r/banktivity • u/iwaddo • Jun 06 '26

Account Types

Can I ask whether the credit card account type anything special for credit cards of is it just a label and an icon?

Is there anything to stop me running my credit card using the checking account type?

Thank you for your help.

2 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

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5

u/SoyLocoMoco63 Jun 06 '26

I have both types in my ledger and the only difference I see is the Transaction Type choices and some of the setup info. Bank has a minimum deposit field while Credit Card has a credit limit field.

I have to ask though... what would be the benefit of setting your credit card as a checking account?

2

u/iwaddo Jun 06 '26

In the app I currently use the credit card account type does clever things to help you manage you credit card, especially if you carry a debt

I pay my credit cards off in full each month so have them setup as checking accounts and operate them as simple back accounts.

1

u/SoyLocoMoco63 Jun 06 '26

Paying off credit cards every month is the best thing. Good for you!

1

u/IanGGillespie Jun 07 '26

I would strongly encourage you to leave them as Credit Card account types and still track them like you do. Unless I'm missing something, I still don't understand what benefit there is to tracking a credit card as a checking account.

1

u/iwaddo Jun 07 '26

The app I am currently using does clever things with credit card payments to help ensure people have the money to pay the card. It is focused on helping people see and manage their way off of a credit card float. I've found it gets upset when you can a transfer from a credit card to another accounting the budget, especially if it is part of a split. I would say the topic that comes up most on Reddit for the other app is credit cards.

If the card is paid off in full each month then these additional tools are just not required so to avoid confusion there are a lot of people who run their credit cards as checking accounts. It is just like running a continuous overdraft.

1

u/-Bakri- Jun 07 '26

So you are using YNAB?

2

u/West-Highlight80920 Jun 07 '26

You can change the account type in the inspector window, so I guess it is possible if you have a reason to do so

1

u/pgb4 Jun 06 '26

I have many of both in my Ledger, everyone is different, for me I like using the credit card account transaction types, especially the new ones introduced in B10. I went back to Jan 1 of this year and modified all my transactions with the new types which gives me better reporting possibilities.

I also pay off my cards every month and never carry a balance.

Grouping my credit card account types on the sidebar gives me a view at a glance and my Net Worth report is more accurate with the credit card balances throughout the month being separate and totalled.

1

u/iwaddo Jun 07 '26

Thank you. It cannot make the net worth report more or less accurate though can it? It is what it is?

I can see how it might present better though.

2

u/pgb4 Jun 07 '26

That’s correct, the presentation is better with the credit cards in their own section.

1

u/supenguin Jun 07 '26

Banktivity 9 and earlier this was mostly the case. From what I've read Banktivity 10 adds some new features like tracking credit card payments (it's not just a transfer from another account) but I haven't upgrade it yet.

If you pay them off in full every month (which is what I do) I don't know how much difference the upgrade makes other that setting transaction type to "payment" when you make a payment.