Why do I have 3 different FICO scores?

Asked by: Alex Schuster DVM  |  Last update: July 12, 2023
Score: 4.9/5 (63 votes)

That's right; each of the three credit bureaus—Experian, Equifax and TransUnion—assigns consumer credit scores based on the unique information in their credit reports. This means someone may have a different FICO® Score among the different models and a different score from each of the credit bureaus.

Which FICO score is most accurate?

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.

Why are there multiple FICO scores?

Because lenders use so many different versions of the FICO® Score, and because they can get many of them from any of the three national credit bureaus (whose versions of your credit reports typically differ somewhat at any given time), it's practically impossible to know exactly which score a lender will see when they ...

Does a person have three FICO scores?

Three Credit Scores: Myth vs.

After all, anyone with a Social Security number who's ever possessed either a credit card or a loan also has a credit report from each of these bureaus. So it would only seem logical for there to be three corresponding credit scores. But that, as it turns out, isn't true.

Are the 3 credit scores different?

The three credit bureaus are different companies, and each one maintains its own credit report information. As such, it is likely that your three credit reports will be at least slightly different at any point in time.

Why your credit scores are different from each other - How so many FICO, VantageScore scores happen

17 related questions found

Which of the 3 credit scores is most important?

Payment History Is the Most Important Factor of Your Credit Score. Payment history accounts for 35% of your FICO® Score.

Is FICO or Experian more accurate?

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.

Why is my FICO 2 score lower than FICO 8?

Re: credit score fico 2 much lower than fico 8

Paying the loan down completely may briefly lower your credit score because you'll have less accounts and less variety of accounts open.

Which FICO score do lenders use?

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.

What FICO score is used for a mortgage?

The most commonly used FICO Score in the mortgage-lending industry is the FICO Score 5. According to FICO, the majority of lenders pull credit histories from all three credit reporting agencies as they evaluate mortgage applications. Mortgage lenders may also use FICO Score 2 or FICO Score 4 in their decisions as well.

Is FICO 8 or FICO 9 better?

FICO 9 is similar to FICO 8 but differs when it comes to collections and rent payments. FICO 9 counts medical collections less harshly than other accounts in collections, so a surgery bill in collections will have less of an impact on your credit score than a credit card bill in collections.

Is a FICO score of 8 good?

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.

How many FICO scores does a person usually have?

Fair Isaac Corp., more commonly known as FICO, has about 50 scores (a 2012 report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau puts that number at 49).

How do I get my true FICO score?

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.

Do lenders look at Equifax or TransUnion?

Answer provided by. “In general, lenders have a preferred credit report between Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. However, they may pull more than one credit report if they can't determine if you qualify for a loan based on one.

Why are my credit scores different on Credit Karma and Experian?

Credit Karma is different from Experian. While Experian compiles your credit report and determines your credit score, Credit Karma simply shows you credit scores and report information from Equifax and TransUnion.

Is Credit Karma accurate?

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.

How can I raise my FICO score 2 quickly?

4 tips to boost your credit score fast
  1. Pay down your revolving credit balances. If you have the funds to pay more than your minimum payment each month, you should do so. ...
  2. Increase your credit limit. ...
  3. Check your credit report for errors. ...
  4. Ask to have negative entries that are paid off removed from your credit report.

How do I improve my FICO 2 score?

5 steps to improve your FICO score
  1. Verify your accounts are current. “Payment History” makes the largest impact on your FICO score at 35 percent of your overall score. ...
  2. Dispute your inaccuracies. ...
  3. Ask for a little grace. ...
  4. Settle up collections, charge-offs, judgments and liens. ...
  5. Improve your debt utilization ratio.

What is a good FICO 2 score?

FICO® Scores in the 740 to 799 range are deemed very good. Individuals with scores in this range may qualify for better interest rates from lenders. Good: 670 to 739. FICO® Scores in the range of 670 to 739 are rated good.

How do I get my true FICO score for free?

The first place you should check for your free FICO Score is with your credit card issuer. Many card issuers provide their cardholders with free access to their credit score. While there's a good chance you'll have access to your credit score, the key is whether it's your FICO Score or VantageScore.

How far off is Credit Karma?

Credit Karma touts that it will always be free to the consumers who use its website or mobile app. 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.

Why are my Experian and Equifax reports different?

The main difference is Experian grades it between 0 – 1000, while Equifax grades the score between 0 – 1200. This means that there is not only a clear 200 point difference between these two bureaus but the “perfect scores” are also different, which is 1000 as reported by Experian and 1200 as reported by Equifax.

Which credit score matters more Equifax or TransUnion?

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.