Credit Card Rewards Value Calculator
Enter your spend, rewards rate, annual fee and any sign-up bonus.
Net annual value
β
Enter values above
Gross rewards per year
β
First-year value with bonus
β
Total value over the period
β
Effective rewards rate
β
Spend needed to cover the fee
β
Worked example
With the default inputs shown below, this calculator returns the following results:
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Monthly spend ($) | 3000 |
| Rewards rate (%) | 2 |
| Annual fee ($) | 95 |
| Sign-up bonus value ($) | 200 |
| Years holding the card | 3 |
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Net annual value | $625.00 |
| Gross rewards per year | $720.00 |
| First-year value with bonus | $825.00 |
| Total value over the period | $2,075.00 |
| Effective rewards rate | 1.74% |
| Spend needed to cover the fee | $396 per month |
Values shown are produced by this page in your browser; change any input to update them.
How to use the Credit Card Rewards Value Calculator
- Monthly spend ($) β default 3000
- Rewards rate (%) β default 2
- Annual fee ($) β default 95
- Sign-up bonus value ($) β default 200
- Years holding the card β default 3
- Press Calculate to update the results instantly.
Frequently asked questions
Only if your spending generates more than the fee, plus the value of any perks you genuinely use. The effective rewards rate after the fee is the number to compare between cards.
Cashback is worth exactly its face value. Points are worth what you can realistically redeem them for β often 1 to 1.5 cents each on travel, less on gift cards.
Research consistently finds they do, especially on cards with higher earn rates in specific categories. If spending rises to chase rewards, the net benefit disappears.