YourFinanceCoach

Cashback calculator

Estimate a rewards card’s annual cashback across spending categories, after caps and the annual fee.

Groceries

Maximum cashback per period.

Fuel and transport

Maximum cashback per period.

Cashback a year, after the fee

$270

An effective 1.875% on $14,400 of annual spending.

Cashback earned
$270
Annual fee
$0
Cashback earned in each category
CategoryAnnual spendCashbackLost to cap
Groceries$5,400$162—
Fuel and transport$1,800$36—
Everything else$7,200$72—

Assumes even spending month to month, which is what makes a monthly cap bite. Cashback earned on a balance you carry is worth far less than the interest charged on it.

How this is worked out

Cashback = Σ min(category spend × rate, cap) − annual fee

What this assumes

A calculator is only as good as what it leaves out. These are the assumptions built into the result above.

  • Spending is even month to month. Uneven spending changes what a monthly cap pays out.
  • Caps apply per cap period, which is how issuers usually set them.
  • A welcome bonus counts towards year one only, and only if your spending meets the requirement.
  • Cashback earned on a balance you carry is worth less than the interest you pay on it.

Educational information only. This page explains how something works in the United States. It is not financial advice and does not take account of your circumstances. Rates, fees and eligibility change without notice — check the provider’s own terms before you act.

For free, impartial guidance, see Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. To complain about a firm, contact the CFPB complaint database.

Guides that go with this tool

  • How Credit Card Interest Works

    Card interest is charged daily on an average balance, not monthly on the closing one. Understanding the grace period is what makes the difference between paying nothing and paying a lot.