FICO Scores are the most important, as 90% of top lenders use them to make lending decisions, specifically the FICO Score 8 for general, auto, and credit card lending. While Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax all provide data, no single bureau is more important, but the FICO model itself is the industry standard.
FICO Scores are an industry standard
90% of top lenders use FICO Scores. So when you apply for a loan, it's likely your lender will be checking your FICO Scores to determine how much you can borrow and how much interest you'll pay.
Neither your TransUnion or Equifax score is more or less accurate than the other. They're just calculated from slightly differing sources. Your Equifax credit score is likely lower due to reporting differences. Nonetheless, a “fair” score from TransUnion is typically “fair” across the board.
There is no single credit score that's considered the most accurate. The truth is, there are several types of credit scores and many versions of each of those scores. And while different scores are often calculated based on many of the same factors, thinking of these scores in terms of accuracy can still be misleading.
Yes, you can likely get a $50,000 loan with a 700 credit score, as this falls into the "good" credit range (670-739) that unlocks better rates, but approval also hinges on your income, debt-to-income (DTI) ratio (ideally below 36%), and overall credit history, with lenders looking for stability and repayment ability, so prequalifying with multiple lenders helps compare terms.
The bottom line: Neither your Equifax nor TransUnion reports and credit scores are necessarily more important or more accurate — and all three main credit bureaus are commonly used by lenders seeking information to evaluate people's credit.
Most credit score ranges are similar to the following:
Yes, car dealerships use both Equifax and TransUnion (along with Experian), often pulling reports from multiple bureaus to find the best auto loan rates, as lenders specialize in different ones, with Experian being very common for auto loans, but Equifax and TransUnion being used too, depending on the lender and region, with multiple pulls usually counting as one inquiry for "rate shopping".
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.
For other types of credit, such as personal loans, student loans and retail credit, you'll likely want to know your FICO® Score 8, which is the score most widely used by lenders.
The two main companies that produce and maintain credit scores are FICO and VantageScore. Both have released updates to their basic scores over the years. FICO® Scores are used by 90% of top lenders to make lending decisions, and in particular, the FICO® Score 8 is a popular version for general use.
The 2-2-2 credit rule is a guideline for building strong credit, suggesting you should have two active credit accounts (like cards or loans) for at least two years, with consistent on-time payments for those two years, often with a minimum credit limit of $2,000 per account, to demonstrate financial responsibility to lenders, especially for mortgages. It's a benchmark to show you can handle credit well over time, reducing lender risk and improving approval odds for major loans.
Multiple scoring models
For example, Equifax relies primarily on the FICO scoring model, while TransUnion uses the VantageScore model. Thus, even if both credit bureaus have access to the same financial information about your credit experience, the scores they generate will differ.
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.
It is rare to have an 850 credit score, but not impossible, and may be useful when applying for credit opportunities. Achieving and maintaining an 850 credit score can be difficult as it takes time, diligence and commitment to manage your credit effectively.
The largest national credit reporting agencies are Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Those agencies usually receive new credit information every 30-45 days from lenders, according to TransUnion. So it's reasonable to assume your credit score could change each time your reports are updated.