Why are my credit scores different?

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.

Your credit scores might be different due to the credit scoring model used, the information reported to credit bureaus, the date when your score was pulled, the credit score version used or the errors on your credit report.

If you’ve ever done a deep dive into your credit health and checked your credit score, you may have noticed some inconsistencies. And you’re left wondering, “Why are my credit scores different across different sites?”

Credit scores are three-digit numbers ranging from 300 to 850 and are based on five primary factors: payment history, credit utilization, length of credit history, types of credit and new credit. Though these factors remain pretty consistent across all scoring models, you may not see the exact same score from every credit bureau (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion). 

Luckily, a slight difference in scores typically doesn’t have a huge impact on qualifying for new lines of credit. The important thing is that the same general information is evaluated across all credit agencies. 

In this guide, we’ll answer why your scores may be different, when to be concerned about any discrepancies and which credit scores matter most to lenders. 

Why are my credit scores different?

When checking your credit score, different sites may populate different scores. For example, some third-party sites report scores from TransUnion, and TransUnion generally uses the VantageScore 3.0 credit scoring model. In comparison, most banks offer users free access to their credit scores, but banks typically use the FICO credit scoring model. So, when you check your credit score for free via your bank, you may see a different score than a lender will see when reviewing your credit. 

All this primarily comes down to what scoring model is being used. There are many different types of credit scores, but most use two main scoring models—FICO score and VantageScore. 

FICO score vs. VantageScore

Though each credit scoring model is based on similar factors, the impact of the factors on your credit score differs from model to model. 

Your FICO score is based on the following factors:  

• Payment history (35 percent)
• Amount owed (30 percent)
• Length of credit history (15 percent)
• New credit (10 percent)
• Credit mix (10 percent)

The factors impacting your VantageScore are: 

• Total credit usage, balance and available credit (extremely influential)
• Credit mix and experience (highly influential)
• Payment history (moderately influential)
• Age of credit history and new accounts (less influential)

As you can see, the information gathered for each scoring model is the same, with some data weighing more heavily than others. For example, payment history is the biggest factor in your FICO score, but it’s only considered moderately influential when calculating your VantageScore. 

6 reasons your credit scores are different

Now that we understand exactly what each credit scoring model looks at, let’s dive into why your credit scores can differ. 

1. Your score was calculated using a different scoring model

As mentioned, your credit score can be calculated using one of the two main credit scoring models—FICO and VantageScore. Your score could appear different because of the difference in the calculations mentioned above. If you were late on a payment, your FICO score could be majorly impacted, but your VantageScore may not see the same drop. 

2. Information varies between credit bureaus

Credit scores are calculated using the information on your credit report, which comes from one of the three credit bureaus. When lenders share data from your accounts with the credit bureaus, they’re not required to report to all three—some may even share with only one. 

Information that may appear on your report from one credit agency may not appear on another. Because of this, each of the three bureaus can have different information on its reports, resulting in a potential difference in scores. 

For example, if Experian had a record of a payment you missed but the other bureaus didn’t, a score based on your Experian report would likely be lower than one based on the other bureaus’ reports. 

3. Different credit score version

In addition to different credit score models, there are also various versions of credit scores. For example, FICO uses different scores depending on the type of loan you’re applying for. If you’re applying for an auto loan, the lender may look at your FICO Auto Score. Or, if you’re applying for a credit card, credit card issuers may look at your FICO Bankcard Score. 

If you’re applying for one of these loans, you’ll want to know your industry-specific scores beforehand. While the FICO Score 8 model is the most widely used, it’s up to each lender to decide which score it will use when determining your creditworthiness. 

Credit score versions are updated every few years when needed. When a new version is rolled out, some lenders may be slow to adopt the latest versions. Because each updated version has slightly different scoring methods, this could cause a difference in credit scores. 

4. Your credit scores were recorded at different times

Your credit report and credit score are constantly being updated with new data as you make financial transactions. As new information is reported to the credit bureaus and your report is updated, your credit score can change. 

If your credit score was calculated on one day but new information regarding your credit was reported a day or two later, there could be a difference in scores. 

5. There are errors on your credit report

As mentioned, lenders don’t always choose to report to all three credit bureaus. There could be a difference in your scores if errors or inaccuracies appear on one credit report but not the others. If this is the case, you’ll want to dispute these errors to avoid further impact to your credit. 

When checking your credit report, you should review the following: 

• Late payments and charge-offs
• New accounts
• Increases in card balances
• Decreases in card balances
• Hard inquiries
• Collections

6. You have different names or have changed your name

In some cases, people may have different credit information under various names. For example, someone could have had a spelling error on a loan application or have changed their name after marriage. 

Usually, the credit bureaus are great at catching these differences and merging them into an individual’s primary report. Still, there are times when one bureau catches the credit accounts associated with different names but another bureau doesn’t. These name discrepancies can lead to differences in credit scores, as it can mean some of the bureaus are missing some of your information. 

Which credit score matters to lenders?

Though each lender has its own method of determining creditworthiness, FICO is one of the most-used credit-scoring models. In fact, the top 90 U.S. lenders use the FICO scoring model when making lending decisions. While FICO remains the most widely used scoring model, you should still monitor your other credit scores since the models used vary from lender to lender. 

When should you worry about differences in your credit scores?

Minor differences in your credit scores are going to happen. Generally speaking, these differences of a few points are too small to impact your ability to get approved for credit. 

However, if you notice your credit scores are significantly different, you likely need to take some additional action. What does “significantly different” mean? This means a difference big enough to impact a loan or credit application.

So, if your credit score ranges from average to good with one credit scoring model but is poor with the other model, your chances of securing loan approvals will vary greatly depending on who provides the credit score to the lender. This isn’t a risk you want to take with loan applications, so it’s better to address the problem. 

Big differences in your credit score could be due to activities such as recent fraudulent activity under your name or inaccurate data sharing about your credit with some of the credit bureaus. Whatever the reason, you’ll want to identify the issue and try to get it resolved so your credit score stays strong. You can do this by accessing each credit report and analyzing it for errors and discrepancies. If the information on your credit reports is inconsistent, you can file a dispute, or submit a rapid rescore if you’re applying for a mortgage. 

If you need a complete credit review or are ready to work to improve your credit, consider the credit assessment offered by Lexington Law Firm. This free assessment gives you your credit score, credit report summary and a credit repair recommendation. Get started today. 

Note: 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.