Every card on LoonieTools carries a Loonie Score — a single number out of 5.0 that sums up how good the card is for a typical Canadian. This page explains exactly how that number is built, so you can judge our judgement.
The rubric
Each card is scored on five criteria. The weights are fixed — they do not change from card to card — so two cards with the same score earned it the same way.
| Criterion | Weight | What we look at |
|---|---|---|
| Rewards value | 40% | Earn rates on the spending Canadians actually do, and what the points or cash back are worth in real dollars. |
| Fees and friction | 20% | The annual fee, and whether the card pays it back at ordinary spending — plus foreign-transaction and other gotcha fees. |
| FX and travel | 15% | Foreign-exchange charges, travel credits, lounge access and the travel perks that come with the card. |
| Insurance and warranty | 15% | Purchase protection, extended warranty, trip cancellation and interruption, and other included insurance. |
| Simplicity and eligibility | 10% | How easy the card is to use well, and how hard it is to get — income requirements, invitation-only status, acceptance. |
How the score works
Each card is scored out of 5.0, to one decimal place. A 5.0 would be a card with top-tier rewards, no fee, no FX charge, full insurance and no hoops — no card in our comparison earns one. The best card we track, the Wealthsimple Visa Infinite Privilege, scores 4.6; the lowest, the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite, scores 3.6.
Scores are our editorial judgement from the published rubric above, applied to each card’s published terms. When a card’s terms change, we re-score it.
What the score is not
The Loonie Score is a shortlist aid, not advice. The right card depends on your spending — a card that scores 4.6 for a high spender can be the wrong card for someone who spends $800 a month. Run your real numbers through the Credit Card Rewards Optimizer, or take the card quiz, before you apply. You can see every card’s score on the Compare Credit Cards page.
Rates verified November 8, 2026; scores are our editorial judgement from the published rubric, re-scored when terms change.
General information only — not financial advice.