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Cash back calculator for calculating 5% cash back based on spend. Also, get the details on how to calculate 5% back and a list of the best cards for earning 5% back or more on your spending.
By R.Flowers III
What is 5% cash back?
When a rewards program or credit card is offering 5% cash back, it means that for every $1 you spend you will earn 5 cents ($0.05) in the form of cash back.
How do you calculate 5% cash back?
You can calculate 5% cash back multiplying 0.05 by the amount you plan on spending. If you were to spend $1,000, you would calculate 5% back by doing $1,000 x 0.05 which would equal $50.
5% cash back calculator
Use the 5% Cash Back Calculator to calculate 5% cash back based on the value entered.
Enter the total cost of the purchase to calculate 5% cash back.
Cost
Total Cash Back:
$5.00
5% quarterly rotating credit cards
There are two credit cards that feature 5% cash back categories that rotate on a quarterly basis. Those cards are the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Discover it® card.
Cash back earned on these cards are capped at $1,500 in combined spend between rotating categories each quarter and once that cap is hit, you'll earn 1% back for the remainder of the quarter.
Personally, I recommend having both of these cards since it gives you the ability to maximize your rewards when a meaningful 5% cash back category is presented to you. They also have no annual fee so there's really no downside to having them.
The Discover it® card features rotating categories in which you can earn 5% cash back across different categories every quarter.
5% cash back credit cards
There are a good handful of credit cards that offer 5% cash back or more in specific categories. Which cards are best will depend on how much you spend.
Here are a few of our favorite credit cards that can earn you 5% cash back or more in a specific category:
Citi Custom Cash Card - Earn 5% back on your top eligible spend category on up to $500 per month (then 1%). No annual fee.
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express - Earn 6% cash back on the first $6,000 in annual U.S. supermarket purchases (then 1%). Also earns high returns on gas station, streaming services, and transit.
Calculate credit card cash back
Input your monthly and yearly spend amounts into the tool below to find out which credit cards will earn you the most cash back on your spending.
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Resets all fields in the Category Spending section for all columns. Also clears all saved spend values that carry from calculator to calculator.
Add Categories
Search for categories and click 'Add Category' to add it to the calculator. If you want to be more specific, you can specify domestic or international spend.
Type at least 3 characters.
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Spend Region:
Income Requirement
Income Type
Select if you're looking for credit cards based on your own individual income or if you're looking for credit cards based on the income of the entire household.
Income Maximum
Select the maximum income requirement you want listed in your top picks.
Calculator Options
Personal & Business Cards
Select which type of credit cards appear in the results. You can choose from personal (consumer) credit cards, business credit cards, or both.
Include Intro Bonuses?
If set to yes, intro bonuses will be included in the calculations if you meet the monthly spend criteria based on what's entered into the tool. Do note that we do not have intro bonuses for all credit cards and we cannot calculate intro bonuses for some cards.
Find out which credit cards will offer you the most value based on the spend amounts you entered
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Results
These estimates are to help guide you towards making the best decision when it comes to picking up a rewards credit card. They should be used for illustrative purposes only.
You can click on the estimated earnings to see the calculations or click on the card to learn more and apply for the card through our partners.
Do note that all spend amounts entered into the tool above will carry over to every credit card rewards calculator on the site, so there's no need to re-enter spend if you choose to dive deeper into calculating rewards for credit cards on the site.
Best Credit Cards
Listed below are up to 10 of the best rewards credit cards based on the spend amounts you entered (when applicable).
Travel Cards
Travel credit cards are great for building rewards redeemable towards a wide variety of travel including airfare, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and more. Most travel cards also offer a range of benefits that can make your trips more enjoyable and save you money.
Cash Back Cards
Cash back is one of the most flexible form of rewards and most easy to understand. Rewards earned are worth face value and they can be used towards almost anything.
Rewards Cards
If you're looking to earn a solid return on your spend, rewards credit cards are the way to go. These cards offer general rewards that can be used towards a number of different redemptions including cash back, statement credits, travel, gift cards, and more.
Airline Cards
These are the best credit cards if you're looking to use rewards towards award flights. Co-branded credit cards offer benefits such as lounge access the ability to earn qualifying miles through spending.
Hotel Cards
If you're looking to use rewards towards free nights at hotels, these are the best cards for you. Many co-branded hotel cards offer great benefits such as annual free nights, complimentary elite status, and more.
No Annual Fee Cards
If you're looking to minimize your immediate costs while still earning plenty of value, you may want to consider a credit card with no annual fee. Some of these cards also offer lower interest rates and balance transfer offers.
No Foreign Transaction Fee Cards
When you make a charge with your credit card outside of the U.S., many card issuers will charge you a foreign transaction fee which is typically around 3% of the purchase price. Luckily, many credit cards waive foreign transaction fees which is great if you're looking to earn rewards on international spending and travel.
FAQ
How much is 5 percent cash back?
5% cash back is 5 cents back on the dollar. So for every $1 spent, you would get 5 cents back.
What is 5% cash back on $100?
5% cash back on a $100 purchase would would earn you $5 back.
How much cash back can I earn at 5% cash back?
It depends on how much you spend. You can use the 5% Cash Back Calculator on this page to calculate total cash back based on your spend.
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