How long should I wait to apply for another credit card?

If you’ve recently applied for a credit card, you might be wondering how long you should wait before applying for your next one.

Typically, six or more months is the optimal waiting period, as it’s long enough that your previous application won’t drag down your next one. However, you can apply sooner if you’re a strong applicant with an excellent credit score.

Why should I wait to apply for another credit card?

There are a variety of reasons why you might want to wait before applying for another credit card. These include:

• Your credit score is too low for the card you want.
  It’s always a good idea to apply for cards that fit your credit score. If you check your score and find it’s too low for your preferred card, consider waiting while you steadily build your score.
• You’ll soon be applying for an auto loan or mortgage.
  With high-dollar purchases such as vehicles and property, even a small increase in your interest rate can mean paying thousands more over the life of your loan. Protect every point on your credit score before applying for an auto loan or mortgage.
• You’re having a hard time keeping up with your current expenses.
  While a credit card could offer temporary relief, it may not ultimately be useful if there’s a structural problem with your finances. It could, for example, tempt you to spend more and get deeper into debt. Examine your income and expenses, then cut spending where you can.
• There’s a signup bonus you’re trying to earn.
  Most signup bonuses require you to spend a certain amount on your card within a period of time. If you’re trying to earn a bonus, you may not want to split your focus with a new card. Instead, you can keep all of your spending on your current card to get the bonus more quickly.
• You recently applied for a credit card.
  An issuer will typically frown upon multiple applications within a short period of time. It makes the applicant seem desperate for credit and risky as a potential customer. Accordingly, the issuer will be more wary about approving the application.

How long should I wait to apply for another credit card?

Typically, it’s best to wait at least six months between credit card applications. If you’re a strong applicant — for example, you have an excellent credit score or high income — you can consider applying more frequently. Even then, consider waiting at least three months between applications.

As we discussed above, submitting multiple credit applications within a short period of time implies the applicant is desperate for credit. Three to six months is generally enough time for a previous application not to negatively impact your new application.

Can I submit multiple credit card applications at the same time?

Yes — you can submit applications for different credit cards at the same time. But consider avoiding this, because each time you submit an application, the provider will initiate a hard pull on your credit report that will lower your credit score by several points.

A lower credit score and multiple applications on your credit report can hurt your subsequent applications. To combat this, apply for cards selectively.

Compare credit cards that’ll pair well with your first

If you’re ready to apply for another credit card, consider getting a product that covers the weaknesses of your existing card.

For example, your current card might offer poor rewards for certain spend categories. You can get a new card with bonus rewards in those categories, giving you strong cash back, points or miles for more of your expenses.

Sort by:

Name	Product	Welcome offer	Rewards	Annual fee	Filter values
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express		Up to $350: 20% back on Amazon.com purchases in the first 6 months for up to $200 back, plus $150 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in the first 6 months	6% on select US streaming services, 3% on transit and US gas stations, 6% at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 annually, then 1% after that and on all other purchases (redeem as statement credit)	$0 intro annual fee for the first year ($95 thereafter)		Earn up to $350. In your first 6 months, you can earn a $150 statement credit when you spend $3,000, and earn 20% back on Amazon purchases made with your card, up to $200 total. Having 6 months to earn a welcome offer is a rare benefit as most cards give you only 3. Terms apply, see rates & fees	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express		Up to $250: 20% back on Amazon.com purchases in the first 6 months for up to $150 back, plus $100 statement credit after spending $2,000 within the first 6 months	3% at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year (then 1%), 2% at US gas stations and select US department stores and 1% on all other purchases (redeem as statement credit)	$0		Earn up to $250. You'll get 20% back on Amazon.com purchases in the first six months for up to $150 back, and $100 after you spend $2,000 in the first six months. This is a higher-than-average welcome offer for a card with no annual fee. Terms apply, see rates & fees	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card		100,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. That's $1,250 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®	5x points on Lyft, 2x points on travel and dining and 1x points on all other purchases	$95		Up to $1,250 signup bonus Earn a massive signup bonus of 100,000 points with this popular travel card. That's worth up to $1,250!	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Bottom line

It’s wise to wait six months between credit card applications. If you have a strong credit score and high income, you might be able to apply sooner. As a rule of thumb, three months is the minimum you should wait.

If you’ve decided it’s time to apply for your next credit card, consider the best cards currently on the market.

Frequently asked questions

• What is a hard pull?

  A hard pull — aka hard inquiry — is when a lender checks your credit report to decide whether to lend to you. A hard pull negatively impacts your credit score unlike a soft pull, which is when a lender checks your credit report for informational purposes.

• What's an example of card types that work well together?

  You might like a tiered-rewards card — that is, a card that offers bonus rewards in certain categories — and one flat-rate card that offers the same rewards on every purchase.

  This way, you can use your tiered-rewards card to earn bonus cash back, points or miles on certain purchases. For the categories it doesn’t cover, you can use your flat-rate card to earn solid rewards.

• What credit score should I have before applying for a credit card?

  This depends on the card you’re applying for. For the best cards, you’ll typically have the best odds with a good to excellent credit score of 670 or higher. However, you may qualify for some card types — such as secured and store credit cards — with a lower credit score.