Verified against issuer pages · Nov 2, 2026
More from your cards. Less second-guessing.
Make your everyday spending work harder. Find the right card, learn what your points are really worth, and stop guessing at the rest.
Independent rankings. Transparent math. No pay-to-rank. Ever.
Amex Cobalt Card
People who spend heavily on groceries, restaurants, and delivery and want maximum transferable points per dollar.
- 24-month value
- ≈ $2,845
- First year
- ≈ $1,565
- Annual fee
- $191.88
Index marked · CAD
01 / The shortlist
Start with one card, not the whole market.
The highest modelled 24-month value on our published household benchmark, with the assumptions in plain view, and two close alternatives.
01Benchmark leader
Amex Cobalt Card
American Express · Earns Amex Membership Rewards
The strongest everyday earner in Canada for food spend. If you can work around Amex acceptance, the Cobalt out-earns nearly every premium card at a fraction of the fee.
Skip it ifYour main grocery stores don't take Amex, or you want a simple card with no monthly-fee bookkeeping.
Clock running: confirmed end dates only
Rewards math assumes you pay your balance in full every month — interest charges quickly exceed any rewards value.
02 / Know what you hold
Your points have value. Put a number on it.
A big balance only tells half the story. Translate it into Canadian dollars at the marks we publish (and defend) every month.
Change since Jul 1, 2026 · marked · CAD
$950CAD
An editorial estimate, not a cash-out value; the floor is what a straightforward redemption pays, the mark is what a well-chosen one is worth. Index marked Nov 1, 2026.
Explore your redemption range03 / Make your next move
Answer the question you actually have.
Three tools, each built for one decision. None of them takes longer than a coffee.
The standard behind every score
Your interests. Our standard.
The math is public.
Calculated value comes from published spend assumptions; the editorial score stays separate and every review shows both kinds of evidence.
A ranking can’t be bought.
Compensation never determines a card’s score or its position. Strong cards make the list on merit.
The trade-offs belong in the story.
We name the fees, the friction, and who should skip a card. A good decision needs the whole picture.
The reading room
A sharper perspective.
Longer analysis on the offers, programs, and stacking decisions that move real money.
All analysis