Which card is better for groceries, Aspire Cash Platinum Mastercard or BMO Student CashBack Mastercard?

The Aspire Cash Platinum Mastercard earns 1% on groceries, while the BMO Student CashBack Mastercard earns 3%. The better choice depends on your grocery spending and the specific merchants you shop at.

Aspire Cash Platinum Mastercard vs BMO Student CashBack Mastercard — Which Is Better? | Churnr

Header Quick Take Value Earn Rates Merchants Wallet Bonus FX Benefits Eligibility Perks Downgrade Verdict

BMO Student CashBack Mastercard edges ahead by $170/yr

BMO Student CashBack Mastercard earns $256 more on groceries
Aspire Cash Platinum Mastercard earns $21 more on shopping

Groceries: +$256Shopping: +$21Gas: +$18

Aspire Cash Platinum Mastercard: $30/yr in foreign transaction fees

BMO Student CashBack Mastercard: $30/yr in foreign transaction fees

Showing Year 1 analysis

Dollar Value

$317

/first year

0.8% effective$26/mo

vs 1% no-fee card: −$102

Annual rewards earned+$347

FX costs−$30

Annual fee−$0

Winner

$487

/first year

1.2% effective$41/mo

vs 1% no-fee card: +$68

Annual rewards earned+$517

FX costs−$30

Annual fee−$0

Best for your spendingBMO Student CashBack Mastercard—$487Year 1 value

+$170 more than Aspire Cash Platinum Mastercard

Scroll down for the full breakdown

Earn Rates by Category

Wallet Optimizer

Neither card currently offers a welcome bonus.

Downgrade

Coming soon

The Bottom Line

BMO Student CashBack Mastercard edges ahead by $170/yr

BMO Student CashBack Mastercard earns $256 more on groceries
Aspire Cash Platinum Mastercard earns $21 more on shopping

Groceries: +$256Shopping: +$21Gas: +$18

Showing Year 1 analysis

BMO Student CashBack Mastercard wins in both Year 1 and Year 2+ — consistent long-term value.

Data Sources

Issuer terms & conditions (verified Feb 2026)

Merchant MCC verification (239 merchants)

Insurance certificates (PDF review)

Reward program documentation

User-reported acceptance data

Found an error? Report incorrect data