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RBC ION+ Visa review

RBC ION+ Visa review

Cameron Smonk

Dec 13, 2024

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Overall rating

First year value

$571

Get this card if you:

  • want to earn rewards on everyday purchases
  • want a low monthly fee
  • want mobile device protection and extended warranty

At a glance

The RBC ION+ Visa is a rewards credit card offering elevated Avion points on categories such as groceries, dining, gas, rideshare, public transit, EV charging, streaming services, digital gaming, and online subscriptions, with a standard earn rate on all other purchases. Cardholders benefit from a welcome bonus, mobile device insurance, and savings on fuel at Petro-Canada; however, the card carries a modest annual fee, which is waived for students with an RBC Advantage Banking account.

Highlights

$571

First year value

14,000 Avion points

Welcome bonus

$48

Annual fee

$4 per month

Interest Rates

20.99%

Purchase APR

22.99%

Balance transfer APR

22.99%

Cash advance APR

21.99% for residents of Quebec

Eligibility

Good

Recommended credit score

Quick overview: RBC ION+ Visa

The RBC ION+ Visa Card is an intriguing rewards credit card that's great for students or anyone who wants robust rewards and a modest annual fee in one convenient package. For those shy of big fees, the RBC ION+ Visa might make sense for its decent rewards rate in popular spending categories and a comparatively modest fee. Even better, students with an RBC Advantage Banking account for students get the $48 waived - talk about student savings!

Who’s the RBC ION+ Visa for?

With no income requirements, the RBC ION+ makes a great student card for those looking for an entry into the RBC Avion program, or maybe to test out point collecting for the first time. Even without an income requirement, this card still requires you to have a “Good” credit score — above 650. This RBC ION+ Visa recently won Gold for Best Student Card in Money.ca's best credit card Canada awards.

Pros and cons

Pros

Pros

  • Decent rewards rate in everyday spending categories.

  • Low monthly fee, (rebated for students with the no-monthly fee RBC Advantage Banking account).

  • Perks like mobile device insurance and fuel savings at Petro-Canada.

Cons

Cons

  • Complex rewards structure with less valuable Avion points in the ION tier.

  • Limited insurance benefits (but you can pay to add-on travel insurance).

RBC ION+ Visa welcome bonus

  • Get 14,000 Avion points upon approval - that’s $100 of value in gift cards! Apply by May 7, 2025.


How to earn points

  • Earn 3 Avion points† per $1 on qualifying grocery, dining, food delivery, gas, rideshare, public transit, EV charging, streaming, digital gaming and online subscriptions
  • Earn 1 Avion point per $1 on all other purchases
  • You can receive bonus points with regular offers found in RBC’s online banking portal. Many offers come from popular brands like Pet Valu, Indigo.ca and The Keg to name a few. 
  • Note: Avion points are calculated at 100 points for $1 in savings. With ION cards, you’ll need 172 points for $1 (a point value of $0.58 cents per point). No maximum limit mentioned for earning points.

How to redeem points

You can redeem Avion points at a rate of 100 points per $1.00 (minimum 1,000 points), whereas 100 ION points are worth $0.58 (and you must redeem a minimum of 2,500 points). This means you’re effectively getting half the bang for your buck, and with the modest (and that’s putting it lightly) welcome bonus, it’s going to take a long while to save for your dream trip on the back of this card.

You can redeem points for gift cards, merchandise from popular stores like Apple and Best Buy through avionrewards.com. You can also pay your credit card balance or send an Interac e-transfer with points. 

Key benefits of the RBC ION+ Visa

Insurance coverage

  • Mobile device insurance: Up to $1,000 coverage for damage, theft and loss
  • Purchase security: Protection against loss, theft, and damage for 90 days
  • Extended warranty: Doubles the manufacturer's warranty, up to 1 additional year

Extra benefits

  • Earn 50 Be Well points per dollar at Rexall with linked RBC ION+ Card
  • Complimentary three-month DashPass subscription from DoorDash
  • Save $0.03 per litre on fuel and earn 20% more Petro-Points and Avion Points
  • Enjoy customized alerts, insights and reminders courtesy of NOMI, RBC's AI-driven assistant

How the RBC ION+ Visa Card compares

up to 60,000 points

Welcome Bonus

$1,070

First Year Value

$470

Annual Value

Welcome Bonus: up to 60,000 Membership Rewards® points* by earning 5,000 Membership Rewards points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $1,000

Learn More Apply Now On American Express' Secure Site

RBC ION+ Visa Card vs. American Express Gold Card

If you’re familiar with Amex cards, you’re familiar with their higher annual fees. The American Express Gold Card is no exception (with a $250 fee), and if you’re deterred by an upfront expense, there’s no comparing these two cards. But with that cost comes a slew of benefits surpassing anything offered by the RBC ION+ Visa. For instance, the Amex fee is offset by a pretty sweet $100 travel credit, good for hotels, car rentals and other necessary expenses you might incur on a trip. 

And while both cards reward your spending on everyday purchases like groceries and gas, the Amex welcome bonus of up to 60,000 Membership Rewards® points* is absolutely going to be more appealing to would-be travellers than the paltry ION+ points offered by the Avion card. And let’s not forget the extended travel insurance on the Amex that is notably missing on RBC’s Ion+ card. Neither card has income requirements. So, despite the high cost of the Amex gold card, there are far more rewards to be had with it. If you’re a traveller, the ability to transfer Amex points 1-1 for Aeroplan or 1.5-1 for Marriott Bonvoy points is going to make your rewards far more flexible.

  • Contact American Express for the most up-to-date referral bonus figures.

    American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.

up to $50

Welcome Bonus

$253

First Year Value

$203

Annual Value

Welcome Bonus: Earn a value of $50† in TD Rewards Points† to use on eligible Amazon.ca purchases plus, no Annual Fee. Conditions Apply. Offer effective as of January 7, 2025.

Learn More Apply Now On TD's Secure Site

RBC ION+ Visa Card vs. TD Rewards Visa Card

The TD Rewards Visa is another starter card that doesn’t offer much in the way of interest to serious point collectors, but might be a decent option for students or folks with fee-phobia.

Unlike the RBC ION+ Visa, you won’t have to pay a dime in annual fees on the TD Rewards Visa. There’s a modest welcome bonus, which in my opinion falls short of the Avion points offered by the RBC card.

The real value might be for students looking to open a TD account for the first time – TD currently offers a promotion where students opening a TD chequing account automatically receive a TD Rewards Visa, all without any fee.

  • This offer is not available for residents of Quebec. For Quebec residents, please click here.

    The Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD) is not responsible for the contents of this site including any editorials or reviews that may appear on this site. For complete and current information on any TD product, please click the Apply Now button. Sponsored Content.

    †Terms and conditions apply.

7,000 Avion points

Welcome Bonus

$280

First Year Value

$230

Annual Value

Welcome Bonus: Get 7,000 Avion points upon approval. Apply by May 7, 2025. Expires May 07, 2025

Learn More Apply Now On RBC's Secure Site

RBC ION+ Card vs. RBC ION Card

The RBC ION and its + kin are (as you probably guessed) cut from the same cloth. The big difference comes down to the fee and the welcome bonus. Where the ION+ really earns that plus distinction is in its spending categories. For the stock ION, you’ll only be pulling in1.5 Avion points on groceries, transportation (gas, rideshare, transit, EV charging), and streaming services and subscriptions. In the same categories the ION+ offers 3 points per dollar spent. If you’re spending a lot of money in the designated categories, the ION+ is going to offer more down the road, in addition to the substantially larger welcome bonus. 

What a Reddit user had to say about the ION+ Visa

“This ION+ is probably the best points card for anyone who can't qualify for the AMEX Cobalt, Scotia Gold AMEX, the MBNA [Rewards World Elite] card or the National Bank World Elite MasterCard or don't care for premium card features and want to save on the annual fee.

Is the RBC ION+ Visa Card worth it?

It’s hard to put it better than @deltatux above. If you can’t qualify for better cards, the RBC ION+ Visa Card is worth considering. Otherwise, there are better cards.

But if you’re working on developing your credit score, or intent on keeping your fees low, the RBC ION+ Visa may be a fit for those looking for a low-fee card with a high rewards rate in everyday spending categories.

In particular, it’s a good option for students or those with an RBC banking account. But for big travellers and point collectors, you might want to explore other options. The card's value increases if you frequently shop at Rexall or fill up at Petro-Canada, leveraging its unique perks.

Disclosures:

Refer to RBC page for up to date offer terms and conditions.

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FAQs

  • Is the RBC ION+ Visa Card good?

    +

    It’s not too bad, especially for everyday spending in categories like groceries and transportation. There are better options available for those who qualify for them.

  • What is RBC ION+ Visa?

    +

    A rewards credit card offering high points on everyday purchases with a low monthly fee.

  • How do I get points with RBC ION+ Visa?

    +

    Earn 3 Avion points† per $1 on qualifying grocery, dining, food delivery, gas, rideshare, public transit, EV charging, streaming, digital gaming and online subscriptions

Cameron Smonk Freelance Writer

Cam is a content marketer with a passion for saving, financial independence, and pulling off elaborate credit card point schemes. He has worked in Fintech and Finserve (specifically Group Retirement) and loves researching and writing about finance.

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