🧮 Free Interactive Tool

Is Your Credit Card Worth It? The Honest Annual Fee Calculator

Enter your real spending, tick only the credits you will actually use, and see whether your card’s annual fee truly pays for itself. No best-case marketing math, just the honest number.

5 cards
Amex & Chase
2026
Verified figures
$0
Always free
MC
MyCardDeals Editorial Team
Credit Card Offers Specialists
Last Updated: August 2026 Verified: Issuer terms Cards: 5

Most calculators tell you what a card is worth in a perfect world. This one tells you the truth. Card marketing counts every statement credit at full value and assumes you use all of them: in reality, most people never break even. Tick only what you will genuinely use below and see your real number.

Loaded with verified 2026 figures for the Amex Green, Gold, and Platinum, plus the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Preferred.

🍽️ Dining & restaurants $
🛒 US groceries $
✈️ Travel (flights & hotels) $
💳 Everything else $

How you redeem points changes their value 2 to 3 times. Be honest about your habits.

Only tick the ones you would use anyway. This is where the honesty lives.

Your honest verdict
+$0
net value per year
Rewards earned per year$0
Credits you will use$0
Total annual value$0
Annual fee-$0
See full Amex Gold breakdown →
Estimate only. Verify current terms on the issuer’s site.

How to tell if a credit card is worth the annual fee

A credit card is worth its annual fee when the rewards you earn plus the statement credits you actually use are greater than the fee. That sounds obvious, but it is where most people get it wrong: card marketing counts every credit at full value and assumes you use all of them. Most cardholders never break even on their annual fee, because they pay for credits they forget to use or would never have spent on otherwise. This calculator fixes that by counting only what you tell it you will really use.

How this calculator works (our methodology)

We keep the math transparent so you can trust the answer. The formula is:

Net value = (annual points × your point value) + (credits you will use) − annual fee

  • Points: your monthly spend in each category, times 12, times each card’s current earning rate.
  • Point value: you choose it. 1.0¢ for cash back, 1.8¢ for smart redemptions, 2.2¢ for maximized transfer partners. We default to 1.8¢, a fair middle estimate.
  • Credits: we count only the statement credits you check as ones you will genuinely use. This is the honest part most calculators skip.
  • Welcome bonus: deliberately excluded. It is a one-time boost that makes almost any card look worth it in year one. We measure ongoing, keep-it-or-cancel value instead.

Card figures reflect verified 2026 annual fees, earning rates, and statement credits, cross-checked against each issuer’s published terms. Earning rates use each card’s headline bonus categories; your exact rate can vary by how you book. This tool is an estimate, not financial advice, and the issuer’s website is always the final authority.

The cards we cover

Read the full, honest breakdown of any card in the calculator:

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions: Is Your Card Worth the Fee?

How do I know if my credit card is worth the annual fee?
A card is worth its annual fee when the rewards you earn plus the statement credits you actually use exceed the fee. This calculator adds your estimated annual points value to only the credits you check off, then subtracts the annual fee. If the result is positive, the card pays for itself for your spending.
Why does this calculator give a lower value than the card’s marketing?
Card marketing counts every credit at full value and assumes you use all of them. In reality, most people do not. This calculator is deliberately honest: it only counts the credits you tick as ones you will actually use, and it values points at a realistic redemption rate you choose. That gives you a truthful answer, not a best-case one.
What point value should I use?
For cash back or simple portal redemptions, use about 1.0 cent per point. For transferring Amex Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards to airline and hotel partners, 1.8 to 2.2 cents per point is realistic with some effort. The calculator defaults to 1.8 cents, a fair middle estimate for someone who redeems thoughtfully.
Does this calculator include the welcome bonus?
No. It measures ongoing, year-after-year value, because the welcome bonus is a one-time boost that can make almost any card look worth it in year one. Judging a card on its recurring value tells you whether to keep it long term, which is the harder and more useful question.
Which credit cards does the calculator cover?
It covers major US premium cards: the Amex Green, Amex Gold, and Amex Platinum, plus the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Sapphire Preferred. Each card is loaded with its current 2026 annual fee, earning rates, and statement credits, verified against the issuer’s published terms.
Next Step

See the honest, full breakdown of every card

Once the calculator shows your number, read the deep-dive on whether that card really earns its keep, with current 2026 credits and offers.

Compare all cards & offers →

Last updated August 2026. Figures are estimates: verify current terms with the issuer. See our affiliate disclosure.

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