A spending cap usually limits purchases earning the bonus rate, not all the rewards you can earn. In our capped card model, purchases above the limit continue earning the base rate.
Work through one category.
Take a hypothetical 3% category with a $6,000 annual spending cap and 1% after the cap. At $800 per month, annual purchases total $9,600:
- First $6,000 × 3% = $180
- Remaining $3,600 × 1% = $36
- Annual category rewards = $216
That is an effective return of 2.25%, not 3%. Ignoring the cap would show $288 and overstate the estimate by $72.
Separate caps are separate buckets.
The Blue Cash Everyday model has separate $6,000 calendar-year limits for its three bonus categories. Exhausting one category does not consume another category’s limit. Check the issuer’s current rules ↗
A monthly input is an annual illustration.
We multiply your entered month by 12 and assume a fresh full calendar year. This is not a prediction of the rest of your current year: the calculator does not know what you have already spent or how much of a cap you have used.
See exactly where the rate changes.
Open “Show the math” below your matches and choose the card. For a capped category, the calculation displays the spending at each rate. The totals are estimates: actual statement rounding and the timing of transactions or payments may differ.