How to pay your credit card bill

Making timely payments can help you keep your credit card account in good standing. It’s also a big part of building credit. 

Depending on your credit card issuer, you might be able to pay your credit card bill online, through a mobile app, over the phone, by mail or in person. 

What you’ll learn:

• Paying your credit card bill on time each month could help you improve your credit scores and avoid paying interest.

• A grace period typically gives you 21 days where you may not be charged interest on credit card purchases.

• Setting up automatic payments or reminders, requesting a specific payment due date and sticking to a budget could help you manage your credit card payments.

Depending on your credit card issuer, you may be able to pay your credit card bill a few different ways. You might be able to pay in person with cash or a check. You could also mail a check. Or you could do an ACH payment or digital transfer by phone, online or by using your card issuer’s mobile app.

Credit card billing cycles typically last about a month. At the end of the billing cycle, your issuer will send you a credit card statement that lists your account activity, the minimum payment and a due date. 

Credit card issuers are also required to give you at least 21 days between the date your statement is mailed or delivered and the date your payment is due. Making the minimum payment by the due date can help keep your account in good standing and avoid late fees. 

If you’re paid biweekly or you just have a little extra to spare, you could also make several payments throughout the month. After making the minimum payment on time, any additional payments could help decrease the balance faster and help reduce the credit utilization rate and the interest charges.

If you can, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) recommends paying your credit card balance in full every billing cycle. But if you can’t, it still recommends paying as much as possible: “The higher the balance you carry from month to month, the more interest you pay.”

If you only make the minimum payment on your credit card, your credit card issuer may charge interest on the remaining balance and any new purchases. Plus it could take much longer to pay off your debt, potentially costing you more in interest over time.

Generally speaking, you can’t pay off one credit card with another. But you may consider a balance transfer that could allow you to move debt from one issuer’s card to another. It might even be possible to find a 0% introductory APR.

Paying a credit card bill by the due date helps you maintain healthy credit and keep your credit card account in good standing.

Here are some ways to help you keep up with your credit card payments and use your credit card responsibly:

With automatic payments, you’ll ask your credit card issuer to automatically take money from your bank account to pay your credit card. The issuer can withdraw the minimum payment, the entire balance or a prespecified amount on a prespecified date. This can ensure your bill is paid on time. Just make sure you have enough money in your bank account before the automatic payment goes through.

Sometimes, predicting whether money will be available in your bank account for automatic payments on the same day each month can be tricky. In these cases, you can set up text or email alerts that notify you when a payment due date is coming up. When you see the reminder, make a payment using the method that works best for you.

Some card issuers, like Capital One, allow cardholders to pick their due date. This can help you streamline your payments if you have multiple credit cards and other bills. You can usually do this by calling your card issuer or requesting a payment due date online.

Based on your take-home pay and ongoing expenses, it may help to figure out how much you can afford to charge to a credit card each month. Try to stick to a budget so you can pay off the balance in full and avoid interest. When you plan ahead, you’re more likely to pay your credit card bills on time.

When paying a credit card, your options could include paying online, by phone and more. Capital One cardholders can learn about their payment options—including how to change due dates and set up automatic payments—by visiting the Help Center.

Paying your bill on time every month can help you build and maintain good credit and keep your account in good standing. If you’re able to pay off your statement each month, you may be able to avoid interest charges.

If you’re considering a balance transfer, check out Capital One’s balance transfer credit cards.