Credit Utilization Calculator
Overall and per-card credit utilisation, how it rates for your credit score, how much to pay before the statement date to reach 10% or 30%, the limit increase that would do the same and which card to tackle first.
Your cards (leave unused rows blank)
| Card | Balance | Credit limit |
|---|---|---|
| Total balance / total limit | — |
|---|---|
| Rating | — |
| Per card | — |
| To reach the target | — |
| Or raise total limits to | — |
| Highest-utilisation card first | — |
| Available credit | — |
In short
Credit utilisation = card balances ÷ credit limits, overall and per card, as reported on each statement date. Under 30% avoids score penalties, under 10% is where the best scores sit, and any card above 90% hurts on its own. Balances of 3,300 on limits of 12,000 are 27.5%; paying 2,100 before the statements close brings it to 10%.
Who this is for: Cardholders managing their credit score before an application.
How utilisation affects your credit score
- Utilisation = balances ÷ limits across all revolving accounts, and also per card. It is the second-biggest factor in FICO and VantageScore after payment history.
- Thresholds: under 30% is the standard advice; under 10% is where the highest scores sit; a single card above 90% hurts even if the total is low.
- Timing: only the statement balance is reported — pay down before the statement date to show a low figure, even if you spend heavily during the month.
- Two levers: lower balances or higher limits. A limit increase with the same spending lowers utilisation instantly; closing a card does the opposite.
- Zero utilisation on every card can score slightly lower than a small reported balance; 1–9% on one card is the optimiser's target.
- Instalment loans (car, mortgage) are not part of revolving utilisation.
See also: Credit Card Payoff Calculator, Balance Transfer Calculator.
Assumptions
- Overall = total balances ÷ total limits; per card = balance ÷ limit; cards without a limit are ignored.
- Pay-down to target = balances − limits × target; limit needed = balances ÷ target.
- Rating bands: <10% excellent, <30% good, <50% high, <75% very high, else maxed.
Worked example
Total 3,300 / 12,000 = 27.5% — good but not excellent; Card A is at 48% and B at 30%. To reach 10% overall, pay down 2,100 before the statement dates, or hold the balances and raise total limits to 33,000. Start with Card A: 1,900 brings it to 10%. Available credit 8,700.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good credit utilisation ratio?
Under 30% avoids penalties; under 10% is where the best scores are; 1–9% on one card with the rest at zero is the optimiser's pattern.
Does paying in full help if my statement balance is high?
Paying in full avoids interest, but the bureau sees the statement balance. Pay most of it before the statement closes to report a low figure.
Is utilisation calculated per card or in total?
Both — scoring models look at the overall ratio and flag individual cards that are near their limit.
Will a credit-limit increase hurt my score?
Usually not; many issuers raise limits with a soft check. The lower utilisation that results generally helps.
Does 0% utilisation give the best score?
Not quite — a small reported balance (1–9%) on one card tends to score slightly higher than all zeros.
How fast does utilisation update?
At each statement date; a paid-down balance shows within a month and the old figure has no lasting effect.
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