Updated July 2026. Free, no signup, runs entirely in your browser.
Enter an offer’s bonus, your redemption value, the annual fee, and the minimum spend. The calculator returns the bonus value in dollars, the net first-year value after the fee, and the return per dollar of required spending, the 3 numbers that let any 2 offers be compared honestly. Background reading: meeting minimum spend and the churning guide.
Reading the 3 numbers
Bonus value prices the points at your chosen redemption rate; be honest with the preset, since cash-floor redeemers should compare at 1.0, not at the 2.0 they aspire to. Net first-year value subtracts the annual fee, the number that decides if an offer beats a no-fee alternative. Return per required dollar measures efficiency: it is what the offer pays you per dollar of spending you must route, and it is the number to compare when 2 offers compete for the same spending capacity.
What the calculator leaves out, on purpose: base earning on the spend itself, statement credits and perks, and the cost of any fee the retention call might later offset. Those all improve real outcomes, so treat these results as each offer’s floor.
FAQ
How do I calculate what a credit card signup bonus is worth?
Multiply the points by your redemption value per point. 60,000 points at 1.5 cents each is $900. Subtract the annual fee for the net first-year value, and divide by the minimum spend for the return per required dollar. The presets here, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 cents, cover cash back, decent transfers, and strong transfers.
What counts as a good return on minimum spend?
A typical strong offer returns 15 to 25 cents of value per required dollar: a $900 bonus on $4,000 of spending is 22.5 percent. Below 10 percent, compare against what your everyday cards already earn; a 2 percent card sets the floor any bonus has to beat.
Does this calculator include the points earned on the spending itself?
No, deliberately. Base earning on the minimum spend, usually 1x to 3x, adds value on top of what this shows, and protections or credits add more. The calculator isolates the bonus math so offers compare cleanly; treat its output as the floor.
To value specific sweet spots rather than a signup bonus, try the points value finder.