It’s important to check your credit score regularly and make sure that it is as high as possible. But checking your credit score can also be expensive.

In this blog post, we will discuss 7 of the best apps to check your credit score for free. We will also provide tips on how to improve your credit score. So don’t wait any longer – start checking your credit score today!

Mint

Mint brings together everything from spending, balances, and budgets to your credit score and more. Access your financial life in one powerful app.

Credit score version: Mint offers a VantageScore 3.0 based on information in your TransUnion credit report. Your score is updated every seven days. Getting a FICO score would be optimal, but it’s still a good way to evaluate your overall credit health.

Credit Karma

Credit Karma provides you with access to TransUnion and Equifax credit scores and other credit information, as well as tools to help you improve your credit scores. 

Credit Score Version: On Credit Karma, the VantageScore 3.0 model is used to calculate credit scores. While VantageScore credit scores aren’t as widely used in credit decisions as FICO scores, they can still give you a good idea of your credit situation as many of the same factors that go into calculating your FICO scores are included in the VantageScore model as well. 

Credit Sesame 

Credit Sesame is a one-stop solution for accessing, understanding, leveraging, and protecting your credit score, all in one free platform. Credit Sesame uses data from Experian to help you with personalized tips to better prepare you for uncertain times. 

Credit Score Version: Credit Sesame’s credit score is based on TransUnion’s VantageScore 3.0 scoring model, but if you upgrade to the premium services, it will show you your score from all three credit bureaus (along with many other resources to help protect your credit).

Credit Wise by Capital One

Capital One’s CreditWise is a free credit monitoring service that sends you alerts when your credit changes. It also offers a credit score simulator to see how certain actions, such as paying off debt or closing a credit card, might affect your credit score.

Credit score version:  Creditwise evaluates your credit using TransUnion’s VantageScore 3.0 scoring model. This model considers the same factors as your FICO Score, and you’ll get a new score every week.

Discover Credit Scorecard

Discover Credit Score offers a quick and free way for anyone to check their FICO score without impacting their overall credit ratings. It also gives you information on the number of hard inquiries you’ve had in the last 12 months, the percentage of your credit limit you’re using, and the number of missed payments you’ve had in the last seven years. All these factors will help you to improve your credit score. 

Credit score version: Discover Credit Scorecard provides a FICO score 8. It calculates your credit score using information from your TransUnion credit report. 

MyCredit Guide from American Express

MyCredit Guide from American Express is a credit card simulator that takes account of all external factors that can affect your credit score and gives you a real representation of the impact on your score if you go into default, open new loans, shop for credit or miss payments, etc. It also provides you with a credit report, alert, and score goal.   

Credit score version: MyCredit Guide from American Express uses the VantageScore 3.0 powered by TransUnion. After logging in, the page is refreshed once a week. MyCredit Guide also provides you with a variety of resources and tools to help you better understand your credit score and plan for the future.

Experian CreditWorks Basic

Experian CreditWorks is the most comprehensive credit and identity protection solution on the market. A basic Experian account is free, and it gives you access to your FICO score and Experian credit report. Experian also offers personal finance tools, calculators, fraud and identity protection services, credit card and loan recommendations, and auto insurance quotes to help your finances. 

Credit score version: Experian credit scores are calculated using the FICO Score 8 model. They also provide other FICO Scores (such as FICO Auto Scores and FICO Bankcard Scores) in addition to the FICO Score 8. 

When It Makes Sense to Pay for Your Score

Checking your credit score for free using the resources provided above is a fantastic method to figure out what you’re doing right and wrong with your credit. For example, if you’re working on paying down debt, you’ll be able to see how it affects your score as you go. Even so, there are times when it’s worth spending a few bucks.

If you’re thinking about buying a house in the next few months, for example, you’ll need to know what lenders will see when they check your credit. If you go by just your free scores, you may believe that your score is higher than it really is, only to learn the hard way when your loan application is denied.

If you’d like to know more about credit – how to build it, improve it, and join the 800+ credit score club – then check out our ebook ‘Credit From Scratch’