The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, act as legal, financial or credit advice. See Lexington Law’s editorial disclosure for more information.
You can check your credit score for free by checking with your credit card company, requesting your score through your bank or signing up for an online service.
Checking your credit score doesn’t have to be complicated or cost you money, and you don’t have to worry about it hurting your credit. We recommend you learn how to check your credit score and reports—and check them often—so you have an idea of where you stand if you want to apply for credit.
Table of contents:
- How do I check my credit score? 5 ways
- How to get your credit report for free
- How credit scores work
- How to read your credit report
- How to check your credit score: FAQ
- How to improve your credit
How do I check my credit score? 5 ways
Here are five common ways you can check your credit score (the first three for free).
1. Check with your credit card company
Many major credit card companies today allow you to check your credit score for free, even if you’re not a customer. The limit will vary with each company, but you may be able to check as frequently as daily, weekly or monthly.
If you’re a customer, sometimes you can sign in to your credit card account and see your credit score online. Otherwise, you can try calling and finding out about your score.
Some major credit card companies that provide a free credit score are:
- American Express
- Bank of America
- Barclaycard
- Citibank
- Commerce Bank
- Discover
2. Request your credit score through your bank
Many banks and credit unions offer a free credit score rating through their online banking platforms. You typically only have to sign in to your account and you’ll see a credit score attached to your profile. Most financial institutions update these credit scores every month.
Some banks that offer free credit scores for their customers are:
- Wells Fargo
- Bank of America
- U.S. Bank
3. Sign up for an online service
There are plenty of online services that offer credit reporting. Typically, you create an account and get access to an updated credit score every seven to 14 days. However, make sure you’re signing up for a free account, as some of these websites charge a fee for their services.
4. Purchase from the credit services
The major credit bureaus as well as other credit services allow you to purchase access to your credit score. Yes, there are ways to access your credit score for free, but these services provide additional features like credit monitoring, identity theft protection and more. For some, it may be worth paying extra for these features.
5. Enroll in credit counseling
If you’re in debt, you may want to consider working with a credit counselor, and they can help you access your credit score along with their other services. Credit counseling is a helpful option for those who struggle with debt and managing their money. The counselor will help you develop a plan to pay off your debt as well as provide you with access to your credit score and reports.
How to get your credit report for free
Your credit score and report are different things, and you may be surprised to learn that your credit score isn’t on your credit reports.
Your credit reports are a record of your borrowing behavior with creditors and lenders. They show past and active accounts with details about balances, credit limits, account types, payment history and delinquencies.
Creditors and lenders like banks, collection agencies, government agencies and credit card companies report this consumer data to the three major credit bureaus (Experian®, Equifax® and TransUnion®), which collect it for consumer credit reports. This information is used by credit scoring companies (such as FICO® and VantageScore®) to compile each consumer’s personalized credit score.
Every consumer is legally entitled to a free credit report annually from each of the credit bureaus. You can also check your credit report:
- Within 60 days of adenied credit application
- If you receive some forms of public assistance
- If you are unemployed
- If you had an inaccurate credit report
To access a copy of your reports, you can go to AnnualCreditReport.com. Reviewing your credit reports frequently is helpful because potential issues are easier to resolve sooner rather than later. A 2021 survey from Consumer Reports found that 34 percent of respondents had at least one error on their credit reports. These errors can unnecessarily keep your credit score down and limit your opportunities.
How credit scores work
A credit score is typically a number between 300 and 850 and is meant to represent the potential risk of loaning the person money. The higher your credit score, the more creditworthy you seem to creditors and lenders, which may result in more (and better) financial opportunities.
Your credit score, along with your credit report, is one of the determining factors lenders look at when you are applying for lines of credit, getting a loan, renting a place to live and more.
Knowing your score can help you plan ahead, which is beneficial because each time your credit is run, a hard inquiry can lower your score. For example, if you know your credit score is too low for a new car, you don’t need to apply for the new car loan, which will trigger a hard inquiry and likely lower your credit score.
There are three main credit bureaus and multiple scoring models, though approximately 90 percent of top lenders use FICO scores.
Your credit score is made up of five factors, all of which are weighted differently:
- Payment history: 35 percent
- Amounts owed: 30 percent
- Credit history length: 15 percent
- Credit mix: 10 percent
- New credit: 10 percent
How to read your credit report
When preparing to review your credit report, there are a few things you can expect to find. Your credit report will be broken down into the following five sections, each of which you should review carefully.
- Personal information: Review the spelling of your name and the accuracy of details including your address and Social Security number.
- Employment history: Make sure the employers listed are all correct and note any you don’t recognize.
- Credit history: Ensure all account numbers, holdings, payment histories, statuses and account limits are accurate and that every account listed is yours.
- Public records: If public records are listed, they should accurately reflect your personal information.
- Credit inquiries: Credit inquiries should coincide with a known event, like an application you made for credit. Otherwise, it could be fraud.
If you notice any errors or fraudulent activity, it’s recommended that you take quick action and immediately file a police report, contact your lenders, check your credit report with all three bureaus and potentially dispute questionable items on your report. Remember that information in your report could seriously affect your credit, so any discrepancies should be reported immediately.
You can find specific instructions for filing disputes on each bureau’s website:
How to check your credit score: FAQ
Still have questions about checking your credit? We answer some frequently asked questions about credit scores below.
How often should you check your credit score?
Experts recommend checking your credit score and report at least once a year. If you’re actively working on improving your score, you may want to check it once a month to see your progress.
How do I check my credit score myself?
You can sign up for credit monitoring services that will give you access to your credit score whenever you need it.
Is it OK to check your credit score?
Yes. Your credit score isn’t negatively affected by you checking it yourself. It’s only lowered temporarily if someone runs a hard credit check, like when you apply for a loan, a new line of credit or another service.
What’s the best place to check your credit score and report?
You can use a credit monitoring service to check your score as often as you’d like, and AnnualCreditReport.com provides you with a free credit report once every 12 months.
How can I see all three of my credit reports for free?
AnnualCreditReport.com will let you see your credit report with all three credit bureaus.
How to improve your credit
These are some tried-and-true ways to work on boosting your credit:
- Pay your bills on time and in full when possible—consider putting as many bills on auto-payment as you can.
- Keep your credit utilization low.
- Pay down your debts.
- Keep your oldest credit cards and accounts open.
- Be careful about how often you’re applying for new credit.
And lastly, make sure you address any errors on your credit report. Many negative items can stay on your credit report for up to seven years (or longer). You’re entitled to an accurate credit report and can dispute any mistakes. If you’re not prepared to take on the dispute process yourself, let the consultants at Lexington Law Firm help you. Our credit consultants offer credit repair and credit education services, so consumers don’t have to navigate these challenging situations on their own.
Note: Articles have only been reviewed by the indicated attorney, not written by them. The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, act as legal, financial or credit advice; instead, it is for general informational purposes only. Use of, and access to, this website or any of the links or resources contained within the site do not create an attorney-client or fiduciary relationship between the reader, user, or browser and website owner, authors, reviewers, contributors, contributing firms, or their respective agents or employers.