Four calculators
Four small tools, each answering one specific question with your own numbers.
Budget builder
See where your income is actually going each month, and how much room is left for saving, debt, or a premium card's annual fee.
Assumptions this uses
- Figures are monthly and based on what you enter, not averaged US data
- A 50/30/20 style split (needs/wants/savings) is used as the reference point for the split shown
- No taxes are calculated — income should be entered as take-home (after-tax) pay
- The result does not include one-off costs like an annual card fee unless you add them under 'everything else'
Limitations: Does not account for irregular income, seasonal expenses, or a specific credit card's annual fee unless you enter it as a category — treat the result as a starting split, not a fixed rule.
Runs entirely in your browser.
Check the fee schedule before the rewards page
Card issuers put the annual fee, foreign transaction fee, and cash advance terms in a Schumer box, usually one click from the application page. Read that before the rewards marketing copy. If a $550 annual fee card doesn't clearly beat your current setup on that page alone, it probably isn't worth it yet.
Fee comparison
Compare two accounts or two cards side by side — a no-fee option against one with a monthly or annual charge — to see which actually costs less over a year.
Assumptions this uses
- Monthly fees are multiplied by 12 to reach an annual figure
- Other annual fees (ATM, foreign transaction, annual card fee) are entered as a single yearly total
- The comparison assumes both options are used consistently across the year
- No rewards, credits or interest earned are included — this compares cost only, not net value
Limitations: Does not include rewards value, statement credits, or interest — pair this with the card-matcher tool if you're comparing a rewards or premium card, not just the fee.
Runs entirely in your browser.
The Everyday Banking & Card Fee Worksheet
A fillable worksheet for auditing your account fees and working out whether a card upgrade is actually worth it.
Get the free guide →Is the card worth its fee?
Enter your real monthly spend and a card's reward rate and annual fee to see whether the rewards actually clear the fee, or whether a carried balance wipes it out.
Assumptions this uses
- Rewards are calculated as reward rate x monthly spend x 12
- A typical US card APR range of roughly 20-29% is used to estimate interest cost on any carried balance
- Statement credits and lounge access are not included automatically — add their dollar value to your spend figure if you'd genuinely use them
- The result compares rewards earned against the annual fee, then flags if a carried balance likely erases the gain
Limitations: Does not know the exact APR of your specific card or the exact value of travel credits and lounge access — treat statement credits as a separate manual addition, and use your card's real APR if you know it.
Runs entirely in your browser.
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See card options side by side
Once you know which tier fits your spending, comparing real card options is the next practical step.
Compare cards →Overdraft cost calculator
See what a recurring overdraft pattern is actually costing you over a year, in plain dollars.
Assumptions this uses
- Total cost is fee x number of times it happened, scaled to a 12-month figure based on the period entered
- A typical US overdraft fee range of $27-$35 per occurrence is used as the reference point
- Does not assume overdraft protection is in place — protection transfer fees are usually well below a standard overdraft fee
Limitations: Does not account for banks that charge multiple overdraft fees in a single day, or accounts with no overdraft fee by design — check your specific bank's fee schedule for the exact figure.
Runs entirely in your browser.
Check the fee schedule before the rewards page
Card issuers put the annual fee, foreign transaction fee, and cash advance terms in a Schumer box, usually one click from the application page. Read that before the rewards marketing copy. If a $550 annual fee card doesn't clearly beat your current setup on that page alone, it probably isn't worth it yet.