The Short Answer: Not Directly
You cannot pay a credit card bill by swiping another credit card at the register or entering card details on your issuer's payment page. Credit card issuers don't accept payment from other credit cards. It's a firm policy across the industry.
But there are indirect ways to accomplish the same goal — each with its own costs and trade-offs.
Option 1: Balance Transfer
A balance transfer moves debt from one credit card to another. If you're trying to pay off Card A using Card B, a balance transfer does exactly that: Card B pays off your Card A balance, and now you owe Card B instead.
Why people do this: Many cards offer introductory 0% APR on balance transfers for 12–21 months. If Card A charges 25% APR and you can transfer to Card B at 0% for 15 months, you save significant interest.
What it costs: Balance transfer fees are typically 3–5% of the amount transferred. On a $3,000 balance, that's $90–$150. This can be worth it if the interest savings outweigh the fee.
How to do it: Apply for a card with a 0% balance transfer offer (you typically need good credit). When approved, request the transfer. The new card pays off the old card directly.
Option 2: Cash Advance
You can take a cash advance from Card B — essentially withdrawing cash against your credit limit — then deposit that cash to your bank account and use it to pay Card A's bill.
Why this is usually a bad idea:
- Cash advances come with immediate, high interest (typically 25–30% APR) that starts accruing the day you take the advance — no grace period
- There's a cash advance fee: usually 3–5% of the amount
- Your cash advance APR may be higher than your regular purchase APR
The only time a cash advance makes sense is in a genuine emergency with no better option.
Option 3: Third-Party Payment Services
Some third-party apps (like Plastiq, historically) allowed you to pay bills using a credit card. The service would charge your card and send payment to the payee.
However, most bill payment services explicitly block credit card-to-credit card scenarios. And even where allowed, they charge fees of 2–3%, negating any points or rewards you'd earn.
What About Rewards Points?
Some people try to pay a card using another card to earn rewards points on the payment. Even where technically possible, the math rarely works out — transaction fees and cash advance costs typically outpace the value of rewards earned.
The Real Solution: Address the Underlying Issue
If you're looking to pay one credit card with another, you're probably carrying more debt than you can comfortably repay. The better long-term path:
- Balance transfer to a 0% APR card if you qualify — then commit to paying it off during the promotional period
- Personal loan to consolidate credit card debt at a lower rate
- Avalanche or snowball method to systematically pay down multiple cards
Carrying high-interest credit card debt is one of the fastest ways to undermine your financial health. Address it directly rather than shifting it around.
The Bottom Line
Direct credit card-to-credit card payment isn't possible. If you need to reduce debt on one card, a balance transfer is the most viable option — but only if you can pay it off within the promotional period. Learn more about how to pay off credit card debt and build a plan that actually works.
