---
title: "What is Bonus category? | Benefit Systems"
description: "A bonus category is an area of spending where a card credits more points per unit of spend than its base rate, such as travel or restaurants."
source: "aus dem gebauten HTML abgeleitet"
---
# What is Bonus category?

A bonus category is an area of spending where a card credits more points per unit of spend than its base rate, such as travel or restaurants.

Also called: Category multiplier.

## How it works #

The higher rate applies only when the merchant’s category code matches the issuer’s definition, and many categories are capped or run for a limited period. The arithmetic gain stays modest: one extra point per unit of spend is small next to a welcome bonus. Categories pay off where large, regular spending already happens anyway.

## Not to be confused with #

A bonus category is not the same as a shopping portal: the category works at the checkout, while the portal only works if the purchase started through a specific tracking link.

## In German #

The German term is Bonuskategorie. [German version of this term](/de/glossar/bonuskategorie)

## Related terms #

- [Merchant category code](/en/glossary/merchant-category-code): A merchant category code is the four-digit code a card network uses to classify a business, and it decides which bonus points a purchase earns.
- [Shopping portal](/en/glossary/shopping-portal): A shopping portal is a programme-run page used to start an online purchase so that points are credited on top of what the card itself earns.
- [Welcome bonus](/en/glossary/welcome-bonus): A welcome bonus is a one-off points credit for opening a new card and meeting a minimum spending requirement within a set period.

## Articles that use this term #

- [How do bonus categories work?](/en/knowledge/bonus-categories)
- [What is a merchant category code and why does it decide your points?](/en/knowledge/merchant-category-codes)
- [How do shopping portals work?](/en/knowledge/shopping-portals)
- [Why your purchase didn’t earn the points you expected](/en/knowledge/missing-points)
- [Is paying rent by credit card worth it?](/en/knowledge/paying-rent-by-card)