How we make money

Plastic Math is free to read and watch. Here's how it pays for itself, now and later.

Today

We have no affiliate relationships with any card issuer, bank or network. No company pays us for anything on this site or the channel. The guides, videos, quick answers and the cheat sheet are free.

Later

As the channel grows, we expect to earn money in these ways:

• YouTube ads, once the channel qualifies.
• Affiliate links. If we join a card affiliate program, we may earn a commission when someone applies for or opens a card through one of our links. You won't pay more for using one.
• Sponsors on some videos, always labeled.

The rules that don't change

• Any page or video with an affiliate link or sponsor will say so clearly, right next to the link and out loud in the video.
• Money never decides a ranking. We compare by criteria we state on the page, and a card that pays us more doesn't move up. See our editorial standards.
• We'll keep covering cards and options that pay us nothing, including the ones that beat the cards that do.

We'll update this page the day any of that changes.