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What Is a Good Credit Limit?

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Brittney Myers
Author: Brittney Myers
Brittney Myers
Brittney Myers
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Brittney started her writing career in the world of science, putting her physics degree to good use. Her journey into finance started with building her personal credit, but soon grew into a borderline obsession with credit cards and travel rewards. For the last 7 years, she has enjoyed the ability to share her expertise with readers, as well as the opportunity to interview companies and individuals making an impact on our financial lives. She wholly believe most problems can be solved with the right research -- and a good spreadsheet -- and she specializes in translating complex financial topics into actionable advice to help educate and empower readers.

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Ashley Maready
Fact Checked: Ashley Maready
Ashley Maready
Ashley Maready
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Ashley Maready is a former history museum professional who made the leap to digital content writing and editing in 2021. She has a BA in History and Philosophy from Hood College and an MA in Applied History from Shippensburg University. Ashley loves creating content for the public and learning new things so she can teach others, whether it's information about salt mining, canal mules, or personal finance.

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The credit limit on your credit card determines how much money you can charge. Credit cards can have spending limits as low as $200 -- or as high as $50,000 or more. With such a wide range of possibilities, what is a good credit limit?

Any credit limit of five figures or more is broadly accepted as a high credit limit

Unfortunately, credit card issuers rarely publish their credit limit ranges. In most cases, you won't know what credit limit you'll get until you apply and get approved.

If you're assigned a limit at the high end of that range, you might consider it a good credit limit. If you're at the low end, perhaps it's a poor credit limit.

Good credit limit is relative to the card category

While ranges vary from card to card, the type of card can often give you an idea of what to expect.

For example, student credit cards are designed for people who are just starting to build credit. As a result, they usually have starting credit limits below $1,000. So, if you're assigned a credit limit of $750, that's probably a pretty good limit.

If you applied for a regular cash back rewards card, however, that same $750 limit could be considered a low credit limit. That's because the best cash back cards often have starting limits in the $1,500 to $2,500 range.

Premium rewards credit cards typically have even higher starting credit limits. And luxury travel rewards credit cards -- think top-tier cards with high annual fees -- generally have an initial credit limit of at least $5,000. As such, if you have one of these cards, you might consider a $5,000 credit limit to be bad and a limit of $10,000 or more to be good.

The main exception to the usual credit limit rules are secured credit cards

The difference between secured and unsecured cards is the security deposit. Secured cards require a cash deposit to open the account. The credit limit of a secured card commonly equals the size of the deposit.

How to figure out a good credit limit for you

As long as you aren't regularly using more than 30% of your credit limit, you can consider it to be a good limit.

A simple rule of thumb to decide if you have a good credit limit is to consider how much you regularly spend between payments. Ideally, you don't want to have your average credit card balance higher than 30% of your credit card limit.

Why? It comes down to your credit utilization ratio. Your credit utilization ratio is the percentage of your available credit that you're using and is one of the five factors that go into your credit score.

For example, say your credit card limit is $5,000. If your balance is $1,000, your utilization rate would be 20% ($1,000 / $5,000 = 0.2, which equals 20%).

A high utilization (over 30%) can cause your credit score to drop quite a bit. And maxing out a credit card can cause a lot of damage. On the plus side, your credit score should rebound after you make a payment and your balance goes back down.

Your credit limit should suit your needs

Even a high credit limit can be considered bad if it isn't high enough to meet your needs. If you apply for a balance transfer credit card and get a $10,000 limit, most people would think that's a good limit. But if you need to transfer $11,000 of credit card debt, that "good" limit isn't quite good enough.

This is a problem common to many people with small business credit cards. A $15,000 credit limit is objectively good. But you might think a $15,000 credit limit is bad if your company needs to charge $25,000 every month. Having to make multiple card payments just to use your card is inconvenient at best.

What is the average credit card spending limit?

It's human nature to compare what we have to what other folks have. So you might be wondering about the average credit limit. There isn't an easily navigable list of the average credit limits for each credit card available. But Experian found that the average U.S. cardholder had a credit limit of $30,365 in 2020.

How can you increase your card's credit limit?

Most credit card issuers will let you increase your credit limit over time.

In some cases, you don't need to do anything to get a higher credit limit. Many issuers will increase your credit limit periodically without even notifying you.

You can also request a credit limit increase. Most card companies let you do this right from your online account. Keep in mind that requesting a credit limit increase may require a hard credit pull. This can drop your credit score by a few points.

The initial limit you're given at approval is just that: a starting limit.

When you're thinking about your own credit limit, just remember that it really depends on your credit history and spending needs. And if you need a higher limit, you can work on qualifying for one over time by using your credit card regularly and paying its bills on time each month.

Credit card comparison

We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.

Offer Our Rating Welcome Offer Rewards Program APR Learn More
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash back on rotating categories 		Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. 1% - 5% Cashback Circle with letter I in it. Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Intro:

Purchases: 0%, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months

Regular: 18.49% - 27.49% Variable APR *Rates as of December 12, 2024.

Apply Now for Discover it® Cash Back

On Discover's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash rewards on everyday spending 		$200 cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. 2% cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers

Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening

Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers

Regular: 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR

Apply Now for Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

On Wells Fargo's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for unlimited rewards on purchases 		25,000 points Circle with letter I in it. 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases 1.5 points per dollar Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.49% - 28.49% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers.

Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days

Regular: 18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)

Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

On Bank of America's Secure Website.

FAQs

  • High and low credit limits are relative to the type of card. A high credit limit for a starter card, like a student credit card, would be considered a low limit for a premium card. That said, it's safe to say that any credit limit of five figures or more is a high credit limit regardless of card type.

  • Your income is only one of many factors that go into determining your credit limit. Sure, cardholders with higher incomes typically receive higher credit limits. But there are many other factors, including:

    • The type of card
    • Your credit score
    • Your credit history
    • Your existing credit
    • Your credit utilization ratio

    Some credit cards have a cap on how high the credit limit can range. And your credit history will also have a lot of influence. A person with a high income but a low credit score is less likely to receive a high credit limit than someone with a high score but a lower income.

  • Many starter credit cards have credit limit ranges between $200 and $1,000. In that case, you could consider a limit of $500 or more to be a fairly good starting limit. However, the best credit limit for your first card is one that you can pay back on time each month as you spend with your card.

  • The transaction will generally be denied. The merchant in question will let you know your transaction didn't go through, or if you're attempting to buy something online, you'll be told that your purchase can't be completed. You must sign up for over-limit protection before your credit card issuer allows you to exceed your limit.