Total cash back earned on purchases at one or more rates.
Please do not make financial decisions based on these results.
What is the Cash Back Calculator?
Total cash back earned on purchases at one or more rates. To use the Cash Back Calculator, enter everyday spend per month, everyday rate, bonus category spend, bonus rate, annual card fee; it returns yearly cash back, net of annual fee, effective rate, and shows them instantly as you type.
Where the Cash Back Calculator fits
Total cash back earned on purchases at one or more rates. The main figure it returns is the Yearly cash back, worked out from the values you enter.
It belongs with the other sales, discounts & pricing tools. If you are comparing options or checking a result from another angle, try the Black Friday Calculator, Cyber Monday Calculator or the Double Discount Calculator.
How to use the Cash Back Calculator
- Fill in the fields. You will need Everyday spend per month ($), Everyday rate (%), Bonus category spend ($), Bonus rate (%), Annual card fee ($). Use real figures from your own records where you can. Fields marked optional can stay at zero.
- Read the result. The highlighted box gives the Yearly cash back, and the cards below show Net of annual fee, Effective rate. Tables and charts break it down further.
- Test other scenarios. Results update as you type. Change one value at a time to see what drives the answer, and press Reset to go back to the defaults.
Formula and how it works
Example with real numbers
Here is the Cash Back Calculator using the default values shown in the calculator above:
Inputs
| Everyday spend per month ($) | 1,500 |
|---|---|
| Everyday rate (%) | 1.5 |
| Bonus category spend ($) | 500 |
| Bonus rate (%) | 4 |
| Annual card fee ($) | 95 |
Results
| Yearly cash back | $510.00 |
|---|---|
| Net of annual fee | $415.00 |
| Effective rate | 2.13% |
With these inputs the calculator returns Yearly cash back: $510.00. Change any value in the calculator to see how the result moves.
What if you change one input?
Sensitivity check: raising Everyday spend per month ($) from 1,500 to 1,800 (about 20% higher) and leaving everything else as in the example above changes the results like this:
| Result | Example | After the change | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly cash back | $510.00 | $564.00 | +10.6% |
| Net of annual fee | $415.00 | $469.00 | +13% |
| Effective rate | 2.13% | 2.04% | -3.8% |
The input that moves the result most is the one to check twice. Change it in the calculator above to test your own case.
What the results tell you
The results panel of the Cash Back Calculator reports Yearly cash back, net of annual fee and effective rate. Compare these figures while changing one input at a time, and use the related calculators below to look at the same situation from another angle.
Method and limits. This calculator applies the formula in the section above to your inputs, in your browser; nothing you enter is stored on our servers. The result is only as accurate as the numbers you enter and the formula shown above. It is for information, not financial, tax or legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Is cash back taxable?
Credit card rewards are usually treated as a rebate on purchases rather than income.
Is 20% plus 10% off the same as 30% off?
No. The second discount applies to the reduced price, so the total is 28% off.
How do I convert markup to margin?
Margin equals markup divided by one plus markup. A 60% markup is a 37.5% margin.
Are the results guaranteed?
No. Results depend entirely on the numbers you enter and the formulas shown on this page. Please do not make financial decisions based on them alone; confirm important figures with a licensed professional.
Related sales, discounts & pricing calculators
- Black Friday Calculator
- Cyber Monday Calculator
- Double Discount Calculator
- Triple Discount Calculator
- Percentage Discount Calculator
- Percent Off Calculator
- Markdown Calculator
- Markup Calculator
- Margin and Markup Calculator
- Margin With Discount Calculator
- Margin and Sales Tax Calculator
- Margin and VAT Calculator
All Sales, Discounts & Pricing calculators →