Credit glossary
VantageScore
A credit scoring model created jointly by Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, common in free apps and now accepted for some mortgages.
VantageScore launched in 2006 as a joint product of the three bureaus. Versions 3.0 and 4.0 use the same 300 to 850 range as base FICO Scores, while the retired 1.0 and 2.0 ran from 501 to 990. VantageScore 3.0 and 4.0 ignore paid collections and can score thinner files than FICO. Tier labels vary by publisher, so treat any "good" cutoff you see as unofficial.
Mortgages raised the stakes. Lenders selling to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may use VantageScore 4.0 instead of Classic FICO, an option open to all approved lenders since September 2026, with one model used for every borrower on a loan. FHA adds VantageScore 4.0 for case numbers assigned from January 1, 2027. VantageScore 4.0 also reads trended data.
Guides that go deeper
- FICO vs. VantageScore: the real differences that change your numberFICO and VantageScore share a 300 to 850 scale but split on paid collections, thin files, rent and medical debt, so your lender's choice matters.
- The credit scores mortgage lenders actually pull in 2026Mortgage lenders pull FICO 2, 4 and 5 or VantageScore 4.0 from all three bureaus and use your middle score. The 2026 rules and FICO 10T's status.
- What changed in credit scoring in 2025 and 2026, with datesVantageScore 4.0 for mortgages, FHA's new score rules, Fannie Mae's dropped 620 floor, BNPL scores and the medical debt rule, each dated and sourced.
Sources
- 10 Years, 10 Milestones, VantageScore
- VantageScore Solutions debuts VantageScore 4.0 credit scoring model, VantageScore
- Credit Scores, Federal Housing Finance Agency
- Mortgagee Letter 2026-11: Updated Minimum Decision Credit Score Methodology for the Implementation of Alternative Credit Scores, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Mortgage FAQs, VantageScore
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