Personal Finance

With an 800 credit score, can switching to a different credit card boost it even higher?

David Beren

Published: December 14, 2024 11:19 am

Flywheel Publishing has partnered with CardRatings to provide coverage of credit card products. Flywheel Publishing and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.

When you think about a strong credit score, it’s been ingrained in our society that having one is necessary to buy a home or car. From the time you start building credit till your credit is well and genuinely established, it’s critical to understand that having a better score can earn you bigger benefits like a lower mortgage rate. 

24/7 Wall St. Key Points

• You’re already in good shape if you have an 800 credit score. 
• There are different credit cards with various perks and benefits. 
• Opening up a new card can impact your credit score in the short term.
• Also: Are You On Track to Retire? Take This Quiz and Find Out (Sponsored)

In the case of one Redditor in r/personalfinance, his post focuses on the impact of opening up another credit card on his 800+ credit score. While he isn’t taking any immediate action, his question does pose an interesting problem about whether or not you can have too many credit cards. 

I love this post because I’ve been talking to my wife about credit cards lately and am curious about getting one with more rewards. There’s a definite draw in this category as you look to maximize both your credit score and perks. 

The Scenario 

As far as the Redditor’s post, all we learn from their post is that they have been using the same credit card since they first started efforts to build credit. On the plus side, Redditor mentions that they always pay off their credit card every month, indicating that having a “good” card has never mattered. 

While we don’t know exactly what “good” means to this Redditor, we do know that they have a credit score “solidly in the 800s” and want to know if there is a different credit card that would be better for them. 

The Redditor explains that they would be looking to use this card for “petty” purchases, which likely means gas, food, and smaller items. The lone caveat here seems to be that they are not interested in a card with an annual fee, which aligns perfectly with the thought of millions of credit card users who all have a strict no-annual-fee policy. 

The Recommendation 

A quick Google search for “best credit cards” will yield more results than one person can look through. If you try to nail this down, you can start looking at which cards offer the best perks, rewards, cash back, and even the best sign-up bonuses. Of course, please remember that I am not a financial advisor, and this person should talk to a professional if they need additional help managing their money. 

This warning aside, knowing that another strong credit card recommendation exists doesn’t solve the Redditor’s question about whether a new card would benefit them. What we’re missing here is that we don’t know the existing card the Redditor is using or what perks they are receiving. 

This said, another card isn’t going to do much to boost the credit score if we’re already looking at a number over 800. Opening up another card won’t necessarily boost his score, but he might be able to find something that offers better benefits. 

The best credit cards these days may be similar to a card offering 2% cash back. Alternatively, travel credit cards that offer something like 60,000 bonus miles for signing up would be another strong option. These cards typically require excellent credit, and an 800+ credit score qualifies as “excellent.” 

The Takeaway

Ultimately, my take on this situation is that the best credit card for this Redditor would be focused on what they are already spending money on. This likely means looking for a credit card offering either flat cash back at 2% or something specializing in dining, gas, rotating categories, etc. 

What matters most here is that they continue paying off any new card monthly to keep their credit above 800. Also worth considering is that opening a new card and expanding your available buying power can hurt your credit in the short term because it requires a hard inquiry. 

Flywheel Publishing has partnered with CardRatings to provide coverage of credit card products. Flywheel Publishing and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.