Turn on autopay in your Bank of America online account or mobile app
Bank of America lets you set up automatic payments directly through your online banking portal or the mobile app. Log in to your account, find your credit card, and look for the "Payments" or "Pay My Bill" section. From there, you can choose to pay automatically on a date you pick each month.
The process takes about five minutes. You'll select the payment amount (minimum payment, statement balance, or a fixed dollar amount you choose), pick the day of the month you want it to come out, and confirm. Once it's active, the payment will pull from your linked Bank of America checking or savings account on that date every month until you turn it off.
If you don't have a Bank of America checking account, you can still set up autopay using an external bank account, but you'll need to verify it first by providing your routing and account numbers.
Key Takeaways
- Autopay pulls from a Bank of America checking or savings account you link, or from an external bank account after verification.
- You can set the payment to cover your minimum balance, your full statement balance, or a fixed amount you choose each month.
- The payment date you pick will repeat every month unless you change it or turn off autopay.
- If autopay fails because of insufficient funds or a closed account, Bank of America will notify you and the payment will not go through.
- You can pause, change, or cancel autopay anytime through your online account without penalty.
Choose what amount to pay automatically each month
Bank of America gives you three main options for the autopay amount. The first is your minimum payment, which is the smallest amount your card issuer requires each month to keep your account in good standing. This keeps you from missing a payment, but you'll pay interest on the remaining balance.
The second option is your statement balance, which is the total amount you owe at the end of your billing cycle. Choosing this means you'll pay off your card in full each month and avoid interest charges (as long as you don't make new purchases before the payment clears).
The third option is a fixed dollar amount you set yourself—useful if you want to pay more than the minimum but less than the full balance, or if you want to pay a consistent amount toward your card each month regardless of what you owe.
Pick the payment date that works for your paycheck
When you set up autopay, you choose the day of the month the payment will come out. Most people pick a date shortly after they get paid, so the money is in their account and ready to go. Bank of America will process the payment on that date every month.
If you pick a date that doesn't exist in some months (like the 31st), the system will process it on the last day of that month instead. If your chosen date falls on a weekend or holiday, the payment will go through on the next business day.
You can change your payment date anytime through your account settings. If you need to delay a single payment, you can turn off autopay temporarily, make a manual payment when you're ready, and turn autopay back on for the following month.
Link a checking or savings account to fund the payments
Autopay needs a source account to pull money from. If you have a Bank of America checking or savings account, you can link it immediately—the system already knows it's yours. Select it from the dropdown menu when you set up autopay.
If you want to use an account at a different bank, you'll need to verify it first. Bank of America will ask for your routing number and account number. Some banks verify instantly; others take one to two business days. Until verification is complete, you won't be able to use that account for autopay.
Once linked, the account stays on file. You can change which account funds your autopay anytime, or add multiple accounts and switch between them.
What happens if the payment fails
If autopay tries to process but your source account doesn't have enough money, the payment will fail. Bank of America will send you a notification (by email, text, or both, depending on your alert settings) letting you know the payment didn't go through. Your credit card balance won't change, and you won't be charged a fee by the bank for the failed attempt.
However, if you miss your minimum payment deadline, your credit card issuer may report it to the credit bureaus and charge you a late fee. To avoid this, make sure your source account has enough funds before your autopay date, or set up a backup payment method.
If your source account is closed or compromised, update your autopay settings right away. You can pause autopay, link a different account, or switch to manual payments until you've resolved the issue.
Turn off or change autopay whenever you need to
Autopay is not locked in. You can pause it, change the amount, change the date, or cancel it entirely through your Bank of America account at any time. There's no penalty for stopping it, and you won't owe anything extra.
If you turn off autopay, you'll need to make manual payments to avoid missing your due date. You can pay online, by phone, by mail, or in person at a Bank of America branch. Just make sure your payment reaches the bank by the due date shown on your statement.
If you're canceling autopay because you're closing the card or paying it off, confirm that your final payment has posted before you assume the account is settled. Check your statement online to verify the balance is zero.
Set up payment alerts to stay on top of your balance
Even with autopay running, it's worth turning on balance and payment alerts. Bank of America lets you set notifications for when your statement is ready, when your payment is about to process, and when your payment has been completed. These alerts arrive by email or text, depending on what you choose.
Alerts give you a chance to catch problems before they happen—like if you notice your autopay amount is wrong, or if your source account is running low. You can adjust alerts in your account settings under "Notifications" or "Alerts."
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set up autopay on a Bank of America credit card if I don't have a Bank of America checking account?
Yes. You can link an external bank account by providing your routing and account numbers. Bank of America will verify the account, which usually takes one to two business days. After that, autopay will pull from that account each month.
What if I want to pay a different amount some months?
You can change your autopay amount anytime through your account before the payment processes. If you need to pay extra in a particular month, you can make an additional manual payment on top of your autopay without affecting the automatic payment scheduled for later.
Does autopay protect me from late fees?
Autopay helps you avoid missing your due date, but only if your source account has enough money and the payment processes successfully. If the payment fails, you're still responsible for making the payment by the deadline to avoid late fees.
Can I use autopay if I'm paying off a balance transfer or promotional offer?
Yes. Autopay works on any balance on your card. If you have a promotional rate on a balance transfer, autopay will still pull from your account on your chosen date. Make sure you understand the terms of your promotion so you know whether paying the full balance is necessary to keep the rate.
What happens to autopay if I close my source account?
Autopay will fail the next time it tries to process. Bank of America will notify you. You'll need to update your autopay settings with a new source account or switch to manual payments to avoid missing your credit card payment deadline.