# Credit Card Payments > Record payments to your credit card in YNAB. Source: https://support.ynab.com/en_us/credit-card-payments-a-guide-r1_506Q1j Last updated: 2026-08-20T23:28:35.017Z Record payments to your credit card in YNAB via two methods: either entering the payment transactions manually or by importing them. Use the Credit Card Payment category to determine exactly what you can afford for your next payment. Learn how to know how much and when to pay, along with several other tips and tricks! #### Just getting started? Check out our [credit card overview article](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/handling-credit-cards-overview-ry7cNub1s) first! #### In This Article [Imported Credit Card Payments](#imported) [How to Enter a Credit Card Payment](#enter)  [Knowing How Much to Pay](#available) [Knowing When to Pay](#when) ## Imported Credit Card Payments For [linked accounts](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/linked-accounts-B1991f2Cc), credit card payments will import once they clear. If it's the **first** **payment** between two particular accounts, YNAB may not know to make it a credit card payment. If you enter the payment manually before it imports—using the steps below—those [transactions will automatically match up](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/approving-and-matching-transactions-a-guide-ByYNZaQ1i#matching). Otherwise, if a payment imports as a regular transaction or imports and asks you for a category, you can [manually set the payment as a credit card payment](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/how-to-handle-imported-credit-card-payments-SkXcoodci), and YNAB will remember for next time. **Already entering your own payments manually?** If you enter the payment yourself before it imports, the two versions match automatically and reconcile as one transaction. You don't need to (and shouldn't) delete the imported version once they’ve matched. A credit card payment is a transfer, so it will always show once as an outflow in your paying account and once as an inflow in the card account; that's expected, not a duplicate. [Back to Top](#backtotop) * * * ## How to Enter a Credit Card Payment The process for entering a credit card payment depends on whether the payment is coming from an account in YNAB or coming from an account that is **not** included in your YNAB plan. Both options and their instructions are below! ### How to Enter a Credit Card Payment from an Account in YNAB ### iOS 1. Tap the _Accounts_ tab. 2. Tap the credit card account. 3. Tap the _Record Payment_ button at the top of the screen. 4. Enter the amount of the payment, making sure the drop down menu directly under the amount is set to _Credit Card Payment_. 5. Tap _Paid from_ and select the account from which you’re making the payment.  6. Tap _Save_. ![350 dollar credit card payment from checking to credit card](https://cdn.bfldr.com/NIEXAZS5/at/bpqm6k4fn6grhxs9bppzmx/CC-Payment-iOS-Help-Article.png?auto=webp&format=png) ### Android 1. Tap the _Accounts_ tab. 2. Tap the credit card account. 3. Tap the _Record Payment_ button at the top of the screen. 4. Enter the amount of the payment, making sure the drop down menu directly under the amount is set to _Credit Card Payment_. 5. Tap _Paid from_ and select the account from which you’re making the payment.  6. Tap _Save_. ![600 dollar credit card payment from checking to credit card](https://cdn.bfldr.com/NIEXAZS5/at/wbvpfvkxhcbzcx3w75s8nmb8/CC-Payment-Android-Help-Article.png) ### Web 1. From the web app, click on the credit card account in the left sidebar. This will open the related account register. In the top right corner, you'll note the amount you have available to pay under the Payment heading. 2. Click the _Record Payment_ button. (It's like _Add Transaction_, but automatically populates transaction details for you!)  3. Click the Payee field and choose the account that made this payment. YNAB will remember your selection for the next time you record a payment. 4. The correct Category should automatically populate. If it doesn't, click in the Category field to bring up the popup option window and choose the Credit Card Payment category for this credit card account. 5. YNAB will autofill the Inflow column with the amount available in the Credit Card Payment category **or** the cleared balance on the credit card, whichever is lower. If you're not planning to pay the full amount you have set aside in your plan, you can edit the amount. 6. Click _Save_ when you're done. ![Credit card payment transaction entered in the account register.](https://cdn.bfldr.com/NIEXAZS5/at/mqkbbxg3rhwmwx6btjqqpz/CC-Payment-Web-Help-Article.png?auto=webp&format=png) ### How to Enter a Credit Card Payment from a Non-YNAB Account If you're using money outside of YNAB to pay down the credit card—so the account you're paying from is not a part of your YNAB plan—you'll set up the external transaction as a regular inflow instead of a credit card payment. Here's how. ### iOS 1. Tap the _Accounts_ tab. 2. Choose the credit card account, which will open the related account register. 3. Tap the Transaction button at the bottom of the screen. This will bring up the Add Transaction window.  4. Enter the amount of the payment. 5. Tap the drop down menu directly under the account, and tap _Inflow_ (**not** _Credit Card Payment_). 6. Tap _Payee._ You'll use a regular payee. You can create one like "Payment from Outside Account" by typing it in the search bar and tapping the_Create \[ \] payee_ button.  7. In the Category field, select Income: Ready to Assign. 8. Tap _Save_. #### Next Steps When you enter that payment, the working balance on the credit card will decrease, but the cash in the Credit Card Payment category will stay the same. **Be sure to check the Credit Card Payment category after you enter that payment**. If you have more cash in the Credit Card Payment category than the working balance on the card, you can move the extra cash out of the Credit Card Payment category and add it to a different category in the plan. ### Android 1. Tap the _Accounts_ tab. 2. Choose the credit card account, which will open the related account register. 3. Tap the Transaction button at the bottom of the screen. This will bring up the Add Transaction window.  4. Enter the amount of the payment. 5. Tap the drop down menu directly under the account, and tap _Inflow_ (**not** _Credit Card Payment_). 6. Tap _Payee._ You'll use a regular payee. You can create one like "Payment from Outside Account" by typing it in the search bar and tapping the_Create \[ \] payee_ button.  7. In the Category field, select Income: Ready to Assign. 8. Tap _Save_. #### Next Steps When you enter that payment, the working balance on the credit card will decrease, but the cash in the Credit Card Payment category will stay the same. **Be sure to check the Credit Card Payment category after you enter that payment**. If you have more cash in the Credit Card Payment category than the working balance on the card, you can move the extra cash out of the Credit Card Payment category and into another category. ### Web 1. From the **web app**, click on your credit card account in the left sidebar. This will open the related account register. 2. Click _Add Transaction_ in the register. 3. You'll use a **regular payee**. You can create one like "_Payment from Outside Account_" by typing it in the Payee field. 4. In the Category field, select Inflow: Ready to Assign. 5. Enter the payment amount in the inflow column. That payment will then use funds from outside of YNAB to reduce the balance on the credit card.  6. Click _Save_. #### Next Steps When you enter that payment, the working balance on the credit card will decrease, but the cash in the Credit Card Payment category will stay the same. **Be sure to check the Credit Card Payment category after you enter that payment**. If you have more cash in the Credit Card Payment category than the working balance on the card, you can move the extra cash out of the Credit Card Payment category and into a different one. [Back to Top](#backtotop) * * * ## Knowing How Much to Pay The Available amount in your Credit Card Payment category is the **maximum amount** you can send to your credit card company as payment. This amount is the money set aside in YNAB from your funded spending on your credit card, as well as any money you've assigned directly to the Credit Card Payment category to pay down debt. No matter how the dollars got into your Credit Card Payment category, that's the amount you have Available to send as payment. Your credit card payments are now stress-free, and you're a whole lot closer to debt-free! **If there is less money in your Credit Card Payment category than you were expecting**, you may have some credit overspending, either in this month or a previous month. Check out this article for more details on what can cause your [Credit Card Payment category to be short (or even red)](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/when-your-credit-card-payment-category-is-red-a-guide-SJDSr3Q1i).  No matter the reason, the solution will be to [move money](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/moving-money-in-your-plan-ryyCKbBJi) directly to your Credit Card Payment category until your Available amount matches the balance owed on your card (if you pay your card in full each month), or until the Available amount matches the amount you want to send for your next payment (if you're carrying debt).  **If the Available amount in your Credit Card Payment category is more than your next minimum payment due**, that's expected if you're fully funding every credit card purchase. The money you need for your upcoming payment is available, and you're already setting aside funds for the spending that follows. **If the Available amount in your Credit Card Payment category is more than the total balance you owe on the card**, you can [move the difference](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/moving-money-in-your-plan-ryyCKbBJi) out of the Credit Card Payment category and into a new category. Higher available amounts can happen when cash back rewards or other inflow credits reduce your card balance without affecting the category, or if money was assigned there more than once by accident. Either way, anything above your card balance doesn't need to stay reserved — move the excess to Ready to Assign. ### How to Find the Amount You Have Available to Pay Your Credit Card ### iOS 1. Tap the _Plan_ tab. 2. Find the Credit Card Payment category for the specific credit card you're working with. 3. The amount showing as Available (or Available for Payment) is what you have set aside to pay the credit card company. ### Android 1. Tap the _Plan_ tab. 2. Find the Credit Card Payment category for the specific credit card you're working with. 3. The amount showing as Available (or Available for Payment) is what you have set aside to pay the credit card company. ### Web 1. Click on _Plan_ in the left sidebar (located immediately below the name of your plan). 2. Find the Credit Card Payment category that corresponds with the credit card you're paying towards. 3. The amount shown in the _Available_ column is what you have set aside to send as a payment to the credit card company. 4. This same amount will also be listed in the top right corner of your **credit card account register** (under _Payment_) so you don't have to click back and forth before sending your payment. [Back to Top](#backtotop) * * * ## Knowing When to Pay Want to keep track of **when** your credit card payments are due? The most efficient way to stay on top of due dates is by using a blend of scheduled transactions and targets. What's the difference? [Scheduled transactions](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/scheduled-transactions-a-guide-BygrAIFA9) are created in the account register and used for repeating bills—like credit card payments. They provide a handy reference of what's coming up when you're assigning funds. [Targets](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/getting-started-with-targets-ryAEP08xC) will prompt you to assign the correct amount for the category based on the settings you create (amount needed, date due, etc.).  ### Adding Due Dates and Other Details If you want the credit card payment due dates to be more visible, you can edit the account nickname to include the due date—for example, **Chase — 25th**. This will display as your new Credit Card Payment category name right in your plan. Follow the steps in our [Edit Account Details](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/edit-account-details-an-overview-S1qj7MuR5) article to edit your account nickname. You can also add due dates or other relevant payment info for quick reference in the **notes** section of your category (or account!). For specific process steps, check out our article on [How to Add Notes](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/how-to-add-notes-Byytt_YC9). [Back to Top](#backtotop) * * * ## Help Us Help You! Our Knowledge Base team reviews article feedback responses weekly, and we actively revise these articles to make them as helpful as possible. That's where you come in! Our articles are scored based on the _Yes_ or _No_ ratings received below. We also collect freeform feedback for any _No_ ratings (so our team can focus in on what you were specifically searching for!). **Success**: Found what you were searching for? 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