Moving from a bad credit score to a good credit score could still help you qualify for a lower interest rate or have a better shot at being approved for one of the best credit cards. If we take the same $20,000 total credit limit, but now you're carrying a balance of $10,000, you're using 50% of your available credit, which may make your credit score go down. Keep an eye on your score and any new activity on your report, or consider using tools like Experian Boost or Credit Karma, which include free credit score reports and limited credit monitoring features as part of their overall service.