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How Many Credit Cards Should I Have?

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Is there such a thing as having too many credit cards? Some people thrive with just one or two cards, while others skillfully juggle a dozen. The truth is, the "perfect" number of credit cards is different for everyone.

By understanding how credit cards affect your finances -- and your credit score -- you can confidently decide how many cards you should have in your wallet. We'll break down the basics below.

Tailoring your credit card strategy

Your experience with credit cards will play a role in the optimal number of cards you should have.

Beginners: Stick to one card

If you're new to credit cards, it's probably easiest for you to stick to one card for now. Focus on building your credit by paying off your balance in full each month and monitoring your spending. This will help increase your chances of approval for more cards in the future.

Not all credit cards cater to beginners. Here are a few credit cards our experts recommend if you're just starting out:

Moderate users: Explore up to three cards

If you're comfortable with one credit card, feel free to stick with just one. But if you're eager to add a few more to your wallet, look for two or three rewards credit cards that earn points or cash back on your day-to-day spending. For example:

If you travel internationally, look for at least one credit card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees.

Advanced users: As many as make sense for you

If you're highly experienced with credit cards, there's no set limit on how many you should have -- as long as each card serves a purpose and you're managing them responsibly. Some advanced users hold multiple cards to maximize rewards across different spending categories, leverage welcome bonuses, or take advantage of various perks like travel protections and purchase benefits.

The key is ensuring you can track your accounts, make on-time payments, and avoid unnecessary fees or debt. If you can do that efficiently, you can hold as many cards as fit your financial strategy.

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, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 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: 18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR

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 1.5-3 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. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on travel purchases booked through the Bank of America Travel Center.

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, 18.24% - 28.24% 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. Balance transfers may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America.

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: 18.24% - 28.24% (Variable)

Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

On Bank of America's Secure Website.

Risks of having too many credit cards

While having multiple credit cards can help you rack up rewards and boost your credit score, it can be dangerous as well.

With several credit cards, you could easily rack up tens of thousands of dollars in high-interest debt. This can be a major financial setback and also hurt your credit score. So if you don't have a history of paying off your credit card bill in full every month, then you shouldn't open more cards.

Juggling too many cards can also make it harder to track payment due dates, increasing the risk of missed payments -- which can lead to costly late fees and further credit damage.

Plus, having multiple cards means keeping an eye on annual fees to ensure you’re getting enough value to justify the cost.

If you’re comfortable managing multiple accounts, and you always pay your balances in full, these risks may not be a big deal. If not, you may want to hold off on opening more credit cards for now.

Factors to consider when deciding how many credit cards to have

Besides your experience with credit cards, there are some other considerations that will vary based on your lifestyle and spending habits.

Earning rewards

Having multiple credit cards is a great way to earn rewards quickly.

If you want to use multiple credit cards strategically to earn rewards faster, having three to five cards can help you maximize bonus categories.

By combining cards with complementary rewards categories, you can maximize your cash back or points. Here are some common bonus categories:

  • Airfare
  • Dining (often includes delivery services)
  • Drugstores/pharmacies
  • Gas (sometimes includes public transit and electric vehicle charging)
  • Groceries
  • Hotels
  • Major retailers, like Walmart, Target, and Amazon
  • Rideshare (sometimes combined with transit)
  • Streaming

It can be helpful to start with one or two cards that align with your spending habits. For example, if you spend a lot on groceries, get a grocery credit card that offers high rewards at the supermarket. Or if you frequently travel for work or family, get a card that turns those long travel days into airline miles.

To make things even simpler, take advantage of saved card settings online. For example, set your Amazon credit card as the default payment method for Amazon purchases or save your airline card for airline bookings. This helps automate your rewards strategy.

Financial responsibility

The more cards you have, the more complicated it gets to track bills, balances, and payment due dates. Credit cards can be powerful financial tools, but juggling multiple cards comes with its challenges.

Fortunately, there are a few steps that can make it easier to manage multiple credit cards.

For instance, I've linked all my credit cards to a budgeting app that shows my total spending each month, broken down by card. This way, I can keep tabs on my overall spending at a glance. I also enable email alerts for each card to stay on top of payment due dates. These small steps can make managing multiple cards a breeze.

Credit score impact

Owning several credit cards can impact your credit score in both positive and negative ways. Here's what you need to know:

Good for credit utilization

One of the key factors in your credit score is credit utilization, which measures how much of your available credit you're using. Lower utilization is better, and having multiple cards increases your total credit limit, which can help lower this percentage.

Number of Credit Cards Credit Limit per Card Total Credit Limit Spending Credit Utilization
4 Cards $10,000 $40,000 $5,000 13%
5 Cards $10,000 $50,000 $5,000 10%
6 Cards $10,000 $60,000 $5,000 8%
Data source: Author's calculations.

As you can see, if you'd like to improve your credit utilization, having more cards can help.

Bad for average account age

However, multiple credit cards can negatively affect another key credit factor: average account age. Older accounts are better for your score, and opening new cards lowers this average.

Here's an example:

Number of Cards Card Ages Average Account Age Verdict
1 Card 10 years 10 years Best
2 Cards 10 years, 2 years 6 years Good
3 Cards 10 years, 2 years, 0 years 4 years Fine
Data source: Author's calculations.

Opening multiple credit cards can lower your average account age, and that can have a negative effect on your credit score.

That said, your average account age is just one small piece of the credit score puzzle. If your credit score is already in good shape, opening a few new cards here and there likely won't make a huge dent.

Still, it's important to keep this factor in mind, especially if you're planning to apply for a mortgage or loan soon, where every point on your score counts.

So how many should you have?

Whether you decide to keep a one-card wallet or build a rewards strategy with several cards, the most important question is "What works for you?" Having multiple credit cards isn't easy -- but for some the rewards are worth it.

Ready to find the right card for you? See our top credit card picks and apply today.

FAQs

  • A good number of credit cards is whatever number feels manageable for you -- that could mean just one, or as many as five or more. The important thing is to keep track of payment dates and to make sure your rewards don't expire before you're able to use them.

  • There isn't an ideal number of credit cards for your credit score. If you pay your bills in full in each month, this will improve your credit score more than simply holding a specific number of cards.