Credit glossary
Credit score
A three-digit number calculated from one bureau's credit report that estimates how likely you are to repay credit as agreed.
The FICO Scores and VantageScores most lenders use today run from 300 to 850. A score is recalculated each time someone requests it, using whatever is on the report at that moment, so it can change several times a month. FICO's own tiers call 580 to 669 Fair, 670 to 739 Good, 740 to 799 Very Good and 800 or higher Exceptional.
You don't have one score. Each model and version, run on each of three bureau files, produces its own number, and lenders choose which one to pull. Mortgage lenders still largely use older FICO versions, auto lenders often use FICO Auto Scores on a 250 to 900 scale, and free apps often show VantageScore 3.0. Watch your trend, then ask which model your lender uses.
Guides that go deeper
- Credit score ranges: what 300 to 850 really meansMost scores run 300 to 850, but FICO's industry scores go 250 to 900 and the first VantageScores topped out at 990. Every scale and FICO tier, explained.
- Why your three credit scores don't match, and when to worryYour Experian, Equifax and TransUnion scores come from three separate files updated on different days. What causes the gap, and when it points to an error.
- Why your free app score doesn't match your lender'sFree apps usually show VantageScore 3.0 or FICO 8, while lenders pull auto, bankcard or mortgage versions. How to see something closer to their number.
Sources
- What is a credit score? (FICO score ranges), myFICO
- FICO Score versions, myFICO
- What you need to know: Understanding why offers of your credit score are not all the same, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- What is a FICO Score?, myFICO
This is education, not legal or financial advice. Spot an error? Tell us and we'll fix it.