What we look at in this category
The right card depends on how you spend and whether you pay in full. Compare cash back and travel cards in separate lanes, subtract the annual fee from the rewards, and look at the APR before you look at the welcome bonus.
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Net value on a realistic budget | 35% |
| APR and fees | 25% |
| Perks and protections | 15% |
| Approval odds and ease of use | 15% |
| Redemption rules | 10% |
Questions every profile has to answer
- Do I pay the statement in full every month?
- Do the bonus categories match where my money goes?
- Does the annual fee buy benefits I'd actually use?
Collect evidence you can compare
For each company we identify the legal entity and official site, collect written pricing and terms, check the relevant registrations, and note the date and source of every fact that matters. When pricing depends on the customer, we compare on an identical scenario.
Anything a company says about itself is labeled as the company’s claim. On its own it doesn’t prove quality, service, or results.
Show the upside and the catch together
Every profile should tell you who the service suits, what it costs, and when another option fits better. If we couldn’t verify something, we say so instead of counting it for or against the company.
Score only when the evidence is there
Our model is a 100-point rubric with weights set per category. Each criterion gets a documented 0 to 5 rating, multiplied by its weight and divided by five. No company gets a published number until the evidence is complete and a reviewer has signed off.
Identity, availability, core costs, and material terms are mandatory. Contradictions get resolved before anything is scored. Customer ratings, our editorial score, and a company’s position on the page are three different things.
Keep the record correctable
We go back to the source when a fee, product, restriction, or company status changes. Readers and companies use the same correction form.
Send a correction