High Limit Credit Cards

The highest credit card limit is over $100,000 according to anecdotes from credit card holders. But like most credit cards in general, even the highest-limit credit cards will only list minimum spending limits in their terms – and the highest minimum you’ll find is around $10,000.

In order to get $100,000+ in spending power, you need a lot of assets and income, little debt, and a spotless credit history. Let’s look at some of the most popular offers with high floors and, hopefully, even higher ceilings so you can see for yourself.

Some of the highest credit card limits right now are:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve: $10,000+. You’re guaranteed a credit limit of at least $10,000 with this card, but it comes with a $550 annual fee and requires excellent credit. If you’re a high spender, though, the points you’ll rack up can be well worth it.
• Chase Sapphire Preferred: $5,000+. You’ll get at least a $5,000 credit limit with this card, and some people report a high limit of $100,000. The annual fee is $95.
• Capital One Venture: $5,000+. This card has a $5,000 minimum limit. It requires good credit and charges a $0 for 1st yr, $95 after annual fee that’s waived the first year. And it gives excellent value on travel rewards.
• Discover it for Students: $500+. Students can look forward to a limit of at least $500. That’s pretty good for a first card when you have little to no credit history.
• Wells Fargo Secured: up to $10,000. This card accepts a refundable security deposit of as much as $10,000. The amount you put down will serve as your credit line.
• Amex Platinum: No Pre-Set Spending Limit. The Amex Platinum Card has no pre-set spending limit, which means your limit will depend on your monthly spending habits and could change from month to month. But some Amex Platinum cardholders say they start out with a limit of about $2,500 that then adjusts with their spending habits. The annual fee is $550, and you need good credit or better to get approved.
• Amex Gold: No Pre-Set Spending Limit. This is another NPSL card, meaning your credit limit on this card will adapt to how you use it. Many cardholders report spending limits of $5,000-$10,000. Some cardholders report starting limits as low as $2,000, which rise and fall with your monthly spending. Amex Gold requires at least good credit and charges an annual fee of $250.

Again, keep in mind that most credit cards only disclose minimum credit limits, if that. So your limit could be a lot higher based on your creditworthiness.

In order to have a better chance of getting the highest credit card limit possible in your situation, you should make sure to always pay bills on time, use 30% or less of your available credit, pay down your debts, save money for the future, and otherwise make good financial decisions.

The Chase Slate credit limit is at least $500 and can be more, depending on how good your credit is. Chase doesn’t disclose a maximum credit limit, but you’re always guaranteed a minimum of $500 if you’re approved. And if you’re planning to transfer a balance to Chase Slate to take advantage of its 0% APR, the amount you transfer can’t exceed your credit limit (or $15,000, if your limit is higher than that). If the limit you’re approved for is less than the transfer amount you requested on your application, Chase will send a letter notifying you of the discrepancy. You can choose to transfer a lesser amount, ask Chase to reconsider your limit, or not open an account after all.  

People in the community have reported getting a range of credit limits, but you should take these with a grain of salt because Chase Slate credit limits are based on an individual’s credit history and income, among other things.

What some people have said about the Chase Slate credit limit:

• @mefordogs: “I have had a Chase SLATE card for several years now. They gave me a $1,200 limit. They've never raised (nor lowered!) my limit.”
• @lauren.elizabeth.94695: “My first Chase card was the Chase Slate card when I didn't have great credit. I was surprisingly accepted but the credit limit I began with was only $1000…”
• @NSPUS.corp: “I APPLIED AND RECEIVED THE CARD WITH $500 CREDIT LIMIT (MY CREDIT SCORE 760)…”
• @chip.song: “I started with a very good credit limit of $1500 and I was able to build that up year by year.”

So as you can see, different people get different starting Chase Slate credit limits. But over time, that limit can increase. Chase periodically reviews accounts for higher limits, and you can always call customer service and ask for one. In order to get bigger credit limits in general, you should work to improve your credit score, maximize your income and reduce debts.

Potential credit score damage is the most serious concern resulting from going over your credit limit, as credit utilization (i.e. how much of your available credit you use on a monthly basis) accounts for about 15% of your overall score.

Other than this, going over your credit limit could result in over-the-limit fees, a decrease in your credit limit, or other penalties imposed by the credit card provider since this can be regarded as poor credit management and high lending risk.

You can find out more about the effects of using all your available credit here.

​Your Citi Simplicity credit limit will be at least $500, if you get approved. That’s the minimum limit listed in Simplicity’s terms and conditions. They don’t disclose a maximum, but you could definitely get a lot more. It all depends on your credit, income and debt.  

For example, this comment from @jloughman1 has to give you some hope: “Great card and got a low rate!!! High credit line of $40000 too!!” And even though this other commenter (@engadget_hd) had a somewhat negative experience, he did get a $2K+ Citi Simplicity credit limit:

“When I first applied for the card they only offered me a two thousand dollar credit limit. This seemed pretty useless to me since the Capital One card I already have, has a much higher limit and it wouldn't allow me to transfer my balance. After about a week of conversations with the their customer service and reaching out to higher level customer service members, I was finally able to reach someone that could assist in raising my credit limit.”

There could be a lesson in there about negotiating for a higher limit, too. And that’s not the only thing you can do to boost your chances of getting a larger line of credit.

Here are some tips for getting a higher Citi Simplicity credit limit:

1. Watch your utilization. If you already have a credit card, try to use just a fraction of your available credit. Most sources say the magic number is around 30% or less. This will show Citi you’re not desperate.

2. Make more & spend less. Income and assets are a high credit limit’s friends. Lots of existing debt is not.

3. Wait if you need to. Citi Simplicity requires good credit for approval, for one thing. So if you need some time to get your financial house in order before applying, take it.

If you get the Citi Simplicity card but not the credit limit you want, don’t worry too much. You can always ask for an increase later on. I’d wait at least 6 months, assuming you pay your bills on time.

Credit cards for people with average credit tend to have fairly low credit limits – usually somewhere between $300 and $2,000. That’s because most people with average, or fair, credit have relatively short credit histories and/or red flags on their credit reports. Without a long track record of responsible use, issuers generally won’t feel comfortable lending you significant sums of money.

But it is difficult to determine what your exact credit limit will be in advance. In the case of unsecured credit cards, the credit line will be determined by a review of your creditworthiness, income and debt, and will be disclosed when you are approved. You generally won’t be able to qualify for a credit limit increase until you’ve paid at least six consecutive monthly bills on time, or unless your credit standing and income have improved a lot since you applied.

If you need a higher spending limit to accommodate a particular expense, a secured credit card always is an option. Secured cards require you to place a refundable security deposit, the amount of which typically serves as your spending limit. So you can increase your limit simply by adding to your deposit. You just won’t be borrowing any money, which means a secured card won’t help with emergency expenses you can’t already afford.

Your Chase Sapphire Reserve credit limit will be at least $10,000 but could be a lot higher, depending on how excellent your credit is and how much money you have. Sapphire Reserve’s minimum spending limit is large compared to what most credit cards will give you, even other popular cards for people with excellent credit. Chase Sapphire Preferred’s minimum credit limit is $5,000, for example, and Citi ThankYou Premier gives you at least $1,000.  

Like other credit card companies, Chase doesn’t disclose a maximum credit limit, although they might have one that’s kept secret. I’ve seen people claim they received several times the minimum Sapphire Reserve credit limit. But you’ll have to do more than just meet the minimum requirements to get that much money.

Here’s how to get a good Chase Sapphire Reserve credit limit:

1.        Keep working on your score. You may get approved for Chase Sapphire Reserve with a credit score in the 700s, but you probably shouldn’t expect much more than the minimum credit limit. The higher your score, the better chance of a high limit. Try aiming for 800+.
   
2.        Raise your income. This is easier said than done for sure. But your income is a huge factor in how big your credit limit is. The more money you’re taking in, the more you can afford to spend. So try asking for that raise or do some extra work on the side.
   
3.        Try to get an increase. You can call Chase to ask for a credit limit increase if you’ve had your card for at least six months with no late payments. If you ask for an increase, Chase will do a hard pull of your credit to check your eligibility. That will temporarily hurt your score. So don’t do it right before you apply for another credit card, auto loan or mortgage.
   

Overall, a $10,000 minimum Chase Sapphire Reserve credit limit isn’t too shabby – not in the least. It’s more than you’re guaranteed on most credit cards. And it’s always possible to get more than that when you apply or to increase your limit later on.

The best way to get a credit card with a $5,000 limit with bad credit is to apply for the Harley-Davidson Secured Card and place a $5,000 security deposit. A secured credit card’s credit limit is equal to the deposit amount. But most secured cards do not allow deposits as high as $5,000. The Harley Card does allow a $5K deposit, and it also has both a $0 annual fee and rewards.

There are several other secured credit cards with $5,000 limits that you can get with bad credit, including the Wells Fargo Secured Card. It’s possible to deposit as much as $10,000 with the Wells Fargo Secured Card, but you will have to pay a $25 annual fee. Some of your other options include the Aeromexico Secured and First National Secured credit cards. And of them can help you rebuild your credit and eventually qualify for an unsecured $5,000 credit card limit.

Unless your income is really high, you have no debt, and your financial problems are long behind you, you will not be able to get an unsecured credit card with a $5,000 limit with bad credit. Unsecured cards with $5,000 limits are usually available only to people with good credit (700+ credit score). So you’ll need to start off with a secured card.

Here are the best credit cards you can get with a $5,000 limit with bad credit:

• Wells Fargo Secured: $25 annual fee. $300 minimum deposit, $10,000 maximum. 20.49% (V) regular APR.
• Aeromexico Secured: $25 annual fee. $300 minimum deposit, $5,000 maximum. 3,500 miles and companion flight after paying annual fee/making purchase. 2 miles per $1 on gas and groceries. 1 on all other purchases. 24.99% (V) regular APR.
• Harley-Davidson Secured: $0 annual fee. $300 minimum deposit, $5,000 maximum ($100 increments only). 1 point per $1 on all purchases. 22.99% (V) regular APR.
• First National Bank of Omaha Secured: $0 annual fee. $300 minimum deposit, $5,000 maximum ($50 increments only). 20.24% (V) regular APR.

Another way to get a credit card with a $5,000 limit with bad credit is to become an authorized user. When you’re an authorized user on someone else’s credit card, you’ll share a credit line with them. You’ll also rebuild your credit if the primary cardholder pays the bills on time.

If you go for a secured card, your credit limit is (almost always) equal to your deposit. So depositing more money can give you a higher limit. However, the issuer will usually approve a personal maximum deposit for you. This may be below the card’s overall maximum, depending on your credit. But if you’re approved to deposit up to $5,000, and you have enough money to make such a deposit, there are several good card options.

Your Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer credit limit will be at least $500 to start. It could be a lot higher than that, depending on your overall creditworthiness, but Citi doesn’t disclose a maximum. In general, though, the higher your credit score is and the more income you have relative to your existing debt obligations, the higher you can expect your credit limit to be.

Furthermore, you shouldn’t read too much into the Double Cash Card’s $500 minimum credit limit. That amount is not uncommon for a credit card that requires good or excellent credit for approval. If you consistently pay your bill on time, you’ll also become eligible for a Citi Double Cash credit limit increase after six months or so.

Besides, plenty of people in the WalletHub community have reported being approved for thousands of dollars in spending power. Consider, for example, the following comments:

• “I was immediately approved for a $4,100 credit limit” – Anonymous
• “2500 credit limit. Easy and simple to use.” – Anonymous

At the end of the day, all we can say for sure is that Citi Double Cash is the best cash back credit card on the market and has a credit limit that will be at least $500. It’s definitely worth applying for if you have the good credit or better needed for approval. If you don’t get approved for the kind of limit you’re looking for, you don’t have to open an account. And you might even wind up with a higher limit if you balk at the initial number and threaten to walk.

The best credit card for large purchases is Chase Freedom Unlimited because it offers credit limits of $500 - $5,000+ and gives new cardholders 0% interest for 15 months, to go along with 1.5% cash back on purchases and a bonus of $150 for spending $500 within 3 months of opening an account. It has a minimum credit limit of $500 and it’s possible to get limits of $5,000 or more. Plus, you’ll be able to finance a big purchase easily with 15-month of 0% interest on purchases (and balance transfers too). On top of that, you get 1.5% cash back on every purchase and a $150 bonus if you spend $500 in the first 3 months.

But other cards offer higher minimum credit limits or longer 0% intro periods if you decide to focus on one or the other. For example, another contender for best credit card for large purchases is the Citi Simplicity Card, which has 0% interest for 18 months and a $500 minimum credit limit.  The Capital One Venture Card has a whopping $5,000 initial credit limit. That alone is enough to make it one of the best credit cards for a large purchase. But it also gives you $500 in travel for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months.

The best credit card for a large purchase depends a lot on how long it will take you to pay off your large purchase. The longer it will take, the more you should focus on low interest rates, as opposed to rewards. And you need a card with a credit limit at least as big as your purchase amount. Ideally, it will be a lot bigger, as maxing out your card is bad for your credit.

Either way, there are lots of cards to choose from that can help you save.

Here are the best credit cards for a large purchase:

• Best cash bonus credit card for large purchases: Chase Freedom Unlimited. $5,000+ spending limit (Visa Signature version) or $500+ (Visa Platinum). 0% intro APR for 15 months. Regular APR of 16.24% - 24.99% (V). $0 annual fee.               1.5% cash back on every purchase. $150 bonus if you spend $500 in the first 3 months. Excellent credit needed.
• Best 0% APR credit card for large purchases: Citi Simplicity. $500+ credit limit. 0% APR for 18 months. Regular APR of 15.49% - 25.49% (V). $0 annual fee. Good credit or better needed. 
• Best travel credit card for large purchases: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. $5,000+ credit limit. Regular APR of 14.49% - 24.49% (V). $0 annual fee the first year, $95 after.                              50,000 bonus miles ($500 in travel) if you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months. 2 miles per $1 spent on all purchases. Good credit or better needed.
• Best cash back credit card for large purchases: Citi Double Cash. Minimum initial credit limit of $500+ credit limit. Regular APR of 14.99% - 24.99% (V).            $0 annual fee. 1% cash back on every purchase, and 1% back when you pay for those purchases. Good credit or better needed.
• Best bonus cash back credit card for large purchases: Discover it Cash Back. $500+ credit limit. 0% APR for 14 months. Regular APR of 13.49% - 24.49% (V). $0 annual fee.                  5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent per quarter in bonus categories – such as gas stations, grocery stores or restaurants – that change quarterly. 1% cash back on all other purchases. First year’s cash back matched. Good credit or better needed.

Any time you make a big purchase with a credit card, you risk hurting your credit score. Lenders view high credit utilization as risky. But there are ways to avoid that. You could overpay your bill in advance of your purchase. That would leave you with a negative balance and more spending power with your card. And after the purchase, you could also pay part or all of your bill before your monthly statement gets generated. That reduces the balance used to calculate credit utilization. 

Those strategies are especially important for people with less-than-good credit, who aren’t likely to qualify for credit cards with high limits or low-interest rates.

The Chase Freedom Unlimited credit limit is $500 or more for everyone who’s approved. The most creditworthy applicants can get starting credit limits of $5,000 or higher. Freedom Unlimited cardholders who start with a limit of at least $5,000 get the Visa Signature version of the card instead of a Visa Platinum card. Signature cards come with a few more supplemental benefits from Visa.

Chase doesn’t publicly disclose a maximum credit limit for the Freedom Unlimited card. But some customers have said that they have received limits of $20,000 or higher. If you want a limit that high, you’ll need spotless credit, a very high income to afford the payments and low existing debt. Just keep in mind that no matter what limit you get, it’s not permanent. You can ask Chase for a Freedom Unlimited credit limit increase by calling the number on the back of your card. It’s best to try that after at least half a year of on time bill payments.