Question 1

What exactly is CardCurator?

Accepted Answer

CardCurator is a rewards intelligence platform. You add your credit cards and points balances, and it helps you maximize value — showing which cards earn the most at each store, alerting you to transfer bonuses, and tracking progress toward redemption goals.

Question 2

Do I need to connect my bank accounts?

Accepted Answer

No. CardCurator never asks for your banking credentials. You add cards manually (just the card name, not any account numbers), and enter your points balances yourself. Your financial data stays private.

Question 3

What is the wallet grade?

Accepted Answer

Your wallet grade (A through F) is a score that reflects how well-optimized your card portfolio is. It factors in things like: do your cards cover your main spending categories? Are your annual fees justified by the rewards you earn? Do you have overlapping benefits you're paying twice for?

Question 4

What are cross-program goals?

Accepted Answer

A goal lets you set a points target (like "300,000 points for a trip to Japan") and assign contributions from multiple programs — e.g. 120k from Chase UR + 100k from Amex MR + 80k from Citi. You can then watch progress from all programs in one place.

Question 5

What are transfer bonuses and why do they matter?

Accepted Answer

Transfer bonuses are limited-time promotions where a bank (like Chase) gives you extra points — typically 20–30% — when you transfer to an airline or hotel partner. For example, a 30% bonus on 100k Chase points means you get 130k Hyatt points instead of 100k. These bonuses often last only 2–4 days and are easy to miss. CardCurator emails you the moment one goes live.

Question 6

How does "best card for a merchant" work?

Accepted Answer

Search for any store or restaurant in the Spending Tracker. CardCurator looks up what category that business falls into (e.g. Dining, Groceries, Gas), then checks every card in your wallet to find which one earns the highest rate at that category. It shows you the winner and the earn rate, so you always know which card to swipe.

Question 7

What is the statement analyzer?

Accepted Answer

You can upload a credit card statement PDF after you already have a likely recommendation. CardCurator analyzes spending by category and shows how much you could earn with the optimal card for each category versus what you actually earned, so you can validate whether real spend changes the answer.

Question 8

Is CardCurator free?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the core features are free. Sign up with just an email address — no credit card required.

How to Use CardCurator

Platform Features

My Cards & Wallet

Programs & Goals

Transfer Bonus Alerts

Spending Tracker

Wallet Optimizer

Compare Cards

Also on the Platform

Common Questions

New to credit card rewards?