Per-Card vs Overall Credit Utilization

Scoring models can look at utilization on each card and across all cards. One maxed card can still be a problem when the total looks low.

Overall utilization

Add all reported card balances and divide by all reported limits. A $900 balance across $10,000 of limits is 9% overall.

Per-card utilization

Divide each card balance by its own limit. If that $900 sits on a card with a $1,000 limit, that card is at 90% even though overall utilization is 9%.

What to pay first

When cash is limited, protect every minimum payment first. For score timing, paying down the card with the highest individual utilization can reduce a concentrated risk signal. For interest savings, the highest APR may be the better target. Those are different goals.

No magic threshold

There is no universal cliff where one percentage guarantees a score. Lower revolving utilization is generally better, and a tiny reported balance is not a reason to carry interest.