Streaming subscriptions — Netflix, Spotify, Disney+, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, Crave, YouTube Premium — are among Canada’s fastest-growing household expense categories. The average Canadian household now spends $80–$150 per month on streaming services. The right credit card earns elevated rewards on these recurring charges.
Best Credit Cards for Streaming — Quick Comparison
| Card | Annual Fee | Streaming Earn Rate | Programme |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Express Cobalt Card | $156 | 3 MR/$1 on streaming | Amex MR → Aeroplan |
| RBC ION Plus Visa | $48 | 3 Avion pts/$1 on streaming | Avion Rewards |
| BMO eclipse Visa Infinite | $120 | 5 BMO Rewards/$1 on recurring bills | BMO Rewards |
| TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite | $139 | Elevated earn on recurring bills | TD Rewards |
| Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card | $0 | 2% in up to 3 chosen categories (inc. recurring bills) | Cash back |
| Scotiabank Gold American Express | $120 | 3 Scene+/$1 on select entertainment | Scene+ |
Streaming earn rates depend on how your streaming service is coded by the card network. Verify current earn rates with each issuer — coding can vary and change without notice.
How Streaming Services Are Coded for Credit Cards
Credit card earn rates are determined by the merchant category code (MCC) assigned to each streaming service by the card networks (Visa, Mastercard, Amex). Streaming services are typically coded as:
- Digital goods / subscriptions — most common coding
- Entertainment — used by some programmes
- Recurring bills — captured by cards with elevated recurring bill earn rates
The key uncertainty: the same streaming service may earn different rates on different cards because issuers define bonus categories differently. For example:
- A card that earns 5x on “recurring bills” may or may not count Netflix as a recurring bill
- A card that earns 3x on “streaming” explicitly defines which services qualify
- Always verify with your card issuer before relying on elevated earn rates
Amex Cobalt Card — 3 MR per Dollar on Streaming
The Amex Cobalt Card earns 3 Membership Rewards points per dollar on eligible streaming services, including Netflix, Spotify, Apple TV+, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and Crave.
This makes the Cobalt the most straightforward streaming card in Canada — the 3x streaming rate is explicitly defined and promoted, reducing ambiguity about which services qualify.
Annual streaming value estimate (based on $120/month in streaming):
- $120/month × 12 = $1,440/year in streaming spend
- $1,440 × 3 MR = 4,320 MR/year from streaming alone
- Transferred to Aeroplan: 4,320 Aeroplan points = approximately $65 in economy redemptions
Combined with the Cobalt’s 5x on dining and grocery, the Cobalt is the best overall card for Canadian households whose largest spending categories are food and subscriptions.
BMO eclipse Visa Infinite — 5x on Recurring Bills
The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite earns 5 BMO Rewards per dollar on recurring bills, which typically includes streaming subscriptions. At 0.67¢ per BMO Rewards point (150 pts = $1 travel), this works out to approximately 3.3% effective return on streaming spending.
This is the best potential return on streaming of any Canadian consumer card — but whether your specific streaming subscriptions code as “recurring bills” should be verified with BMO. Subscriptions paid annually (lump sum) may not qualify.
Best for: Existing BMO customers who already earn 5x on food and gas and want recurring bills included in that same elevated earn tier.
RBC ION Plus Visa — 3x on Streaming
The RBC ION Plus Visa earns 3 Avion points per dollar on eligible streaming services (along with grocery, gas, and transit). At a low $48 annual fee, it is an accessible option for RBC banking clients who want elevated streaming earn without a premium fee.
Best for: RBC banking clients who want streaming rewards at a low annual fee.
Tangerine Money-Back Card — 2% with Category Selection
The Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card lets you earn 2% cash back in up to 3 categories of your choice. If you select “recurring bills” as one of your three categories, you earn 2% on eligible streaming subscriptions.
With no annual fee, this is the best no-fee option for streaming rewards — though the 2% return is lower than the points cards above.
Best for: Canadians who prefer cash back, have no annual fee preference, and want flexibility to capture streaming spend.
Tips for Maximising Streaming Rewards
Use one card for all streaming subscriptions. Centralise Netflix, Spotify, Disney+, and all other streaming payments on your highest-earning streaming card. Avoid splitting across multiple cards.
Check coding annually. Merchant category codes are not permanent. If a streaming service changes its MCC or your card issuer updates its category definitions, your earn rate may change. Review your statement every few months and verify with your issuer if rates seem lower than expected.
Consider annual billing. Some streaming services offer a discount for annual billing (e.g., pay 12 months upfront at the price of 10). If your card recognises lump-sum annual charges as eligible streaming or recurring bill purchases, you benefit from the discount and still earn points.
Stack with welcome bonuses. A large streaming portfolio (say $150/month) contributes meaningfully toward minimum spend requirements on new card welcome offers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which credit card earns the most on Netflix in Canada? The Amex Cobalt Card earns 3 Membership Rewards per dollar on eligible streaming services including Netflix — the clearest, explicitly-defined streaming earn rate among Canadian credit cards. The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite earns 5x on recurring bills, which may deliver a higher return, but whether Netflix is captured under “recurring bills” should be verified with BMO directly. Verify current rates before applying.
Does the Scotiabank Gold Amex earn points on streaming? The Scotiabank Gold Amex earns elevated Scene+ on entertainment — the exact services included depend on merchant coding. Some streaming services may earn at the elevated entertainment rate; others may earn at the base rate. Verify with Scotiabank which streaming services qualify.
Can I earn points on streaming subscriptions charged in USD? Yes, but most Canadian credit cards charge a 2.5% foreign transaction fee on USD-priced subscriptions. Cards with no FX fees (Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite, Scotiabank Gold Amex) save this 2.5% on any streaming service billed in USD. If you pay for streaming services in USD, factor the FX fee into your net return.