Best Brim Financial Credit Cards In Canada For 2025
The best Brim Financial credit card truly depends on what you want from a credit card: a basic no fee option, like the Brim Mastercard, or a more premium credit card like the Brim World Elite Mastercard.
Although both of these Mastercards used to offer higher earn rates and waive foreign exchange fees, coverage has recently changed. Still, their low foreign exchange rates make them serious contenders as travel credit cards.
Key Takeaways
- Brim Financial offers a no fee Mastercard that has a basic earn rate and low foreign exchange fee.
- For a reasonable annual fee, the Brim World Elite Mastercard has more extensive insurance and benefits than its alternative.
- Brim Financial devalued its reward program, so if you’re looking for lots of rewards, there are many better options out there.
Best Brim credit cards for October 2025
You might have noticed that Brim Financial credit cards don’t appear on creditcardGenius as much as credit cards from other issuers. That’s because the fintech company made a massive cut to its rewards program a few years ago and started charging foreign exchange fees with all of its cards.
Still, they do have features and benefits that many people find attractive. Take a look:
| Credit card | Annual fee | Rewards | Insurance coverage | Income requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brim Mastercard | $0 | * 0.5% cash back on all purchases | 4 types of coverage | * None |
| Brim World Elite Mastercard | $89 | * 1% cash back on all purchases | 12 types of coverage | * $80,000 personal or $150,000 household |
Brim Mastercard
Rewards:
- 0.5% cash back on all purchases
If you’re looking for a card with no annual fee, take a look at the company’s basic Mastercard, the Brim Mastercard. It offers 0.5% cash back on all purchases plus 4 types of insurance. You’ll still get the open rewards from Brim (more on that below), but the card is easier to qualify for than Brim’s premium option, making it a good option for someone who wants an easy-to-use rewards card or is working on building credit.
Pros:
- Ability to redeem points towards any purchase made to the card
- Low 1.5% foreign exchange fee
- 4 types of insurance included
Cons:
- Low earn rate of 0.5% cash back
Brim World Elite Mastercard
Rewards:
- 1% cash back on all purchases
The Brim World Elite Mastercard is Brim’s premium credit card. You'll earn 1% cash back on all spending and get an excellent 12 types of insurance coverage, all for an annual fee of $89. You can add a Family Card for $50, which lets you give household members their own Brim credit card while setting spending limits and tracking purchases.
Pros:
- 1.5% foreign exchange fee
- Mastercard Travel Pass
- 12 types of insurance included
- Family Card available
Cons:
- High income requirement of $80,000 personal or $150,000 household
- Low earn rate of 1% cash back
What is Brim Financial?
Brim Financial is a relatively new player in the credit card industry. Launching its first line of credit cards in 2018, Brim markets itself as a company that offers cutting-edge innovation and a uniquely digital financial experience.
Putting the technological aspects of banking first, Brim credit cards give tech-savvy customers top-of-the-line security and convenience through online banking, digital budgeting tools, and the ability to connect to five mobile wallets (Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pay, Fitbit Pay, and Garmin Pay).
Pros and cons of Brim credit cards
If you’re shopping around for a new credit card, it can help to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of a particular company. Here are the pros and cons we found with Brim:
- Good insurance coverage: Depending on the Brim card you choose, you’ll get up to 12 types of coverage included.
- Low foreign exchange fees: Most credit cards charge an extra 2.5% on purchases that aren't made in Canadian dollars, but Brim cards only charge 1.5%.
- Unique perks: Using your Brim card can earn you discounts. You can also upload your Brim card to one of five mobile payment methods, and the cards come with high-grade security.
- Opportunities to earn bonus rewards: Hitting a specific purchase amount or reaching a spending milestone with Brim partners can earn you extra rewards.
- No boosted earn categories: You’ll have to look elsewhere if you want boosted earn rates on things like gas and groceries, since Brim only offers flat-rate cash back earning.
- Mediocre earn rates: Brim’s entry-level card offers a measly 0.5% cash back, while the World Elite offers just 1% – very low for a premium card.
Brim credit card features
In a crowded credit card landscape, here are the things that make Brim Mastercards stand out.
Low foreign exchange fees
You can use your Brim credit card when travelling and save on the usual 2.5% (or more) foreign transaction fee. Brim caps the foreign exchange fees at just 1.5%.
Flexible payment options
Brim credit cards can help take the sting out of larger purchases by offering installment plans. Any purchase of more than $500 qualifies.
You can spread out the cost of your payments across 12, 16, 20, or 24 months for a one-time fee plus a monthly processing fee of 0.475% of the transaction amount.
Be careful: Installment plans can make it easy to overextend yourself financially. It’s best to use these plans sparingly and avoid carrying a balance on your credit card.
Insurance coverage
Both Brim credit cards include liability, mobile device, extended warranty, and purchase protection insurance.
Spring for the World Elite Mastercard and you’ll enjoy higher coverage limits, out-of-province emergency medical coverage, flight delay insurance, baggage delay insurance, and a handful of other travel-related policies.
Budgeting tools
As a fintech company, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Brim has a great app and online budgeting tools. You can instantly see how much you've spent on your card, in what category, and how it compares to the previous month.
You can also set monthly limits on a variety of categories. You’ll receive a notification when you’re approaching your limit – and another when you exceed it.
Maximize rewards with Brim's retail partners
Shopping with Brim's retail partners is especially rewarding. You'll forego your card's regular earn rate and instead earn rewards at a much higher rate – anywhere from 3% to 30%, depending on the retailer.
To find these partners, check out the Brim eStore, Brim’s online retail portal. By starting your shopping at the eStore, you ensure you’ll get the fantastic elevated rewards. Some retail partners offer different tiers that can yield a significant return on your spend. Plus, when you make purchases through Brim’s eStore, you’ll earn up to 30% back in points.
While you’re shopping, keep a sharp lookout for bonus rewards that some partners offer. For instance, if a partner offers 10% back, that overrides the regular 1% earn rate. Not bad for online shopping!
Since these bonuses and promotions change frequently, it doesn’t hurt to pop onto the site regularly. This way, you won’t miss out on great opportunities to earn even higher rewards. If you use the Brim app, it’s even easier to keep track of earning opportunities.
Pro Tip: Don’t forget that you can use your Brim cards for everyday purchases. Then, when you’re ready to redeem points, you can combine offers for even bigger bonuses!
When you’re ready to redeem your points, you’ve got a couple of options: redeem your points through the eStore for merchandise or use them against your statement balance. For every 100 points, you can get $1 toward your purchase or against your account balance.
Brim Mastercard vs Wealthsimple Card
If you're disappointed with your current Brim card (following the recent changes) or are simply curious about its close competitors, Wealthsimple is an attractive option to consider.
At the time of writing, the Wealthsimple Credit Card is quite new to the market and has a waitlist. Consider the following comparison to determine whether joining that list might be a good idea.
| Card name | Annual fee | Welcome offer | Rewards | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brim World Elite Mastercard | $89 | None | 1% cash back on all purchases | * Ability to redeem points towards any purchase made with the card * Low 1.5% foreign exchange fee * 12 types of insurance | * High income requirements |
| Wealthsimple Credit Card | $240 | 2% cash back on all purchases | * No foreign exchange fees * Luxurious Visa Infinite perks and benefits * Possible to have the annual fee waived | * Only 8 types of insurance |
FAQ
Is Brim available in Canada?
Yes, Brim is a Canadian fintech company founded in 2017 and based in Toronto. It currently offers only two credit cards, both of which are Mastercards, featuring flexible payment options and low foreign exchange fees.
Are Brim credit cards good?
Many would argue that Brim credit cards used to be better – they charged no foreign exchange fee and had more rewards. Since they changed their policies in 2024, they’re no longer as valuable as other credit card options.
What are the income requirements for a Brim credit card?
The basic Brim Mastercard used to have no income requirement, but it currently asks for $15,000 in personal income. The Brim World Elite Mastercard has an $80,000 personal or $150,000 annual household income requirement.
Do Brim cards have foreign exchange fees?
When they started offering credit cards back in 2017, Brim didn't charge foreign exchange fees. However, in May 2024, Brim changed things up and now charges a 1.5% foreign exchange fee on foreign currency purchases.
How have Brim credit cards changed?
In May of 2024, Brim announced it would start charging a 1.5% foreign exchange fee (instead of no fee). It also cut the rewards each card earns in half, a massive devaluation for Brim cardholders.
What is the best insurance credit card in Canada?
The RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege is the best card if you’re looking for the most valuable insurance, while the BMO AIR MILES World Elite Mastercard is the best card if you’re looking for the most types of insurance coverage.
Editorial Disclaimer: The content here reflects the author's opinion alone. No bank, credit card issuer, rewards program, or other entity has reviewed, approved, or endorsed this content. For complete and updated product information please visit the product issuer's website. Our credit card scores and rankings are based on our Rating Methodology that takes into account 126+ features for each of 229 Canadian credit cards.
