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Card Optimizer

Compare your best cards by category.

Tune your point values, sort by return, and compare premium cards side by side. For fast in-store decisions, use the Card App .

Credit Card Spend Optimizer

Compare category bonuses, adjust point values, and sort cards by effective return. On smaller screens, swipe the table horizontally.

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How We Calculate Returns

Our Virtual Return % is calculated by multiplying the card's earning rate (points per dollar) by the estimated value of that currency.

  • You can adjust currency values above. The starting values are my conservative estimates based on the following:
    • Cash Back ($) (default value: 1): Standard cashback value.
    • Chase UR (default value: 1.43): Worst case they are worth apx least 1.43c on JetBlue (~1.3 + 10% usage bonus w/paid JB card). Premium Hyatts have been my best use case. Can also transfer directly to United.
    • Amex MR (default value: 1.16): Worst case they are worth at least 1.16c (250:200 tranfer ratio) on JetBlue. They transfer to Delta at 1:1. Their best use maybe through ANA on star alliance.
    • CapOne Miles (default value: 1): Worst case Capital One points can be used on the travel portal at 1c each. Many bloggers value them close to 1.75, but to achieve that you often need to put in some effort using international airlines.
    • Citi TYP (default value: 1.43): Worst case they are worth apx least 1.43c on JetBlue with a premium Citi card via 1:1 transfer. Can now be transfered to American Airlines and other travel partners.
    • TrueBlue Pts (default value: 1.43): 1.43c on JetBlue (~1.3 + 10% usage bonus w/paid JB card).
    • Bonvoy Pts (default value: 0.75): Mostly worth under 1c each but occationally get great value on premium properties (e.g., a stay at the St. Regis Deer Valley) though hard to apply full value when it is not something I would have paid cash for.
    • BofA Pts (default value: 1.75): Base 1c. Up to 1.75c with Platinum Honors status (based on BofA+Merill account mininums. Generally would park existing or short-term bond ETFs at Merrill to achieve balances.).
  • Portal vs. Direct: We list "Direct" and "Portal" rows separately for travel categories. Portal bookings (via issuer sites) often earn higher multipliers but may have less flexibility.
  • Effective Return: Does not account for annual fees unless noted in the "Credits & Notes" row.

* All of these cell phone insurance policies have a prohibition against prepaid plans along with a requirement for monthly payments. Do not expect to be covered if you have a prepaid plan like US Mobile, Mint, Visible, etc. Also do not expect to be covered if you get a discount for paying for a full year. Credit card cell phone insurance is generally secondary, so they may trim your coverage to max out at your homeowner's deductible.

Analysis excludes certain benefits that many readers may not value highly or that are difficult to assign a reliable dollar value to, such as Walmart+ membership, CLEAR membership, Uber/Lyft memberships (while still valuing statement credits), Peloton discounts, gym discounts, and similar perks.