Blog and guides
Guides and tools from Elite Credit Cards: how to compare cards, what each category is for, and calculators for the numbers behind a card decision.
Calculators
- Credit Card Payoff Calculator – See how long a fixed monthly payment takes to clear a credit card balance, and what the interest costs.
- Credit Card Utilization Ratio Calculator – Your utilization ratio compares what you owe on revolving credit with the limits you have been given.
- Loan Payment Calculator – Work out the monthly payment on a fixed-rate installment loan, and how much of what you repay is interest.
- Personal Loan Monthly Payment Calculator – Compare personal loan offers by monthly payment, origination fee, net proceeds and total cost.
- Mortgage Payment Calculator – Estimate the full monthly cost of a fixed-rate mortgage: principal and interest plus property tax and insurance.
Card category guides
- Cash Back Cards – Cards that return a share of what you spend as cash, statement credits or deposits, reviewed for how the earning…
- Points & Rewards Cards – Cards that earn transferable points, miles or store rewards, with reviews that focus on what a point is realistically…
- Travel Credit Cards – General travel cards that earn flexible points or miles you can use across airlines and hotels, plus the travel…
- Airline Credit Cards – Co-branded airline cards reviewed for free checked bags, priority boarding, companion benefits and how quickly the…
- Hotel Credit Cards – Hotel co-branded cards reviewed for anniversary free nights, elite status, and how far the points stretch at each chain.
- 0% Intro APR Cards – Cards that have offered an introductory 0% APR on purchases, balance transfers or both, and what happens when the…
- Balance Transfer Cards – Cards reviewed for their balance transfer terms: promotional APR length, transfer fees and the deadlines that apply.
- Low Interest Credit Cards – Cards whose main appeal is a comparatively low ongoing APR or long promotional rates, useful if you sometimes carry a…
- No Annual Fee Credit Cards – Cards that charged no annual fee at the time of review, from simple cash back cards to student and credit-building…
- Secured Credit Cards – Cards backed by a refundable security deposit, reviewed for deposit rules, reporting to credit bureaus and the path to…
- Credit Cards for Bad or Fair Credit – Secured and unsecured cards aimed at people rebuilding credit, with attention to fees, deposits and how they report…
- Cards for No Credit History – Starter cards that the issuer described as available to applicants with little or no credit history, including student…
- Student Credit Cards – Cards built for students and recent graduates, reviewed for approval requirements, starter rewards and features that…
- Small Business Credit Cards – Business cards for owners, freelancers and side businesses, reviewed for spending categories, employee cards and…
- Credit Cards for Military Members – Cards from military-focused financial institutions such as USAA and PenFed, reviewed for rates, rewards and membership…
- Store & Retail Credit Cards – Retailer co-branded cards reviewed for in-store rewards, financing offers and whether they are worth it outside the…
- Sign-Up Bonus Credit Cards – Cards whose reviews describe a welcome offer, such as bonus points, miles, cash back or a statement credit, and what…
- Cards with Insurance & Protection Benefits – Cards whose reviews discuss insurance and purchase or travel protections, such as trip cancellation, rental car…
- Car Rental Credit Cards – Cards whose reviews mention rental car benefits, from collision damage coverage to rental-company loyalty perks.