Overview
The SimplyCash Card from American Express is one of the best no-annual-fee cashback cards in Canada for everyday spending. It earns 2% cash back on gas and groceries — the two categories most Canadians spend the most on — and 1.25% on everything else, with no limit on the base-rate earnings.
There are no points to manage, no transfer partners to optimize, and no annual fee to worry about. If you just want cash back automatically applied to your statement, this is one of the simplest and most effective options available.
Welcome Offer Breakdown
New cardmembers can earn:
- Up to $100 in bonus cash back — earn a bonus 5% cash back on all purchases (up to $2,000 in purchases) in your first 3 months
This is on top of your regular earn rates, so every purchase you make in the first 3 months earns the standard rate plus the 5% bonus. On $2,000 in spend, that works out to the full $100 bonus.
Note: Current or former cardmembers with this card are not eligible for this welcome offer.
Earning Cash Back
| Category | Earn Rate |
|---|---|
| Gas stations in Canada | 2% cash back |
| Groceries in Canada | 2% cash back (up to $300 cash back/year) |
| Everything else | 1.25% cash back (no limit) |
Earning Strategy
The SimplyCash card is best used as an everyday card for gas and grocery runs. Here's how to think about it:
- Gas: No cap on the 2% rate — fill up freely
- Groceries: The 2% rate is capped at $300 in annual cash back, which corresponds to $15,000 in grocery spending ($1,250/month). Most households won't hit this cap, but if you do, the rate drops to 1.25% for the rest of the year
- Everything else: 1.25% is competitive for a no-fee card — better than the typical 1% offered by many competitors
Annual Cash Back Example
| Category | Annual Spend | Cash Back |
|---|---|---|
| Gas | $3,000 | $60 |
| Groceries | $10,000 | $200 |
| Everything else | $15,000 | $187.50 |
| Total | $28,000 | $447.50 |
For a no-fee card, $447 in annual cash back is excellent.
Redeeming Cash Back
Cash back is applied directly to your statement — no complicated redemption process. There's no minimum redemption threshold and no points to convert. What you earn is what you get.
Who Should Get This Card?
The SimplyCash card is ideal for:
- People who don't want to deal with points — pure cash back, automatically applied
- Low-to-moderate spenders who want solid returns without paying a fee
- Students or first-time cardholders looking for a straightforward Amex entry
- Backup card holders who want a no-fee Amex for merchants that accept it
- Anyone who dislikes annual fees but still wants competitive rewards
Who Should Skip It?
If you're willing to pay a monthly fee, the SimplyCash Preferred ($9.99/month) bumps gas and grocery earn rates to 4% and everything else to 2% — significantly better returns for higher spenders. And if you prefer transferable points over cash back, the Amex Green Card (also $0/year) gives you access to Membership Rewards transfer partners.
SimplyCash vs. SimplyCash Preferred
| Feature | SimplyCash | SimplyCash Preferred |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $0 | $9.99/month ($119.88/year) |
| Gas | 2% | 4% |
| Groceries | 2% (up to $300/yr) | 4% (up to $1,200/yr) |
| Everything else | 1.25% | 2% |
| Welcome Bonus | Up to $100 | Up to $250 |
| Mobile Device Insurance | ❌ | ✅ |
The Preferred is worth it if you spend more than roughly $8,000/year on gas and groceries combined — the extra cash back will exceed the annual fee.
The Bottom Line
The SimplyCash Card from American Express is a set-it-and-forget-it cashback card that delivers solid, reliable returns on everyday spending. No fee, no points gymnastics, no complicated redemption tiers — just straightforward cash back on everything you buy. If simple is what you're after, this card lives up to its name.
