Can AI pick the best credit card for me?
Half. It can work out which type of card fits how you spend and pay, and compare card terms you paste in. Card offers change constantly, so it can't reliably name today's best card.
01Why half-bot
- Matching spending habits to rewards types is good analysis.
- Current offers, fees and approval odds change often.
- If you carry a balance, it will tell you the interest rate matters more than rewards.
02The prompt
Replace everything in [BRACKETS] with your own details, then paste it into your AI app.
You are a consumer credit educator, not a financial advisor. My monthly spending by category: [GROCERIES, GAS, DINING, TRAVEL, OTHER] Do I pay in full every month? [YES/NO] Card offers I'm considering (paste terms): [TERMS] Your task: help me compare. Rules: - MUST estimate yearly rewards minus annual fee for each card, showing the math. - MUST put interest rate first if I carry a balance. - NEVER state current offers from memory. Give me: a comparison table and the best fit for my habits.
03Steps
- Pull 3 months of spending.
- Paste the terms of cards you're considering.
- Read the full terms before applying.
04What can go wrong
- Applying for many cards can affect your credit.
- Rewards aren't worth it if you pay interest.
05What to use
06Our test runs
2 runs, each with a different made-up sample. 1 of 2 passed every check.
The made-up sample:
[GROCERIES, GAS, DINING, TRAVEL, OTHER]Groceries: $600 per month, Gas: $150 per month, Dining: $250 per month, Travel: $300 per month, Other: $200 per month[YES/NO]NO[TERMS]Card A – 2% cash back on groceries, 1% on all other purchases; intro 0% APR for 12 months, then 19.99% variable; $95 annual fee (waived first year). Card B – 3x points on dining, 2x points on travel, 1x on everything else; intro 0% APR for 15 months, then 22.99% variable; $550 annual fee, includes $200 annual travel credit. Card C – 5% cash back on gas up to $500/month, 1% on other purchases; intro 0% APR for 6 months, then 18.99% variable; $0 annual fee.
- Estimate yearly rewards minus annual fee with math
- Put interest rate first if carrying balance
- Provide comparison table
- Recommend best fit for habits
- Made up details we never gave it
Details it made up: “Assuming 1 point = $0.01”
What came back (excerpt):
Since you mentioned you don't pay in full every month, interest rates are a significant factor. Here are the cards with their interest rates and estimated yearly rewards minus annual fees:
Read the full answer
To compare the cards, let's first calculate the estimated yearly rewards minus the annual fee for each card. **Card A:** - 2% cash back on groceries: $600/month * 2% = $12/month * 12 = $144/year - 1% cash back on other purchases: ($150 + $250 + $300 + $200)/month = $900/month * 1% = $9/month * 12 = $108/year - Total rewards: $144 + $108 = $252/year - Annual fee: $95 (waived first year, so we consider it from the second year) - Estimated yearly rewards minus annual fee: $252 - $95 = $157/year **Card B:** - 3x points on dining: $250/month * 3 points = 750 points/month. Assuming 1 point = $0.01, then 750 points/month = $7.5/month * 12 = $90/year - 2x points on travel: $300/month * 2 points = 600 points/month. Assuming 1 point = $0.01, then 600 points/month = $6/month * 12 = $72/year - 1x point on everything else: ($600 + $150 + $200)/month = $950/month * 1 point = 950 points/month. Assuming 1 point = $0.01, then 950 points/month = $9.5/month * 12 = $114/year - Total rewards: $90 + $72 + $114 = $276/year - Travel credit: $200/year - Total rewards including travel credit: $276 + $200 = $476/year - Annual fee: $550 - Estimated yearly rewards minus annual fee: $476 - $550 = -$74/year **Card C:** - 5% cash back on gas: $150/month * 5% = $7.5/month * 12 = $90/year - 1% cash back on other purchases: ($600 + $250 + $300 + $200)/month = $1350/month * 1% = $13.5/month * 12 = $162/year - Total rewards: $90 + $162 = $252/year - Annual fee: $0 - Estimated yearly rewards minus annual fee: $252 - $0 = $252/year Since you mentioned you don't pay in full every month, interest rates are a significant factor. Here are the cards with their interest rates and estimated yearly rewards minus annual fees: | Card | Interest Rate | Estimated Yearly Rewards Minus Annual Fee | |------|---------------|------------------------------------------| | A | 19.99% | $157 | | B | 22.99% | -$74 | | C | 18.99% | $252 | Considering your spending habits and the fact that you carry a balance, **Card C** seems to be the best fit because it offers a lower interest rate compared to Cards A and B, and its rewards structure aligns well with your gas expenses. Additionally, it has no annual fee, which is beneficial in the long run. However, it's crucial to prioritize paying off your balance to avoid high interest charges.
Watch for unstated assumptions such as point‑to‑dollar conversion.
The made-up sample (a messier one):
[GROCERIES, GAS, DINING, TRAVEL, OTHER]Groceries $470, Gas $160, Dining $210, Travel $95, Other $130 per month[YES/NO]NO[TERMS]Card A: 0% intro APR 12 months on purchases, then 19.99% variable. 1.5% cash back on all purchases, 3% on dining & travel. Annual fee $0 first year, $95 thereafter. No foreign transaction fees. Card B: 0% intro APR 15 months on balance transfers, then 22.49% variable. 2% cash back on groceries, 1% on all else. Annual fee $0. Intro bonus: $150 after $2,000 spend in 3 months. Card C: 0% intro APR 6 months on purchases, then 21.99% variable. 3x points on travel, 2x on dining, 1x on everything else. Annual fee $95. Points redeemable for travel at 1.2¢/point.
- Estimate yearly rewards minus annual fee with math
- Interest rate listed first when carrying a balance
- Never state current offers from memory
- Provide comparison table and best‑fit recommendation
- Didn't make up details we never gave it
What came back (excerpt):
Card B offers the highest yearly rewards minus the annual fee, despite having a higher interest rate.
Read the full answer
To compare the cards, I'll estimate the yearly rewards minus the annual fee for each card. Since you don't pay in full every month, I'll also consider the interest rates. **Card A:** - 0% intro APR for 12 months, then 19.99% variable - 1.5% cash back on all purchases, 3% on dining & travel - Annual fee: $0 first year, $95 thereafter - Yearly rewards estimate: - Groceries: $470/month * 12 * 1.5% = $84 - Gas: $160/month * 12 * 1.5% = $29 - Dining: $210/month * 12 * 3% = $75.60 - Travel: $95/month * 12 * 3% = $34.20 - Other: $130/month * 12 * 1.5% = $23.40 - Total rewards: $84 + $29 + $75.60 + $34.20 + $23.40 = $246.20 - Yearly rewards minus annual fee (after first year): $246.20 - $95 = $151.20 **Card B:** - 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers, then 22.49% variable - 2% cash back on groceries, 1% on all else - Annual fee: $0 - Intro bonus: $150 after $2,000 spend in 3 months (not included in yearly estimate as it's a one-time bonus) - Yearly rewards estimate: - Groceries: $470/month * 12 * 2% = $112.80 - Gas: $160/month * 12 * 1% = $19.20 - Dining: $210/month * 12 * 1% = $25.20 - Travel: $95/month * 12 * 1% = $11.40 - Other: $130/month * 12 * 1% = $15.60 - Total rewards: $112.80 + $19.20 + $25.20 + $11.40 + $15.60 = $184 - Yearly rewards minus annual fee: $184 - $0 = $184 **Card C:** - 0% intro APR for 6 months on purchases, then 21.99% variable - 3x points on travel, 2x on dining, 1x on everything else - Annual fee: $95 - Points redeemable for travel at 1.2¢/point - Yearly rewards estimate: - Groceries: $470/month * 12 * 1x * 1.2¢ = $67.20 - Gas: $160/month * 12 * 1x * 1.2¢ = $23.04 - Dining: $210/month * 12 * 2x * 1.2¢ = $60.48 - Travel: $95/month * 12 * 3x * 1.2¢ = $41.04 - Other: $130/month * 12 * 1x * 1.2¢ = $18.72 - Total rewards: $67.20 + $23.04 + $60.48 + $41.04 + $18.72 = $210.48 - Yearly rewards minus annual fee: $210.48 - $95 = $115.48 **Comparison Table:** | Card | Interest Rate | Yearly Rewards Minus Annual Fee | | --- | --- | --- | | A | 19.99% | $151.20 | | B | 22.49% | $184 | | C | 21.99% | $115.48 | Considering your spending habits and the fact that you carry a balance, the interest rate is a significant factor. However, since you're looking for the best fit, Card B offers the highest yearly rewards minus the annual fee, despite having a higher interest rate. It's essential to note that if you can pay off your balance within the intro APR period or plan to pay in full each month, the interest rate becomes less of a concern. **Best Fit for Your Habits:** Based on the estimates, Card B seems to be the best fit for your spending habits, offering $184 in yearly rewards with no annual fee. However, it's crucial to consider your ability to pay off the balance within the intro APR period to avoid the high interest rate. Always review the terms and conditions to ensure the card aligns with your financial situation and goals.
Check that the interest rate appears before other card details.
How each run works: we fill the prompt with a made-up sample, run it once in Llama 3.3 70B, and GPT-OSS 120B grades the answer against the prompt's own rules. Word limits are counted by code, and every quote flagged as made up is checked against the full answer. Your results can differ. How we test.