How to Switch Credit Cards

There are two main ways to switch credit cards: submit an application to open a completely new account or do an “upgrade” or “product change” with your current issuer. A product change simply exchanges one card for another without a new application, and it usually won’t trigger a hard credit pull, depending on the issuer.

The best approach is to start by assessing your current financial needs and goals to determine what you require in a new card. Next, research and compare credit card offers, including potential upgrades with the same issuer, paying attention to factors such as interest rates, annual fees, rewards, and introductory bonuses. When you've found the ideal card, apply for it and close your old card if needed. Below, you can learn about these steps in more detail.

Best Credit Cards to Switch to in 2026

How to Switch Credit Cards in 5 Easy Steps

1. Assess your needs.
2. Compare credit card offers.
3. See what your current credit card company can offer.
4. Apply for a new card.
5. Close the old card, if necessary.

1. Assess your needs.

   The most important thing to do before switching credit cards is to figure out what your needs are. Essentially, what are you looking for in a new card? Figuring that out will help you narrow down your options, and also help you decide whether you want to do a product change to a different card from the same issuer or apply for an entirely new one.

   Potential things to look for when switching credit cards include:

   • Lower interest rate
   • Lower fees
   • More rewards
   • A different type of rewards (e.g. travel rewards when you already have cash back)
   • Bonus rewards in spending categories not included on your current card
   • 0% introductory financing on purchases
   • A good balance transfer offer
   • More supplemental benefits (purchase protection, travel insurance, spending credits, etc.)
   • A big initial bonus
   • A higher credit limit

2. Compare credit card offers.

   Once you know what you want in a credit card, you can compare credit card offers from your existing credit card issuer and other companies in order to find the best card for your needs. The best way to do this is first to narrow cards down by their credit requirements, and then compare the features that matter most to you. You can check your credit score for free here on WalletHub.

   Tips for comparing credit card offers:

   • When comparing based on rewards, calculate how much you’d earn in an average year and then subtract the cost of the annual fee. Then, compare the final value of each card. Comparing strictly based on net rewards value is best when you plan to pay in full monthly, as interest charges shouldn’t come into play.
   • Consider both the amount of rewards you’d earn per $1 spent and the value of those rewards when you redeem them.
   • When comparing based on balance transfer APRs, make sure to factor in the cost of the balance transfer fee. You can use a balance transfer calculator to help you.
   • If you’re comparing cards with 0% introductory APRs on purchases, consider both the length of the intro period and the regular APR. Also, watch out for “deferred interest” which is not true 0% financing. With deferred interest, if you don’t pay your balance in full by the end of the 0% period, you retroactively owe all the interest you would have accrued from the start at the card’s regular APR.
   • Don’t forget to consider the value of any supplemental benefits you plan to take advantage of.
   • When comparing regular APRs and credit limits, don’t assume you’ll get the lowest possible APR or the highest possible credit limit.

   If your current credit card is a starter credit card with lackluster rewards and/or high fees, or if it simply doesn’t meet your needs anymore, you may want to look at other offers from your current credit card issuer and see if it’s possible to do a “product change.” This would entail switching your account to the new card without having to open a new one. In some cases, a product change might also be referred to as an “upgrade.”

   If your current credit card company doesn’t have a card that fits your needs, you can always open a new card from a different issuer.

3. See what your current credit card company can offer.

   Regardless of whether you plan to switch to a different credit card from the same issuer or get a new one from a different issuer, calling your current credit card company is an important step. You can reach your issuer’s customer service by calling the number on the back of your card.

   Getting an Upgrade or Product Change

   If you want to change your card to a different one from the same issuer that fits your needs better, call your issuer and explain your situation. The representative will discuss your options with you, let you know whether doing a product change is feasible, and walk you through the process.

   Make sure to ask the representative about:

   • Whether the upgrade/product change leads to a hard pull on your credit report
   • What happens to any rewards you have on your current card when the change goes through
   • Whether you will be eligible for any initial bonuses on the new card
   • Whether your current APR and credit limit will stay the same or may change
   • All of the key features and terms of the new credit card

   Switching to a Card from a Different Issuer

   If you are thinking about switching your credit card to one from a different credit card issuer, you should still call your current issuer and explain why. They may suggest a “retention offer” in order to address your concerns and keep you as a customer.

   Retention offers include things like:

   • Fee reductions/waivers
   • Bonus rewards
   • Lower interest rates

   If a potential retention offer isn’t as good as what you’d get from switching to another card, then don’t let that stop you. But it’s always good to check, regardless. Plus, even if you accept a retention offer and keep your card open, that doesn’t prevent you from adding an additional credit card to your wallet later on.

4. Apply for a new card.

   Once you’ve decided on a new card, applying is easy. Just make sure you’re eligible first, and fill out everything on the application completely and accurately. Applying online usually results in the fastest decision for credit card offers. You can learn more about how to apply for a credit card here on WalletHub.

   If you’re doing an upgrade or product change rather than applying for a new card, a representative from your credit card company should be able to help you make the switch. In some cases, you might even be able to start the process through your online account.

5. Close the old card, if necessary.

   Once you have your new credit card, you may want to close the old one, depending on how useful it is. Since credit cards help you build credit even if you don’t use them, the main reason to close an unused card is if it has an annual fee.

   Just keep in mind that closing a credit card account is likely to have a slight impact on your credit score, especially if you’ve had the card open for a long time. Closing an old card and opening a new one shortens the average age of your accounts, which can hurt your credit score. Your score will also be impacted by having less available credit overall.

   If you upgrade or do a product change to another card from the same issuer without applying for a new card, this will not count as you closing a card.

Good Reasons to Switch Credit Cards

People generally switch credit cards when they are unsatisfied with the terms or features of their current card, or if they know they can qualify for a better card. For example, some of the most common reasons to switch are:

• To get better rates or fees.
• To improve rewards.
• To earn bonus rewards in new spending categories.
• To upgrade from a card for beginners.
• To get an especially good financing offer or initial bonus.
• To receive a higher credit limit.
• To get attractive benefits that come with a new card.

By joining WalletHub for free, you can get personalized recommendations for cards it might make sense to switch to.

How Switching Credit Cards Affects Your Credit Score

Switching credit cards may have a small impact on your credit score. When you apply for or open a new credit card account, you can expect your credit score to drop by around 10 points due to the hard inquiry on your credit report. With a few months of responsible behavior, your credit score should bounce back from this drop. You can estimate how your score will change over time using WalletHub’s credit score simulator.

Free Credit Score Simulator

If you don’t apply for a new credit card but rather ask your issuer to upgrade your card or do a product change to a different offer, there will only be a change to your credit score if your issuer does a hard pull during the process. Some issuers will not do a hard pull since you’re not opening an entirely new account. Make sure to ask whether this will be the case before making the switch.