How Often Should You Use a Credit Card?

By Bryce Casson, Founder · Cardocrat · Updated July 2026
The short answer: To keep a card open and building credit, use it at least once every few months, since issuers can close cards for long inactivity. For your score, even a single small recurring charge paid in full each month is enough. You do not need to use it heavily.

This guide explains how much activity keeps a card from being closed, how little it takes to build credit, and why spending volume is not the point.

To avoid inactivity closure

Issuers can close a card that goes unused for a long time, often a year or more, which can cost you the limit and the account age. Putting a small charge on it every few months keeps it active. This matters most for old cards you want to keep open for your history.

To build credit

Building credit does not require heavy spending. As long as the card reports activity and you pay on time, it helps. A common trick is to park one small recurring bill on the card and set autopay, so it stays active and always paid without any effort. See how to build credit.

You do not need to spend a lot

What moves your score is paying on time and keeping utilization low, not how much you charge. There is no benefit to running big balances to prove you use the card. Light, consistent, fully paid use is ideal, and keeping a dormant card active with a tiny charge is all the maintenance most cards need.

The bottom line
  • Use a card at least once every few months to avoid inactivity closure.
  • Any activity that reports helps build credit.
  • A small recurring charge plus autopay is an easy setup.
  • On-time payment and low utilization matter, not spending volume.
  • Keeping old cards lightly active protects your credit history.

Frequently asked questions

How often do I need to use a credit card to keep it open?
Roughly once every few months. A small charge now and then prevents an issuer from closing it for inactivity.
Do I need to spend a lot to build credit?
No. On-time payments and low utilization build credit, not spending volume. A small recurring charge paid in full is plenty.
Will my card be closed if I never use it?
It can be. Issuers may close cards after long inactivity, so a periodic small charge keeps a card you want to keep open.

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Bryce Casson

Written by Bryce Casson, Founder of Cardocrat. About the author and how we rank cards.