BMO’s premium business cash-back card pays 5% on gas, 4% on recurring bills and 3% on shipping, office supplies and telecom, with up to $900 cash back in the first three months and no annual fee in the first year. At $4,000 a month of business spending, it earns about $898 a year.
Key takeaway: At $4,000 a month of typical business spending, the card is worth about $1,667 in the first year and $723 a year after the $175 fee, the top first-year value of the 19 business cards we track. The bonus rates stop after $1,000 of spending each statement cycle, so businesses with large bills in the bonus categories earn 1.25% on the rest.
Editorial update November 9, 2026 · WalletReturn Editorial Team
BMO’s premium business cash-back card, with a new welcome offer that opened November 9, 2026. It costs $175 a year, waived in the first year for the primary cardholder, and pays up to 5% back in categories many small businesses spend on every month.
Cash back can be redeemed from $1 at any time, as a statement credit or a deposit, and doesn’t expire. Employee cards cost $75 each, and you can add up to 22.
| Spending | Cash back |
|---|---|
| Gas and EV charging | 5% |
| Recurring bills, software subscriptions and monthly services | 4% |
| Shipping, insurance, office supplies and telecom | 3% |
| Everything else | 1.25%, no limit |
For the first three billing cycles, BMO tops up each category to 15% cash back, on up to $6,000 of purchases in total, for a maximum of $900. The offer is for applications received from November 9, 2026 to December 14, 2027.
Each category has its own limit, so you need spending across all of them to reach $900. At our typical spending the bonus adds about $769 on top of the regular cash back.
| Category | Regular rate | Bonus in the first 3 cycles | Spending that qualifies | Most you can earn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gas and EV charging | 5% | 10% | $500 | $75 |
| Recurring bills | 4% | 11% | $500 | $75 |
| Shipping, insurance, office supplies and telecom | 3% | 12% | $500 | $75 |
| Everything else | 1.25% | 13.75% | $4,500 | $675 |
Yes. BMO’s terms say the 5%, 4% and 3% rates apply to up to $1,000 of spending per statement cycle, and purchases after the first $1,000 earn 1.25%.
The terms don’t say clearly whether that $1,000 applies to each category or to all of them together. Our estimate uses the stricter reading, one shared $1,000 a cycle, so a business that gets the higher reading will earn more than we show.
About $898 a year at $4,000 a month, or $723 after the annual fee. In the first year, with the fee waived and the welcome bonus, it’s about $1,667.
Our typical business spending includes $400 a month on gas, $300 on recurring bills, $400 on office supplies, $200 on phone and internet and $200 on shipping. The card page shows the estimate for your own spending.
| Monthly spending | Cash back a year | After the $175 fee | First-year value |
|---|---|---|---|
| $2,000 | $524 | $349 | $1,293 |
| $4,000 | $898 | $723 | $1,667 |
| $8,000 | $1,498 | $1,323 | $2,267 |
The no-fee BMO CashBack Business Mastercard pays 1.5% in its bonus categories and 0.75% on everything else. At $4,000 a month, the World Elite card earns about $273 more a year even after its fee.
The no-fee card has no income requirement and no registered business requirement, so it suits newer or smaller businesses that don’t meet the World Elite minimums.
| CashBack World Elite Business | CashBack Business (no fee) | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $175 (waived in year one) | $0 |
| Top rates | 5% gas, 4% bills, 3% business categories | 1.5% gas, office supplies, phone and internet |
| Everything else | 1.25% | 0.75% |
| Net a year at typical spending | $723 | $450 |
| Card page | World Elite card | No-fee card |
Travel medical coverage up to $5 million for trips of up to 8 days, flight delay coverage up to $500, lost and delayed baggage coverage, rental car collision coverage for rentals up to 48 days, and 90-day purchase protection with up to one extra year of warranty.
Perks include a Mastercard Travel Pass membership from DragonPass (lounge visits are paid separately), BMO Roadside Assistance, five virtual healthcare visits with Maple, six months of Instacart+ with a $10 monthly credit, and up to 35% off Avis and Budget when you prepay. BMO’s page doesn’t list a foreign transaction fee rate, so check it before using the card abroad.
Businesses with steady spending on gas, recurring bills, shipping and office supplies get the most from it. You need a personal income of $80,000, a household income of $150,000, business revenue of $250,000 or $400,000 in assets under management.
Interest is 20.99% on purchases and 23.99% on cash advances. As with most small-business cards, the owner is usually personally responsible for the balance.
WalletReturn is an independent Canadian comparison site. Values are estimates; confirm current terms with the provider. Commission never changes rankings. Methodology · Advertising disclosure