Cash Back Calculator: Rewards by Category
This cash back calculator adds up the rewards you earn from a cash back program, such as a debit card, shopping app, store loyalty program or rebate site. List your monthly spending in each category, like groceries, gas and everything else, with the reward percent for each. It shows cash back per category, per month and per year, your overall effective rate, and the yearly total after any annual membership fee. Use it to compare two programs by changing the rates, or to see which category earns you the most. All math happens in your browser.
Cash Back Calculator
Add your monthly spending by category to see the cash back you earn each month and year.
How to use the Cash Back Calculator
- Enter each spending category with its monthly amount and cash back percent.
- Add or remove rows to match your spending.
- Enter any yearly membership fee and a yearly cap if the program has one.
- Read the monthly and yearly cash back and the effective rate.
Cash back formula
Cash back per category = monthly spending × rate. Yearly = monthly total × 12, limited by any cap, minus any yearly fee. Effective rate = total cash back ÷ total spending.
Features
- Unlimited spending categories
- Monthly and yearly totals
- Effective cash back rate
- Yearly fee and cap
- Compare programs by editing rates
- CSV export
Frequently asked questions
How is cash back calculated?
Cash back = amount spent × reward percent. For example, $600 of groceries at 3% earns $18 a month or $216 a year.
What is a good cash back rate?
A flat 1.5% to 2% on everything is common. Higher rates of 3% to 5% usually apply only to certain categories or have caps.
What is an effective cash back rate?
It is your total cash back divided by total spending. It shows the real average rate across all categories.
Should I spend more to earn more cash back?
No. Cash back is a small discount on what you would buy anyway. Spending extra to earn rewards costs more than it pays.
Does a yearly fee change the result?
Yes. The calculator subtracts the fee from yearly cash back so you can see whether a paid program beats a free one for your spending.