Credit utilization calculator
Overall utilization across all cardsworked example
33%
- Total balance
- $3,300
- Total credit limit
- $10,000
- Highest single card
- 60%Card 1
- Paydown to reach 30% overall
- $300.00
Across 2 cards, $3,300 of balances against $10,000 of limits is 33% overall utilization. The CFPB's guidance notes experts advise staying below 30%, with some suggesting under 10% — reaching 30% here means bringing the total balance down to $3,000, a paydown of $300.00. This page computes the ratio only; it does not simulate a score.
| Card | Balance | Limit | Utilization |
|---|---|---|---|
| Card 1 | $2,400 | $4,000 | 60% |
| Card 2 | $900 | $6,000 | 15% |
| All cards | $3,300 | $10,000 | 33% |
Enter each card's balance and limit to get utilization per card and across all cards, plus the exact paydown that brings your overall ratio to a target like 30%. Education only: it computes the ratio the CFPB's guidance describes, and it never pretends to simulate your score.
How to use this calculator
- 1
Enter each card's balance and its limit
Both numbers are on the statement or in the app. Use the reported balance — typically the statement balance, since that is usually what is sent to the bureaus — rather than what is on the card right now after this morning's coffee.
- 2
Look at per-card as well as overall
One maxed card can matter even when your overall ratio looks comfortable. The tool shows both because scoring models look at both, and averaging your cards together would hide exactly the case worth seeing.
- 3
Use the paydown figure as an arithmetic fact
The number shown is simply what it takes to bring the overall ratio to your target — total limit times target percent, minus what you owe. It is not a recommendation about where that money should come from, which is a budgeting question this tool does not answer.
- 4
Do not expect a score prediction, from us or anyone
Scoring models are proprietary and utilization is one input among several. What is verifiable is the ratio and the CFPB's published guidance to keep credit use low. A site that promises you "+40 points" is selling something.
- 5
Model a closure before you close anything
Removing a card removes its limit from the denominator, which pushes your overall ratio up if you carry balances elsewhere. Delete that card's row here first and watch what happens — it takes ten seconds and occasionally changes the decision.
- Credit utilization — utilization = balance / limit x 100, per card and across all cards. Verified against CFPB — How do I get and keep a good credit score? (the 30% figure is guidance widely cited by the CFPB, not a scoring-model constant; this site never simulates a score)
Everything you type here is computed in your browser. Nothing you enter is stored on a server, sent anywhere, or shared — there is no account, and your balances never leave your device.
Frequently asked questions
What is a credit utilization ratio?
Why does the calculator show per-card AND overall figures?
How much do I need to pay down to reach 30%?
Will paying down to 30% raise my score by X points?
Does closing a card help my utilization?
Which balance do the bureaus actually see?
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