The fastest way to see your credit score

You can see your credit score free through your bank or credit card company's website or app. Log in to your account, look for a section called "Credit Score," "Credit Insights," or "Financial Health," and it will show you a number. This is usually updated monthly and takes no extra steps — you already have the login.

If your bank does not offer this, the three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — each let you see your score free once per year at AnnualCreditReport.com. You can also check your score free through Experian's website directly, or through Equifax's free monitoring service. These sites ask for your name, address, date of birth, and Social Security number to confirm your identity.

Many free credit monitoring services also show your score — Credit Karma, Credit Sesame, and Discover's Credit Scorecard are common ones. They do not cost money, though they may show you ads or try to sell you other products. The score they show is real and updated regularly, usually weekly or monthly.

Key Takeaways

  • Your bank or credit card company's app is the fastest place to check — log in and look for a credit score section, usually updated monthly.
  • AnnualCreditReport.com lets you see your score free once per year from each of the three bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
  • Free monitoring services like Credit Karma and Credit Sesame show your score continuously and update it weekly or monthly at no cost.
  • The score you see may vary slightly depending on which bureau reports it and which scoring model is used, so seeing multiple scores is normal.

Understanding which score you are seeing

Credit scores come in different versions. The most common are FICO scores and VantageScore. FICO scores range from 300 to 850 and are what most lenders use when you apply for a mortgage, car loan, or credit card. VantageScore also ranges from 300 to 850 but uses a slightly different calculation. Both are legitimate scores, but a lender may use one or the other — or a version specific to their industry.

Each of the three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) keeps its own file on you, so your score may be different at each one. This happens because not all creditors report to all three bureaus, and sometimes the information they report differs. When you check your score through your bank, you are usually seeing one bureau's version. When you check through AnnualCreditReport.com, you can see all three.

The score you see for free online is usually the same type a lender would see, but not always. Some free services show you a "educational score" that is close to but not exactly the same as the FICO score a lender pulls. The difference is usually small enough that it does not change what you may have access to for, but it is worth knowing.

What to do after you see your score

Once you have your score, check your credit report for errors. You can get your full report free from AnnualCreditReport.com at the same time you check your score. Read through it carefully — look for accounts you did not open, late payments you do not remember, or balances that are wrong. Errors on your report can lower your score unfairly.

If you find an error, contact the bureau that reported it in writing. Include a copy of the document that proves the error (a bank statement, a letter from the creditor, or a court record). The bureau has 30 days to investigate and must correct it if it is wrong. You can also contact the creditor directly and ask them to report the correct information to the bureaus.

If your score is lower than you expected, look at what is dragging it down. Most credit scores are hurt most by late payments, high balances on credit cards, and too many recent inquiries from lenders. These things take time to improve, but they do improve — a late payment from two years ago hurts less than one from two months ago.

Checking your score without hurting it

Checking your own score does not hurt it. This is called a "soft inquiry" and does not show up to lenders. Only when a lender or creditor pulls your score — a "hard inquiry" — does it show on your report and lower your score slightly. Soft inquiries happen when you check your own score, when a company checks to see if they want to send you a credit offer, or when an employer checks your credit.

You can check your score as often as you want without penalty. Many people check monthly to watch their progress, especially if they are paying down debt or working to improve their score. Checking more often does not help you improve faster, but it does let you catch errors or fraud sooner.

Free score checks through specific companies

If you have a credit card, your card issuer almost certainly shows your score free. Chase, American Express, Capital One, Discover, and most other major issuers display it in your online account. Some show it only to cardholders, but many show it to anyone who signs up for their free monitoring service.

If you have a mortgage or car loan, your lender may also show you your score. Call or log into your account to ask. Some lenders update it monthly, others less often, but it is always free.

Checking through multiple sources gives you a fuller picture. Your bank might show you an Experian score, your credit card might show you a TransUnion score, and a free monitoring service might show you an Equifax score. Seeing all three helps you understand where you stand with each bureau.

What to avoid when checking your score

Do not pay for a credit score check. Every legitimate source of your score is free — AnnualCreditReport.com, your bank, your credit card company, and free monitoring services. If a website asks you to pay to see your score, it is a scam. The only thing you might pay for is credit monitoring that alerts you to fraud or identity theft, which is different from just seeing your score.

Be cautious with sites that ask for your Social Security number or other sensitive information. Legitimate sites (AnnualCreditReport.com, your bank) ask for this to confirm you are who you say you are, but they are secure and do not sell your information. If a site feels suspicious, use a source you already know instead — your bank's app or AnnualCreditReport.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I check my credit score?

There is no penalty for checking as often as you want. Many people check monthly to track progress, especially if they are paying down debt. Checking more frequently does not improve your score faster, but it does let you catch errors or fraud sooner.

Will checking my credit score lower it?

No. Checking your own score is a soft inquiry and does not affect your score at all. Only when a lender or creditor pulls your score for a loan or credit application does it lower your score slightly, and only for a few months.

Why is my score different at each bureau?

Not all creditors report to all three bureaus, and sometimes they report different information. This means your file at Equifax may have different accounts or balances than your file at Experian or TransUnion. Seeing all three scores gives you a complete picture.

Can I get my score for free if I have never had credit?

You may not have a score yet if you have never borrowed money or had a credit card. Once you open an account and use it, the bureaus will create a file for you and you can check your score. Until then, there is nothing to report.

What is the difference between my score and my credit report?

Your credit report is a detailed list of all your accounts, payments, and inquiries. Your credit score is a single number calculated from that report. You can have a report without a score, but your score is always based on your report. Both are free from AnnualCreditReport.com.