Credit scores factor in the average length of time you've had credit — not the age of your oldest account. Therefore, every new credit card you open decreases the average length of your credit history. While new card accounts often lower your credit score about five points, it typically rebounds in a few months.
Having multiple credit cards won't necessarily hurt your credit score, and, in fact, it can sometimes help. But if you have more cards than you can handle or use them irresponsibly, your score could drop considerably.
How many credit accounts is too many or too few? Credit scoring formulas don't punish you for having too many credit accounts, but you can have too few. Credit bureaus suggest that five or more accounts — which can be a mix of cards and loans — is a reasonable number to build toward over time.
There is no universal number of credit cards that is “too many.” Your credit score won't tank once you hit a certain number. In reality, “too many” credit cards is the point at which you're losing money on annual fees or having trouble keeping up with bills—and that varies from person to person.
"Too many" credit cards for someone else might not be too many for you. There is no specific number of credit cards considered right for all consumers. Everyone's credit history is different. Lenders tolerate different levels of risk, and different credit scoring formulas have different criteria.
A 0% credit utilization rate has no real benefit for your credit score. Instead of aiming for no utilization, keep your credit utilization rates below 30%, and preferably under 10%, to help your credit.
In general, it's best to keep unused credit cards open so that you benefit from a longer average credit history and a larger amount of available credit. Credit scoring models reward you for having long-standing credit accounts, and for using only a small portion of your credit limit.
If your goal is to get or maintain a good credit score, two to three credit card accounts, in addition to other types of credit, are generally recommended. This combination may help you improve your credit mix.
The standard advice is to keep unused accounts with zero balances open. The reason is that closing the accounts reduces your available credit, which makes it appear that your utilization rate, or balance-to-limit ratio, has suddenly increased.
Yes, two credit cards will build credit faster than one, if used responsibly, because having a second card generates more positive information to report to the credit bureaus each month. Having a second card will increase your total credit limit, too, making it easier to maintain low credit utilization.
Having too many outstanding credit lines, even if not used, can hurt credit scores by making you look more potentially risky to lenders. You can boost your score in some cases by opening new credit cards if the new credit lines lower your overall utilization ratio.
A zero balance on credit card accounts does not hurt, but it certainly does not help increase a credit score either.
You shouldn't close a credit card that has been open for a long time or a card with a high credit limit. Closing the account could negatively affect your credit history and credit utilization, and in turn, lower your credit score.
Not using your credit card doesn't hurt your score. However, your issuer may eventually close the account due to inactivity, and that could affect your score by lowering your overall available credit.
You only need one card to build a good score
For most people, the easiest way to do this is to get a credit card, use it conscientiously and make payments on time. This will add up to a lot of positive information on your credit reports, and, consequently, a better credit score.
While Americans, on average, have nearly four credit cards each, that's only a national average. When it comes to how many credit card accounts you should have, you need to base that decision on your specific financial situation. If you are considering closing credit cards you don't use, think again.
It's better to pay off your credit card than to keep a balance. It's best to pay a credit card balance in full because credit card companies charge interest when you don't pay your bill in full every month.
Having more than one credit card may help you keep your credit line utilization ratio per card lower than the recommended 30% by spreading charges. There are potential benefits to having multiple cards, such as pairing various types of rewards cards to optimize earnings on all categories of spending.
Although ranges vary depending on the credit scoring model, generally credit scores from 580 to 669 are considered fair; 670 to 739 are considered good; 740 to 799 are considered very good; and 800 and up are considered excellent.
A good guideline is the 30% rule: Use no more than 30% of your credit limit to keep your debt-to-credit ratio strong. Staying under 10% is even better. In a real-life budget, the 30% rule works like this: If you have a card with a $1,000 credit limit, it's best not to have more than a $300 balance at any time.
Credit utilization — the portion of your credit limits that you are currently using — is a significant factor in credit scores. It is one reason your credit score could drop a little after you pay off debt, particularly if you close the account.
To build good credit and stay out of debt, you should always aim to pay off your credit card bill in full every month. If you want to be really on top of your game, it might seem logical to pay off your balance more often, so your card is never in the red. But hold off.