Every number on this platform is earned, not given. Here's the exact math and process behind every CKB Score™, tool, and review — published openly so you can verify it yourself.
Every rating is derived from formulas — not from gut feel, bank relationships, or influencer bias. If the math says a card is poor value, we say so.
This page exists so you never have to trust us blindly. Our weights, formulas, and data sources are all published here. Verify everything.
No bank can pay to improve their CKB Score™. Affiliate links are disclosed, but they have zero influence on scores, verdicts, or rankings.
The CKB Score™ is a weighted composite of 8 dimensions. Each dimension is scored 0–10 by our editorial team based on objective data — RBI disclosures, MITC documents, cardholder data, and bank official terms.
The final score is a weighted average. Weights reflect what matters most to the majority of Indian cardholders based on usage research.
| Dimension | What We Measure | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Rewards Value | Real rupee value of reward points after conversion caps, expiry, and program dilution | 25% |
| Fee Justification | Annual fee vs. realistic reward earned at average Indian spend. Includes waiver analysis. | 20% |
| Travel & Lounge | Lounge access quality (domestic + intl), forex markup, travel insurance coverage | 15% |
| Hidden Charges | GST on fees, fuel surcharge, EMI processing, late fees, over-limit charges | 15% |
| Lifestyle Benefits | Dining, OTT, insurance, shopping vouchers — valued at actual retail rate | 10% |
| Beginner Friendliness | Income eligibility, CIBIL requirement, approval difficulty, app quality | 8% |
| Forex & International | Markup %, international reward earning, foreign ATM fees | 4% |
| Transparency | How clearly the bank communicates changes, T&Cs, and devaluations | 3% |
Primary Source Collection: We obtain the card's MITC (Most Important Terms and Conditions), Schedule of Charges, and benefit brochure directly from the bank's official website or RBI disclosures. No third-party summaries.
Reward Rate Calculation: We compute the actual ₹/point ratio using the bank's current reward catalogue (not the face value of points). Points that can only be redeemed for low-value vouchers are penalised accordingly.
Real Cost Analysis: Using India's average spend distribution (NPCI data — online 35%, offline 30%, fuel 12%, utility 10%, other 13%), we run the RealCost formula to calculate net annual value at typical spend levels.
Hidden Charges Audit: We enumerate every fee category — joining, annual, renewal, GST, forex, fuel surcharge, cash advance, late payment, over-limit. These form the Hidden Charges Meter™ score.
Benefit Verification: Each stated benefit (lounge, insurance, vouchers) is cross-verified against current bank communications. If a benefit has been devalued, the review is updated and marked "Devaluation Detected."
Score Calculation & Verdict: The 8 dimension scores are weighted and a final CKB Score™ is computed. The editorial verdict is written to summarise the math — not to soften it.
Annual Re-verification: Reviews are re-verified at minimum every 12 months, or immediately when a devaluation or benefit change is detected via our Devaluation Tracker.
The RealCost Analyzer uses category-specific reward rates (not a single flat rate) because Indian cards have drastically different rewards across spend types.
Point Value is the actual cashback/flight/retail value per point — not the face value. For example, HDFC reward points have a different value when redeemed for flight miles vs. Amazon vouchers. We use the highest reasonable redemption rate as the benchmark.
All card data is sourced from publicly verifiable primary sources:
We do not use unofficial sources, Reddit posts, or influencer claims as data inputs. If we cannot verify something from a primary source, it is not included in the score.
CardKiBaat may earn affiliate commissions when you apply for a card through our links. These commissions are disclosed transparently on every review page. They have zero influence on CKB Scores, rankings, or editorial verdicts. Cards are ranked purely by their math — the worst-performing card in our database will never receive a higher score because of a commercial relationship. If you believe any review is commercially biased, contact us at contact@cardkibaat.com with your evidence and we will investigate publicly.
Every tool on CardKiBaat uses the exact formulas described above.