Credit Utilization Ratio Calculator
Calculate your credit utilization ratio across all cards and see how it affects your credit score.
Get tips to improve your ratio.
Credit utilization is the second most important factor in your credit score. Strictly, the “amounts owed” category is 30% of a FICO (Fair Isaac Corporation) score, and utilization is the largest piece inside that category. It measures how much of your available revolving credit you are using right now.
The Formula
Credit Utilization = (Total Balances ÷ Total Credit Limits) × 100
For example, if you have $2,000 in balances across all credit cards and a combined credit limit of $10,000, your utilization is 20%.
Why Utilization Matters to Credit Scores
Lenders view high utilization as a sign of financial stress. A person using 80% of available credit is spending more than they can easily repay and may be a higher default risk. Low utilization signals that you manage credit responsibly and are not dependent on it.
Target Utilization Rates
| Utilization | Impact on Credit Score |
|---|---|
| 0–9% | Excellent, maximum score benefit |
| 10–19% | Very good |
| 20–29% | Good |
| 30–49% | Average, may start to lower your score |
| 50–74% | Poor, significant negative impact |
| 75–100% | Very poor, serious score damage |
Per-Card vs. Overall Utilization
FICO calculates utilization both overall (all cards combined) and per-card (each card individually). Even if your overall utilization is low, a single card at 90% can damage your score. Ideally, keep each individual card below 30%.
Reporting Date Timing
Credit card balances are reported to the bureaus on your statement closing date, not your payment due date. This catches out people who pay in full every month and still see a mediocre score: if the statement closed with a big balance on it, that is the number the bureau got, and paying it a week later does not change what was reported. Paying down before the statement closes fixes it in one cycle.
How to Lower Utilization
- Pay down balances (most direct method)
- Request a credit limit increase (spreads the same balance across more credit)
- Open a new credit card (adds more available credit: but triggers a hard inquiry)
- Pay your balance multiple times per month
How we build and check this calculator
This calculator runs entirely in your browser, so the numbers you enter stay on your device. The math behind it is written by hand and tested against worked examples and standard references before the page goes live.
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