creditcardGenius Team
updated on Feb 19, 2025
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You probably know Capital One best as a large bank in the United States, but they have a small presence here in Canada with a handful of credit cards. All of their cards have no annual fee and while Capital One is best known for their secured cards, we think the best one is the Capital One Smart Rewards Mastercard.

Key Takeaways

  • Capital One offers 5 credit cards in Canada.
  • All Capital One credit cards have no annual fee.
  • If you need to rebuild your credit, Capital One offers 2 guaranteed credit cards.
  • Despite having no annual fees, all Capital One credit cards come with 6 types of insurance.

Best Capital One credit cards in Canada

Capital One offers a selection of no annual fee credit cards for Canadians, all of which belong to the Mastercard network.

Capital One Smart Rewards MastercardCapital One Guaranteed MastercardCapital One Guaranteed Secured Mastercard
Rewards* 5 points per $1 paid towards your balance
Insurance included6 types6 types6 types
Annual fee$0$0$0
Income requirementsNoneNoneNone

Capital One Smart Rewards Mastercard

The Capital One Smart Rewards Mastercard is a rather unique credit card when it comes to rewards. Instead of earning rewards when you make purchases, you earn them when you make your payments. It's a reward for paying your bills.

You’ll earn 5 points per $1 paid towards your balance – and while it’s a lot of points, they aren’t worth as much as you might think. 10,000 points will get you a $25 gift card, so they're only worth 0.25 cents each.

Even still, it works out to a return of 0.65% on all your purchases – assuming you pay your bill in full and on time.

This credit card also offers 6 types of insurance, including the rare price protection insurance. This grants you a refund if an eligible item goes on sale after you purchased it (within 60 days).

3.4 Genius Rating
4.0 (1) User reviews
Annual fee
$0.00
Learn more
Welcome bonus
$0
Learn more
Annual rewards
$156
Learn more
Capital One Smart Rewards™ Mastercard®
3.4 Genius Rating
4.0 (1) User reviews
Annual fee
$0.00
Learn more
Welcome bonus
$0
Learn more
Annual rewards
$156
Learn more
Credit estimate:
 (760 - 900)
Instant approval: Yes

Capital One Guaranteed Mastercards

Need a tool to help rebuild your credit? Capital One offers 2 different cards, the Capital One Guaranteed Secured Mastercard and the Capital One Guaranteed Mastercard. They're essentially the same credit card with one difference: the Capital One Guaranteed Secured Mastercard requires a security deposit, while the Capital One Guaranteed Mastercard may require a security deposit. That determination will be made during your application.

The security deposit is collateral for the bank. The funds you put up for your security deposit turn into your credit limit. If you ever fail to pay your balance, the bank has the funds required to pay it for you. Once you are finished with the card, your security deposit will be returned to you.

Like many guaranteed credit cards, you won’t get any rewards. These cards strictly exist to help you build your credit.

That said, there is an excellent insurance package at play for a no fee card – and especially for a secured card. You'll get access to 6 types of insurance, including price protection coverage.

2.5 Genius Rating
1.0 (1) User reviews
Annual fee
$0.00
Learn more
Welcome bonus
$0
Learn more
Annual rewards
$0
Learn more
Capital One Guaranteed Secured Mastercard®
2.5 Genius Rating
1.0 (1) User reviews
Annual fee
$0.00
Learn more
Welcome bonus
$0
Learn more
Annual rewards
$0
Learn more
Credit estimate:
 (300 - 559)
Instant approval: No
2.4 Genius Rating
5.0 (1) User reviews
Annual fee
$0.00
Learn more
Welcome bonus
$0
Learn more
Annual rewards
$0
Learn more
Capital One Guaranteed Mastercard®
2.4 Genius Rating
5.0 (1) User reviews
Annual fee
$0.00
Learn more
Welcome bonus
$0
Learn more
Annual rewards
$0
Learn more
Credit estimate:
 (300 - 559)
Instant approval: No

Pros and cons of Capital One credit cards

There are some serious pros to having a Capital One Mastercard, along with a few things to consider..

  • No annual fees on all Capital One Mastercards
  • Very good insurance package for no fee cards – especially with price protection
  • No income requirements
  • Selection of guaranteed cards to help rebuild credit.

There are definitely downsides with Capital One:

  • Small selection of cards – only 5 to choose from
  • Very limited perks included
  • No premium cards for increased rewards, benefits, and insurance
  • High standard interest rates of 29.9%

How to choose the right Capital One credit card

The biggest question to ask is regarding your credit score. If you have poor or even fair credit, you'll want one of the guaranteed Mastercards; you likely won't be approved for any other credit card.

If your credit score is good or better, you can choose from Capital One's Rewards credit cards. We think the Capital One Smart Rewards Mastercard is their best one.

Learn more: What is a good credit score – and is it good enough to be approved?

How to apply for a Capital One credit card

There are 4 requirements to apply for a Capital One Mastercard:

  • Be the age of majority in your province or territory of residence
  • Your credit profile must not be frozen.
  • You must not have any existing Capital One accounts (or a pending application with them)
  • Any Capital One accounts held in the last year must have been in good standing

FAQ

What kind of credit cards does Capital One offer in Canada?

Capital One offers 5 different no fee Mastercards to Canadians. You can choose from credit cards that offer rewards or guaranteed cards to rebuild credit.

Can I have more than one Capital One credit card?

Capital One only allows people to have one of their credit cards at any given time. You can't apply for a credit card from Capital One if you already hold a card with them.

Do Capital One credit cards come with insurance?

All Capital One credit cards come with 6 types of insurance, which is quite good for no fee cards. They include one of the rarest insurance coverages: price protection.

What credit score is needed for a Capital One credit card?

If you have a poor or fair credit score, you’ll likely only be approved for a secured credit card with Capital One. This can help you improve your score. If you have good credit or higher, you may be eligible for Capital One’s rewards credit card. Remember, though, that credit score isn’t the only thing that financial institutions consider when approving or denying credit applications.

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 226 Canadian credit cards.