The balance due on your Statement Date is what is reported to Credit Reporting Agencies. This means you can control what amount is reported by making a payment BEFORE the statement date, effectively determing utilization.
In order to avoid being charged interest, you need to pay your full previous month's statement balance by the DUE DATE. Unless you're in a 0% APR period, then you only need to make the minimum payment by the due date to make sure you're good.
To lower your balance and control what is reported to the bureaus as mentioned above, then pay any amount you wish to lower your balance before the statement date, but whatever you do, make sure to always make at least the minimum payment by the due date. Any payments made after the due date but before the statement date wouldn't count towards avoiding interest, but they would still lower your balance before the next statement date. I hope that makes sense.
@Anonymous wrote:Hello everyone! New here and learning so much! Can someone please explain the difference and benefit of making a payment on the statement date vs the payment due date. Right now I have my credit cards on autopay to pay on the payment due date, which I think isn't the best option?
I've read a few posts that touch on the subject, but I kinda still don't get it. My little brain just isn't grasping it 🥴.
Please, any help is very appreciated.
I think it's highly risky to pay at the due date; I would pay much before that.
And if you want to maximize your FICO scores, I would pay most cards off before the statement even comes out.
@Anonymous wrote:Hello everyone! New here and learning so much! Can someone please explain the difference and benefit of making a payment on the statement date vs the payment due date. Right now I have my credit cards on autopay to pay on the payment due date, which I think isn't the best option?
I've read a few posts that touch on the subject, but I kinda still don't get it. My little brain just isn't grasping it 🥴.
Please, any help is very appreciated.
Queston: How many cards do you have @Anonymous ?
@Anonymous wrote:Hello everyone! New here and learning so much! Can someone please explain the difference and benefit of making a payment on the statement date vs the payment due date. Right now I have my credit cards on autopay to pay on the payment due date, which I think isn't the best option?
I've read a few posts that touch on the subject, but I kinda still don't get it. My little brain just isn't grasping it 🥴.
You're doing fine! It takes time to get oriented. 
Others have given you some excellent input, so I'm just going to emphasize that paying *on* your due date is not a good idea. Too many things can go wrong--and if they do, you won't know about it until it's too late. I would change those dates ASAP to at least five days earlier; the more the better.
And to totally simplify your original question:
statement date = the date the CC company cuts the statement for the previous month's use
payment date = the date by which the CC company must receive at least the minimum payment due...or else! 
@SoCalGardener wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:Hello everyone! New here and learning so much! Can someone please explain the difference and benefit of making a payment on the statement date vs the payment due date. Right now I have my credit cards on autopay to pay on the payment due date, which I think isn't the best option?
I've read a few posts that touch on the subject, but I kinda still don't get it. My little brain just isn't grasping it 🥴.
You're doing fine! It takes time to get oriented.
Others have given you some excellent input, so I'm just going to emphasize that paying *on* your due date is not a good idea. Too many things can go wrong--and if they do, you won't know about it until it's too late. I would change those dates ASAP to at least five days earlier; the more the better.
And to totally simplify your original question:
statement date = the date the CC company cuts the statement for the previous month's use
payment date = the date by which the CC company must receive at least the minimum payment due...or else!
Thanks for responding. I'm literally learning so much! I plan to sit down today and change the autopay dates. You made a very good point. I wouldn't realize there was a problem until it was too late.