Methodology
How Swype knows what it knows.
Where our numbers come from, and where to still check with the issuer.
33
cards verified
6
issuers
111
transfer routes
October 20, 2026
last verified
From fine print to a number
- 1
Read the issuer’s own terms
Every fee, earn rate, spend cap and credit comes from the issuer’s product page or card terms. Each card records the page it came from and the date it was checked.
- 2
Store rules, not paragraphs
Earn rates are saved as rules — category, multiplier, cap, which categories share a cap — so the math never depends on parsing marketing copy.
- 3
Run your spend through them
The calculator and Alfi use one engine. It applies caps in the order they’d hit a statement, honors top-category rules, subtracts the annual fee, and values points at both their cash-out rate and Swype’s transfer estimate.
- 4
Watch for changes
Swype monitors the same issuer pages and flags fee or earn-rate changes for review before anything is updated.
How points are valued
A point is worth whatever you redeem it for. Swype shows the guaranteed cash-out value next to a conservative transfer estimate, and never presents the estimate as a promise.
Swype estimate: 80% of the lowest independent valuation, rounded down. It assumes you transfer to airline or hotel partners and book typical awards; your result can be higher or lower.
| Program | Cash out | Fixed travel | Independent valuations | Swype estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Express Membership RewardsPartner list: issuer | 0.6¢Statement credit | 1¢ | 2–2.2¢The Points Guy, Upgraded Points, CardRatings | 1.6¢ |
| Chase Ultimate RewardsPartner list: issuer | 1¢Cash back or statement credit | 1¢ | 2–2.3¢The Points Guy, Upgraded Points, CardRatings | 1.6¢ |
| Capital One MilesPartner list: issuer | 0.5¢Cash back (account credit or check) | 1¢ | 1.8–2¢The Points Guy, Upgraded Points, CardRatings | 1.4¢ |
| Citi ThankYou RewardsPartner list: issuer | 0.75¢Cash back or statement credit | 1¢ | 1.6–1.9¢The Points Guy, Upgraded Points, CardRatings | 1.25¢ |
| Bilt RewardsPartner list: third-party | 0.55¢Statement credit | 1¢ | 2–2.3¢The Points Guy, Upgraded Points, CardRatings | 1.6¢ |
| Wells Fargo RewardsPartner list: third-party | 1¢Cash, statement credit or gift cards | 1¢ | 1.5–1.75¢The Points Guy, Upgraded Points | 1.2¢ |
Cash-out rates are the most common rate per program; some cards differ (Citi Double Cash pays 1¢; Citi Strata reportedly 0.5¢), and each card page shows its own. Cards that can only transfer through another card are ranked at their cash-out value. Checked October 21, 2026.
What to double-check
- Welcome offers. They change too often to store, so Swype leaves them out. Alfi can look up a current offer and will cite the source.
- Third-party sources. Bilt publishes its partner list inside its app, and Wells Fargo doesn’t publish one. Those lists come from dated third-party guides and are labeled.
- Award prices. Live searches show award prices only from a licensed source, and none is connected yet; samples are labelled. Airlines price dynamically, so confirm space before transferring — transfers are usually final.
- How a purchase codes. Bonus categories depend on the merchant’s category code, which the issuer assigns, not the merchant’s name.