Credit card limit calculator

You can't really calculate your own credit limit. The card provider decides your credit card limit based on your income, employment and credit score.

1 - 12 of 131
Product Intro purchase rate Balance transfer rate p.a. Annual fee Min credit limit
Westpac Lite Card image
Intro purchase rate
9.9%
$108
$1,000
Save with 0% foreign transaction fees, a low interest rate on purchases and cashback offers through Westpac Extras.
ANZ Low Rate - Credit Back Offer image
Intro purchase rate
13.74%
21.99%
$58
$1,000
Get $250 back on your card when you spend $1,500 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months.
St.George Vertigo Card image
Intro purchase rate
13.99%
0% for 24 months with 2% balance transfer fee, then 21.99%
$55
$500
Get a 0% p.a. interest rate on balance transfers for 24 months (with a one-time 2% balance transfer fee).
Westpac Low Rate Card image
Intro purchase rate
13.74%
0% for 24 months with 2% balance transfer fee, then 21.99%
$59
$500
Save with a 0% p.a. interest rate on balance transfers for 24 months (with a 2% BT fee). Plus, a low 13.74% p.a. purchase interest rate.
humm90 Platinum Mastercard - Exclusive Offer image
Intro purchase rate
26.3%
$0 first year ($119.40 after)
$1,000
Finder Exclusive: Get $400 back, $0 monthly fees for the first 12 months, up to 110 days of interest-free purchases, and 0% foreign transaction fees.
NAB Low Rate Credit Card image
Intro purchase rate
13.49%
0% for 24 months with 3% balance transfer fee, then 21.74%
$59
$1,000
Get a 0% p.a. interest rate on balance transfers for the first 24 months (with a 3% BT fee).
St.George Vertigo Card - Cashback Offer image
Intro purchase rate
13.99%
6.99% for 12 months, then 21.99%
$55
$500
Get up to $500 cashback at eligible supermarkets and petrol stations in the first 180 days. Plus, a low interest rate for purchases.
NAB Low Rate - Cashback Offer image
Intro purchase rate
13.49%
0% for 12 months with 3% balance transfer fee, then 21.74%
$59
$1,000
Offers $300 cashback when you spend $1,500 on everyday purchases within the first 90 days.
Westpac Low Rate Card - Cashback Offer image
Intro purchase rate
13.74%
$59
$500
A no-frills card offering up to $350 cashback: $50 each month you make at least $1,000 of eligible purchases for the first 7 months.
American Express Velocity Escape Plus Card image
Intro purchase rate
23.99%
$95
$2,000
Get 30,000 bonus Velocity Points when you meet the spend requirement, receive $50 statement credit and earn up to 1.75 Velocity Points per $1 spent.
ANZ Low Rate - Balance Transfer Exclusive Offer image
Intro purchase rate
13.74%
0% for 28 months with 2% balance transfer fee, then 21.99%
$0 first year ($58 after)
$1,000
Finder Exclusive: 0% p.a. for 28 months on a balance transfer (with 2% BT fee) and $0 first-year annual fee. Limited time offer expires by 17 April 2025 and may be withdrawn at any time. T&Cs apply.
American Express Essential Rewards Credit Card image
Intro purchase rate
23.99%
$108
$2,000
Limited time offer: Offers 60,000 Bonus Membership Rewards Points when you spend at least $3,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months.
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How do credit limits work?

  • Your credit limit is the maximum amount of money you can borrow with a credit card at any one time.
  • Your credit limit you're approved for is calculated via a mix of factors including your income, assets, expenses, and credit score.
  • Sometimes you can request a credit limit when you apply for a card. But as credit limits are subject to the credit card company's lending criteria, there's no way to calculate your exact limit in advance.

What is the minimum credit limit?

The minimum credit limit is the smallest amount of credit you can get with a particular credit card. In Australia, the minimum credit limit can be as low as $500 or over $10,000 depending on the card.

How can I calculate my own credit limit?

There's no way to work out the exact credit limit you'll be offered, but you can estimate the credit limit you might be offered by using the following questions:

  1. How much do you earn? It goes without saying, the more you earn, the higher your credit limit will be. Most banks have a minimum income to apply for each credit card, and a minimum credit limit. For instance, on a card with a minimum income requirement of $75,000, their minimum credit limit typically sits at around $6,000.
  2. What are your current, regular expenses? This could include rent or mortgage repayments, supermarket shopping, electricity bills, phone bills and fuel or transport costs.
  3. How much money is leftover from your income after you've paid your essential bills? If you earn $5,000 per month and spend $3,000 on bills, that leaves you with $2,000 'disposable income' for other spending, including credit card payments.
  4. How much money do you want to spend on your credit card? Consider what you want to use your credit card for. Is it to fund a holiday or help with cashflow for everyday purchases? It's easy to end up with a credit card debt in a short period of time, so it might be best to start with a lower credit card limit to begin with.

Alternatively, you could request a specific credit limit based on your budget, or use a credit card repayment calculator to get a sense of what's affordable.

What is an online credit card limit calculator?

Online credit card limit calculators can give you some idea of what your credit limit might look like. Unfortunately, you can't determine exactly what your credit limit is and you can't be entirely sure of how your credit card provider will calculate your limit.

At the end of the day, it's your card provider who establishes exactly what your credit limit should be when you get a card application approved.

How can I increase my credit limit?

If you already have a credit card and want to increase your credit limit, you can usually submit a request online. Your bank or provider will assess your request based on its lending criteria. To help increase your chances of approval, here are some steps you can take before you request a credit limit increase:

  • Establish creditworthiness. If you can prove that you’re a reliable borrower, there’s a good chance that the lender in question would approve your credit limit request. Make timely repayments and try to pay off your balance each month.
  • Don’t exceed your credit limit. If you’ve gone over your card’s limit once or more in the past and didn't immediately pay it back, this is not a good sign to your lender.
  • Use your card regularly. Making purchases with your credit card and repaying them on time helps show that you're managing your card responsibly.
  • Be patient. If you've just got a new credit card, wait at least 6 months before you consider applying for a credit limit increase. This helps you build a relationship with the provider. And if you make all your repayments on time, it can even improve your credit score.

What factors can affect my credit limit?

Whether you're applying for a new credit card or want to increase your existing card's credit limit, the bank or provider will look at a range of factors to assess your application. This usually includes:

  • Income
  • Employment status
  • Your expenses
  • Your credit score
  • The card you're applying for
Richard Whitten's headshot
Our expert says: You can lower your credit limit too

"If you want a smaller credit card limit, you can request a credit limit decrease online or by calling your credit card company. Just make sure the limit you request is higher than any balance you have on the card. For example, if you owed $5,000 on a card with a $10,000 credit limit, you couldn't request a $2,000 credit limit because it would mean you owe more than the new limit."

Money Editor

What to watch out for when changing your credit limit

Increasing your card’s credit limit gives you access to more money when you need it and decreasing it can help you keep your expenses in check. In either case, it is important that you account for the following.

  • Overspending

An increased credit limit translates into you getting more money to spend, and this could lead to a build-up of debt that you may have issues repaying. The higher the credit limit, the higher the chances of overspending.

  • Interest charges

If you have an outstanding balance on your card that rolls over from one month to the next, it will attract interest. An increased credit limit has the potential to increase the outstanding balance, which would lead to higher interest charges. So if you don’t pay your account’s balance in full every month, a credit limit increase might not be a good option right now.

  • Defaulting

An increased credit limit gives you more spending power but also means you could have a bigger balance to repay. If your balance and any interest charges get to a point where you can't repay at least the minimum amount listed by a statement's due date, you risk defaulting on the account. But contacting your credit card provider when you have concerns about repayments can help you work out a solution.

Frequently asked questions

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Journalist

Amy is an experienced journalist with over 16 years of experience, contributing to major publications like Money Magazine, The Sydney Morning Herald, and ABC News Australia. Specialising in personal finance, she frequently appeared in media outlets and on radio. Amy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Drama from Griffith University and earned RG146 certifications in Tier 1 Generic Knowledge and Tier 2 General Advice Deposit Products, ensuring her expertise is grounded in current financial regulations. Amy was Finder's Senior Writer for Credit Cards from 2016 to 2024. See full bio

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Amy has written 552 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Credit cards
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