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Mr. Loonie

Comparing 2 cards

RBC Ion Visa vs Tims

At typical spending, RBC Ion Visa is worth $19 more in year one, but Tims is worth $100 more every year after.

Worked out from each card’s fees, earn rates and welcome offer. How we work it out

Your spending a month
What’s in each?
Light:
Groceries $400, restaurants $100, gas $100, recurring bills $100, everything else (base rate) $250, foreign currency $50
Typical:
Groceries $800, restaurants $250, gas $250, recurring bills $250, travel $150, everything else (base rate) $650, foreign currency $150
Big:
Groceries $1,200, restaurants $500, gas $400, recurring bills $400, travel $500, everything else (base rate) $1,600, foreign currency $400

RBC

RBC Ion Visa

Remove RBC Ion Visa

ATB Financial

Tims® Credit Card

Remove Tims
What it’s worth to you
Better: $691
Year one · The full offer.
Better: Every year after $572

Points counted at 1.7 cents each, our value for RBC Avion. Why we value RBC Ion Visa this way

Better: $672
Year one
Better: Every year after $672

Cash back, counted at face value. Why we value Tims this way

Apply now with RBC (opens in a new tab)
Apply now with ATB Financial (opens in a new tab)
We may earn a fee when you apply through these links. It never changes the numbers.

Lower is better here.

Annual fee
$0
$0
Extra card For a partner or family member
$0
Not listed
Foreign currency fee On purchases in another currency
2.5%
2.5%
Interest on purchases
20.99%
20.99%
Interest on cash advances
22.99%
22.99%
Cash advance fee
$5.00
$2.50, $5.00 fee for cash advances outside of Canada.
Balance transfer fee
3%, Maximum
Not listed
Source
rbcroyalbank.comChecked Nov 8, 2026
Not listed

Typical spending, $2,500 a month. Bigger is better.

Groceries $9,600 a year
Better: $245 1.5 points per $1
Better: $480 5 points per $1
Restaurants $3,000 a year
Better: $51 1 point per $1 (base rate)
Better: $15 0.5 point per $1 (base rate)
Gas $3,000 a year
Better: $77 1.5 points per $1
Better: $150 5 points per $1
Recurring bills $3,000 a year
Better: $51 1 point per $1 (base rate)
Better: $15 0.5 point per $1 (base rate)
Travel $1,800 a year
Better: $31 1 point per $1 (base rate)
Better: $9 0.5 point per $1 (base rate)
Everything else (base rate) $7,800 a year
Better: $133 1 point per $1
Better: $39 0.5 point per $1
Foreign currency $1,800 a year
Better: $31 1 point per $1 (base rate)
Better: $9 0.5 point per $1 (base rate)
Total earned Before fees and the welcome offer
Better: $617
Better: $717
Foreign currency fee On the budget’s foreign spending. * Fee not listed, counted at the usual rate
Better: $45
Better: $45
Limits
None listed
None listed
Source
rbcroyalbank.comChecked Nov 8, 2026
Not listed

Counted at your spending, not the advertised maximum.

What you’d get
Better: $119The full offer.
See the 2 parts
  • 3,500 Avion points when you are approved ($60)
  • 3,500 Avion points after you spend $500 in the first 3 months ($60)
Better: No offer right now
Advertised
Up to 7,000 Avion points.
Not listed
Source
rbcroyalbank.comChecked Nov 8, 2026
Not listed

Extended warranty
Included
Included
Purchase protection
Included
Included
Mobile wallets
Apple Pay, Google Pay
Apple Pay, Google Pay

Personal income Minimum the bank lists
None listed
None listed
Network
Visa
Mastercard
Expert Score From critic reviews, shown, not ranked
Expert Score 7.5 out of 10. Good
Not listed

Quebec rules change some rates and fees.

Different in Quebec
Same as the rest of Canada
Purchase rate: 20.99% to 24.99%. Cash advance rate: 22.99% to 25.99%.

More comparisons with these cards

Pairs our editors picked. Numbers are year one at typical spending.

Mr. Loonie’s tip Look at every year after before year one. A big welcome offer pays once; the earn rates pay every month you keep the card.

Questions

How do you work out year one?

We add what each card earns at your spending, plus the part of the welcome offer you’d get, then take off the first year’s annual fee. Every year after leaves out the offer and uses the regular fee.

Can I compare more than two cards?

Yes, up to four. Tap Add a card above the table, or + Compare on any card page.

Do banks pay to appear here?

No. You pick the cards and the math decides the numbers. We may earn a fee when you apply through some links. That never changes a number.

Year one adds what each card earns at the spending you picked, plus the part of the welcome offer that spending reaches, then takes off the first year’s fee. Every year after leaves out the offer and uses the regular fee. Points are counted at the value shown under each card.

Sources, checked by us:

Rates, fees and offers come from the card issuers and change often. We work to keep this page accurate and current, but it may contain mistakes, so always check the issuer’s terms before you apply. Values are estimates for the spending you picked, rounded to the nearest dollar.

Spot something wrong? We’ll check it with the bank. Suggest a correction

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