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Guide

How do you meet a credit card sign-up bonus minimum spend?

Put your normal spending on the new card until you reach the amount, within the time limit, usually three months. Returns, fees, cash advances and balance transfers do not count.

Read the requirement

A typical offer reads: spend a set amount on purchases within three months of account opening.

The clock usually starts when the account opens, not when the card arrives.

Only purchases count. Annual fees, interest, cash advances and balance transfers do not.

Use spending you already have

Move all regular spending to the new card for the period, even where another card earns more.

Prepay recurring bills that accept cards with no fee, such as insurance or phone.

Time a large planned purchase, such as travel or a repair, for the bonus window.

What to avoid

Do not buy things you do not need. The bonus does not pay for overspending.

Returned purchases reduce your total. Large returns can push you below the requirement.

Do not carry a balance. Interest quickly cancels the bonus.

Common follow-ups

Does the annual fee count toward minimum spend?
No. Fees are not purchases.
When is the bonus paid?
Usually after the statement in which you meet the requirement closes. It can take several weeks.
Does an authorized user's spending count?
Yes, on most cards, authorized user purchases count toward the requirement.

Figures come from issuer terms published at the time of writing and are estimates, not guarantees. Your own card agreement governs what you earn. Updated October 2026.

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Know the card before you reach the register

CardSwipe is on the App Store Thursday, November 5. Until then the beta is open on TestFlight: install it, add the cards you carry, and check the answer at the next counter you stand at.

Join the beta

No bank login. No card numbers. Ever.

iOS 18 and watchOS 11, US cards. On the App Store Thursday, November 5, 1:00 AM Pacific. Built by Shaurya Dattani and Aarav Patel.

CardSwipe support will never ask for account numbers, passwords, card numbers, or any other credential, for any reason. Reward rates are estimates based on published issuer terms, not guarantees. CardSwipe is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any card issuer named on this site, and carries no paid placement: rankings are computed from published issuer terms alone.