Credit Card True Cost
Annual fee vs actual rewards earned. Most premium cards look great in the brochure — but if your spending doesn't match the card's reward categories, you're paying for benefits you never use. Enter your fee and real monthly spend to find out.
Reward rate in the ad. Actual earned rate in your statement.
Most cards advertise high reward rates (5%, 10%, even 20%) — but only on specific categories: dining, travel, fuel. Your grocery and utility spend might earn 0.5%. Effective reward rate = weighted average across your actual spend categories, not the headline rate.
Reward points typically expire in 2–3 years, or when you close the card. Many people accumulate points they never redeem, making the effective value ₹0. Points redeemed for flights or hotel rooms often yield ₹0.25–₹0.35 per point; cash redemption is often less. Build your math on conservative estimates.
A ₹5,000 fee card pays off if you travel twice a year (lounge access alone = ₹4,000+), use the card for high-reward categories, and hit the fee waiver threshold. The math works for high spenders with matching lifestyle. For everyone else, a ₹500 fee card with consistent 1.5% cashback often wins.