Metal Tier Calculator: Bronze vs. Silver vs. Gold Break-Even
A higher premium buys a lower deductible. Enter up to three plans and see your total yearly cost at every level of medical spending, and the point where the pricier plan starts paying for itself.
Enter the plans
Use the numbers from the plan details on HealthCare.gov or your state’s Marketplace. Premiums are what you pay after any tax credit.
Plan A (e.g. bronze)
Plan B (e.g. silver)
Plan C (e.g. gold)
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| Medical bills in a year | Plan A | Plan B | Plan C |
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Simplified model: you pay the full cost of care until the deductible, then the coinsurance share, until you hit the out-of-pocket maximum. Real plans also have copays that apply before the deductible, separate drug deductibles and family limits, so treat this as a comparison, not a quote. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
What the metal tiers mean
Marketplace plans are grouped by actuarial value: the share of an average population’s covered costs the plan pays. Bronze plans pay about 60%, silver about 70%, gold about 80% and platinum about 90%. The tier says nothing about the quality of care or the network — only how costs are split between you and the plan.
The trade is always the same: lower premium, higher costs when you get care. If you expect few medical bills, the lowest premium usually wins. If you expect a hospital stay, a planned surgery or ongoing treatment, look at premium plus out-of-pocket maximum, because that is what a bad year costs.
Silver is special below 250% of the poverty line. If you qualify for cost-sharing reductions, a silver plan gets a lower deductible and out-of-pocket maximum — often better than gold. Run the subsidy calculator first.
Questions
Is bronze or silver better?
It depends on your expected medical spending. Bronze has the lower premium and higher deductible; silver is the reverse. The calculator shows the spending level where they cost the same: below it bronze is cheaper, above it silver is.
What is the most I can pay out of pocket?
For 2027, no Marketplace plan can have an out-of-pocket maximum above $12,000 for one person or $24,000 for a family, for in-network essential health benefits. Premiums don’t count toward it.
Are bronze plans HSA-eligible?
Some are. A plan must meet the IRS high-deductible health plan rules; for 2027 that means a deductible of at least $1,750 for one person. The plan listing says whether it is HSA-eligible.
Sources
- HealthCare.gov, “The ‘metal’ categories” — healthcare.gov.
- CMS, 2027 premium adjustment percentage and maximum out-of-pocket guidance — cms.gov PDF.
- IRS, 2027 HSA and HDHP limits — irs.gov PDF.
Educational comparison, not a quote. Checked October 17, 2026. · Advertiser disclosure