Not sure which credit card to use for your next purchase? Credit card apps can help with tracking your rewards earning so you can choose the best card for each purchase.
Credit cards can come with rewards on travel, dining, streaming, groceries and a number of other spending categories. “The challenge is, while consumers want these rewards, they’re not necessarily getting them,” says Sameer Gupta, founder of credit card rewards app Uthrive and former director of product innovation for American Express.
[Read: Best Rewards Credit Cards.]
Why It Pays to Keep Track of Credit Card Rewards
With many ways to earn and redeem credit card rewards, there are also many ways to be confused about them, especially if you carry multiple credit cards.
“People can overlook the fine print and miss opportunities to maximize their rewards,” says David B. Shipper, strategic advisor of retail banking and payments with Datos Insights. “… It’s important to pay attention to the specifics to make sure you get the most rewards.”
Nearly half of respondents to a 2021 U.S. News survey reported feeling worried that they could earn more rewards if they used a different credit card. Here are some reasons it can be difficult to maximize your rewards:
— Rewards categories change. Some cards have rewards categories that rotate each quarter. For example, a card might earn 5% cash back at Target for three months, and then 5% back on gas for three months after that. To access those rewards, you may have to activate the offer, and you’ll need to remember to direct your spending to the right card.
— Rewards may have restrictions. Your card might impose maximum earnings in a category, bonus rewards may only be available for a limited time or you may need to join a travel loyalty program to earn the highest possible rate. You’ll need to keep track of any restrictions or limits on your rewards to make the best choices.
— Sign-up bonuses have spending requirements. When you get a new credit card, you might be able to earn bonus cash back, points or miles if you meet a spending requirement within a certain time, generally three months to a year. If you don’t meet that spending requirement on time, you could leave hundreds of dollars on the table.
If you’re juggling multiple cards and rewards accounts, it can be easy to forget what you have. Credit card rewards apps can give you a broad view of what’s stashed where so you can cash in.
Read on to learn about some of the credit card apps that can help you stay on top of the rewards you have and make the most of future purchases.
[Read: Best Cash Back Credit Cards.]
1. AwardWallet
AwardWallet can help you track credit card points and more. You can register for a free account on your computer or in the mobile app. The service supports nearly 700 loyalty programs and tracks over 200 billion points. AwardWallet tracks your rewards balances when you give the service permission to log into sites such as Hilton.com and JetBlue.com. If you add credit card accounts, AwardWallet can analyze your spending to determine whether you’re using the best card for each purchase. If you want access to extra features, you can upgrade to AwardWallet Plus for $30 per year.
AwardWallet is available in both the Apple and Google app stores.
Features
— Check your points balances, benefits, available credits and up to three rewards expiration dates.
— Track airline miles, elite status, travel vouchers and upgrade certificates.
— When you redeem your rewards for travel, AwardWallet can track your reservations and notify you if flights are delayed or canceled.
— Use the merchant category lookup tool even without an account: Enter a store name, and AwardWallet will provide a list of credit cards that earn more than one point per dollar for shopping there.
— Track hotel points, elite status, free-night certificates and room and suite upgrades.
— View how many points you’ve earned for every transaction.
— If your points or benefits are close to expiring, AwardWallet will send you reminders to your smartphone or email.
Extra Features Available to AwardWallet Plus Members
— Unlimited rewards expiration date tracking.
— Shows you extra reward accounts you can use.
— Access a chart that shows changes to your account balance over time.
— View past transactions for some of your loyalty accounts.
— Unlimited number of times to update a single account per day.
2. MaxRewards
with over 400,000 members, helps with 1.3 million credit cards and has earned over $500 million in rewards in the last 12 months. This app — which is exclusively integrated with banks and credit card issuers — can help you easily manage all of your accounts by giving you access to view all balances, reward earnings, bonus trackers and more. MaxRewards also helps you choose the best card for every purchase category and popular stores. Its premium subscription, MaxRewards Gold, doesn’t have a set price — customers can choose their own monthly payment amount, starting at $3.
MaxRewards is available in both the Apple and Google app stores.
Features
— View the value of your credit card rewards and identify the best card for different spending categories.
— While you’re out shopping, MaxRewards can tell you which of your cards will earn the most rewards at nearby stores.
— Keep track of your sign-up bonuses in the app to make sure you hit minimum spending requirements in time.
— Provides info on your rewards balance, credit card balance, credit utilization ratio and available credit.
Extra Features Available to MaxRewards Gold Members
— Automatic activation of quarterly bonus categories and other offers.
— Provides notifications about new and expiring offers.
— Tracks how much spending you have left on rewards with limits.
— Offers priority support.
— Favorite, sort and search deals from all your cards.
3. Uthrive
is newer than AwardWallet and MaxRewards, and its features include card recommendations to fit your spending and credit profiles. Before you make a purchase, you can check Uthrive to decide which credit card to use. Uthrive is free and does not have a premium subscription option for consumers. You can use Uthrive’s app on your smartphone or access your account on a computer.
Uthrive is available in both the Apple and Google app stores.
Features
— Track your travel rewards and cash back.
— See what is the best credit card to use for the most rewards points.
— Receive custom credit card recommendations based on your spending habits.
— Add your accounts to see a summary of rewards you’ve earned and missed.
— Keep track of sign-up bonuses.
— Be notified when you don’t use the highest-earning card for a purchase.
4. CardPointers
says most users save more than $750 per year. This credit card app is not very different from others on the list, as it also lets you know what’s the right card to use for every purchase to maximize your category rewards. But CardPointers reaches almost every point of the globe, supporting 258 countries with its services. It also supports 5,000 credit cards and 900 banks. If you’re interested in its premium subscription, expect to pay $60 per year.
CardPointers is available in both the Apple and Google app stores.
Features
— Add and track your cards, but it’s limited to one of each type.
— View how your credit cards stack up in various spending categories.
— See all of your offers from every card in one place.
— Tracks spending limits so you can receive your sign-up bonus and rewards bonus before it’s too late.
Extra Features Available to CardPointers+ Members
— Add and track an unlimited amount of cards regardless of type.
— View nearby merchants and see what’s the best card to use — you can also ask Siri which card to use for any store.
— Receive automatic reminders when you’re visiting an online store where one of your cards has a bonus.
— At renewal, you can view how much value you got from your credit cards.
— Get reminded before offers expire.
— Receive notifications for new offers available that match your criteria.
5. Waly
says most users earn $750 a year without spending extra. This free and simple credit card app helps you eliminate the guesswork by automatically showing you the right card to use, with the help of artificial intelligence technology, based on your location. Waly works with more than 500 credit cards, 600 reward categories, 5,000 online stores and 90 million retail places. You can join within seconds, select the credit cards you have and then begin using the app. You can use Waly’s app on your smartphone or access your account on a computer.
Waly is available in both the Apple and Google app stores.
Features
— Receive comprehensive insights to improve your spending habits.
— Manage all of your credit card rewards in one place.
— Recommends the best cards to use when paying bills, ordering food take-out and online shopping. The app also does the same when it locates you at restaurants, grocery stores, retail stores and gas stations.
[Read: Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards.]
What Are Other Ways to Maximize Credit Card Rewards?
Rewards apps aren’t for everyone. You may have privacy concerns, an app might not support all of your credit cards or rewards programs, or you might prefer to use your own tools — especially if you’d have to pay a fee to unlock the features you want in an app. If you’d rather not use an app to track your credit card rewards, you have other options that can help you make the most of your cards.
— Use a well-rounded card: If you don’t want to get caught up in the minutiae of maximizing rewards, choosing your primary credit card wisely can pay off. A 2% cash back card or a card that earns the best rewards in categories you spend the most on could be a good fit. You can use this card for most spending and not sweat the small stuff.
— Rely on your memory: If you don’t have many cards, you could find it easy to remember which card is best for a few categories. You might have a store credit card for a store you frequently visit or a particular card that you always use for dining, gas or groceries.
— Create a spreadsheet: You can use a spreadsheet to analyze your spending, keep track of each of your cards’ rewards and monitor your progress toward any sign-up bonuses.
— Analyze rewards when you pay your monthly bill: When you pay your bill, don’t just look at your spending; check on your rewards, too. Confirm that you’re on track to reach any sign-up bonuses, make sure you’re earning in bonus categories, activate any offers, calculate how much your rewards are worth and decide whether it’s a good time to cash them in.
— Organize your wallet: If you’re working on a sign-up bonus, you could put cards in first, second or third position in your wallet so you remember to spend on the card with the available bonus. Or you can add sticky notes to cards to keep track of the highest-earning categories for each card.
The bottom line: Credit card rewards
can be valuable, and apps are one way to take the guesswork out of earning as much as possible.
“Generally, people have busy lives,” says Gupta. “They don’t think of how to maximize credit card rewards each day.”
More from U.S. News
How to Maximize Points With the Chase Trifecta
Credit Card Rewards That Aren’t as Valuable as You Think
Best Apps for Your Free Credit Score
Using Apps to Manage Credit Card Rewards originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 02/23/24: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
