Built on math, not marketing

Why CardMatch exists

Most credit card comparison sites show you the same ranking whether you spend $2,000 a month on restaurants or never eat out. That ranking is built for the site's revenue, not for you — cards with the highest affiliate commissions float to the top regardless of fit.

CardMatch was built to answer a simpler question: given how you actually spend your money, which card puts the most dollars back in your pocket each year? The answer is different for everyone, and a spreadsheet can figure it out in seconds. So we built one.

CardMatch is an independent project built by Tyler Allgaier, a software developer based in Salt Lake City. It is not affiliated with any bank, card issuer, or financial institution.

How the scoring works

Every card in our database is scored using the same formula: we take your monthly spend in each category (dining, groceries, travel, gas, and general), multiply it by the card's earn rate for that category, multiply again by our valuation of that reward currency, then annualize and subtract the annual fee. The card that produces the highest net annual value for your specific inputs ranks first.

There is no editorial override, no sponsored positioning, and no manual adjustment. The math is deterministic — the same inputs always produce the same output.

Point valuations we use

Reward currencies are not all worth the same. A Chase Ultimate Rewards point can be worth 1.9 cents when transferred to Hyatt or United and redeemed for a premium cabin flight. An Amex Membership Rewards point is worth roughly 1.8 cents through similar transfer partners. Capital One Miles sit at around 1.7 cents. Cash back is always worth exactly 1.0 cent.

These valuations reflect real-world redemption patterns for someone who is comfortable booking award travel through transfer partners — not the 1 cent baseline that issuers use for statement credits. If you only redeem for cash back, the gap between premium cards and no-fee cash-back cards narrows significantly.

These valuations are estimates based on widely-available redemption data and our own analysis. Actual redemption value varies by program, availability, and how you book. We update them periodically as program valuations shift.

What we don't do

CardMatch does not accept payment to rank cards higher. We do not have preferred partner arrangements with issuers. We do not have a "featured card" position that can be purchased. Every card in our database competes on the same math.

We do participate in affiliate programs, which means we may earn a referral fee if you click an apply link and are approved for a card. That fee does not influence rankings — a card with a $0 commission that earns you $500 a year will always outrank a card with a $200 commission that earns you $300 a year. The ranking is computed before any commercial relationship is considered.

Limitations and disclaimers

CardMatch scores cards on reward value only. We do not factor in credit score requirements, sign-up bonuses, promotional APRs, balance transfer terms, or non-reward card benefits like purchase protection. For many people, a large sign-up bonus can outweigh a year or two of reward differences — our tool does not model that.

Reward rates and annual fees change. We do our best to keep card data current, but we recommend verifying any card's current terms on the issuer's website before applying.

CardMatch is not a licensed financial advisor and nothing on this site constitutes financial advice. Credit card rewards are one small part of personal finance. We are only trying to help you maximize the rewards value of a card you are already planning to use responsibly.