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In most cases, carrying a balance month to month on a credit card will trigger interest charges, which is essentially the cost of borrowing money from a credit card company. Compared to other types of debt, such as mortgages and car loans, credit cards tend to have higher rates of interest, which can make them an expensive way to borrow money.

One thing that people who use credit cards to their advantage have in common? They know how to avoid paying interest on credit cards. You can learn how, too. Here are some ways you might avoid interest on credit cards.

What’s an APR?

To understand how to avoid paying interest on credit cards, it helps to start by learning about credit card APR, or annual percentage rate. Basically, the APR is the rate of interest you’ll pay if you carry a credit card balance. Unlike the APR for other loan products, the APR for a credit card does not include any fees you may owe for using the card — it’s simply your interest rate.

Your APR on a credit card will depend on your creditworthiness as well as the current prime rate. Generally, borrowers with better credit will have better credit card APRs, meaning they may fall below the average credit card interest rate.

Recommended: Does Applying For a Credit Card Hurt Your Credit Score

When Is Interest Charged?

Credit card interest is charged if you don’t pay off your balance in full each month. If cardholders pay their entire statement balance by their due date, interest charges are typically waived.

When you carry a balance, interest accrues on a daily basis. Your daily interest charge is determined by dividing your APR by 365, the number of days in the year. Then, at the end of each day, the interest is calculated based on your average daily balance. Because this continues throughout the billing cycle, the interest you’re charged yesterday then becomes part of the balance on which interest is charged today.

Your lender will then tally up all of your daily interest charges at the end of the month and put that amount onto your card as a finance charge.

Recommended: When Are Credit Card Payments Due

How to Avoid Interest on a Credit Card

There are several strategies you can use to help avoid credit card interest.

Pay Off Your Balance in Full

If you’re wondering how to avoid credit card interest, one of the easiest methods is simply paying off your credit card balance in full each month. So long as you don’t carry a balance from month to month, you should never face purchase interest charges on credit cards.

To make paying off your full balance easier to do, you might consider making multiple payments throughout the month. That way, you don’t have to fork over one lump sum on your statement due date. Or, you could plan to check in on your balance regularly to ensure you’re going to be able to pay it off in full. The other benefit of paying off your full balance each month is that it can help you to build credit over time.

Recommended: How to Avoid Interest On a Credit Card

Take Advantage of Your Grace Period

Paying off a credit card in full each month creates an additional opportunity to avoid interest on a credit card. Remember the grace period, mentioned in the last section? The grace period is the stretch of time between the end of your billing cycle and when a payment is due. During this time, no interest is charged on new purchases.

Confused? Let’s look at a hypothetical example: Say a cardholder’s billing cycle for the month ends on January 15, and they pay their credit card bill on February 10. On February 10, they are only required to pay the “statement amount,” which includes only the purchases made from December 15 to January 15.

However, the grace period applies to any purchases that are made after January 15, but that won’t technically require payment until March 10. In this way, a purchase could remain interest-free for longer than just one billing cycle.

Credit card issuers aren’t required to offer a grace period, but plenty do. However, many require the balance to be paid off in full during the previous one or two billing cycles to qualify. If you lose your grace period because you haven’t paid your balance in full, you’ll be charged interest on any unpaid portion of the balance. In addition, you’ll lose your grace period, and all new purchases will accrue interest beginning from the date the purchase is made.

Utilizing the grace period to its full extent is one way to avoid paying interest on a purchase for longer than just one month (or whatever the billing cycle happens to be). Before going this route, just make sure your card has a grace period, and second, that you qualify. If you have questions, never hesitate to call your credit card company to ask how and when you’re billed.

Recommended: Tips for Using a Credit Card Responsibly

Use a Balance Transfer Offer or 0% Interest Credit Card

A balance transfer credit card, or a credit card that temporarily offers a 0% APR, could be an enticing option for those who want to make major headway toward paying down a credit card balance. Keep in mind, however, that good credit (meaning a score of 670+) is typically needed to qualify for these offers.

If this is an approach you’re interested in, calculate how much you’d need to pay off each month in order to eradicate your balance. For example, if you have $6,000 you want to pay off during a 12-month 0% offer, you’d need to pay $500 each month. You’ll want to make sure you can realistically pay off the full balance before the promotion ends and the standard higher APR kicks in.

Also note that many balance transfers carry a balance transfer fee, which is usually around 3% to 4% of the amount transferred. Using our example from above, a $6,000 balance transfer with a 3% balance transfer fee would cost $180. Generally, this amount is added to the card’s total outstanding balance. Before pulling the trigger and transferring a balance, analyze how much you’d save in interest compared to the cost of the balance transfer fee.

There are a couple other potential pitfalls to balance transfers to keep in mind as well. For one, a balance transfer won’t get to the bottom of why you’ve racked up credit card debt in the first place. Some might find it too tempting to keep spending, and if more spending were to occur on top of the balance transfer, it could lead to unwanted interest charges. This could make it even harder to escape high-interest credit card debt.

Avoid Overspending

This may sound obvious, but it’s worth mentioning: To put yourself in a position where you can pay off your credit card balances every month, make sure your monthly spending doesn’t exceed your income.

This is easier said than done sometimes, but once you start racking up credit card interest, it can become even harder to pay off your full balance. You might consider making a budget and then vowing to stick to it to ensure you stay on track with your spending each month.

Plan Out Major Purchases

On a similar note to budgeting, another method for how to avoid paying interest on credit cards is by planning ahead for big purchases. If you know you have a pricey purchase coming up that you may need to spread out in smaller payments across a period of time, be strategic about how you’ll do it.

This could mean simply saving up ahead of time until you have enough stashed up to promptly pay off your balance. Or, you might time opening a 0% APR credit card with completing your major purchase.

Tips for Reducing Interest

Sometimes you can’t avoid interest entirely. Even in those instances, you shouldn’t give up entirely and give into interest. Here are some tips for reducing the amount of interest you pay.

Taking Out a Personal Loan

Though not an interest-free option, there are other ways to potentially lower how much you’re paying in interest on your credit card debt. One such option is taking out a debt consolidation loan that has a lower rate of interest.

A debt consolidation loan allows you to roll your debts into one monthly payment that’s a set amount and stretched over a predetermined amount of time. This can make budgeting easier. Plus, if you manage to secure a lower interest rate, you might be able to pay off your debt faster, thanks to saving money on interest.

Making Multiple Payments Each Month

Another tactic to reduce the amount of interest you pay is to make payments on your credit card balance throughout the month, instead of waiting until the due date. This helps because credit card interest is calculated on a daily basis, based on your average daily account balance. If you lower your balance with more frequent payments throughout the month, your average daily balance will be lower, thus reducing the amount of interest you’re charged.

Recommended: What is a Charge Card

Trying the Debt Avalanche Method

If you find yourself staring down a mountain of debt, you might consider trying a popular debt payoff strategy: the debt avalanche. With this approach, you focus on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first. Over the long run, this can save you on interest.

The debt avalanche method instructs that you apply any extra funds to your highest-interest debt, while maintaining minimum monthly payments on your other debts. Then, once that debt is paid off, you’ll move your focus to paying down your debt with the second-highest interest rate.

The Takeaway

If you were wondering how to not pay interest on a credit card, you can now see that there are several ways to do so. This ranges from paying your balance off in full each month to taking advantage of a 0% APR offer. And even if you can’t avoid interest entirely, there are ways to reduce the amount of interest you pay on a balance you’ve accrued.

It also helps to find a credit card with a competitive APR just in case you ever end up needing to carry a balance. With the credit card offered by SoFi, you can have your APR reduced by 1% after making 12 monthly on-time payments of at least the minimum due.

Find out today if you qualify for the SoFi credit card!

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Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

The SoFi Credit Card is issued by SoFi Bank, N.A. pursuant to license by Mastercard® International Incorporated and can be used everywhere Mastercard is accepted. Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.

¹See Rewards Details at SoFi.com/card/rewards.

SoFi cardholders earn 2% unlimited cash back rewards when redeemed to save, invest, or pay down eligible SoFi debt. ¹

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Applying for credit cards isn’t something you should take lightly because it absolutely can hurt your credit score. One credit card application can ding your score by just a few points, but multiple applications could raise red flags for lenders and drag down your credit score accordingly.

Still, while applying for a credit card can hurt your credit, there are a number of potential pluses to credit cards, from allowing you to build your credit history to earning rewards. Here’s how to navigate the effects of applying for credit on your credit score, as well as some alternatives to consider if you don’t think your score can currently weather it.

Hard vs Soft Credit Inquiries

To understand how applying for a credit card can hurt your score, it’s first important to know the difference between hard and soft credit inquiries.

A hard inquiry, also known as a hard pull or hard credit check, generally occurs when a lender is determining whether to loan you the funds you’ve applied for. This might happen if you’ve applied for a mortgage or a new credit card, for example.

On the other hand, a soft inquiry, or soft credit pull, tends to happen when someone runs a credit check to gather information without the express purpose of lending you money. For instance, a credit card issuer may do a soft pull in order to make a preapproval offer, or a potential employer might perform a soft inquiry as part of the application process. A soft credit inquiry also may happen when you check your credit report.

Perhaps the most important difference between a hard pull vs. a soft pull is how it impacts your credit scores. While hard credit inquiries show up on your credit report and affect your score, soft inquiries do not. Further, while soft pulls can be done without your consent, creditors need your approval to do a hard inquiry.

How Applying for Credit Cards Can Hurt Your Score

While your credit score won’t take a huge hit when you apply for a credit card, it will get dinged. Why? When you apply for a credit card, the card issuer will perform a hard inquiry to determine whether you’re a good candidate to lend money to.

Hard inquiries can lower your credit score because a new application can represent more risk for the card issuer. According to FICO, a hard credit inquiry will generally affect your score by less than five points. Those with few accounts or a thin credit history can experience a greater impact on their score. Additionally, multiple inquiries within a short period of time can exacerbate effects on your credit score.

Hard pulls stay on your credit report for two years, though their impact on your credit scores typically vanishes after a year. It’s important to note that your score will see an impact whether or not you’re approved, as the hard inquiry is conducted either way.

Should You Apply for Multiple Credit Cards at Once?

Simply put, no. This is a bad idea for your credit score. While it might make sense to apply for more than one job at a time, that’s not the way to go with credit cards. Instead, you should approach applying for credit cards strategically.

By applying for several cards over a short period, you might send the signal that you’re desperately seeking funds and headed for — or already in — trouble. You’ll appear risky to lenders and that will likely be reflected by a dip in your credit score.

Of course, this doesn’t mean you can’t have multiple credit cards. You’ll just want to take your time and space out your acquisitions. If you get rejected for a card, pause to figure out why, and then take steps to address the suspected weak spots. Once you’ve had time to improve your credit, consider trying again.

Recommended: Can You Buy Crypto With a Credit Card

How Often Can I Apply for a Credit Card Without Hurting My Credit?

Per Experian, one of the three major credit bureaus, it’s wise to wait at least six months in between credit card applications. If you apply for a number of credit cards within a few months, you could see more than the usual ding to your score that new credit inquiries typically cause. While the effects may be brief, Experian states that you could see a “potentially significant drop” in your score.

While six months is the minimum waiting period suggested, how often it’s appropriate to apply for new credit cards also depends on your financial specifics. For instance, if your application was denied due to your credit score and you still haven’t improved it, then it may not make sense to apply again, even if six months have passed. Similarly, you might not choose to apply for a new card if you know you have another big lending application coming up, such as for a mortgage.

On the other hand, if you have a strong credit profile, your score may not take as much of a hit if you decide to apply for another card sooner to try to cash in on generous rewards or a hefty welcome bonus offer. Those who don’t yet have a credit history and are beginning to build a credit profile may also find it’s worthwhile to wait less time between applications.

Recommended: What is the Average Credit Card Limit

Can Applying for Credit Cards Help Your Score?

There are two sides to a coin and so it goes with applying for credit cards — there can be some upside when you apply for a new card.

This is partly because opening a new account effectively increases your credit limit. In turn, this can lower your credit utilization ratio, which is your outstanding balances compared to your overall credit limit. Credit utilization accounts for 30% of your credit score and is second in importance only to your payment history.

Another potential plus to opening a new card is that if you make on-time payments on your new card, your positive payment history can improve your score over time. However, if you’re a credit card newbie and still working on establishing credit, you may not see the uptick in your score as quickly. This is because FICO requires you to have at least one account that’s been open for six months and one account that’s been reported to the credit bureau within the last six months to qualify for a credit score.

If you don’t already have a handful of credit card accounts, a new card also can positively impact your score because it’s adding another revolving account to your lineup. While your mix of account types only comprises 10% of your credit score, credit scoring models do look at this.

Recommended: When Are Credit Card Payments Due

Does Applying for a Credit Card and Not Getting Approved Hurt Your Credit?

Your credit will be affected whether or not you’re approved for a credit card. That’s because when you submit a credit card application, a hard credit inquiry is conducted to determine if you’re eligible. The effects of that hard pull will apply regardless of the results.

However, your credit won’t face any consequences for the fact you were denied a credit card. That information won’t be reflected in your credit score, nor will it show up on your credit report.

Recommended: Tips for Using a Credit Card Responsibly

Things to Consider Before Applying for a Credit Card

Before you rush to apply for credit, make sure you’re ready. Here’s what to consider doing prior to applying.

•   Check your credit report: The first step is to get a copy of your credit report. To get your free report each year, go to AnnualCreditReport.com . As you review your credit report, look for any errors. If there are any, take steps to fix them before you approach a credit card issuer. Also check to see if you’ve had any other recent hard inquiries.

•   Consider any other upcoming credit applications: Be mindful about what’s on your horizon before moving forward with applying for a new credit card. For example, if you think that you will be applying for a mortgage or car loan soon, you may not want to apply for a card and rack up multiple inquiries at once. It may make sense to get your mortgage or car loan first and wait for a little while to go after the credit card.

•   Don’t plan to ditch your old cards: Just because you hope to get a new card, don’t start canceling the other cards in your wallet. Remember, length of credit history makes up 15% of your credit score. By canceling old cards, you’d also reduce your total available credit, which could drive up your credit utilization ratio if you have hefty balances on other cards.

•   Think about why you want to apply for a credit card: Lastly, have a little talk with yourself. A credit card rule of thumb is just because you can get a credit card doesn’t mean you need one. If you already have a credit card, what’s driving you to apply? How are you managing your existing credit card? If you’re not 100% sure you’ll be able to pay off the balance in full each month, think twice about getting it. When balances linger from month to month, it becomes costly due to interest racking up.

Recommended: How to Avoid Interest On a Credit Card

Alternatives to Credit Cards

If you’re worried about the effects that applying for a credit card may have on your credit score, know that you have other options. Instead of getting a credit card, you may also consider the following alternatives for financing:

•   Debit card: If you’re simply looking for another way to easily make purchases and avoid carrying around a wallet full of cash, consider a debit card. While a debit card does not allow you to build your credit score, applying for one does not require a hard pull and is often as easy as opening a bank account. Do note that debit cards tend to have less robust security protections compared to credit cards though.

•   Loan from a family member or friend: If you’re wary of weathering a hard credit inquiry right now, consider approaching a close family member or friend about borrowing the funds you need. Make sure to clearly agree to the terms of the loan agreement, including when you’ll pay back the money. Also realize the potential implications for your personal relationship if you don’t make good on paying this person back.

•   Salary advance: Another option may be to ask your employer if you can borrow funds from a future paycheck. This can allow you to borrow money in a pinch without needing to go through the formal credit application process. Employers typically won’t charge fees or interest, though you may have to pay an administration fee or interest if your employer relies on a third party for the service.

Recommended: What is a Charge Card

The Takeaway

Applying for a credit card may be a simple process in terms of filling out the forms, but that doesn’t mean it’s something to take lightly. It can have very real effects on your credit score due to the fact that a formal application requires a hard credit inquiry. Thus, applying for a credit card is always something you should consider carefully and do responsibly.

And when it does seem like the right time to get a new card, it’s important to take your time to find one that’s right for you. With the SoFi credit card, for instance, cardholders can earn generous cash-back rewards and secure a lower APR through on-time monthly payments.

The SoFi Credit Card offers unlimited 2% cash back on all eligible purchases. There are no spending categories or reward caps to worry about.¹

Take advantage of this offer by applying for a SoFi credit card today.

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¹ When you elect to redeem rewards points as cash deposited into your SoFi Checking and Savings account, as a statement credit to a SoFi Credit Card account, as fractional shares into your SoFi Invest account, or as a payment toward your SoFi Personal Loan or Student Loan Refinance, your rewards points will redeem at a rate of 1 cent per point. For more details please visit the Rewards page. Brokerage and Active investing products offered through SoFi Securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. SoFi Securities LLC is an affiliate of SoFi Bank, N.A.

¹See Rewards Details at SoFi.com/card/rewards.

Disclaimer: Many factors affect your credit scores and the interest rates you may receive. SoFi is not a Credit Repair Organization as defined under federal or state law, including the Credit Repair Organizations Act. SoFi does not provide “credit repair” services or advice or assistance regarding “rebuilding” or “improving” your credit record, credit history, or credit rating. For details, see the FTC’s website .

Checking Your Rates: To check the rates and terms you may qualify for, SoFi conducts a soft credit pull that will not affect your credit score. However, if you choose a product and continue your application, we will request your full credit report from one or more consumer reporting agencies, which is considered a hard credit pull and may affect your credit.

SoFi’s Insights tool offers users the ability to connect both in-house accounts and external accounts using Plaid, Inc’s service. When you use the service to connect an account, you authorize SoFi to obtain account information from any external accounts as set forth in SoFi’s Terms of Use. SoFi assumes no responsibility for the timeliness, accuracy, deletion, non-delivery or failure to store any user data, loss of user data, communications, or personalization settings. You shall confirm the accuracy of Plaid data through sources independent of SoFi. The credit score provided to you is a Vantage Score® based on TransUnion™ (the “Processing Agent”) data.

*Terms and conditions apply. (Must click on the link to be eligible.) This offer is only available to new SoFi users without existing SoFi accounts. It is non-transferable. One offer per person. To receive the Rewards points offer, you must successfully complete setting up Credit Score Monitoring. Rewards points may only be redeemed into SoFi accounts such as cash in SoFi Checking and Savings, SoFi credit cards or loan balances, and fractional shares subject to program terms that may be found here: SoFi Member Rewards Terms and Conditions. SoFi reserves the right to modify or discontinue this offer at any time without notice.

The SoFi Credit Card is issued by SoFi Bank, N.A. pursuant to license by Mastercard® International Incorporated and can be used everywhere Mastercard is accepted. Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.

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Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

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Even though checking accounts can be the heartbeat of your financial transactions, opening one of these accounts usually doesn’t help your credit score.

Note the use of the word “usually,” though. As time passes after you open your account, a well-maintained banking life can be a vital step towards building a positive financial history. On the other hand, it’s worth noting that there are times when a checking account can actually lower those three digits that determine your credit-worthiness.

So let’s equip you with the information you need to know about this important financial topic. We’ll take a closer look at why credit scores are important, how opening a checking account typically impacts — or doesn’t impact — your score, as well as the times when your checking account can lower (ouch) your score.

Does Having a Bank Account Affect Your Credit Score?

In general, bank accounts have little to no direct impact on building your credit score, as FICO scores only track the activity on your credit accounts. While your credit report may list the existence of any bank accounts you own, it will not track the balance of those accounts.

The important aspects of account ownership are that you keep your account positive and promptly pay off any overdrafts. If you can do that, you should be able to avoid any negative impact on your credit score.

Does Opening a Checking Account Affect Credit Score?

While opening a checking account often has virtually no impact on your credit score, there are exceptions. Most banks will check your credit score when you open a bank account with what is known as a “soft inquiry.” This means they aren’t doing a “hard inquiry” in which they would access and review your full credit report. These kinds of “hard pulls,” which tend to indicate you may be applying for more credit, can lower a person’s credit score. You can ask a bank in advance if they do a hard pull when you apply to open a checking account. If the answer is yes, you may decide to do your business elsewhere.

But let’s consider one important scenario in which a checking account might affect your credit score:

You Apply for Overdraft Protection

When you apply for overdraft protection, you are basically requesting a line of credit. If you dip into negative balance territory, you are asking the bank to shore you up. In order to assess if you are a good risk for this kind of loan, the bank will delve into your credit report. This situation can cause your credit score to dip.

Situations When Your Credit Score May Be Impacted

Now that you know about opening a bank account and its impact on your credit score. But what about as you go about your business, doing those typical transactions in checking and savings accounts? Could that cause your credit score to go up or down?

Typically, these transactions are not recorded on your credit report. Certain issues, however, that relate to using your bank accounts do have the potential to impact your credit score if they’re not resolved in a timely manner. Let us give you a heads-up about these scenarios.

Bank Makes a Hard Inquiry

As previously mentioned, if you apply for overdraft protection or a similar line-of-credit service on your bank account, the bank may do a “hard inquiry” on your credit report. A single hard pull on your credit report typically won’t have a lasting impact on your credit score, however multiple hard pulls within a short period of time can drop your credit score by a few points.

Failing to Pay Overdraft Fees

If you fail to pay overdraft fees in a timely manner, they will show up as debt on your record. Sometimes fees may seem like “no big deal,” but they truly do matter. If you have unpaid overdraft fees, they can wind up on your credit report, just like any other unpaid debts. It’s not a good look and can lower your score.

Closing an Account With a Negative Balance

If you fail to pay off your negative balance before closing your bank account, your bank may send the account off to collections. This is likely to have a substantial negative impact on your credit score, as it’s a failure to pay your debts.

If you plan on closing any bank accounts, always make sure you also close out any outstanding balances in your account. Failure to do so will show up on your credit report as a collections event.

Overdrafts and Bounced Checks

Regular overdrafts on your accounts and continually writing bad checks won’t directly impact your credit score. That said, failure to repay the subsequent overdraft fees and bad check fees may result in those penalties being submitted to collections, which will negatively impact your credit score. For this reason, you should check your account balance regularly to ensure the amount isn’t tipping into negative territory. Mobile banking apps make that a quick and simple process.

Debit Card and ATM Abuse

Constantly using your debit card and withdrawing cash from ATMs without regard for your account balance can negatively impact your credit score if you overdraw your account. The failure to pay those overdraft fees can result in a collections event which can negatively impact your credit score.

Here’s another angle to consider: Debit card and cash transactions are not reported on your credit report. Over-reliance on your debit card will actually prevent you from building a proper credit history. While some of us may be averse to using credit cards for every transaction, they’re a solid tool for building up your credit score when used responsibly.

Suspected Fraud

Whether due to fraud or by mistake, unauthorized transactions that end up overdrawing your account can negatively impact your credit score. If someone opens a bank account in your name and conducts fraudulent activity, the consequences of those actions could become a black mark on your credit report.

It’s a good idea to monitor your bank accounts regularly for any signs of fraudulent activity. By federal law, everyone is entitled to one free credit report every year from annualcreditreport.com. You can download your credit report and check for any mistakes in your account before they become a problem. Notice unfamiliar or incorrect activity on your report? Let the credit reporting agencies know, as well as law enforcement if needed.

Why Credit Scores Are Important

Credit scores are a way to measure how well a person handles debt: Do they pay on time? Do they owe a small or steep amount of money? The scores are calculated by the three big credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. A credit score tops out at 850, with 720 and up being considered excellent.

Establishing good credit is important because your score will help lenders determine whether you’re creditworthy. This is most important when it comes to two things: Determining whether or not you get approved for a loan, and — if you are approved, setting the rates and terms on your loan.

Here’s a list some of the key benefits to a good credit score:

•   Lower rates on mortgages, credit cards, auto, and private student loans

•   Higher chance of approval on credit applications

•   Better insurance rates

•   Easier time getting approved for housing rentals

•   Higher borrowing limits on credit cards and lines of credit

•   Ability to bypass security deposits or pay lower amounts in some cases

Those with low credit scores or who lack a credit history will have difficulty qualifying when they apply for new credit accounts; this includes loans, credit cards, mortgages, and rental homes. If they do qualify, their rates may well be higher than those offered to someone with a higher credit score.

How big a difference could this make? A very big difference, to be honest. To illustrate what a lower credit score may cost you: A credit score in the low-600s may be quoted a mortgage rate that’s up to 1.5% higher than someone with a 750+ credit score. Over the life of the loan, that 1.5% difference can cost you an extra $50,000 more in interest over the life of a $200,000 mortgage loan.

So, it can certainly pay to tend to one’s score, getting and keeping that number as high as possible. Now, let’s look at how bank accounts can impact your credit score.

The Importance of Managing Your Checking Account

Your checking account is the foundation of so much of your financial life. Chances are, your paycheck and all your bills cycle through your checking account. Automatic payments and debit card purchases all rely on that account having a positive balance.

While life today moves at warp speed and it’s easy to get distracted, it’s a good habit to check your account at least weekly, if not more often. The goal here is to make sure you haven’t overdrawn your account, that you know your balance, and that you’re attuned to any unauthorized activity that might crop up.

The Takeaway

Opening and maintaining a checking account doesn’t necessarily have any impact on your credit score. However, responsibly managing your checking account is an important facet of living your best financial life. It’s the key to avoiding any unnecessary fees, ensuring that you have enough funds to cover daily transactions, and making sure your credit score doesn’t suffer. By watching your balance and reviewing your account history, you can keep your checking account in top shape.

Another way to keep your account in great condition is to find a banking partner that gives you lofty interest rates and negligible fees. For instance, here at SoFi Checking and Savings, we offer a competitive APY on accounts that have direct deposit. Plus, we charge zero account fees and you can access your paycheck up to two days early.

Better banking is here with up to 4.50% APY on SoFi Checking and Savings.

FAQ

Does opening a checking account help your credit score?

Typically, opening a checking account neither helps nor hurts your credit score. There are, however, certain situations (like applying for overdraft protection) that might lower your score.

Does owing a bank money affect your credit?

If you owe a bank overdraft or other fees, yes, it can negatively affect your credit. Just like any other unpaid bills, these delinquent charges can go on your credit report and lower your credit score. They show that you aren’t doing an A-plus job of managing your money and your debts.

What bank accounts help build credit?

The details of your bank accounts typically are not filed with the three credit reporting agencies and therefore not build or harm your credit. However, if you have unpaid fees on a bank account and certain other conditions, those could hurt your credit.

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The SoFi Bank Debit Mastercard® is issued by SoFi Bank, N.A., pursuant to license by Mastercard International Incorporated and can be used everywhere Mastercard is accepted. Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.

SoFi members with direct deposit activity can earn 4.50% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Direct Deposit means a deposit to an account holder’s SoFi Checking or Savings account, including payroll, pension, or government payments (e.g., Social Security), made by the account holder’s employer, payroll or benefits provider or government agency (“Direct Deposit”) via the Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) Network during a 30-day Evaluation Period (as defined below). Deposits that are not from an employer or government agency, including but not limited to check deposits, peer-to-peer transfers (e.g., transfers from PayPal, Venmo, etc.), merchant transactions (e.g., transactions from PayPal, Stripe, Square, etc.), and bank ACH funds transfers and wire transfers from external accounts, do not constitute Direct Deposit activity. There is no minimum Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the stated interest rate.

SoFi members with Qualifying Deposits can earn 4.50% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Qualifying Deposits means one or more deposits that, in the aggregate, are equal to or greater than $5,000 to an account holder’s SoFi Checking and Savings account (“Qualifying Deposits”) during a 30-day Evaluation Period (as defined below). Qualifying Deposits only include those deposits from the following eligible sources: (i) ACH transfers, (ii) inbound wire transfers, (iii) peer-to-peer transfers (i.e., external transfers from PayPal, Venmo, etc. and internal peer-to-peer transfers from a SoFi account belonging to another account holder), (iv) check deposits, (v) instant funding to your SoFi Bank Debit Card, (vi) push payments to your SoFi Bank Debit Card, and (vii) cash deposits. Qualifying Deposits do not include: (i) transfers between an account holder’s Checking account, Savings account, and/or Vaults; (ii) interest payments; (iii) bonuses issued by SoFi Bank or its affiliates; or (iv) credits, reversals, and refunds from SoFi Bank, N.A. (“SoFi Bank”) or from a merchant.

SoFi Bank shall, in its sole discretion, assess each account holder’s Direct Deposit activity and Qualifying Deposits throughout each 30-Day Evaluation Period to determine the applicability of rates and may request additional documentation for verification of eligibility. The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the “Start Date” and “End Date” set forth on the APY Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the “30-Day Evaluation Period”). You can access the APY Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting either (i) Banking > Savings > Current APY or (ii) Banking > Checking > Current APY. Upon receiving a Direct Deposit or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits to your account, you will begin earning 4.50% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% on checking balances on or before the following calendar day. You will continue to earn these APYs for (i) the remainder of the current 30-Day Evaluation Period and through the end of the subsequent 30-Day Evaluation Period and (ii) any following 30-day Evaluation Periods during which SoFi Bank determines you to have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits without interruption.

SoFi Bank reserves the right to grant a grace period to account holders following a change in Direct Deposit activity or Qualifying Deposits activity before adjusting rates. If SoFi Bank grants you a grace period, the dates for such grace period will be reflected on the APY Details page of your account. If SoFi Bank determines that you did not have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits during the current 30-day Evaluation Period and, if applicable, the grace period, then you will begin earning the rates earned by account holders without either Direct Deposit or Qualifying Deposits until you have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits in a subsequent 30-Day Evaluation Period. For the avoidance of doubt, an account holder with both Direct Deposit activity and Qualifying Deposits will earn the rates earned by account holders with Direct Deposit.

Members without either Direct Deposit activity or Qualifying Deposits, as determined by SoFi Bank, during a 30-Day Evaluation Period and, if applicable, the grace period, will earn 1.20% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances.

Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 8/9/2023. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet..

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Disclaimer: Many factors affect your credit scores and the interest rates you may receive. SoFi is not a Credit Repair Organization as defined under federal or state law, including the Credit Repair Organizations Act. SoFi does not provide “credit repair” services or advice or assistance regarding “rebuilding” or “improving” your credit record, credit history, or credit rating. For details, see the FTC’s website .

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When it comes to improving your credit score, the term credit utilization should be on your radar. That’s because it’s one of the major factors that can affect your overall score. The lower your credit utilization — meaning the less of your total available credit you’re using — the higher your credit score could be.

Here’s a closer look at how credit utilization affects credit score, from how much lowering your credit utilization will affect your score to how long credit utilization affects a score.

Recommended: Does Applying For a Credit Card Hurt Your Credit Score

What Is Credit Utilization and Why Does It Matter?

Credit utilization is the percentage of your overall credit limit that you use on your revolving credit accounts — most commonly, credit cards. In other words, it’s how much of your available credit you’re using.

Credit utilization is one of the most important factors that scoring models look at when calculating your credit score, since it suggests the risk you could pose as a borrower. The lower your credit utilization, the more it will appear that you can handle debt or use a credit card responsibly. Thus, a lower utilization rate is reflected in a higher credit score.

To calculate your credit utilization, add up all of your credit card balances and then divide that amount by your overall credit limit across your credit cards. For example, let’s say you have three credit cards, with an overall credit limit of $15,000. You’re carrying a balance of $4,000 across all of those cards. Using the previously explained equation, your credit utilization would be around 26%.

Recommended: What is the Average Credit Card Limit

Factors That Affect Your Credit Score

Aside from your credit utilization, there are other factors that affect your credit score. These include:

•   Payment history: Another major factor aside from credit utilization is whether you pay your credit and debt accounts on time. If you consistently make on-time payments, the more creditworthy you’ll appear, and this will reflect on your score.

•   Credit history length: Credit scoring models typically take into account how long your current accounts have been open. They may even consider how long it’s been since you’ve used certain kinds of accounts. Generally, a longer credit history is a positive thing for your credit score.

•   Credit mix: Having different types of accounts may demonstrate to lenders how you handle different kinds of debt.

•   New credit: Opening multiple credit accounts or having a series of hard inquiries could signal to lenders that you pose a greater risk as a borrower. As such, it may negatively impact your credit score.

Recommended: When Are Credit Card Payments Due

How Credit Utilization Affects Your Credit Score

Your credit card utilization accounts for 30% of your FICO credit score, which is the scoring model used by the majority of lenders.

Since lenders look at your credit score to assess your creditworthiness, having a low credit utilization is key. That’s because if you’re using most of your available credit, it suggests to lenders that you could be a greater risk. A high utilization rate could signal to lenders that you may be stretched too thin financially and need to rely too much on credit, and therefore could have a hard time paying back what you borrow.

Your credit score is also dependent on other factors, such as the number of credit cards you have. For example, if you have one credit card with a low limit, having a high credit utilization may affect your score more compared to someone with multiple credit cards and high credit limits. Same goes for someone with a lengthy credit history that’s been mostly excellent, compared to someone who has no or a limited credit history.

All this to say: Credit utilization is an important factor in determining your credit score, but there are other aspects as well, such as your payment history.

Tips for Managing Your Credit Utilization and Credit Score

By managing your credit utilization, you can improve or maintain a better credit score. The following are a few effective tactics to do so.

Keeping Your Credit Utilization Rate Under 10%

Though keeping your credit utilization under 30% can help to improve or maintain your credit score, the lower it is, the better.

While you may be tempted to keep it at zero, that may not be as helpful as you think. A 0% credit utilization could signal that you’re not using your credit regularly. Since lenders want to see how you currently manage accounts, it will be hard to approve you for a loan if they see you’re not using any.

Instead, consider charging smaller amounts on your credit card and trying to keep your utilization rate to under 10%, which is a benchmark for achieving a high score. That way, you should be able to afford to pay the balance and show creditors you’re using credit regularly.

In addition to keeping your overall utilization below 10%, you’ll want to make sure that your utilization on each of your credit cards is also below that percentage. In many cases, credit utilization may refer to your per-card utilization.

Your best bet would be to look at your current credit card spending limit for each card and then aim to keep each card’s balance to no more than 10% of that amount. So if you have two credit cards with limits of $3,000 and $5,000, respectively, you wouldn’t want to charge more than $300 to the first card and $500 to the second.

Recommended: What is a Charge Card

Asking for a Higher Credit Limit

Getting a higher credit limit can lower your credit utilization even if you maintain the same balance on your cards. It also gives you more wiggle room — if you need to carry a balance on a credit card, you won’t have to worry as much about a big increase in your credit utilization.

When it comes to asking for a credit limit increase, issuers tend to look more favorably to those who have maintained good credit history, whose income went up, and even those who have less debt. If you do make a request, some credit card companies may conduct a hard credit inquiry, which could temporarily affect your credit score.

Making Payments Twice in a Month

By paying your credit card twice a month, your balance will remain lower. It will also increase the chances of your credit card issuer reporting that lower amount to the credit bureaus.

This could mean that your calculated credit utilization is lower, therefore increasing your chances of seeing a positive effect on your credit score. Plus, it will help you avoid racking up excessive credit card debt, which can have a negative impact on your score.

Recommended: How to Avoid Interest On a Credit Card

Keeping Your Credit Cards Active

It may be tempting to close a credit card that you don’t use anymore. However, if you do so — or if you don’t use a credit card for a while and the card is closed automatically — your credit utilization will automatically go up. This is true even if your balance is still the same, as your overall credit limit is now lower.

Instead, consider keeping that card open, even if you make a small purchase on it every few months.

Recommended: Can You Buy Crypto With a Credit Card

The Takeaway

Credit cards are useful tools, helping you make purchases, earn rewards, and build your credit. In order to reap the positive benefits, make sure to use your credit cards responsibly — including by keeping your credit utilization low. Given how credit utilization affects credit score, it may be worth exploring ways to manage your current utilization in order to lower it.

One way to lower your credit utilization is to increase your overall credit limit, which you can do when you get a credit card. If you’re looking for a credit card that suits your needs, consider SoFi’s credit card.

The SoFi Credit Card offers unlimited 2% cash back on all eligible purchases. There are no spending categories or reward caps to worry about.¹

Take advantage of this offer by applying for a SoFi credit card today.

FAQ

What is a good credit utilization ratio?

A good credit utilization ratio is 30% or lower. Ideally, you should aim to maintain a credit utilization ratio of around 10% to show lenders you’re responsible with credit.

How long does credit utilization affect credit score?

Your credit utilization won’t affect your credit score forever. As long as you take the steps to lower it, you can see improvements within a short amount of time.

How much will lowering my credit utilization affect my credit score?

Lowering your credit utilization can have a major impact on your credit score. That’s because credit utilization makes up around 30% of your credit score calculation with most scoring models.

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¹ When you elect to redeem rewards points as cash deposited into your SoFi Checking and Savings account, as a statement credit to a SoFi Credit Card account, as fractional shares into your SoFi Invest account, or as a payment toward your SoFi Personal Loan or Student Loan Refinance, your rewards points will redeem at a rate of 1 cent per point. For more details please visit the Rewards page. Brokerage and Active investing products offered through SoFi Securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. SoFi Securities LLC is an affiliate of SoFi Bank, N.A.

¹See Rewards Details at SoFi.com/card/rewards.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Disclaimer: Many factors affect your credit scores and the interest rates you may receive. SoFi is not a Credit Repair Organization as defined under federal or state law, including the Credit Repair Organizations Act. SoFi does not provide “credit repair” services or advice or assistance regarding “rebuilding” or “improving” your credit record, credit history, or credit rating. For details, see the FTC’s website .

The SoFi Credit Card is issued by SoFi Bank, N.A. pursuant to license by Mastercard® International Incorporated and can be used everywhere Mastercard is accepted. Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.

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Your credit utilization is the percentage of your overall credit limit that you’re using, and it can have a major effect on your credit score. As your credit usage decreases, it can positively affect your score since it shows you’re responsible with credit. On the flipside, high credit utilization can ding your score as it suggests you’re overspending

If you’re wondering how to lower credit card utilization, there are some steps you can take to do so and help your credit score bounce back.

What Is Credit Card Utilization?

Credit card utilization, or simply credit utilization, is how much of your credit limit you’re using on your revolving credit accounts. You can calculate this percentage by taking the total of your credit card balances and dividing it by your total credit limit.

For instance, let’s say you have two credit cards with limits of $3,000 and $5,000. You have a balance of $600 on the first card and $1,000 on the second card. By taking the total of your balances — $1,600 — and dividing it by your overall credit limit — $8,000 — you’d end up with a credit utilization rate of 20%.

Why Does Your Credit Utilization Matter?

When it comes to your credit score, scoring models look at various factors, including your credit utilization on both individual accounts and overall. In other words, if your overall credit utilization is high, or one of your revolving accounts has a high balance, your score could be negatively affected.

Considering that credit utilization determines 30% of your FICO score, which is the scoring model used by most lenders, it’s a major factor that affects your credit score.

What Is a Good Credit Card Utilization Rate?

As a credit card rule, you should aim to keep credit utilization under 30%. While this is the baseline, the lower your credit utilization is, the better.

A lower credit utilization rate demonstrates to lenders that you are responsible with your credit and don’t appear to rely on credit too heavily.

Tips for Lowering Your Credit Card Utilization

The good news is that you can raise your credit score relatively quickly just by lowering your credit utilization. Here’s how to lower credit utilization.

Paying Down Your Balance

Making payments before the due date arrives or the billing cycle ends could mean your balance goes down before your credit card issuer reports the amount to the credit bureaus. You could even make a payment right after your purchase goes through.

Having a lower credit card balance lowers your credit utilization, even if your credit limit remains the same.

Recommended: When Are Credit Card Payments Due

Cutting Down on Spending

Budgeting carefully and reducing your spending could prevent you from racking up excessive credit card debt and getting stretched too thin financially.

However, that’s not to say you can’t use your credit card. Rather, limit your spending to what you can afford to pay off in full that billing cycle. Additionally, if you find your debt starting to balloon, consider pausing your credit card usage until you’ve gotten your balance under control so your credit utilization isn’t pushed higher.

Paying off Credit Card Balances With Personal Loans

If you’re carrying a balance on a credit card, one option to pay it off is taking out a personal loan. You could qualify for a lower interest rate, which can make the debt easier to get a handle on paying off. Plus, a personal loan is an installment loan, which means it won’t count toward your credit utilization.

However, you need to make sure you can still afford the payments and can qualify for competitive rates and terms. Some lenders may charge an application or origination fee — take this amount into consideration when deciding whether it’s worth going this route.

Recommended: How to Avoid Interest On a Credit Card

Requesting a Credit Limit Increase

Increasing your credit card limit can lower your credit utilization even if your outstanding balance remains the same. To get a credit limit increase, contact your credit card issuer to request one, either by calling the number listed on the back of your card or logging onto your online account.

Keep in mind that your credit card issuer may not approve your request. You may have to meet certain criteria to qualify, such as having a history of on-time payments and responsible credit usage.

Opening a New Credit Card

Opening a new credit card can increase your overall credit limit, and therefore potentially lower your credit utilization. Keep in mind that you most likely won’t know what your credit limit will be until you’ve been approved for the card. Plus, submitting an application generally triggers a hard credit inquiry, which could have an effect on your credit score.

Recommended: Does Applying For a Credit Card Hurt Your Credit Score

Avoiding Closing Unused Cards

It might sound logical to close credit cards that you haven’t been using, but doing so could have negative consequences. More specifically, closing a credit card lowers your overall credit limit, which could increase your credit card utilization even if your credit card balance remains the same.

Recommended: What is the Average Credit Card Limit

Becoming an Authorized User

You could ask your spouse, family member, or close friend to add you on their credit card as an authorized user. If the primary cardholder maintains a low balance and has a high credit limit, it could lower your overall credit utilization.

Before going this route, however, speak with the primary cardholder to determine whether becoming an authorized user will help your credit score. You’ll also want to be clear on how you plan on using the card, or if you’d rather be a cardholder in name only.

Finding Out Whether Your Issuer Reports to Credit Bureaus

Most credit card issuers will report your payment activity and account balance every 30 days to the credit bureaus, though the reporting date might not coincide with your payment due date. If your card issuer reports your payment activity before you make a payment, it could look like you have a high balance, which could increase your credit utilization rate.

To remedy this, contact your card issuer to determine when it reports to the credit bureaus. Aim to pay off as much of your balance as you can before that, or request a new due date that’s ahead of when your issuer reports to the bureaus.

How Will Lowering Credit Utilization Affect Your Credit Score?

The lower your credit utilization, the higher your credit score could be. Remember, your credit utilization is one of the major factors that affects your credit score. Aim to keep your credit utilization well below 30% — try using any of the methods mentioned above to do so — in order to help your score.

Recommended: Can You Buy Crypto With a Credit Card

The Takeaway

Credit utilization — the percentage of your overall credit limit you use — has a major effect on your credit score. It’s best to keep your utilization as low as possible, but the benchmark generally recommended is that it should reach no higher than 30%. If your credit utilization rate has crept up, there are some tactics you can try to lower it, from paying down your balance to getting a new card.

If you’re looking to open a new credit card to try and lower your utilization, consider applying for a credit card with SoFi. The SoFi credit card is designed to help you save, invest, and pay down debt. Plus, it offers generous cash-back rewards.

Sign up for the SoFi credit card today.

FAQ

How can I fix high credit utilization?

You can decrease your credit utilization by paying off your balances early, asking for a credit limit increase, applying for a new credit card, and cutting down on spending.

How can I keep my credit utilization below 30%?

You can keep your credit utilization below 30% by watching your spending and balances across all your credit cards.

How low should I keep my credit utilization?

It’s best to keep your credit utilization below 30%. That being said, the lower your credit utilization rate, the better.

Does zero utilization hurt your credit score?

Zero utilization doesn’t hurt your credit score. However, 0% utilization doesn’t necessarily help your credit score either, as you can’t demonstrate on-time payments and other positive credit behavior.

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¹See Rewards Details at SoFi.com/card/rewards.

SoFi cardholders earn 2% unlimited cash back rewards when redeemed to save, invest, or pay down eligible SoFi debt. ¹
Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Disclaimer: Many factors affect your credit scores and the interest rates you may receive. SoFi is not a Credit Repair Organization as defined under federal or state law, including the Credit Repair Organizations Act. SoFi does not provide “credit repair” services or advice or assistance regarding “rebuilding” or “improving” your credit record, credit history, or credit rating. For details, see the FTC’s website .

The SoFi Credit Card is issued by SoFi Bank, N.A. pursuant to license by Mastercard® International Incorporated and can be used everywhere Mastercard is accepted. Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.

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