Aeroplan® Credit Card vs PayPal Cashback Mastercard

Aeroplan® Credit Card
VS
PayPal Cashback Mastercard
The short answer: The PayPal Cashback Mastercard delivers a bit more value for most spenders, but choose the Aeroplan® Credit Card if you spend more on dining, groceries.

Side-by-side comparison

Aeroplan® Credit CardPayPal Cashback Mastercard
Annual fee$95No annual fee
Welcome offer75,000 pointsNo current offer
Dining3x1.5x
Groceries3x1.5x
Gas1x1.5x
Travel3x1.5x
Streaming1x1.5x
Everything else1x1.5x
Est. yearly rewards*$508$437
Points typeLocked to Air Canada AeroplanCash back only
NetworkMastercardMastercard

*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified June 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.

The verdict

On a typical year of household spending, the Aeroplan® Credit Card earns about $508 a year in rewards and the PayPal Cashback Mastercard about $437, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Aeroplan® Credit Card charges $95, which you clear through its rewards and perks. The PayPal Cashback Mastercard has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the PayPal Cashback Mastercard delivers more total value, about $25 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on everything else and gas. Neither leans on transferable points, so the deciding factors are the welcome offer, the card network, and which everyday perks you will actually use. On the sign-up bonus, the Aeroplan® Credit Card currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.

Pick the Aeroplan® Credit Card if your spending leans toward dining, groceries, travel. Pick the PayPal Cashback Mastercard if your spending leans toward gas, streaming, everything else.

Read the full reviews

Frequently asked questions

Is the Aeroplan® Credit Card or the PayPal Cashback Mastercard better?
On typical household spending, the PayPal Cashback Mastercard comes out ahead, by roughly $25 a year with every point valued at a flat 1 cent. But the Aeroplan® Credit Card can be the better fit if your spending lines up with its stronger categories. Run both through the Cardocrat calculator to see your own numbers.
Can I have both the Aeroplan® Credit Card and the PayPal Cashback Mastercard?
In most cases yes, as long as you meet each issuer's approval rules (for example Chase's 5/24 rule). Many people hold complementary cards to cover more bonus categories, then pool or redeem the rewards together where the program allows.
Which has the better welcome bonus, the Aeroplan® Credit Card or the PayPal Cashback Mastercard?
As of June 2026, the Aeroplan® Credit Card offers 75,000 points and the PayPal Cashback Mastercard offers no current offer. Welcome offers change often, so confirm the current offer on each card's page before applying.