Brim Financial offers a suite of Mastercards built around a simple, transparent rewards currency, a built-in instalment payment feature, and instant virtual card access upon approval. This review covers all three Brim card tiers in detail: features, annual fees, reward rates, pros and cons, and who each card suits in 2026.
Brim Financial: company overview
Brim Financial is a Toronto-based fintech company founded in 2015. It issues Mastercards in partnership with Home Trust Company, a federally regulated Schedule 1 Canadian trust company. Brim cards are available online with instant virtual card access upon approval.
Brim's key differentiator is its Open Rewards Network, a growing ecosystem of Canadian and global merchant partners where cardholders earn boosted reward rates above the standard earn rate.
The three Brim cards at a glance
| Brim Mastercard | Brim World Mastercard | Brim World Elite | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 | $99 | $199 |
| Base earn rate | 1 pt / $1 | 1.5 pts / $1 | 2 pts / $1 |
| Partner earn rate | 2 pts / $1 | 3 pts / $1 | 3 pts / $1 |
| Foreign transaction fee | Applies | Applies | Applies |
| Travel insurance | No | Basic | Comprehensive |
| Purchase protection | No | Yes | Yes |
| Extended warranty | No | Yes | Yes |
| Airport lounge access | No | No | Yes |
| Min. income required | $15,000 | $60,000 | $80,000 |
All three cards share the Brim Points rewards currency (1 pt = $0.01 CAD), instant virtual card access, and the built-in Instalment Pay feature.
Brim Mastercard (no annual fee)
Who it's for
The free Brim Mastercard is best suited for Canadians who want a no-fee everyday card with a simple, fixed-value rewards program and the flexibility of built-in instalment payments.
Rewards
- 1 Brim point per $1 spent everywhere Mastercard is accepted
- 2 Brim points per $1 at Brim partner merchants
- 1 point = $0.01 CAD, redeemable against your statement, for gift cards, or with partners
- Points never expire, no minimum redemption threshold
Key features
- Instant virtual card on approval, add to Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay immediately
- Instalment Pay for eligible purchases over $500
- Brim app for tracking spending, rewards, and managing your account
Verdict
For a no-annual-fee card, the Brim Mastercard delivers solid everyday value. The fixed-rate Brim Points system is one of the more transparent rewards programs available in Canada, and the Instalment Pay feature is a genuine differentiator at this price tier.
Brim World Mastercard ($99/year)
Who it's for
The Brim World is best suited for regular cardholders who want a higher earn rate, travel insurance, and purchase protection.
Rewards
- 1.5 Brim points per $1 everywhere
- 3 Brim points per $1 at Brim partner merchants
Key features
All Brim Mastercard features, plus:
- Travel emergency medical insurance
- Trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage
- Flight delay and baggage delay insurance
- Purchase protection (90 days)
- Extended warranty (doubles manufacturer warranty up to 1 year)
- Priority customer support
Is the $99 annual fee worth it?
At 1.5 points per $1 spent (vs 1 point on the base card), you need to spend approximately $19,800 per year to earn enough extra points to offset the $99 fee through rewards alone. The break-even improves significantly if you shop at Brim partners regularly (3x rate), or if you travel and would otherwise pay separately for trip cancellation insurance.
Brim World Elite Mastercard ($199/year)
Who it's for
The World Elite is best suited for high spenders who want the highest earn rate, comprehensive travel insurance, and airport lounge access.
Rewards
- 2 Brim points per $1 everywhere
- 3 Brim points per $1 at Brim partner merchants
Key features
All Brim World features, plus:
- Comprehensive travel insurance (higher medical coverage limits)
- Rental car collision and loss damage insurance
- Airport lounge access (Mastercard Travel Pass)
- Brim World Elite concierge service
Is the $199 annual fee worth it?
At 2 points per $1 (vs 1.5 on the World), you need to spend $39,800 per year to offset the incremental $100 fee through rewards alone. The lounge access and higher travel insurance coverage are the stronger justifications. If you travel multiple times per year, lounge access alone can be worth $200-$400 in avoided per-visit fees.
Brim Points: how they work
Brim's rewards currency is designed to be simple and flexible:
- 1 Brim point = $0.01 CAD, a fixed, transparent rate with no devaluation risk
- No expiry, points never expire as long as your account is open
- No minimum redemption, redeem any amount at any time
- Statement credit, apply points directly to your balance
- Gift cards, redeem for gift cards at select retailers
- Partner redemptions, use points at Brim partner merchants
The fixed 1 point = $0.01 value makes it easy to calculate the value of your rewards without worrying about variable redemption rates, a significant advantage over airline miles and hotel points, where value fluctuates by redemption method.
Foreign transaction fees
Brim cards do charge foreign transaction fees on purchases made in a foreign currency. The rate is on the lower end compared to most traditional Canadian credit cards, check the Brim app or website for the current rate before using your card abroad or for international online purchases. For occasional international spending, it remains a reasonable choice, for heavy cross-border use, it's worth factoring the fee into your decision.
Instalment Pay: built-in purchase splitting
Brim's Instalment Pay feature lets you split eligible purchases over $500 into smaller, consecutive monthly payments directly through the Brim app. This is primarily useful for planned larger purchases where spreading the cost over several months is preferable to carrying a single lump balance on a revolving credit line.
Instalment Pay is merchant-agnostic, it works on any eligible purchase regardless of where you shopped, which sets it apart from retailer-specific financing programs. Terms and rates are available through the Brim app.
Brim vs. other Canadian rewards cards
| Brim Mastercard | Scotiabank Scene+ Visa | CIBC Dividend Visa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Foreign transaction fee | Applies | Applies | Applies |
| Base earn rate | 1 pt / $1 | 1 pt / $1 | 1% cash back |
| Instalment feature | Yes (500+) | No | No |
| Points expiry | Never | Never | N/A |
For a no-annual-fee card, the Brim Mastercard holds its own, particularly for Canadians who want a fixed-value rewards currency with no expiry and the added flexibility of built-in instalment payments.
Pros and cons
Pros
- No annual fee on the base card
- Simple, fixed-value rewards currency (1 pt = $0.01, no expiry)
- Instant virtual card on approval for immediate Apple Pay/Google Pay use
- Instalment Pay for eligible purchases over $500, built-in, merchant-agnostic
- Available online without a branch visit
Cons
- Base earn rate (1 pt / $1) is on par with, not above, competing no-fee cards
- Foreign transaction fees apply, check current rate in the Brim app
- Travel insurance only on paid tiers
- Airport lounge access only on World Elite ($199)
- Brim partner network smaller than major bank networks
- Relatively newer issuer with a shorter track record than big banks
How to apply
- Visit Brim Financial and select your preferred card tier
- Complete the online application, takes about 10 minutes
- Enter referral code 19538 to claim your $10 sign-up bonus
- Receive instant virtual card upon approval
- Activate your physical card when it arrives by mail
Summary
| Card | Best For | Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Brim Mastercard | No-fee everyday rewards with Instalment Pay | $0 |
| Brim World Mastercard | Regular cardholders wanting insurance | $99 |
| Brim World Elite | High spenders wanting lounge access | $199 |
All three cards share Brim points (1 pt = $0.01, no expiry), Instalment Pay, and instant virtual card access.
🎁 Apply for a Brim Mastercard at Brim with referral code 19538 to claim your $10 sign-up bonus today.
ℹ️ For more guides and current offers, check out our home page.