Guide
What is credit card routing? (2026)
Credit card routing is the process of selecting the highest-earning card in your wallet for each specific purchase — based on merchant, category, active offers, and catch-all rates. Pikt automates this in real time.
Quick comparison
| Card | Best for | Earn rate | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual routing | Memory-based | Error-prone | — |
| Recommendation apps | Pre-swipe advice | Varies | — |
| Pikt | Automated routing | Optimal | Free tier |
Why most people pick the wrong card
Most people default to the same card at checkout — usually the one on top in their wallet. That habit quietly costs hundreds of dollars a year when another card in your stack earns 3×, 4×, or even 6× on the same purchase.
How Pikt routes smarter than guesswork
Pikt's router checks merchant offers first, then category offers, then standing multipliers, then catch-all rates, then utilization — in that order — and returns a plain-English explanation.
Frequently asked questions
- Is credit card routing legal?
- Yes — you're choosing which of your own cards to pay with. Pikt recommends; you authorize the purchase.
- How is Pikt different from Kudos or MaxRewards?
- Pikt is building toward paying with your best card at tap time. Today it recommends and simulates; the card-in-wallet experience is the roadmap.
See your personal best cards
Generic advice assumes average spend. Your wallet is different. Take Pikt's 60-second quiz — pick your top spending areas and whether you prefer cash back, travel points, or simplicity.
Where does your money go?
Pick your top spending areas and we'll show you which cards earn the most for each.
What matters most to you?
No account needed to try it · Free to start
No account required · Free to start · No new cards needed