Which has the lower annual fee, CIBC Aventura Gold Visa or Visa EXPLORE?

The Visa EXPLORE has a $95 annual fee, while the CIBC Aventura Gold Visa charges $120/year.

Which card is better for groceries, CIBC Aventura Gold Visa or Visa EXPLORE?

The CIBC Aventura Gold Visa earns 1.5x on groceries, while the Visa EXPLORE earns 0.5x. The better choice depends on your grocery spending and the specific merchants you shop at.

CIBC Aventura Gold Visa vs Visa EXPLORE — Which Is Better? | Churnr

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

CIBC Aventura Gold Visa wins by $254/yr — strongest in groceries

CIBC Aventura Gold Visa earns $128 more on groceries
CIBC Aventura Gold Visa earns $36 more on gas

Groceries: +$128Gas: +$36Travel: +$36

CIBC Aventura Gold Visa: $30/yr in foreign transaction fees

Visa EXPLORE: $30/yr in foreign transaction fees

Showing Year 1 analysis

Dollar Value

Winner

$303

/first year

0.7% effective$25/mo

vs 1% no-fee card: −$116

Annual rewards earned+$453

FX costs−$30

Annual fee−$120

$48

/first year

0.1% effective$4/mo

vs 1% no-fee card: −$370

Annual rewards earned+$173

FX costs−$30

Annual fee−$95

Best for your spendingCIBC Aventura Gold Visa—$303Year 1 value

+$254 more than Visa EXPLORE

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

CIBC Aventura Gold Visa wins by $254/yr — strongest in groceries

CIBC Aventura Gold Visa earns $128 more on groceries
CIBC Aventura Gold Visa earns $36 more on gas

Groceries: +$128Gas: +$36Travel: +$36

Showing Year 1 analysis

CIBC Aventura Gold Visa 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

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