Credit card reward caps and excluded spends

Caps are monthly more often than you remember

A 5 percent online rate with a small monthly cap is a different product from an uncapped 1.5 percent. After the cap, the card may drop to a base rate or to nothing. The second card in the wallet becomes the pick.

Quarterly and annual caps exist too. If you do a large electronics order in week one, the rest of the period needs a different card.

Exclusions are where people leak

Wallet loads, rent, fuel, insurance, and some government or education payments are commonly excluded or capped at a token rate. Putting those on a rewards card wastes a swipe that could have gone to an earnable checkout.

Perks uses current rules and exclusions in its catalog so a checkout pick can avoid a dead category. Verify unusual charges in your issuer app if a rule just changed.

• When a cap fills, switch cards. Do not keep swiping on brand loyalty.
• Do not force rewards on excluded billers.
• Re-read fuel, wallet, and rent rules after every devaluation note.

How Perks uses caps

Recommendations consider caps and exclusions for the cards you added. That is the point of ranking at the payment screen instead of remembering a blog table.

Common questions

What happens when a credit card reward cap is reached?

The bonus rate stops or drops. Use another card in your wallet for the next earnable spend.

Which spends usually earn no rewards?

Wallet loads, rent, and many government or fuel transactions are commonly excluded. Check your card's current terms.

Does Perks know my remaining cap?

It uses the rules catalog and the activity you record or import. It does not log into your bank. Keep the wallet current.