The score ranges that lenders actually use

A good credit score typically falls between 670 and 739, depending on which scoring model the lender uses. Most lenders in the United States rely on FICO scores, which range from 300 to 850. Within that range, 670 marks the point where lenders stop treating you as high-risk and start offering better terms — lower interest rates, higher borrowing limits, and fewer fees.

The exact threshold varies by lender and by loan type. A mortgage lender might want 680 or higher. A credit card issuer might approve you at 660. Auto lenders often work with lower scores because the car itself serves as collateral. What matters is that 670 to 739 is the band where you stop paying a penalty for your credit history and start getting standard rates.

There is also a second scoring model called VantageScore, which uses the same 300–850 range but calculates differently. A score that is "good" on FICO might be "fair" on VantageScore, or vice versa. Most lenders still use FICO, so that is the one to focus on, but knowing both exist explains why you might see different numbers from different sources.

Key Takeaways

  • A good FICO credit score is generally 670 to 739, though some lenders set their own thresholds higher or lower.
  • Scores below 670 are considered fair or poor, and lenders charge higher interest rates or decline you outright.
  • Scores of 740 and above are considered very good or excellent, and unlock the best rates available.
  • Your score comes from payment history (35%), amounts owed (30%), length of credit history (15%), credit mix (10%), and new credit inquiries (10%).
  • You can check your FICO score through your bank, credit card issuer, or paid services; free scores from other sources may not match what lenders see.

How lenders interpret scores below and above the good range

Scores from 580 to 669 are considered fair. You may still get a loan, but you will pay more for it. Interest rates are higher, down payments are larger, and you might face stricter terms — a shorter loan period, a requirement to have a co-signer, or a higher credit limit on a card. Some lenders will not work with you at all in this range.

Scores below 580 are considered poor. Traditional lenders often decline applications outright. If you do get approved, the interest rate can be 5 to 10 percentage points higher than what someone with a good score pays. Some lenders specialise in poor-credit borrowing, but their rates reflect the risk they are taking on.

Scores of 740 to 799 are very good. You get better rates than the good range, lower fees, and lenders compete for your business. Scores of 800 and above are excellent. You receive the best rates available and the most favourable terms. The jump from 739 to 740 is small, but the difference in what you pay over the life of a loan can be thousands of dollars.

What actually moves your score up or down

Your FICO score is built from five categories. Payment history (35% of your score) is the largest factor — it tracks whether you pay bills on time. A single late payment can drop your score 100 points or more, depending on how late it was and how good your score was before. Payments that are 30 days late hurt more than payments that are 10 days late. Payments that are 90 days late hurt far more than either.

Amounts owed (30% of your score) looks at how much credit you are using compared to your limits. If you have a credit card with a $5,000 limit and a $4,500 balance, you are using 90% of your available credit, which damages your score. Using less than 30% of your available credit is ideal. This is why having multiple cards with low balances can help more than having one card with a high balance, even if the total amount owed is the same.

Length of credit history (15%) rewards you for keeping accounts open over time. Closing old credit cards can hurt your score because it shortens your average account age. Credit mix (10%) means having different types of credit — a mortgage, a car loan, and a credit card — looks better than having only credit cards. New credit inquiries (10%) track how often you have applied for new credit recently. Multiple applications in a short time suggest financial stress and lower your score slightly.

The difference between your FICO score and other scores you might see

Banks, credit card companies, and some employers can see your FICO score. That is the one that matters for loans and credit decisions. However, you may also see scores from Credit Karma, Credit Sesame, or your bank's own credit monitoring tool. These often use VantageScore or a different FICO variant, and they can differ from your "real" FICO score by 50 points or more.

Free credit monitoring services are useful for tracking trends and catching fraud, but do not assume the number they show you is what a lender will see. If you are about to apply for a mortgage or a major loan, pay for your actual FICO score from myfico.com or ask your bank to show you theirs. That is the score that will determine your rate.

How quickly a score can change

A late payment can drop your score within days of being reported to the credit bureaus. A high credit card balance can lower your score within a month. However, improvement is slower. Paying down a high balance helps immediately, but building a longer payment history takes months or years. A late payment stays on your report for seven years, though its impact weakens over time — a late payment from five years ago hurts less than one from last month.

If your score is in the fair range and you want to reach good, focus first on payment history. Make every payment on time, even if it is just the minimum. Then work on lowering your credit card balances. These two changes alone can move you into the good range within six months to a year, depending on where you started.

Why different lenders might see different scores

You have three credit reports — one from Equifax, one from Experian, and one from TransUnion. Each bureau may have slightly different information about you, which means your score can vary by bureau. A lender might pull from one bureau or all three. Some lenders use an industry-specific FICO score (like FICO Auto Score for car loans or FICO Bankcard Score for credit cards) rather than the general FICO score.

This is why you might be approved by one lender and declined by another, even if you apply on the same day. The lender you were declined by may have pulled a report with older information, or they may have used a different scoring model with a higher threshold. It is not a sign that something is wrong with you — it is a sign that lenders have different risk tolerances and different ways of measuring risk.

How to check your own score without damaging it

Checking your own credit score does not lower it. This is called a soft inquiry and does not show up to lenders. When you check your score through your bank, your credit card issuer, or a free monitoring service, you are doing a soft inquiry.

A hard inquiry happens when a lender checks your credit as part of an application. Hard inquiries do lower your score slightly (usually by 5 to 10 points) and stay on your report for two years. However, multiple hard inquiries for the same type of credit within 14 to 45 days (depending on the scoring model) count as a single inquiry, so shopping around for a mortgage or car loan does not hurt as much as it seems.

You are may have access to to one free credit report per year from each bureau through annualcreditreport.com. That report does not include your score, but it shows you what information lenders are seeing. Checking it once a year is a good way to catch errors or fraud without paying anything.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 650 a good credit score?

No. A score of 650 is in the fair range, not good. Most lenders will work with you, but you will pay higher interest rates and may face stricter terms. To reach the good range, you need to get to 670 or higher.

What credit score do I need to get a mortgage?

Most conventional mortgage lenders want 620 or higher, though 680 or above gets you better rates. FHA loans (backed by the federal government) may accept scores as low as 580. The exact requirement depends on the lender and the loan program. Rates improve significantly once you reach 740.

Can my credit score go up 100 points in a month?

Rarely. A large drop (like from a late payment) can happen in days, but a large rise usually takes months. Paying down a high credit card balance can boost your score by 20 to 50 points within a month or two. Building a longer payment history and keeping balances low takes longer but produces bigger gains over time.

Does paying off debt hurt my credit score?

Paying off a credit card balance helps your score because it lowers the amount of credit you are using. However, closing the card after you pay it off can hurt your score slightly because it reduces your available credit and shortens your credit history. It is usually better to pay off the balance and leave the account open.

Why is my credit score different on different websites?

Different websites use different scoring models. Your bank might show you a FICO score, while Credit Karma shows a VantageScore. Even within FICO, there are different versions for different types of credit. These scores can differ by 50 points or more. The FICO score from myfico.com or your lender is the most accurate for loan decisions.