points ($1).

Does the card include travel insurance?

Only common carrier accident insurance, up to $100,000 per insured person when the full fare is charged to the card. There is no emergency medical, trip cancellation, delay, baggage or rental car coverage; those come with the Brim World Elite.

Does it cover my phone?

Yes. Mobile device insurance pays up to $500 per claim for a phone or tablet bought in full on the card, or financed through a Canadian carrier with the monthly bills on the card. You can claim once in any 12 months and twice in any 48 months, and a 10% deductible ($25 minimum) applies.

Is there a welcome bonus?

Not on the card itself as of October 13, 2026. Brim promotes first-purchase bonuses at participating merchants through Brim Open Rewards, which vary by merchant.

What income do I need?

Brim lists no minimum income for the Brim Mastercard; its income requirement applies only to the World Elite card. You do need to be a Canadian resident who has reached the age of majority in your province.