Best App to Check Your Credit Score for Free

Credit score apps allow you to check your score anywhere, anytime, right in the palm of your hand. However, some apps aren’t easy to use, are packed with ads, or require you to pay to view your score.

The best credit apps, though, are simple, fast, and free. If you’re in search of the best app to check your credit score for free, here’s a few to consider.

Where is the Best Place to Get Your Credit Score?

There are a variety of credit score apps on the market, each with their own unique set of benefits and drawbacks. When evaluating credit score apps, consider their user interface, data security features, and the frequency of score updates. Additionally, look for apps that provide valuable insights into improving your credit health and offer resources on building business credit, as this knowledge can be crucial for entrepreneurs and small business owners aiming to establish and strengthen their financial standing. Ultimately, the best app for you will be the one that works best for you, but here’s a few characteristics it should have regardless:

Free. Checking your credit score shouldn’t cost you a dime. So, if an app requires you to pay to see your score, it’s a no-go.

Fast. Viewing your credit score shouldn’t be a clunky, time-consuming process.

Secure. To view your credit score, you’ll need to give the platform your information. Before doing so, make sure whichever app you choose has proper security measures in place.

Bonus: Extra Financial Tools. While this isn’t a requirement, having all of your finances managed in one app does make your life a bit easier.

Winner: True

True allows you to view your credit score, for free, in under 2 minutes. This makes keeping up with your score simple, easy, and efficient. With an A+ penetration rating, which means it’s nearly impossible to hack into the platform, your data is always safe and secure.

Plus, the app grants you access to a variety of other financial tools, such as:

1. Cash advances with 0% interest.
2. A marketplace with the best loans, insurance, and credit cards for you.
3. Coming Soon: Automated Payments. You’ll be able to link your credit cards and student loans, make payments automatically, and segment your debt by APR to help you find the most beneficial debt payoff strategy.

True is best for…

• Checking your credit score for free.
• Paying off debt strategically.
• Getting a cash advance.
• Finding competitive insurance and loan offers.

Credit Karma

Credit Karma is a well-known credit monitoring platform with over 100 million members. While their features are similar to True — credit monitoring, insights on your score, and personalized product recommendations — their reviews are concerning.

Credit Karma has a D Rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and an average customer rating of 1.17 stars out of 5. Their rating is largely due to a recent lawsuit, which accused them of misleading consumers about “pre-approvals” for third party financial products. While Credit Karma did not admit to doing so, they agreed to pay $3 million to consumers who may have been misled.

While they are a big name in the industry, it’s important to be weary of who you work with. Well-known doesn’t guarantee a positive experience.

Credit Sesame

Credit Sesame has been in business since 2010 and accredited by the Better Business Bureau since 2011. On average, their product receives just 2.88 stars out of 5, based on BBB reviews. While they do engage in penetration testing, their score isn’t published publicly, so it’s tough to assess just how secure your data is there.

While they don’t offer cash advances, they offer a variety of financial products — credit score monitoring, mobile banking, home and auto insurance, and more. Plus, their mobile app itself is easy to use and has a rating of 4.8 stars out of 5.

Mint

Mint offers an easy-to-use mobile app for budgeting, with the option to view your credit score as well. Their app is the most downloaded financial app and receives a high rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars, according to their website. However, customers complain of excessive ads, marketing emails, and notifications on the free version, which is important to note.

Experian

Experian offers a free version of their product called CreditWorks Basic, that allows you to monitor your Experian credit report and see your FICO score once per month. However, to access other aspects of the product — like daily score reports, score tracking, and auto and home FICO scores — you’ll need to fork over around $25 per month.

They are, however, highly secure and receive rave reviews from their customers — a 4.8 out of 5 stars in the App Store.

What is the Most Accurate Free Credit Score?

The score you see within a credit app is almost always accurate. This is because they pull information directly from the three major credit bureaus — Equifax, TransUnion, or Experian. Some apps may update on a more regular basis, some allowing you to view your most recent score once per week, while others are simply once per month.

That said, if you notice a score discrepancy between apps, it’s likely because of the scoring model they use. For example, Credit Karma uses the VantageScore 3.0 model. These scores tend to be 20-100 points off from your FICO score, which is another model used by financial institutions such as Wells Fargo.

To find the most accurate representation of your score at any given time, you’d need to request a copy of your credit report directly from the three credit bureaus yourself to see what it is. Otherwise, receiving your score via a credit app will suffice.

How to Know Which Credit App is Best for You

To help narrow down your options, consider the following questions:

• Is the app secure?
• Do I find the app easy to use, or is it confusing to navigate?
• Is the app fast, or am I experiencing long load times?
• Is the app free for the functionalities I need, or am I required to pay to see my score?
• Is the customer service good? Am I able to ask questions and receive helpful answers?

Ultimately, the best app to check your credit score is the one you enjoy using the most.