Annual Fee & Credit Realism Tracker
Across 10 premium cards, issuers market $9,880 in credits. A realistic optimizer captures about 44%. See the math credit by credit.
How we estimate capture rates
Every credit on every card here is assigned a capture rate between 0 and 100 percent. The rate reflects what an active reward optimizer redeems in a typical year, not what the issuer prints on its marketing page. The same rubric applies to every card so comparisons across issuers are like-for-like.
| Credit type | Example | Base capture |
|---|---|---|
| Broad, annual, no activation | CSR $300 travel credit | 80–100% |
| Specific brand or portal, monthly or quarterly | Amex Plat Uber Cash, Resy | 40–70% |
| Niche subscription, requires existing service | Equinox, Oura, Function Health | 10–30% |
Three adjustments apply on top of the base rate:
- Monthly use-it-or-lose-it cadence: subtract about 10 percent for forgotten months.
- Portal-only booking: subtract about 15 percent for booking inflexibility and price competition.
- Activation required each period: subtract about 10 percent.
Each credit row in the dashboard shows the resulting capture rate plus a one-sentence reason so you can audit the assumption and adjust your own math if you disagree.
Non-dollar perks (lounge access, elite status, trip insurance, primary rental coverage) are excluded because they vary too much by user to publish a single number. The per-card calculators on CardSavvy let you add lounge and other-benefit values for your specific situation.
See how these cards fit your wallet
The tracker shows realistic credit value for each card in isolation. The CardSavvy optimizer takes your spending and existing cards and tells you which premium card actually earns more than its net effective fee for you.
Run the optimizerFee and credit values reflect published issuer terms as of 2026-05-20. Benefits, credits, enrollment requirements, partners, and earning rules can change without notice. Capture rates are estimates for an active reward optimizer; your actual use may differ. Not financial advice.