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Many people regularly track their credit scores to increase them. But equally important is tracking your credit score as a way of discovering negative information as quickly as possible. That will give you the best chance to remedy the situation. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to instantly get your free credit score online. We’ve got no fewer than 10 in this guide. You may even be working with one of these companies right now without being aware they offer access to your free credit score.
How to Get Your Free Credit Score
The table below lists 10 of the best ways to instantly get your free credit score online. For each source, we’ve also verified that no credit card is required to be put on file. This is important because many “free credit score” providers give you access to your credit score for a trial period, but require you to submit your credit card information to be charged at a later date.
| Provider | Credit Card Required? | Credit Score Provided |
| Chase | No | VantageScore 3.0® by Experian |
| Wells Fargo | No | FICO Score 9 from Experian |
| America First Credit Union | No | FICO Score 9 by Experian |
| DCU | No | Equifax FICO Score (version not specified) |
| Capital One | No | TransUnion VantageScore 3.0 |
| Discover | No | FICO® Score 8 from TransUnion |
| Experian | No | FICO® Score 8 from Experian |
| Credit Karma | No | VantageScore 3.0 from both TransUnion and Equifax |
| Credit Sesame | No | VantageScore 3.0 from TransUnion |
| FreeCreditScore.com | No | Experian FICO Score (version not specified) |
10 Sources to Instantly Get Your Free Credit Score Online
Bank Accounts
Many banks offer their customers access to their free credit scores. Two of the biggest banks are listed below just as an example of what’s available.
1. Chase
Chase provides your free VantageScore 3.0® by Experian through their Chase Credit Journey program. You’ll have access to this score source by being a customer of Chase, whether that’s through a deposit account or a credit card. What might be most interesting is that the plan is available even if you are not a Chase customer. No Chase account is required for participation.
Along with your credit score, which is updated weekly, they also include identity monitoring to notify you if your data is breached or exposed on the dark web. If you have questions related to your credit score, they provide round-the-clock support. They even provide a feature to help you improve your credit score.
- Credit score provided: VantageScore 3.0® by Experian
- Update frequency: Weekly.
- Credit card required: No.
2. Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo Credit Close-UpSM is available to Wells Fargo customers who have eligible deposit accounts, loans, or credit cards. You must also participate in Wells Fargo Online Banking. There is no cost for the service, and the credit score is updated every month.
The plan comes with credit monitoring alerts for any events that may significantly impact your credit score. You’ll have full access to your Experian credit report, enabling you to investigate the details of your credit profile and identify potential errors. To help you improve your score, they offer personalized tips.
- Credit score provided: FICO Score 9 from Experian.
- Update frequency: Monthly.
- Credit card required: No.
Credit Unions
Not to be outdone, credit unions have followed the banks in offering free credit scores to their members. The two credit unions below are an example of this practice. If you are currently banking with a credit union, check to see if they are giving access to your free credit score.
3. America First Credit Union
America First Credit Union offers access to your free FICO Score 9 by Experian. It’s available to members with checking accounts and select loan accounts. The score is available completely free of charge, but updates only quarterly, which is less frequent than most other free score providers.
America First Credit Union is located in Ogden, Utah, and is open to membership from residents of select counties in Utah, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Idaho, and Oregon.
- Credit score provided: FICO Score 9 by Experian.
- Update frequency: Quarterly.
- Credit card required: No.
4. DCU
DCU offers its Monthly FICO Score to all members of the credit union. To become a member, you will need to open a checking account. The free credit score service will be automatic with that account. But they also offer savings, certificates of deposit, credit cards, auto loans, and mortgages.
Each month, you’ll receive an updated credit score, including the two primary reasons that influence the score. Though DCU is based in Massachusetts, it’s open to members from across the country. As a member of this credit union, I’ve learned that the free credit score they provide is the same one they will use for lending purposes.
- Credit score provided: Equifax FICO Score (version not specified).
- Update frequency: Monthly.
- Credit card required: No.
Credit Cards
There may be no source more likely to provide your free credit scores than credit cards. Many now offer it as part of a package of additional benefits. Two of the biggest credit card issuers in the industry are listed below.
5. Capital One
Capital One is one of the leading issuers of credit cards. They offer CreditWise from Capital One providing free credit scores to anyone, not just bank customers. The service is available to anyone over the age of 18 with a valid Social Security number and a credit profile with TransUnion. The credit score provider is the TransUnion VantageScore 3.0, but it also monitors your credit activity with Experian.
CreditWise provides alerts when there is a new inquiry, a delinquent account, or other significant activity. You can monitor your personal information, such as tracking your Social Security number and email address to learn if they are detected on the dark web. CreditWise also provides a credit simulator where you can run various scenarios to see how it will impact your credit score.
- Credit score provided: TransUnion VantageScore 3.0.
- Update frequency: As often as daily.
- Credit card required: No.
6. Discover
One of the largest issuers of credit cards, Discover offers its credit card customers their Free Credit Score. It’s the FICO® Score 8 from TransUnion, which is one of the most frequently used credit scores by lenders.
Like other free score providers on this list, Discover provides credit report activity alerts to let you know if your information appears on the dark web. Along with your credit score, you’ll also receive a summary of activity, including the total number of accounts you have, the average length of your credit history, revolving credit utilization, inquiries, and any missed payments.
- Credit score provided: FICO® Score 8 from TransUnion.
- Update frequency: Monthly.
- Credit card required: No.
Credit Score and Report Sites
7. Experian
You can get your free credit score from Experian, which is not only one of the three major credit bureaus but also the very largest. The credit score provided is the FICO® Score 8, based on information contained in your Experian credit report.
Your credit score will come with the specific factors that affect the score. You can also get access to Experian Boost, a separate service that uses utility bills and sometimes rent payments to increase your credit score.
- Credit score provided: FICO® Score 8 from Experian.
- Update frequency: At least monthly.
- Credit card required: No.
8. Credit Karma
The Credit Karma name is practically synonymous with free credit scores! It’s easy to see why. Credit scores are the main service Credit Karma provides, and it is legitimately completely free. What’s more, they provide your VantageScore 3.0 from both TransUnion and Equifax – most free credit score providers offer only one.
If that isn’t enough, the service also comes with alerts updating you of major activity involving your credit report with both credit bureaus. You can even get access to the information making up your credit report with both bureaus.
- Credit score provided: VantageScore 3.0 from both TransUnion and Equifax.
- Update frequency: “Regularly”.
- Credit card required: No.
9. Credit Sesame
Credit Sesame works much the same as Credit Karma except that it provides your VantageScore 3.0 from TransUnion only, and not from Equifax. But apart from that, the two services are very similar. Credit Sesame is completely free to use, and you will not be required to put a credit card on file.
The service updates your credit score daily and also provides you with a free credit report summary that enables you to track your debts and see what factors are affecting your credit score. You’ll also get the benefit of monitoring, to alert you of changes and errors in your credit score.
- Credit score provided: VantageScore 3.0 from TransUnion.
- Update frequency: Daily.
- Credit card required: No.
10. FreeCreditScore.com
FreeCreditScore.com is another organization that focuses specifically on providing credit scores. It’s completely free to use, and you will not be required to put a credit card on file. You’ll have access to your Experian FICO Score, though the specific version of the score is not indicated.
Membership includes a new Experian credit report and FICO score each month. That also comes with Experian Credit Monitoring Alerts to keep you informed about inquiries, new accounts, fraud alerts, public records, and more. They also have a dispute center to enable you to open credit report disputes online.
- Credit score provided: Experian FICO Score (version not specified).
- Update frequency: Monthly.
- Credit card required: No.
How We Chose Our Free Credit Score List
In developing this list of sources where you can instantly get your free credit score online, we culled through dozens of possibilities. And while we considered several criteria in selecting the issuers for this list, we more specifically zeroed in on the definition of the word “free”.
Many organizations advertise free credit scores, but the arrangement is often temporary. You’ll have access to your free credit score for sure, but it may be a one-time deal. More commonly, you’re given access to your score during a free trial period, but you’ll be required to put your credit card on file. If you fail to cancel the service within the trial period – which is usually anywhere between seven and 30 days – your credit card will automatically be charged a monthly subscription fee.
To make our list, free credit score providers must make your score available for free on an ongoing basis, with no gotcha provision buried somewhere in the fine print. Monitoring your credit score is an ongoing process, and there’s no point paying for what you can get for free.
Other criteria we’ve considered are the specific type of credit scores offered, and the frequency with which they are updated.
Though we’ve included both types of credit scores, be aware that the use of FICO scores is much more common among lenders than Vantage scores. But tracking either score enables you to be aware of the general range of your credit score across multiple scoring models, as well as to be alerted to the sudden arrival of negative information that causes a steep drop in your score.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How can I get a credit score for free?
You can use any of the 10 sources included in this guide. You can also check with your current bank, credit union, or credit card provider. Many now offer free credit scores as an additional benefit to their customers.
Is a free credit score check legit?
Generally speaking, yes. Whether they are calculated using FICO or Vantage, the scoring models base your score calculation on information contained in your actual credit report. In that way, it will provide you with the necessary information to both track your score and to be aware of negative information in your credit report.
At the same time, be aware that there are virtually dozens of different scoring models. There are multiple scoring models within the FICO family alone. The free credit score you get may not match the one used by a lender when you apply for a loan. This is because lenders choose the particular scoring model they will use.
In addition, FICO has very specific credit score models that are used for different industries. For example, they have scoring models for the mortgage industry, others specific to auto loans, and still more focused primarily on the credit card industry.
How to get a 700 credit score from nothing?
If you don’t currently have a credit score, you’ll need to employ multiple strategies over an extended period to reach the 700 level.
Should You Take Advantage of Your Free Credit Score Online?
The short answer: absolutely! Monitoring your credit score is mission-critical in the 21st Century. After all, your credit score not only impacts your ability to borrow and what you’ll pay for that financing, but also whether you will qualify for an apartment, a job, and even an insurance policy.
Since it’s entirely possible to instantly get your free credit score online, especially continuously, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by participating in a free credit score service offering.
Choose one of the providers on this list, or do some investigating to find out if any businesses you deal with now already offer the service.
ore versus the other types of scores? Frankly, getting your FICO score versus the scores reported by the agencies has become less important. Why? Because the results are about the same, and they all give you a really good picture of the health of your credit.