A card limit is the maximum amount you can spend or withdraw in cash within a day or a month. Setting a limit makes it much harder for a scammer to misuse your card, even if they get hold of your card number or find a card you lost. A limit also helps you control your own spending — you always know exactly how much you have left to spend.
You can set a limit yourself, from your phone, without visiting a bank branch. It takes only a few minutes. Don't worry — you cannot break your card or your account by tapping the wrong button. If something goes wrong, you can always change the limit again.
Types of card limits
Most banking apps let you set three main types of limits:
- Card payment limit — the maximum amount you can spend in shops per day or per month.
- Cash withdrawal limit — the maximum amount you can take out at a cash machine (ATM) per day.
- Online purchase limit — the maximum amount you can spend on purchases made over the internet.
You can set each limit separately. For example, you might allow cash withdrawals of up to $200 a day, while setting a higher limit of $1,000 a day for card payments in shops.
Step by step: setting a limit in your banking app
An app is a program you download onto your phone from an app store (the App Store on an iPhone, or Google Play on Android). If your bank's app is already installed on your phone, start at step 1. Button names may differ slightly depending on your bank — if a screen looks different from what is described here, don't worry. Go slowly and look for words with a similar meaning.
- Open your bank's app on your phone — find the icon (small picture) with your bank's logo on your phone's screen, and tap it once.
- Log in to your account if the app asks you to — enter your access code (PIN, a short number code), or use your fingerprint or face recognition if you have already set that up.
- Find the "Cards" section — this is usually a tab at the bottom of the screen with a card icon or the word "Cards."
- Tap on the picture of your card to open its details.
- Find the "Card settings" button or menu item — often shown as a small gear-shaped icon.
- Select "Limits" or "Card limits."
- Choose the type of limit you want to change — for example, "Cash withdrawal limit," "Card payment limit," or "Online purchase limit."
- Type the new limit amount into the entry field, using numbers.
- Tap "Save" or "Confirm" to apply the new amount.
- If the app asks you to confirm with a one-time SMS code (a short code of numbers your bank sends by text message), type that code into the app.
About the SMS code: this code is meant only for you and only for the banking app. Never tell this code to anyone over the phone — even if the caller says they work for your bank. A real bank never asks you to read out a one-time code over the phone. If someone calls and asks you to say the code out loud, this is a scam. Hang up, and call your bank yourself using the number printed on the back of your card.
What to do if something goes wrong
Quick recap
- Open your bank's app.
- Log in to your account.
- Go to the "Cards" section.
- Select your card.
- Open "Card settings" → "Limits."
- Choose the limit type and enter the amount.
- Save your changes.
If you are still choosing a bank and want an app with flexible limit settings, take a look at our ranking of the best personal accounts: /en/best/personal-accounts.