Credit Card Comparison Calculator

Compare two credit cards by their real annual cost, combining interest, the annual fee and rewards. Enter your habits and each card, then press Calculate.

Written by TopicDrill Editorial Team·Updated June 2026

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Net annual cost comparison

How the comparison works

Picking a credit card on rewards alone can be misleading. The real cost of a card is the interest you pay on any balance you carry, plus the annual fee, minus the rewards you earn. This calculator combines all three into a single net annual cost so you can compare two cards on equal footing.

Interest is estimated as the average balance you carry multiplied by the purchase APR. Rewards are your annual spend multiplied by the rewards rate. The chart shows each card side by side so the better value is easy to spot.

A quick example

Compare a no fee card at 19.99% with 1.5% rewards against a $95 fee card at 15.99% with 3% rewards. If you carry $3,000 and spend $12,000 a year, the fee card often wins because the lower interest and higher rewards more than offset the fee.

Things to keep in mind

Pay your balance in full whenever you can, since interest usually dwarfs any rewards. For guidance on choosing a card, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a trusted resource. Explore more with our free calculators.

Frequently asked questions

How does this calculator compare two cards?

For each card it adds the interest charged on the balance you carry to the annual fee, then subtracts the rewards you earn on your yearly spend. The result is a net annual cost. The card with the lower net cost is the better value for your habits.

Why does the balance I carry matter so much?

Interest is usually the largest cost of a credit card. If you carry a balance, a lower APR can save far more than a generous rewards rate. If you pay in full every month, you owe no interest and rewards and fees decide the winner.

Are rewards worth an annual fee?

It depends on how much you spend. A card with a fee can still win if its higher rewards rate on your annual spend more than covers the fee. This calculator does that math for you so you can see the net result.

Does a lower APR always mean a cheaper card?

Not always. A low APR only helps if you carry a balance. If you pay in full, the APR is irrelevant and the comparison comes down to fees versus rewards. Enter your own numbers to see which factor matters most for you.

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