Here's the short answer: The credit scores and reports you see on Credit Karma come directly from TransUnion and Equifax, two of the three major consumer credit bureaus. The credit scores and reports you see on Credit Karma should accurately reflect your credit information as reported by those bureaus.
The score and credit report information you see on Credit Karma comes from TransUnion — one of the three main credit reference agencies in the UK. Credit Karma isn't a credit reference agency. ... Rather, we show you information and a score that's directly provided to us by TransUnion.
Credit Karma works with Equifax and TransUnion, two of the three major consumer credit bureaus, to give you access to your free credit scores and free credit reports. (Experian is the third major consumer credit bureau.) Credit Karma can offer free credit scores and reports because we make money in other ways.
Is TransUnion more important than Equifax? The short answer is no. Both TransUnion and Equifax are reliable credit reporting agencies that compile reports and calculate your credit scores using different scoring models.
The scores and credit report information on Credit Karma come from TransUnion and Equifax, two of the three major credit bureaus. Credit Karma compiles its own VantageScore based on that information.
Why are my credit scores from Credit Karma different from scores I got somewhere else? We pull your VantageScore 3.0 credit scores directly from TransUnion and Equifax. ... One big reason why you may have different scores is that the three credit bureaus may have differing information about you.
But how accurate is Credit Karma? In some cases, as seen in an example below, Credit Karma may be off by 20 to 25 points.
Credit Karma isn't a credit bureau, which means we don't determine your credit scores. Instead, we work with Equifax and TransUnion to provide you with your free credit reports and free credit scores, which are based on the VantageScore 3.0 credit score model.
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) FICO® Score 4 (TransUnion)
While there's no exact answer to which credit score matters most, lenders have a clear favorite: FICO® Scores are used in over 90% of lending decisions. While that can help you narrow down which credit score to check, you'll still have to consider the reason why you're checking your credit score.
This is mainly because of two reasons: For one, lenders may pull your credit from different credit bureaus, whether it is Experian, Equifax or TransUnion. ... Secondly, different credit score models (and versions) exist across the board. As it states on its website, Credit Karma uses the VantageScore® 3.0 model.
If you've recently made a change, like opening or closing a line of credit, or paying down a credit card balance, your lender(s) may not have reported this information to the credit bureaus yet. You can check when the individual accounts were last reported with the bureau through Credit Karma.
Credit Karma offers free access to TransUnion and Equifax credit data, as well as offering tax preparation assistance, and other services. It makes money by receiving a fee every time a user purchases a product or service it recommends. Credit Karma is a fintech startup focusing on providing credit information.
The score you see on Credit Karma is provided and calculated independently by TransUnion. Other credit information providers may use different credit reference agencies. Some lenders report to all three major credit reference agencies, but others report to only one or two.
On Credit Karma you'll see scores and reports from TransUnion and Equifax, both using the VantageScore 3.0 scoring model. VantageScore was created in collaboration with all three credit bureaus, and VantageScore 3.0 is relied on by lenders across a variety of industries.
PenFed Credit Union is the only loan company that uses only your Equifax credit data. In most cases, you won't be able to determine beforehand which credit bureaus your lender will use. In some cases, lenders will pull your credit report from two or even all three major credit bureaus.
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.
FICO scores are used in over 90% of lending decisions making the FICO® Basic, Advanced and Premier services the most accurate for credit score updates.
The reason that your Equifax score is lower than your TransUnion score is based on the fact that TransUnion adds personal information and employment data that is weighted into their model. The other two only report the name of your employer and do not add any weight to that fact.
Equifax: Which is most accurate? No credit score from any one of the credit bureaus is more valuable or more accurate than another. It's possible that a lender may gravitate toward one score over another, but that doesn't necessarily mean that score is better.
It usually takes about four to six weeks for lenders to report new information (like new balances or payment activity) to TransUnion, and the frequency of updates can vary by lender. So it can take up to seven weeks for any changes or new information to show on Credit Karma.
Understanding credit score ranges
A good score with TransUnion and VantageScore® 3.0 is between 720 and 780. As your score climbs through and above this range, you can benefit from the increased freedom and flexibility healthy credit brings. Some people want to achieve a score of 850, the highest credit score possible.
For a score with a range between 300 and 850, a credit score of 700 or above is generally considered good. A score of 800 or above on the same range is considered to be excellent. Most consumers have credit scores that fall between 600 and 750.
You can get a free FICO® Score 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.