Is CreditWise accurate? Yes, Capital One CreditWise is accurate. Because many people are more familiar with the FICO model of credit scoring than the VantageScore 3.0 model, they might be confused at first. But all information on CreditWise is accurate from a VantageScore perspective.
Is Credit Wise accurate? Capital One Credit Wise does NOT provide you with a FICO score. Instead, it provides you with a TransUnion Vantage 3.0 score. So Credit Wise is accurate; it's just that it won't necessarily give you an accurate idea of where your FICO score stands since it's a different model.
FICO® is a different credit score model than the one we use for CreditWise, which is the TransUnion VantageScore 3.0 credit score. But both of these credit scoring models are based on similar key factors that lenders want to know about before offering you credit.
The most accurate credit scores are the latest versions of the FICO Score and VantageScore credit-scoring models: FICO Score 8 and VantageScore 3.0. It is important to check a reputable, accurate credit score because there are more than 1,000 different types of credit scores floating around.
Your score differs based on the information provided to each bureau, explained more next. Information provided to the credit bureaus: The credit bureaus may not receive all of the same information about your credit accounts. Surprisingly, lenders aren't required to report to all or any of the three bureaus.
You can get your FICO® Score for free from hundreds of financial services companies, including banks, credit unions, credit card issuers and credit counselors that participate in the FICO® Score Open Access program and offer free scores to customers.
Consequently, when lenders check your FICO credit score, whether based on credit report data from Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion, they will likely use the FICO 8 scoring model. FICO 8 scores range between 300 and 850. A FICO score of at least 700 is considered a good score.
Although ranges vary depending on the credit scoring model, generally credit scores from 580 to 669 are considered fair; 670 to 739 are considered good; 740 to 799 are considered very good; and 800 and up are considered excellent.
This is because individual consumer reporting agencies, credit scoring companies, lenders and creditors may use slightly different formulas to calculate your credit scores. They might also weigh your information differently depending on the type of credit account for which you've applied.
What Credit Score Do Lenders Use? The two main companies that produce and maintain credit scoring models are FICO® and VantageScore. Lenders most commonly use the FICO® Score to make lending decisions, and in particular, the FICO® Score 8 is the most popular version for general use.
Using CreditWise Won't Affect Your Credit Score
You can sign in as often as you like—using CreditWise will never affect your credit score. That's because CreditWise uses what's known as a soft inquiry to check your credit.
Payment History Is the Most Important Factor of Your Credit Score. Payment history accounts for 35% of your FICO® Score.
If you've used CreditWise in the past, you may notice that your credit score looks a little different now. This is because your CreditWise score was previously provided by Equifax, but is now provided by TransUnion.
This is due to a variety of factors, such as the many different credit score brands, score variations and score generations in commercial use at any given time. These factors are likely to yield different credit scores, even if your credit reports are identical across the three credit bureaus—which is also unusual.
What's a Good Score on the VantageScore 3.0 Model? The VantageScore model runs from 300 to 850. According to VantageScore, a good credit score on their model would be 661 to 780, and an excellent score would be anything above that.
When the scores are significantly different across bureaus, it is likely the underlying data in the credit bureaus is different and thus driving that observed score difference.
The average FICO® Score☉ in the U.S. rose to 714 in 2021, according to Experian data from September 2021. It's the fourth consecutive year of an increase, up from the average FICO® Score of 710 in September 2020.
Experian's advantage over FICO is that the information it provides is more thorough than a simple number. A pair of borrowers could both have 700 FICO scores but vastly different credit histories.
What's A Good Credit Score To Buy A House? Generally speaking, you'll need a credit score of at least 620 in order to secure a loan to buy a house. That's the minimum credit score requirement most lenders have for a conventional loan.
The scoring model used in mortgage applications
While the FICO® 8 model is the most widely used scoring model for general lending decisions, banks use the following FICO scores when you apply for a mortgage: FICO® Score 2 (Experian) FICO® Score 5 (Equifax)
A FICO Score between 740 and 850 is generally considered to be in the very good to excellent credit score range to buy a home. If your score falls below this level, however, you may still be eligible for some mortgage opportunities in the financial marketplace.
A FICO score of 650 is considered fair—better than poor, but less than good. It falls below the national average FICO® Score of 710, and solidly within the fair score range of 580 to 669.
The credit scores and reports you see on Credit Karma should accurately reflect your credit information as reported by those bureaus. This means a couple of things: The scores we provide are actual credit scores pulled from two of the major consumer credit bureaus, not just estimates of your credit rating.
In order to have access to your free FICO Score, you'll typically need to be the primary account holder on a consumer card. Once you meet the eligibility requirements, you can view your free FICO credit score from within your online account. Many mobile apps also have credit score dashboards.