Credit Karma does not use FICO 8 or 9. Instead, it provides a free VantageScore 3.0 (or 4.0) credit score, which is based on data from TransUnion and Equifax. While similar to FICO, this is a different, separate model used for educational monitoring rather than the FICO score >90% of lenders typically use.
Credit Karma provides free VantageScore 3.0 credit scores from the credit bureaus TransUnion and Equifax. VantageScore is a different scoring model than FICO, but it's still a good way to gauge your credit standing since it's used by top banks and lenders. What is a FICO score?
Is Credit Karma or FICO Score more accurate? FICO Scores are considered more accurate for lending decisions because they are the standard used by most lenders. Credit Karma provides VantageScores, which can differ from FICO Scores due to different scoring models and criteria.
But, just how accurate are Credit Karma scores? They may differ by 20 to 25 points, and in some cases even more. When Credit Karma users see their credit score details, they are viewing a VantageScore, not the FICO score that the majority of lenders use.
Versions 8 and 9 of FICO scores are similar, but FICO Score 9 is generally considered the more forgiving of the two for a few reasons: With FICO 9, third-party collections no longer hurt your credit score once those debts are paid off. FICO 9 treats medical collections differently than other types of debt.
You're most likely familiar with their FICO score. FICO offers specific products and solutions for car dealers and auto loans. Their product is called Auto Score 8. As you can see here from FICO's promotional materials, Auto Score 8 is meant to help dealers assess credit risk and make approval decisions for auto loans.
The VantageScore 3.0 credit scores you see on Credit Karma from Equifax and TransUnion are “real” credit scores. But keep in mind you have many different credit scores. Some of your other scores (like one of your FICO® scores or a score from Experian) might be higher, while others might be lower.
The primary reason for any discrepancy is that Credit Karma uses the VantageScore model, while most lenders use FICO scores. Additionally, Credit Karma doesn't include data from Experian, the third major credit bureau.
According to the Fair Isaac Corporation, FICO Score 8 is still the most widely used version of the FICO score, and FICO Score 9 is also still widely used by lenders, even though both models have been available for over a decade.
Credit Karma should be fairly accurate to your actual credit score, but there are instances where it may update before your report score does. You'll want to check your FICO® Score through a service like Experian to determine creditworthiness for loans and other purchases.
Basically, "credit score" and "FICO score" are all referring to the same thing. A FICO score is a type of credit scoring model. While different reporting agencies may weigh factors slightly differently, they are all essentially measuring the same thing.
Equifax vs. Credit Karma: Which is more accurate for your credit score? You may be surprised to know that the simple answer is that both are accurate. Read on to find out what's different between the two companies, how they get your credit score, and why you have more than one credit score to begin with.
Many factors impact your FICO score including how much credit you use, how long you've had credit, the type of credit accounts, and how many hard inquiries you have on your credit report. Managing these factors responsibly can contribute to an improved FICO score over time.
It's partly true: most negative items like late payments and collections are removed from your credit report after about seven years, but the underlying debt often still exists, and bankruptcies (Chapter 7) last 10 years, so your credit isn't entirely "clear" but mostly refreshed from old negatives. The 7-year clock starts from the date of the original delinquency, not when you paid it off or sent to collections, and the debt itself can still be pursued by collectors.
Credit Karma doesn't actually calculate credit scores like FICO does. FICO credit scores and the VantageScore credit scores that Credit Karma provides differ slightly in the factors they consider and how those factors are weighed, and small changes in these areas can lead to different final scores.
If your FICO scores differ from other credit scores you see, it's likely because the scores you're viewing were calculated using a different scoring version or model. Those versions may have different information from each other.
Credit card issuers often use FICO® Score 9, FICO Bankcard Score 9 or other FICO Bankcard scores. FICO Bankcard Scores are variations on the base FICO® Scores designed for use in credit card decisions.