Subtract the rewards your current card would earn on the same purchases from the new card’s estimate. The difference is the potential gain; the new card’s entire reward total is not extra money.
Start with a baseline you actually use.
A baseline is simply the comparison point. In the cash-back calculator, “Compare with a flat-rate card” offers 0%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2%. The default 1.5% is a hypothetical starting point. If your current card earns an uncapped 2% cash value on the purchases you enter, choose 2%.
Use the same eligible purchases and the same full-year period on both sides. Leave welcome bonuses and temporary offers out of an ongoing comparison. Every example below assumes full payment, no interest, and no annual or other fees.
A $480 estimate can mean $120 more—or no more.
Suppose you spend $2,000 per month, or $24,000 per year. A hypothetical flat 2% card returns $480. How much of that is an improvement depends on your starting point.
| Current flat rate | Current annual rewards | Extra at 2% | Extra per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1% | $240 | $240 | $20 |
| 1.5% | $360 | $120 | $10 |
| 2% | $480 | $0 | $0 |
For the middle row: $24,000 × (2% − 1.5%) = $120 per year. That is $10 per month on average. It is useful to see both amounts before deciding how much effort a change is worth to you.
Use a close result as a reason to inspect the assumptions.
A hypothetical $504 estimate against a $480 baseline adds only $24 per year, or $2 per month. A $100 monthly category mistakenly assigned a 3% rate instead of 1% would also change an annual estimate by $24. A small lead can disappear when you correct the inputs. Check which purchases qualify and use “Show the math” to inspect the category breakdown.
There is no universal dollar threshold that makes changing cards worthwhile. Consider whether the possible gain matters to you alongside redemption steps, account requirements, and costs the estimate leaves out. This comparison does not evaluate an application, credit eligibility, or closing an existing account.
Equal dollar estimates can have different conditions.
The expanded catalog includes several flat 2% comparisons. A tie means equal estimated rewards under the stated assumptions. It does not establish that the products are interchangeable.
- PNC Cash Unlimited is modeled using statement credit. Its rules allow that credit without a separate PNC deposit account, but the credit does not replace your required minimum payment. PNC rewards terms ↗
- Fidelity Rewards Visa Signature reaches the modeled 2% value through a deposit into an eligible, already opened and funded Fidelity account. Other redemption choices have different values. Check whether that route suits you before treating its estimate as usable cash back. Fidelity rewards FAQ ↗
What if your existing card is not flat-rate?
The baseline selector cannot reproduce a category card, a rate outside the listed options, or an annual fee. Calculate that card’s ongoing cash rewards separately for the same annual purchases, subtract its annual fee, then compare that net amount with the candidate’s net estimate. If it is in our catalog, “Compare all 8 cards” shows its modeled annual total.
Do not substitute one bonus-category percentage for the whole card’s return. The flat-rate versus category guide explains why the spending mix matters. Our methodology lists what these estimates include, and the annual-estimate note explains why they are not a forecast of your next statement.
Explore the cards behind the examples
These selected cards illustrate the comparison; their detail pages show modeled rates, exclusions, and issuer sources.