BMO CashBack Mastercard
3% cash back on groceries, $0 annual fee. The no-brainer card for every Canadian household.
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Why BMO CashBack is the smartest grocery card in Canada
The average Canadian household spends over $1,000 per month on groceries. At 3% cash back, that’s $30 back every month — $360 per year — from purchases you were going to make anyway. The BMO CashBack Mastercard earns that reward automatically, at every grocery store in the country that accepts Mastercard, with no category activation, no quarterly sign-up, and no cap on how much you can earn. It’s one of the highest flat grocery cash back rates on any no-fee card in Canada.
What sets the BMO CashBack apart from competitors is how straightforward the redemption is. There’s no points currency to manage, no minimum threshold to unlock, and no expiry date on your earnings. Cash back accrues monthly and is automatically applied to your statement balance — effectively reducing your bill by however much you’ve earned that month. For Canadians who want real financial value without the complexity of managing a rewards program, this card delivers exactly that.
BMO has been part of Canadian banking since 1817, and its mobile app is consistently rated among the best in the industry for ease of use. Real-time transaction alerts, clear spending breakdowns by category, and one-tap autopay setup make it easy to manage your account responsibly — which, over time, directly improves your credit score and positions you for better financial products down the road.
Does the 3% apply at all grocery stores?
The 3% cash back applies to purchases coded as grocery stores in the Mastercard network — which covers the vast majority of Canadian supermarkets including Loblaws, Sobeys, Metro, No Frills, and Walmart grocery sections.
Is there a cap on how much cash back I can earn?
The no-annual-fee version may have a monthly cap on the 3% grocery rate. BMO also offers a premium CashBack World Elite Mastercard with higher limits. Check current terms when applying.
How is the cash back paid out?
Cash back accumulates monthly and is automatically applied as a credit to your next statement. You don’t need to request it — it happens automatically every billing cycle.
What credit score do I need?
BMO’s CashBack Mastercard is designed for a broad range of credit profiles. A fair-to-good score (around 650+) is typically sufficient. Pre-approval tools are available on BMO’s website without impacting your score.
Can I apply if I’m new to Canada?
BMO has programs specifically designed to help newcomers to Canada access credit products. Contact BMO directly or visit their website to explore newcomer banking options.
How to apply for the BMO CashBack Mastercard
Applying for the BMO CashBack Mastercard is a fully digital process that most applicants complete in under 10 minutes. Visit BMO’s credit cards page, select the CashBack Mastercard, and click Apply Now. If you’re an existing BMO customer, log in first — your information will be pre-populated, making the form even faster to complete.
The application requires standard information: your full legal name, address, Social Insurance Number (SIN), employment status, annual income, and banking details for payment setup. BMO processes the application in real time and delivers a decision almost instantly for most applicants. In cases requiring manual review, you’ll typically hear back within one to two business days.
Once approved, your card details can be added to Apple Pay or Google Pay immediately, so you can start earning 3% on your very next grocery run — even before the physical card arrives in the mail. When your card arrives, activate it through the BMO app, set up autopay for the full monthly balance, and turn on transaction notifications. From that point, your grocery spending becomes a reliable monthly source of cash back that requires zero ongoing effort.
It’s worth pausing on just how significant 3% cash back on groceries is in practical terms. The average Canadian household spends roughly $800 to $1,200 per month on groceries. At 3%, that’s $24 to $36 back every single month — between $288 and $432 per year — from purchases that are entirely non-negotiable. Paired with the $200 welcome bonus available to new cardholders who spend $500 in the first three months, year one with the BMO CashBack Mastercard can deliver over $600 in tangible value. For a card with no annual fee, that’s a return that competing premium cards with $120 annual fees regularly fail to match.
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