Credit card autopay is a feature offered by most credit card issuers that withdraws money from your bank account to pay your credit card bill every month. You can use a credit card’s autopay function to schedule payments for a specific day each month, and you can choose to pay the ... read full answerminimum amount due, the full statement balance, or a custom amount.
Payments made with autopay will be funded from whichever payment account you have entered to pay your credit card. Usually, your bank account and routing numbers will be required to make an automatic payment.
Key Things to Know About Credit Card Autopay
How to set up autopay
You’ll typically be able to set up your credit card autopay feature wherever you make online credit card payments. Simply log in with your credentials, navigate to the payment section, and look for “autopay” or “set up automatic payments.” If your card issuer has a mobile app, you should be able to set up automatic payments on the app, as well. Plus, you can typically enroll in autopay by calling the number on the back of your card.
Autopay options
When you set up autopay, there are usually three options available: pay the minimum payment, pay the full balance, or pay a fixed amount. By choosing to pay the minimum amount due, you will avoid late fees and potential credit score damage. Minimum payments vary, but most issuers charge either a flat rate or a percentage of your total balance, whichever is higher.
Choosing to pay the full balance each month is usually the best option because you can avoid interest charges and accumulating debt. Alternatively, you can choose to pay a custom amount above the minimum but below the full balance due.
Benefits of autopay
Autopay helps you pay your credit card bills on time by removing forgetfulness from the equation. As a result, you can avoid costly late fees and fill your credit report with positive information, boosting your credit score. Plus, if you choose to pay your full statement balance automatically, you’ll avoid interest charges on purchases.
What to watch out for
There are a few things to keep in mind when enrolling in autopay. For instance, if your account doesn’t have enough funds for the automatic payment, you will either overdraft your bank account or miss a credit card payment. To avoid this situation, make sure you have enough money in the payment account to fund your payment every month.
Also, if your automatic payment goes through before you review your statement, you could unknowingly pay for a fraudulent charge or an error. So, make sure to check your transactions regularly.
How to Set Up Autopay with Major Credit Card Companies
When setting up autopay, it is important to keep track of your credit score and the information on your credit report. So, make sure you sign up for free credit monitoring.
Ultimately, if you worry about fraudulent charges on your credit report, keep in mind that you will be covered by a $0 liability guarantee. This feature is offered by all major credit card issuers. You just have to point out any suspicious charges the credit card company doesn’t flag on its own within a reasonable amount of time.
show less