Daniela Hanna
The CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card delivers some of the strongest cash-back rates among Canadian cards: 4% back in groceries, gas & EV charging, 2% back on dining, transit and recurring bills, and 1% back elsewhere — all for a manageable annual fee with a strong first-year value. If you’re seeking a high-return, straightforward cash-back card, this one deserves serious consideration.
Quick highlights
- 🎁 Welcome offer: Up to ≈ $450 in value including a first-year annual-fee rebate.
- 🛒 4% cash back on eligible groceries, gas & electric vehicle charging.
- 🍽️ 2% cash back on dining, transportation (ride-sharing, transit), and recurring payments.
- 💳 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
- 💤 No cap on the total cash back you can earn — and you’re free to redeem once you’ve accumulated $10 or more.
Why we like it
This is a standout cash-back card for Canadians who spend heavily on groceries, gas or EV charging. The 4% cash-back rate in those categories is generous, especially since many other cards settle for 2–3%. On top of that you still get 2% back in high-use categories like dining and recurring bills, and 1% everywhere else — making this a general-purpose powerhouse for everyday spending.
The welcome value and rebated first-year fee make the first-year experience low-risk, and the annual fee of $120 is reasonable if you use the strong categories well. There’s also no earnings cap beyond the high-rate thresholds, meaning, once you’re in, you’re consistently rewarded.
Stand-out features
- ✅ 4% cash back where many households spend (groceries, gas, EV charging).
- ✅ 2% back on dining, transportation and recurring payments — nice breadth of bonus categories.
- ✅ Up-to-≈ $450 first-year value thanks to welcome offer and fee rebate.
- ✅ Cash back redemption is flexible, no expiring points and no limit on total cash back.
Good to know
- ⚠️ 4% and 2% rates apply only to purchases in eligible merchant categories and up to specified annual limits; beyond those, you earn 1%.
- ⚠️ Foreign transaction fee applies (typically 2.5%) — this is not a no-FX card.
- ⚠️ As a Visa Infinite product you need to meet income requirements (approx. $60,000 individual or $100,000 household) to qualify.
Pros
- Very high 4% cash-back rate in groceries/gas/EV charging — hard to beat.
- Good 2% back in dining, transportation and recurring payments — covers many everyday categories.
- Strong welcome-value and first-year fee rebate make the cost manageable in year one.
- Flexible cash-back redemption and no expiry make this easy to use.
- Useful insurances included (mobile-device, travel, rental-car etc) for a cash-back card.
Cons
- The 4% and 2% rates are subject to annual spending caps (for example the first $50,000 in net annual purchases across categories or a subset like $20,000 in bonus category spend) — once you exceed them you’ll drop to 1%.
- The $120 annual fee (while modest compared to premium travel cards) must be offset by strong use of bonus categories; if you spend lightly, the value may be weaker.
- Foreign transaction fee still applies — if you spend frequently abroad or in USD you may pick a card with no FX fee.
- Some ‘gas’ merchants or EV charging stations may not be coded in the bonus category depending on merchant classification — category-coding matters.
Rewards program
- 🛒 4% cash back on eligible gas stations, electric vehicle charging and groceries.
- 🍽️ 2% cash back on eligible transportation (subway, streetcar, taxi, ride-share), dining in/out, and recurring payments pre-authorised on a regular schedule.
- 💳 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
How to maximise rewards
- Use this card for all grocery, gas and EV-charging expenses to capture the 4% rate — these are the categories where it shines.
- Put dining, ride-share/transit purchases and regular recurring bills (subscriptions, utilities, telecom) on this card to earn 2% rather than 1% elsewhere.
- Keep an eye on your annual bonus-category spend ceiling (for example the $20,000 or $50,000 cap) to avoid unexpectedly dropping to 1% after you hit it.
- Redeem your cash back as soon as it’s worthwhile (once you hit $10) so you get value — you don’t have to wait for huge sums or expiry worries.
- If you travel internationally or spend in foreign currency often, consider pairing this with a no-FX-fee card and use this card for domestic bonus-categories only.
Insurance & benefits
Included
- ✅ Mobile-device insurance for eligible smartphones and tablets purchased/charged to the card.
- ✅ Out-of-province/out-of-country emergency travel medical insurance (for eligible cardholders and family) when travel is charged to the card.
- ✅ Common-carrier accident insurance.
- ✅ Car-rental collision/loss damage insurance when rental is charged to the card and certain conditions met.
- ✅ Purchase security and extended-warranty protection for eligible purchases charged on the card.
Not included / limitations
- ❌ This card does not waive foreign transaction fees — standard FX surcharge applies.
- ⚠️ As with most cards, insurance coverage comes with age-limits, trip length limits, and exclusions — be sure to review the certificate for full details.
- ⚠️ While it includes Visa Infinite benefits like concierge service, it is not positioned as a luxury travel-card with lounge access or ultra-premium perks.
Rates & fees
| Annual fee | $120 (first year rebated for new accounts under current offer) |
|---|---|
| Purchase APR | 21.99% (non-Quebec residents)† |
| Cash advance APR | 22.99%† |
| Foreign transaction fee | 2.5% of converted amount |
| Grace period | At least 21 days on new purchases when full statement balance is paid by due date |
Best for
- 🛒 Canadians who allocate a large portion of their monthly spending to groceries, gas/EV-charging and food delivery — 4% cash-back category.
- 🍽️ Those who dine out, use ride-share or transit and pay regular bills — earns 2% in those categories rather than base 1%.
- 💡 Cardholders who prefer simple, high-return cash-back rather than reward-points systems they have to manage.
- 💳 People comfortable with a $120 annual fee (in year two) and willing to ensure they earn enough bonus return to justify it.
Where it falls short
- If your spending is mostly outside the listed bonus categories (for example travel, accommodation, large non-food bills) you may not exploit the 4%/2% rates and could be better served elsewhere.
- The annual fee must be justified by your spend — if you don’t hit the 4% category regularly, the net return may be modest.
- Foreign transaction fee applies, so if you make frequent purchases in USD or abroad you might prefer a no-FX-fee card.
- Bonus-category classification depends on merchant category codes — some gas stations, EV chargers or ride-share merchants might be coded differently, earning you just 1%.
Customer reviews
Positive feedback
“The 4 % back on groceries and gas has really added up for our family — we keep this card for those big monthly bills and it pays itself.”
“I love the simple cash-back setup — 4% in the most frequent categories, 1% elsewhere — no juggling rotating categories or transfers.”
Critiques
“Once we hit the bonus-category limit we dropped to 1% and that caught us by surprise — important to keep track of spend.”
“The foreign transaction fee is a bit of a let-down when travelling — I still bring another card for overseas purchases.”
Community insights
In Canadian cash-back forums this card is frequently mentioned among the top for everyday spenders who prioritise groceries and gas. Many users call it a “set-and-forget” card of the wallet because once you route the right spend through it you get consistent high return without needing to optimise each month. That said, the recurring advice is: track your spend to avoid hitting the high-rate cap and pair with a travel/no-FX card if you cross borders often.
AI review (straight talk)
If your monthly spending includes lots of groceries, fuel, EV charging and you never want to worry about rotating categories, the CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite hits a lot of boxes. The 4% back where many other cards offer just 2–3% is impressive. The welcome value and first-year fee rebate soften the upfront cost.
However, it does demand that you actively funnel key categories to the card and monitor for category caps. Also, if you travel internationally, you’ll want another card because the 2.5% FX surcharge will eat into value. For a domestic-focused high-cash-back strategy, though, this card is one of the best.
Alternatives & comparison
| Card | Annual Fee | Top Categories | Other Purchases | Key Perks | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card | $120 (rebated year 1) | 4% groceries/gas/EV charging | 1% elsewhere | Strong cash-back; bonus-category heavy | Grocery/gas heavy spenders |
| Scotiabank Momentum® Visa Infinite* Card | $120 | 4% on eligible grocery, gas, drugstore in first 4 months; 2% then 1% | 1% or less | Strong first-year 4% programme | Early phase cash-back seekers |
| BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card | $120 | 5× BMO Rewards points on groceries/dining/gas/transit | 1× | High earn rewards, points-rather than cash | Everyday spenders seeking points |
| MBNA Smart® Cash World Mastercard® | $39 | 2% cash-back on gas & groceries (after intro); 1% others | 1% elsewhere | Low fee cash-back | Low-fee cash-back seekers |
FAQ
Is there an annual fee?
Yes — the CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite has a $120 annual fee for the primary cardholder, with a first-year rebate under current offer.
What are the earn rates?
You earn 4% cash back on eligible groceries, gas and EV charging; 2% on eligible transportation, dining and recurring payments; and 1% on all other purchases.
What is the welcome bonus?
The current welcome emphasises up to approximately $450 in value, including a rebate of the first-year annual fee, a 10% cash back bonus on early spending, and a bonus for setting up one pre-authorized payment.
Does this card include travel insurance?
Yes. Included insurance protections cover mobile-device insurance, purchase security, out-of-province/out-of-country emergency medical, car-rental collision/loss damage, common-carrier accident, and more (subject to terms and limitations).
Are there foreign transaction fees?
Yes — this card applies the standard foreign-currency conversion fee of about 2.5% on non-CAD transactions.
What income do I need to qualify?
As a Visa Infinite product, the usual eligibility is approx. $60,000 individual or $100,000 household annual income (varies by applicant and other factors).
Final verdict & ratings
Our takeFor Canadians who spend a large portion of their monthly budget on groceries, gas/EV charging, dining and ride-share/transit, the CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite Card offers outstanding cash-back value. The strong 4% back rate in high-frequency categories, decent 2% secondary categories, and a reasonable annual fee make it a very competitive pick in the domestic cash-back field.
That said, if you rarely hit those high-cash-back categories, travel frequently abroad, or want no foreign-transaction fees, you may find other cards serve you better. But if your spending aligns and you’re after cash-back simplicity, this card stands out.
| Overall | ★★★★☆4.1 / 5 |
|---|---|
| Rewards value | 4.3 / 5 — very strong for category-heavy spenders |
| Benefits & protections | 3.8 / 5 — solid insurance and perks for a cash-back card |
| Fees & costs | 3.9 / 5 — modest fee, good value if used properly |
| Ease of approval | 3.7 / 5 — Visa Infinite standard income/credit criteria apply |
