How We Review Cards
Last updated: October 6, 2026
How PointFam decides what to say about a card, and how you can check our work.
How we pick and compare cards
We start with what the issuer publishes: the card page, the benefit terms, and the rewards program agreement. Fees, credits, insurance limits, and end dates come from those pages, not from memory or from another review site.
We compare earn rates by the numbers as published: points, miles, or percent back per dollar, with any caps. Different reward currencies are not interchangeable, so we do not invent a cents-per-point value to make one card look better than another. Where an issuer publishes a fixed redemption value, we cite that page.
For families, we also check lounge guest rules, per-traveler vs per-trip insurance limits, and how much tracking the credits take.
Cards we hold vs cards we research
Our household holds and uses six cards: the Amex Platinum, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Sapphire Preferred, Hilton Honors Aspire, Delta SkyMiles Reserve, and Citi Double Cash. These are the only cards we describe from our own experience.
Every other card on this site is researched only. We never say we use a card we do not hold.
Our own habit is simple: every card is on autopay for the full statement balance, and we always pay in full. Rewards math only works if you never pay interest.
How we verify numbers
We keep a running record of every fact we publish: the official source URL, the date we checked it, and its status. A number goes on a page only after it matches the issuer's own page or terms. Each fee, credit, and limit in an article links to the page we checked.
When we cannot find an official source, we say so. Claims that rest on secondary sources (other review sites or reader reports) are labeled in the text (for example, "based on reports, not an official issuer page") and listed separately from official sources in the page's sources. If an issuer page does not settle a question, we tell you to ask the issuer in writing.
How page dates work
"Last verified" is when we last checked a page's numbers against issuer pages; articles show it near the top. "Last updated" is when we last changed the page; policy pages (Terms, Privacy) show it.
We do not promise a review schedule. When we find a change, we update the page and its date. Card terms change often, so confirm them on the issuer's site before you act.
Independence and money
Card issuers do not pay for, review, or approve our content. PointFam is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by any card issuer, the U.S. Department of Defense, or any branch of the U.S. military. Military fee relief, where we cover it, is issuer policy, not a legal guarantee.
We have no affiliate or referral relationships yet. If we ever add a paid link, it will be labeled right next to the link, as described in our Affiliate Disclosure.
Nothing on PointFam is legal, tax, or financial advice. See our Terms of Use.