Quick answer Credit utilization is what you owe on your cards divided by your total limit. Below 30% is the reasonable ceiling, and between 1% and 10% is where high scores live. Enter each card’s limit and balance to see your overall and per-card percentage, how much to pay to drop a band, and what happens if you get a higher limit or close a card.
Example with two cards: swap in your own numbers.
- Card 145%
- Card 28%
you owe $600 on a total limit of $3,000
You are under 30%, the ceiling you will read everywhere. Getting to 10% usually shows in your score.
What if…?
I get a credit limit increase
I close a card
What each band means
- 0%No reported use
- 1–9%Where high scores live
- 10–29%Fine, below the ceiling
- 30–49%High: already costing points
- 50% or moreVery high: weighs heavily on your score
Estimate: utilization = balance ÷ limit, overall and per card. Use the balance on your statement, which is what the issuer sends to the bureaus. The bands are a guide: each scoring model weighs things differently. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
How utilization is calculated
Divide the balance by the limit. If your card has a $1,000 limit and the statement shows $300, your utilization is 30%. With several cards it is done twice: once with the sum of all balances and limits, and once card by card. Scoring models look at both numbers, which is why the calculator warns you when a single card is high even if the total looks fine.
Why the statement closing date matters
Your issuer reports the balance on the day your statement closes, not the day you pay. You can pay in full every month, with zero interest, and still show 70% if you pay after the closing date. The trick is to pay a few days before that date: the next report drops without any change in your spending. We walk through examples in credit utilization: the number that raises your score fastest.
What percentage to aim for
Below 30% is the ceiling you will see everywhere. Between 1% and 10% is where high scores live. 0% is not ideal, because models want to see the card in use. And unlike a late payment, a high month does not follow you: once the next statement shows a low balance, that part of the score recovers. Utilization is part of “amounts owed”, one of the five factors used to calculate your score.
Raising a limit or closing a card
Both decisions move the denominator. Going from a $1,000 to a $2,000 limit cuts your utilization in half without paying anything; if you have paid on time for months, asking is usually worth it (see how much credit limit you get on your first card). Closing a card does the opposite: its limit disappears and the same debt weighs more. That is why closing a card can lower your score even when it has no balance. If you start with a secured card, the deposit is your limit: with $200, spending $150 is already 75%, so it pays to choose how much to deposit carefully.
What this calculator does not do
It does not predict your score: no model publishes its exact formula and each one weighs things differently. It does not store anything either: the numbers stay in your browser and only leave it if you copy the link to share it. To see which balances your cards are reporting right now, read your free credit report.
Source: myFICO, what’s in your FICO Score (the weight of amounts owed and utilization).
Frequently asked questions
What is a good credit utilization ratio?
The CFPB's rule of thumb is to keep your use of credit at no more than 30% of your total credit limit. Lower is better: people with the highest scores usually sit in the single digits. On FICO models, amounts owed, where utilization is the key number, make up about 30% of the score.
Is utilization calculated per card or across all cards?
Your overall ratio (all balances divided by all limits) is the number most people mean. It is also worth keeping each card low: a single maxed-out card can weigh on your score even when the overall ratio looks fine. This calculator shows both.
Do I have high utilization if I pay my card in full every month?
You can. Issuers usually report the balance on your statement closing date, before your payment is due. If you spend a lot and pay after that date, the reported balance can be high even with zero interest. Paying part of the balance a few days before the statement closes fixes it.
How fast does lowering utilization help my score?
As soon as the new, lower balance is reported, usually within one billing cycle. Unlike a late payment, a high month does not stay on your record once the next statement shows a lower balance.
Last reviewed September 30, 2026, against CFPB and myFICO guidance. The bands above are a practical guide, not an official scoring rule; no scoring company publishes its exact formula. Sources: CFPB: how do I get and keep a good credit score? · myFICO: amounts owed. Related guide: why utilization moves your score faster than anything else.
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