The best option, if you can swing it, is to pay off your balance immediately after making a purchase. If you have to wait for paychecks to clear and other bills to be paid, the best time to pay your credit card is any time before the due date. If you are stuck in a situation where you will be paying the minimum or otherwise leaving some amount of balance on your credit card, paying sooner is generally better. The truth is, any time you can pay your credit card bill before the due date is fine. There are minor benefits to paying earlier or proactively, but the biggest, most important thing is to not miss your due date.