Credit.com offers free credit scores as well as paid services surrounding credit advice. In addition, the website provides helpful tools, most of which are free. So keep reading to see if Credit.com can help you track and fix your credit.
Is Credit.com really free?
Yes, Credit.com is 100% free. It is similar to other free credit monitoring services like Credit Karma and Credit Sesame. But it’s important to realize that you don’t receive your actual FICO score for free, which is the credit score most lenders use to evaluate your application for any type of financing. However, you can use Credit.com’s free credit score for educational purposes.
You don’t need to enter a credit card to access your free credit scores from Credit.com. So it’s a low-risk way to get a baseline of where your credit score is at the moment.
Another service you can receive from Credit.com is a credit report card. This tool analyzes your credit reports and tells you what types of entries may negatively affect your credit score.
This feature offers a way to find out what changes you can make to improve your credit score. Plus, it updates every 30 days so you can track your progress.
Credit.com vs. Other Free Credit Monitoring Services
As a provider of credit monitoring and financial advice, Credit.com competes with services like Credit Karma and Credit Sesame. While there are similarities, each platform has unique features and benefits that cater to different user needs.
- Credit.com: Known for its comprehensive Credit Report Card, Credit.com stands out by offering detailed analysis of credit reports, which helps users understand factors affecting their credit scores. Credit.com’s strength lies in its educational resources, personalized advice, and user-friendly interface. Although it does not provide the actual FICO score for free, its Experian credit score and VantageScore are valuable for educational purposes.
- Credit Karma: A major player in this space, Credit Karma is recognized for offering free credit scores from TransUnion and Equifax, as well as detailed credit reports. Its unique selling point is the provision of a VantageScore, which, like Credit.com, offers an educational perspective on credit scores. Credit Karma also excels in offering additional free services like tax filing and insights into how different financial actions might impact your credit scores.
- Credit Sesame: This service is similar to Credit.com in providing free credit scores, but it primarily uses data from TransUnion. Credit Sesame is particularly strong in its identity theft protection services and offers personalized suggestions for financial products based on the user’s credit profile.
Each of these platforms has its strengths: Credit.com for its detailed credit report card and educational focus, Credit Karma for its broad range of services including tax filing, and Credit Sesame for its identity theft protection and financial product recommendations. Consumers should choose based on which features align best with their individual credit monitoring and educational needs.
How does Credit.com make money?
Credit.com receives compensation through various offers throughout the site. They’re not an entirely neutral third party because they receive a commission when users select financial products from the site. Any place where they promote loan offers or other financial services is probably sponsored.
Is your credit score from Credit.com accurate?
As we mentioned earlier, Credit.com does not offer a FICO score as part of its free product. Instead, you receive a free Experian credit score or VantageScore 3.0 based on information from the credit bureau Experian.
These credit scoring models are undoubtedly reputable and use the same information as FICO to come up with your credit score, so in that sense, they are accurate.
Different Scoring Models
Since each credit scoring company uses its own algorithms, none of them will be 100% identical. So you might find a significant discrepancy between your free credit scores from Credit.com and your actual credit scores used during credit applications. The difference of just a few points can impact how much you can borrow and what interest rate you pay.
On top of that, most lenders check credit scores from all three major credit bureaus, including Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. They often use the middle number, so a credit score from a single credit bureau may not represent what would be used during the credit application process.
What other services does Credit.com offer?
Credit.com extends beyond just offering credit scores; it provides a range of other services designed to assist with your overall credit management. This includes a selection of paid options that might be beneficial depending on your specific financial needs and goals.
Credit Report Card
We’ve already talked a little about it, and now we’ll go in-depth about this free and helpful resource. This feature helps you understand what the information on your report card means concerning your credit health.
Payment History
First, your credit report shows a snapshot of your payment history. You’ll see a percentage of how frequently you’re on time with your reported payments, and a credit score that ranges from “very poor” to “excellent.” You know that if your payments have been less than 100% on time, you have some work to do.
Analysis of Existing Debt
Another valuable part of the credit report card is an analysis of your existing debt. You’ll see a visual of how much outstanding debt you have compared to your overall credit limit. It puts all of this financial information in one place without having to worry about pulling together all of your loan and credit card statements.
Debt-To-Credit Limit Ratio
You’ll also see your debt-to-credit limit ratio, which is the percentage of your credit limits that are currently outstanding. If it’s a high percentage, you can start focusing on paying that excessive debt.
Age of Credit History
The next section shows the age of your credit history. You can even see the average length of your accounts. It’s a factor used in all credit scoring models to some degree.
Credit Mix
Finally, you can get a visual representation of your credit mix to see how your accounts are spread out over different types of credit lines. That can help you know if you’re too heavy on credit cards or other types of financing. This feature is very helpful, especially considering that it’s entirely free.
Custom Action Plan
Once you know where your credit health stands from your report card, you can figure out how to resolve any issues with a free custom action plan from Credit.com.
It takes you step-by-step through your credit report and gives you action items based on the information you’ve already seen. While you may be able to assume much of it, it’s helpful to check the list and see if you’ve missed anything.
You might get tips on how to lower your credit utilization ratio or how to manage your existing accounts to maximize your credit age. You might even get ideas on how to diversify your credit mix to increase your credit scores.
As part of your free account, you also get access to basic free credit monitoring. It’s updated every two to four weeks. So whenever the credit reporting agencies update your credit report, you’ll receive a new free educational credit score, report card, and custom action plan.
It’s an easy and cheap way to track your progress and see what changes are working for you. And even if your credit score isn’t exact, you can at least tell which direction it’s moving!
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Product Offers
Credit.com also serves as a resource for offers on various financial products. We talked about this when discussing how the website generates income. But in reality, this isn’t an uncommon practice for any content website devoted to personal finance.
Credit.com is upfront with its advertiser disclosure, stating that the products they offer and how they appear on the website may be influenced by how they’re compensated. So it would be best if you did your own research on how great an offer is, rather than trusting Credit.com to only provide you with the best options.
Available Loan Options
The biggest section of product offers on Credit.com is its ‘Loans’ page. You can view all types of loans at once or browse by specific categories. The options available include personal loans, mortgages, and auto loans.
All the loans discussed anywhere on the site are from third-party lenders who have partnerships with Credit.com, rather than loans originating directly through the website. You can search by your credit rating and loan amount, or scroll through every lender partner to view their general terms.
If you do choose a lender through them, you’ll be redirected to the lender’s page to go through the application process. They also have partnerships with two credit repair companies: Lexington Law and CreditRepair.com. For more in-depth reviews of both credit repair companies and a few others, check out our reviews.
Credit.com Mobile App
The Credit.com mobile app is an essential tool for individuals seeking to manage their credit with convenience and flexibility. Designed for both iOS and Android devices, the app provides a seamless and user-friendly interface, allowing users to access their credit information anytime, anywhere.
Credit.com Reviews
In understanding the value and efficiency of Credit.com’s services, consumer reviews provide a wealth of information. These reviews generally highlight Credit.com’s strong commitment to customer service, as evidenced by its A- rating with the Better Business Bureau. This rating points to their successful handling of customer issues and maintaining a low volume of complaints.
Customers frequently praise Credit.com for its user-friendly interface and educational resources, which are designed to aid in credit monitoring and improvement. There is an appreciation for the clarity and usefulness of the tools offered, which help users understand and manage their credit more effectively.
However, it’s also noted in some reviews that while Credit.com offers valuable free services, its offerings might not be as comprehensive as some users require, especially when compared to other services in the market. This is particularly relevant for those seeking detailed credit analysis or more frequent credit updates.
Bottom Line
Credit.com is a professional company with a large footprint in the online credit monitoring space. They certainly offer reputable tools that can be helpful in some situations, many of which are free. While the free resources aren’t entirely comprehensive, they help get your feet wet with what’s going on with your credit.
If you’re already well on your way to repairing your credit, some more in-depth counseling or service may be of greater benefit. Still, they offer risk-free checks on your credit scores and consistent, free credit monitoring to see how you’re doing.
