Credit card value tool
Credit Card Rewards Calculator
Estimate cash back or points from your spending mix, then subtract the annual fee and include an optional welcome bonus. Currency changes formatting only; it does not convert values.
Rewards estimate
| Category | Annual spend | Rate | Annual reward value |
|---|
How the rewards calculation works
For each category, annual spending equals monthly spending multiplied by 12. In cash-back mode, reward value is annual spending multiplied by the entered percentage. In points mode, the calculator first estimates points, then converts them using the point value you enter.
Cash-back value = annual spend × cash-back rate ÷ 100
Points value = annual spend × points per unit × cents per point ÷ 100
Ongoing net value = annual reward value − annual fee
First-year net value = annual reward value + welcome bonus value − annual fee
The welcome bonus is counted once. The annual fee is counted in every year of the selected horizon.
Checked example
The starting example uses US$2,000 of eligible monthly spending: US$600 groceries at 3%, US$300 dining at 3%, US$200 gas/transit at 2%, US$250 travel at 2% and US$650 other spending at 1%.
Annual spending is US$24,000. Estimated gross cash back is US$510. After a US$95 annual fee, ongoing net value is US$415. With a US$200 welcome bonus, first-year net value is US$615. Over five years, estimated net value is US$2,275.
The weighted gross reward rate is 2.125%. At that mix, approximately US$4,470.59 of annual spending offsets the US$95 fee before considering a welcome bonus.
Important limits
- Use only spending that is eligible for rewards. Exclude cash advances, fees, balance transfers and other transactions your card does not reward.
- The calculator does not enforce category caps, quarterly activation, merchant coding, redemption minimums, expiration, taxes or issuer-specific exclusions.
- A point is worth only the redemption value you enter. Transfer partners and award availability can change the actual value.
- Interest, late fees and extra spending can outweigh rewards. Paying interest is not included in the net-value estimate.
- Each monthly spending field and the annual fee are limited to 1 billion currency units; rates and point value to 0–100; welcome points to 1 trillion; and the horizon to 1–10 whole years.
Related calculators
Estimate card borrowing costs with the Credit Card Interest Calculator, plan a fixed repayment with the Credit Card Payoff Calculator, or compare spending with income using the Budget Calculator.