Because your credit reports can differ, your scores are unlikely to be the same. Your credit scores are determined solely by the information in your credit reports and if that information is different across your reports, your credit scores will also be different.
Different credit scoring models weigh this information slightly differently, which is why we each have so many scores. The existence of multiple credit scores allows lenders to develop scores to address specific needs, such as consumers who don't have a deep credit history.
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.
Is Experian Accurate? Credit scores from the credit bureaus are only as accurate as the information provided to the bureau. Check your credit report to ensure all the information is correct. If it is, your Experian credit scores are accurate.
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.
Credit scores help lenders evaluate whether they want to do business with you. The FICO® Score☉ , which is the most widely used scoring model, falls in a range that goes up to 850. The lowest credit score in this range is 300. But the reality is that almost nobody has a score that low.
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.
Some credit cards that use Experian only reportedly include Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Citi Premier Card, among others.
Your credit scores may vary according to the credit scoring model used, and may also vary based on which credit bureau furnishes the credit report used for the data. That's because not all lenders and creditors report to all three nationwide credit bureaus. Some may report to only two, one or none at all.
Our Verdict: Credit Karma has better credit monitoring and more features, but Experian actually gives you your “real” credit score. Plus it offers the wonderful Experian Boost tool. Since they're both free, it's worth it to get both of them.
A: As a general matter, no one credit bureau report is “more important” than the others. In today's economic environment, they are all vitally critical to your personal finances.
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.
You only have one credit report with Experian, one credit report with Equifax and one credit report with TransUnion. So, just because you may have dozens of credit scores, it certainly doesn't mean you have dozens of credit reports.
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.
FICO Scoring Model. The FICO scoring model is considered the most reliable because it has the best track record. It has been around since 1989 and there have been numerous revisions over the last three decades to take into account the changing factors that determine an accurate credit score.
The middle credit score is most significant when buying a house because mortgage companies ignore the highest and lowest number provided by Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
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. Your score can then differ based on what bureau your credit report is pulled from since they don't all receive the same information about your credit accounts.
Experian is the largest credit bureau in the United States. Still, it's not the only entity that houses consumer financial data. Equifax and TransUnion are the other major credit reporting agencies lenders, and creditors turn to for credit reports and scores used to make lending decisions.
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.
Banks and Stores
Experian, TransUnion and Equifax are the three largest credit reporting agencies, and most major banks use them to come up with a combined FICO score. International financial organizations such as Barclays, HSBC, Morgan Stanley, MBNA and Nationwide are examples of those that rely on Experian.
Capital One uses any of the three major credit bureaus for credit card approval: Equifax, Experian or TransUnion.
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)
If you have an installment loan that reports only to Experian, your Experian credit score may be very different Equifax and TransUnion. Delinquencies reported on a loan reported on one credit report, but not the others, is the most common reason why you'll see wide credit score discrepancies, like 100 points.
It is possible to have a poor score with one agency and an excellent score with the other. The lack of consistency can sometimes be due to how lenders report credit to credit bureaus. If a creditor reports to Experian but not Equifax, the credit scores from the two agencies for that person will likely be different.