By Adam Jusko, ProudMoney.com, adam@proudmoney.com
There is no reason for you to EVER pay to see your credit score. First off, there are plenty of ways to see your estimated score for free. Second, every lender uses a slightly different scoring system, so a paid score is no more valid than a score you got for free.
Remember, every credit score you see is only an estimate! All scores free or paid are going to put you in a similar range, so don’t stress out about where you got your score and whether you paid for it!
That said, here are some options to get a free credit score with no credit card required and without any hidden charges:
- Experian Free FICO Credit Score – Experian, one of the three major credit reporting bureaus, offers you a free FICO credit score without the need for a credit card, though you will have to register with their site and will likely be pitched credit products as a result. But the credit score is free.
- Capital One CreditWise – You do not have to be a Capital One customer to get a free credit score using this service. This is a VantageScore credit score provided in partnership with the credit bureau TransUnion.
- Chase Credit Journey – Similar to the offering above, you can get a free credit score even if you’re not a Chase customer. Chase is offering the VantageScore credit score from credit bureau Experian.
- American Express MyCredit Guide – You do not need to have an American Express credit card to get your VantageScore 3.0 credit score (from TransUnion) for free.
- Credit Karma – Get free credit scores from credit bureaus TransUnion and Equifax, using the VantageScore scoring system. No credit card required, though they will be sure to pitch you credit products after you’ve created an account.
In addition, you can get a free credit score if you have any of these credit cards. You do not have to pay for them in any way; it is simply a free benefit given to cardholders:
- Bank of America Credit Cards – All Bank of America credit cards give you the option to see your credit score for free each month. This is a FICO score from the credit bureau TransUnion.
- Citi Credit Cards – Most Citibank credit cards offer you a free FICO credit score using data from credit agency Equifax.
- Discover Credit Cards – All Discover credit cards offer free FICO credit scores from the Experian credit reporting agency.
- Wells Fargo Credit Close-Up – Wells Fargo credit card customers can access their free FICO Score 9 from Experian through their online accounts.
- FNBO / First National Bank of Omaha – You may not know this bank very well, but they are a major card issuer and they offer free monthly online FICO scores.
- U.S Bank Visa Platinum – Offers a free VantageScore credit score from TransUnion if you use online banking.