Calculator

One scenario: American Express Platinum

Example numbers. Change them to yours.

Card

Yearly rewards

USD

What you expect to earn in rewards each year, in dollars. Not sure? Work it out from your spending under “See the details.”

Yearly card fee

USD

What the card charges each year. Enter 0 if none.

From CardMath’s verified record, checked 2026-10-04

Credits you’d actually use

USD

Money back on your bill for specific purchases. Count only what you’d use. Enter 0 if none.

Listed credits total $2,839 (checked 2026-10-04). Enter only what you’d use.

With these numbers, American Express Platinum’s rewards and credits come to $635 less than its yearly fee.

See the details

How this card pays you

Points mode asks what one point is worth. Miles mode asks what one mile is worth.

From CardMath’s verified record, checked 2026-10-04

Spending and rates

Yearly spending that earns extra

USD

Like groceries, dining, or gas, if this card pays more there.

Extra points per $1 (example)

Points per $1 on that spending, like 3.

All other yearly spending

USD

Everything else you’d put on this card.

Everyday points per $1

Points per $1 on everything else, like 1.

From CardMath’s verified record, checked 2026-10-04

What one point is worth

In cents. 1 means 100 points = $1. This is your estimate.

Yearly card fee

USD

From CardMath’s verified record, checked 2026-10-04

Credits you’d actually use

USD

Money back on your bill for specific purchases. Count only what you’d use. Enter 0 if none.

Listed credits total $2,839 (checked 2026-10-04). Enter only what you’d use.

How this works

Yearly value after the fee is rewards on spending that earns extra, plus rewards on everything else, plus credits you’d actually use, minus the yearly card fee. Cash back rates are percents. Points and miles use what one point or mile is worth; the example uses 1 cent, so the result matches the cash-back example until you change it.

Switching how this card pays you keeps the rates you already entered for that choice. The first visit to points or miles loads an example. Caps, exclusions, and portal bonuses stay outside this worksheet.

The result describes these inputs. Read the method.

Example spending and rates

Yearly value after the fee

-$635.00

Rewards plus credits you’d use, minus the fee, under these numbers.

Rewards $260.00 + credits $0.00 − fee $895.00

Show the pieces

Rewards on extra spending: $180.00
Rewards on everything else: $80.00
Credits you’d actually use: $0.00
Yearly card fee: −$895.00