You can see your credit score from your bank, credit card company, credit bureaus, or free online services — most offer it at no cost

Your bank or credit card issuer is often the fastest place to look. Log into your online account or mobile app and search for "credit score," "credit health," or "financial overview." Most major banks and card companies now show your score free of charge, updated monthly or more often. This score may come from one of the three major bureaus — Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion — or it may be a score calculated by the bank itself using their own model.

If your bank does not display a score, you can request one directly from the three major credit bureaus. Each bureau is required by law to give you one free credit report per year at AnnualCreditReport.com, the official government site. That report does not include your score, but you can purchase your score from the same bureau for a small fee, or you can use a free third-party service instead.

Free credit monitoring services like Credit Karma, Credit Sesame, and NerdMoney show your score without charge. These services pull from one or more of the three bureaus and update regularly. They make money by recommending credit products, not by charging you. Your score from these services is real — it is not a marketing gimmick — though the exact number may differ slightly from what a lender sees, because lenders use different scoring models.

Key Takeaways

  • Your bank or credit card company likely shows your credit score free in their app or online account.
  • The three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — each sell your score directly, though the purchase price is usually under $10.
  • Free services like Credit Karma and Credit Sesame show your score from one or more bureaus at no cost and update it regularly.
  • Your score may vary by a few points depending on which bureau reports it and which scoring model the service uses.
  • You can get one free credit report per year from each bureau at AnnualCreditReport.com, though the report itself does not include your score.

What your bank or credit card company shows you

Most major banks and credit card issuers now display your credit score in their online banking portal or mobile app. Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, American Express, Discover, and Capital One all offer this feature. The score updates monthly and costs you nothing. To find it, log in to your account and look for a section labeled "credit score," "credit health," "financial overview," or "account insights." Some banks put it on your account dashboard; others hide it under a separate tab.

The score your bank shows you comes from one of the three major bureaus or from a scoring model the bank uses internally. You can usually click on the score to see which bureau it comes from and what factors are driving it up or down. If your bank does not show a score, call their customer service line and ask whether they offer one. If they do not, you will need to check elsewhere.

Checking directly with the credit bureaus

Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion are the three companies that collect and report your credit history. Each one maintains a separate file on you, and each one calculates a score. You can visit each bureau's website directly and purchase your score. The cost is usually between $1 and $10, depending on the bureau and what package you buy. Some bureaus offer a free trial period, after which you are charged a monthly subscription if you do not cancel.

Before you pay, remember that you can get one free credit report (without the score) from each bureau per year at AnnualCreditReport.com. This is the only official site authorized by federal law to provide free reports. Do not use other sites that claim to offer free reports — many are scams or will enroll you in a paid subscription without clear consent. The report itself shows your payment history, accounts, and inquiries, but not your numerical score.

Free credit score services and how they work

Credit Karma is the largest free service. It shows your score from TransUnion and Equifax, updated weekly. You create an account, verify your identity, and your score appears immediately. Credit Karma also shows your credit report details and explains what is affecting your score. The service is free because Credit Karma makes money by recommending credit cards, loans, and other financial products to you.

Credit Sesame works similarly. It pulls your score from Experian and updates it monthly. NerdMoney (formerly known as Quizzle) shows your score from Experian as well. All three services are free, all three update regularly, and all three will recommend products to you as a way to generate revenue. None of them will charge you a fee unless you choose to purchase a product they recommend.

The score these services show you is real and accurate for the bureau they pull from. However, the exact number may differ from what a lender sees because lenders use different scoring models. A lender might use FICO Score 8, FICO Score 10, VantageScore, or a proprietary model. Your score from Credit Karma might be 680, but a mortgage lender might calculate your score as 665 using their own model. The difference is normal and does not mean either score is wrong.

Why your score might differ across services

If you check your score from your bank, Credit Karma, and Experian directly, you may see three different numbers. This happens for two reasons: the bureaus themselves may report different information about you, and different scoring models calculate scores differently.

The three bureaus do not share data with each other. If you opened a credit card and the issuer reported it to Equifax but not to TransUnion, your Equifax score will reflect that account but your TransUnion score will not. Over time, most accounts appear on all three bureaus, but timing lags mean the bureaus sometimes have different information about you at any given moment.

Scoring models also vary. FICO Score 8 (the most common model lenders use) weighs factors differently than VantageScore or FICO Score 10. A single late payment might lower your FICO Score 8 by 50 points but your VantageScore by 30 points. Neither is wrong — they are just different ways of measuring risk. When you see your score from different services, check which model and which bureau each one uses. That will explain most of the variation.

Understanding which score matters for what

Different lenders use different scores. Mortgage lenders typically use FICO Score 8 or FICO Score 2, 4, or 5 (older versions designed specifically for mortgages). Auto lenders often use FICO Auto Score. Credit card companies may use VantageScore or a proprietary model. This means the score you see on Credit Karma may not be the score a mortgage lender will see.

For most purposes, knowing your score range is more useful than knowing the exact number. If your score is in the 700s, you are in good standing with most lenders. If it is in the 600s, you may face higher interest rates or stricter terms. If it is below 600, you may be denied credit or offered only subprime products. The exact number matters less than the range, because lenders care about risk categories, not precision.

If you are preparing to apply for a specific type of credit — a mortgage, auto loan, or credit card — ask the lender which score they use. Then check that score specifically before you apply. Your bank may show you a score that is not the one the lender will see, and knowing the difference can help you prepare.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does checking my credit score hurt my credit?

No. Checking your own score is a "soft inquiry" and does not affect your credit at all. Only hard inquiries — when a lender checks your score because you applied for credit — can lower your score slightly. You can check your score as often as you want without any penalty.

Why is my score different on my bank's app and on Credit Karma?

Your bank may pull from a different bureau than Credit Karma does, or they may use a different scoring model. Credit Karma shows TransUnion and Equifax scores; your bank might show an Experian score or a score it calculates itself. Check which bureau and model each service uses, and the difference will make sense.

Is Credit Karma really free, or will I get charged later?

Credit Karma is free. It makes money by recommending credit products to you, not by charging you a fee. You will not be enrolled in a paid subscription unless you actively choose to purchase a product they recommend. Read any terms before you click "buy," but the score itself costs nothing.

Can I see my credit score without creating an account?

No. All services require you to create an account and verify your identity before showing you your score. This protects your privacy and ensures only you can see your information. The process usually takes a few minutes and requires your name, address, and Social Security number.

What if I see a score that seems wrong?

If your score seems too low, check your credit report for errors. You can get a free report from each bureau at AnnualCreditReport.com. Look for accounts you did not open, late payments you do not remember, or other mistakes. If you find an error, contact the bureau in writing and ask them to investigate and correct it.