Kudos AI-Powered Wallet Review (Automatically Max More Credit Card Rewards)

I'm kind of a credit card junkie.

I open cards somewhat often and try to take advantage of as many bonuses as I can. While I wouldn't recommend opening up dozens just for the sake of doing so, if you know how to use them, you'll be one of the lucky few who can actually benefit from their rewards.

I currently have 7 credit cards for both personal and business purchases. And while I don't typically pay attention to which one I use to pay for things, it could probably earn me a couple hundred dollars by the end of the year if I did.

I nerd out about bigger purchases, but quite frankly, I don't care about maximizing credit card points for my everyday purchases. It just takes too much time once you get to a certain point.

But...... now that I found out about Kudos.... it does it automatically by telling me which card to use when I'm at checkout. So I've been using it for the last few weeks.

They have 2 ways of maximizing your rewards:

• By recommending the best card to pay with (how I use it)
• Giving you their own version of CC points when shopping at one of their over 15,000 participating stores

I'm always wary about things that mess with my finances, but I don't even have to give them my card information. I just simply select what cards I have, and it calculates everything else automatically. It's also completely free, they make money through affiliate partnerships if you happen to sign up for a new card or shop with one of their partners.

Kudos was founded by Tikue Anazodo and Ahmad Ismail and has since been highlighted on Forbes, Yahoo Finance, Bloomberg, The Motley Fool, Nasdaq, and more.

How Does Kudos Work?

Almost every credit card has some potential to earn potential rewards for different types of spending. Some are better for travel, groceries, dining, or just casual cashback.

In addition to point multiplies, different cards have extended benefits like extended warranties, purchase protection, insurance, and more, which get very confusing to keep track of after you have more than 2 cards.

I *try* to use my Amex for everything because I get lazy and just default know it has the highest chance of giving me the best rewards back, but it's not always the case.

Kudos states that its members have collectively earned over $150 million in rewards, so it's definitely doing something. They claim one can earn an average of $750 a year just by having it remind you what card to use at checkout (and they don't collect data on your individual purchases when you're not on a partner site).

Once you download the Chrome Extension (or iPhone app), open your Wallet/Cards and add everything you have. And that's it. Just shop as normal.

You'll see a little Kudos box come up when you're about to pay for something. That's where you'll have the option to change the card to whatever gets the most points:

Why Use Kudos?

When buying anything online with Kudos activated, you'll either have the option to have it automatically select the best credit card or match card rewards with boost. For many purchases, it will likely just select the best card for you to use.

If you shop at one of their over 15,000 participating stores, they'll match your credit card rewards with a single click. So, if you're going to earn 2% on sites like Walmart, you'll now get 4% back.

Maximize Credit Card Rewards (Pick The Best Card)

I believe this is their standalone main feature. You don't have to do anything special, go buy what you were planning on, and at checkout, you'll see a popup something like this:

You'll get a popup, and for this flight, I was suggested to use Amex Platinum (because of the hefty benefits associated with it + the points I get back).

If you feel comfortable adding your card details to the extension, it can autofill your information (instead of just suggesting the best card to use).

Kudos Boost (Double Your Card Rewards)

A complete list of their partner stores is located inside of your wallet page (once you're logged in), but many of them include common places I commonly shop at (like Walmart and Lowe's). They have a ton of places you might find yourself using quite often.

All you have to do is:

1. Shop at one of their 15,000+ participating Boost merchants
2. Click “Activate Boost” on the bottom right corner of the screen on the site
3. Use Kudos at checkout & maximize your rewards
4. Redeem rewards for a gift card (after a while)

If you get up to 1,000 Kudos Boost points, you can exchange them for something like a $10 Amazon gift card. Check out their FAQs if you want to learn the specifics.

Discover New Credit Cards (Personalized Card Recommendations)

Another unique feature is that they can see what cards you have in your wallet and suggest new cards you might be interested in applying for.

This is particularly helpful if you're looking to make a big purchase in the next few weeks and want to take advantage of a bonus welcome offer. You can sort this list based on what you do the most (travel, eat, shop, etc.).

What About Other Reward Tools?

Other reward extensions really just focus on getting you cash back. That's not always the best way of using a CC (I just used my points to get an incredible deal on a flight, which wouldn't be possible if I just wanted the cash for it)

Kudos analyzes your card spending habits and will recommend the best card for each purchase. This is more than just cash back. It focuses on maximizing your points, miles, and all the other benefits specific cards come with

How Does Kudos Make Money?

This one had me stumped at first. I assumed they would charge some fee to either use the extension or sell your data. Well, here's how:

1. They earn a small affiliate commission when you make an online purchase at one of their participating merchants (the places which you can activate a boost on).
2. If you use the Kudos Explore Tool to apply for a new credit card, Kudos will likely receive a payment from the credit card issuer.
3. They are adamant about not selling your data, ever. The data they do collect is aggregated and anonymized for internal analytics and business purposes. Even then, they only scan sites in their merchant database. All other sites you visit are completely invisible to them

Is Kudos a Good App?

I like it! I'm going to keep it installed, it really only helps me out.

I think it's specifically helpful for any credit card enthusiasts who have a few cards and try to maximize what they get out of all of them. While I don't have an Excel sheet to track the best cards to use for what, this is a great automated way of doing just that.

I rarely shop in person anymore, so this kind of just gives me more rewards for doing things I already do. Every few months, a great credit card bonus pops up, and their suggestion tools are also great ways of letting me know what's worth it and when.

Since you don't have to pay for anything, and it really just supplements your existing lifestyle habits, I'd recommend downloading and installing the extension to see how it helps you pick the best card and earn more rewards on the things you already do!

PS: If you use my referral code JUSTIN_KUDOS_195754 we'll both get $20 in boost!