Check Your Credit Score With These 4 Apps (2024)

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Stay on top of your financial health with these mobile downloads

By

Sarah Silbert

Sarah Silbert

Writer

  • Bard College
  • Sarah Lawrence College

Sarah Lawrence is a consumer technology writer whose work has appeared in Fortune and MIT Technology Review. She's also a previous senior editor at Engadget.

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Updated on June 21, 2021

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    Everyone has a credit score, and staying up-to-date on yours is important. Here, we showcase four free apps for your Android or iPhone that will help you monitor your score, correct items when necessary, and get alerts when something changes on your report.

    The 6 Best Budget and Money Management Apps of 2024

    Equifax and TransUnion Scores: Credit Karma

    Check Your Credit Score With These 4 Apps (1)

    What We Like

    • Good summary information.

    • Able to dispute from the app.

    What We Don't Like

    • Lag in updating credit score.

    • Upsells of financial products within the app.

    Credit Karma is perhaps the best-known service for getting free credit score reports from the Equifax and TransUnion credit bureaus (Experian is the other major bureau).

    The Credit Carma app for Android and iOS provides alerts for any important changes to your credit report, and if you see any errors, you can file a dispute from the Credit Karma app. The app also gives an organized summary of your credit score breakdown, including the accounts factored into your score.

    Download For:

    02

    of 04

    TransUnion Score From Capital One: CreditWise

    Check Your Credit Score With These 4 Apps (2)

    What We Like

    • Regular updates.

    • Simulation tools.

    What We Don't Like

    • TransUnion only.

    This app from Capital One is available to everyone, not only the company's banking customers. It provides a weekly update of your TransUnion VantageScore 3.0 credit score, and it includes some interesting extras such as a credit simulator that demonstrates how actions such as paying off debt could affect your score.

    You'll also get personalized suggestions for improving your score, along with industry-standard alerts for any critical changes.

    Download For:

    03

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    Experian Credit Score: Experian

    Check Your Credit Score With These 4 Apps (3)

    What We Like

    • Good overview of credit profile.

    • Doesn't overwhelm with frequent alerts.

    What We Don't Like

    • Experian only.

    As one of the three major credit bureaus providingcredit reports, Experian quite sensibly has a credit score app of its own. The Experian app provides your score, which is updated every 30 days, in addition to details about credit card account activity, outstanding debt, and the effects of your credit card activity on your score.

    Download For:

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    TransUnion Score and Report Card: Credit Sesame

    Check Your Credit Score With These 4 Apps (4)

    What We Like

    • Excellent design and plenty of features.

    • Comprehensive reporting.

    What We Don't Like

    • Many credit card offers.

    • Unclear partner strategy.

    Credit Sesame provides a free look at your credit score using the VantageScore model from TransUnion. You also get a credit score report card, with letter grades given for payment history, credit usage, and credit age. You'll get the usual account-change alerts, too.

    The My Borrowing Power feature projects how much credit you can probably access based on your current score and account information. This tool also recommends credit cards, mortgage rates, and refinance options.​

    Download For:

    Credit Score Basics

    You'll find plenty of resources to help you learn what goes into calculating your credit score and what the numbers mean, but here's a quick overview:

    • A credit score indicates your creditworthiness to potential lenders such as banks and mortgage lenders. It also gives them a good idea of how responsible you're likely to be with paying off your balances.
    • Credit is scored on a scale that ranges from 300 to 850. A higher number is better than a lower number.
    • The most commonly used credit score is the FICO score, but other models exist, such as VantageScore.com.

    Does Checking Your Credit Score Hurt It?

    Many people fear that checking their credit scores will negatively affect their credit score.The truth is that checking your credit score is usually considered a "soft" inquiry, meaning it doesn't require a "hard" pull of your credit report.

    Hard inquiries usually happen when you apply for a new credit card, a loan, or a mortgage. Soft inquiries typically occur when you check your own score, when a potential employer does a background check, or when you're pre-approved for a credit card or loan.

    Credit Karma does a great job explaining a hard credit inquiry vs. a soft credit inquiry. In any case, you should rest assured that using the apps in this article won't negatively affect your credit score.

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    Check Your Credit Score With These 4 Apps (2024)

    FAQs

    Check Your Credit Score With These 4 Apps? ›

    With myFICO, you can view and monitor your FICO Scores and credit reports right from your fingertips. You'll get alerts on your iOS device when changes are detected. Certain features are available only with eligible myFICO subscriptions.

    What app shows you your real credit score? ›

    With myFICO, you can view and monitor your FICO Scores and credit reports right from your fingertips. You'll get alerts on your iOS device when changes are detected. Certain features are available only with eligible myFICO subscriptions.

    What is the best site to check credit score for free? ›

    You can start by going to the three major credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion first by logging on to AnnualCreditReport.com to check your report for free. Each agency gives you access to your report once every 12 months.

    What is the most reliable credit score check? ›

    The primary credit scoring models are FICO® and VantageScore®, and both are equally accurate. Although both are accurate, most lenders are looking at your FICO score when you apply for a loan.

    How can I check my credit score on my phone? ›

    Yes, you can access your free credit report on your CreditView Dashboard. With the mobile app: Choose Help & Services from the main menu, and then scroll to Credit health. Choose View credit score to view your current score and other information.

    What is the number 1 credit score app? ›

    TransUnion

    One of the three major credit bureaus is TransUnion. This app can be the best choice if you want to go directly to the source. Based on their own files, the TransUnion app offers credit scores. The FICO credit rating model, which has a scale from 300 to 850, is comparable to the TransUnion.

    How to check free credit score legit? ›

    Avoid Other Sites Offering Free Credit Reports

    You might see companies and sites offering free credit reports, but there's only one authorized place to get the free annual credit reports you're entitled to by law: AnnualCreditReport.com.

    Is AnnualCreditReport.com legit? ›

    AnnualCreditReport.com is the official site to get your free annual credit reports. This right is guaranteed by Federal law. You can verify this is the official site by visiting the CFPB's website. Don't be fooled by look-alike sites.

    What credit score is needed to buy a house? ›

    The minimum credit score needed for most mortgages is typically around 620. However, government-backed mortgages like Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans typically have lower credit requirements than conventional fixed-rate loans and adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs).

    How can I check my credit score quickly? ›

    There are a few main ways to get your credit scores.
    1. Check your credit card or other loan statement. Many major credit card companies and other lenders provide credit scores for their customers. ...
    2. Talk to a nonprofit counselor. ...
    3. Use a credit score service.
    Oct 19, 2023

    Can I check my credit score myself? ›

    In general, you can check your own credit score without harming it. Checking your credit score is an important part of monitoring your financial health.

    Is there an easy way to check your credit score? ›

    To check your credit score easily at no cost, you can use websites such as Credit Karma or Credit Sesame.

    Which credit score is your real credit score? ›

    You can get a real FICO® Score from many sources, including credit bureaus, lenders, credit card issuers and other financial institutions. There are many versions of the FICO® Score, and they may have different uses, but they're all real.

    Does Credit Karma show my real credit? ›

    The credit scores and reports you see on Credit Karma come directly from TransUnion and Equifax, two of the three major consumer credit bureaus. The credit scores and reports you see on Credit Karma should accurately reflect your credit information as reported by those credit bureaus.

    Is my FICO app accurate? ›

    Also, as the official consumer division of FICO, myFICO uses the industry standard credit scores, which are the most accurate way of tracking your current credit status.

    Is Credit Karma or Experian more accurate? ›

    Experian vs. Credit Karma: Which is more accurate for your credit score? You may be surprised to know that the simple answer is that both are accurate. Read on to find out what's different between the two companies, how they get your credit score, and why you have more than one credit score to begin with.

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