Credit Card Rewards Calculator
Select a credit card, enter your annual spending, and see how many rewards you'd earn and their dollar value. All calculations are done in your browser.
How Credit Card Rewards Work
Credit card rewards are earned as points, miles, or cash back on every purchase. The value you get depends on the card's earning rates, your spending patterns, and how you redeem. Premium travel cards often offer the highest value per point when transferred to airline and hotel partners.
Understanding Rewards Rates
- Category Bonuses: Earn extra points on specific categories like dining, groceries, or travel (e.g., 4x on restaurants)
- Flat Rate: Earn the same rate on all purchases (e.g., 2x everywhere)
- Rotating Categories: Quarterly categories that change (e.g., 5x on gas this quarter)
- Portal Bonuses: Extra points when booking through the card issuer's travel portal
Points Valuation
Not all points are worth the same. Transferable points currencies like Amex Membership Rewards (1.8¢), Chase Ultimate Rewards (1.5¢), and Capital One Miles (1.3¢) offer the best value when transferred to travel partners. Cash back points are worth exactly 1¢ per point.
Annual Fee Consideration
A card with a high annual fee can still be worthwhile if your rewards exceed the fee. For example, the Amex Gold's $325 annual fee is easily offset if you spend $8,000+/year on dining and groceries at 4x. Always calculate net value (rewards minus annual fee) when comparing cards.
Frequently Asked Questions
What credit card gives the most rewards?
It depends on your spending. If you spend heavily on dining and groceries, the Amex Gold (4x) is hard to beat. For flat-rate earning, the Citi Double Cash (2x) or Capital One Venture (2x) are strong choices with no complex categories to track.
Are credit card rewards worth the annual fee?
Only if you spend enough in bonus categories to earn more in rewards than the fee costs. Use this calculator to find your break-even point.
Should I have multiple rewards cards?
Many experts recommend a "trifecta" approach: use the best card for each spending category. For example, Amex Gold for dining/groceries, a flat-rate card for everything else.