Score decoder
Type a score, tell us which model it came from, and see what that number means: its band, the cutoffs above and below it, and where it lands on mortgage and auto loan pricing tables.
Free. No account. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
FICO calls 612 Fair.
Cutoffs around your score
Ahead of you
Already cleared
How the decoder works
The decoder doesn’t estimate anything. It places your number on the scale for the model you picked, then reads it against published tables. Every cutoff it shows comes from a scoring company, a loan program, or a pricing grid, and each one is linked below.
The scales and bands
FICO Scores 8, 9, 10 and 10T and VantageScore 3.0 and 4.0 run from 300 to 850. FICO’s industry-specific Auto and Bankcard scores run from 250 to 900, according to myFICO’s list of score versions. FICO labels its base scores Poor (under 580), Fair (580 to 669), Good (670 to 739), Very Good (740 to 799) and Exceptional (800 to 850), per myFICO. Equifax publishes its own bands for its educational score: Poor 280 to 559, Fair 560 to 659, Good 660 to 724, Very Good 725 to 759 and Excellent 760 to 850. VantageScore labels differ by publisher, so we don’t assign one.
Distances to cutoffs
For each cutoff, the distance is plain subtraction: the cutoff minus your score for the ones ahead, and your score minus the cutoff for the ones behind. A 612 is 8 points short of 620 and 32 points past 580. That gap tells you how far the line is. It says nothing about how long it takes to cross it, and no one can honestly turn it into a list of actions with point values attached.
The mortgage pricing band
Fannie Mae’s loan-level price adjustment (LLPA) matrix dated 09/30/2026 uses one grid for Classic FICO and VantageScore 4.0, with rows for 780 and up, then 20-point bands down to 640, and a bottom row for 639 and below. The decoder finds your row and shows the adjustment in the 75.01% to 80% loan-to-value column, which is a purchase with 20% down. Example: a 700 lands in the 700 to 719 row, where the adjustment is 1.375% of the loan. On a $240,000 loan that’s $240,000 x 0.01375 = $3,300. Source: Fannie Mae LLPA matrix.
The auto loan tier
Experian groups auto borrowers by VantageScore 4.0 and publishes average rates for each group. For Q2 2026, its tiers are super prime (781 to 850), prime (661 to 780), near prime (601 to 660), subprime (501 to 600) and deep subprime (300 to 500). A VantageScore of 650 is near prime, where the average was 9.71% for a new car and 13.93% for a used one. These are market averages, not offers. Source: Experian, average car loan interest rates by credit score. Because the tiers are VantageScore ranges, the decoder shows them only when you pick VantageScore.
The FHA cutoffs at 500 and 580 come from HUD’s Mortgagee Letter 2026-11, which keeps both thresholds in place as new score models are added. Lenders can and often do set their own higher minimums.
Questions about this tool
Why does the decoder ask which scoring model my score comes from?
A number only means something next to its scale. FICO Score 8 and VantageScore 4.0 both run 300 to 850, FICO Auto and Bankcard scores run 250 to 900, and Equifax’s educational score starts at 280, so the same number can sit in a different place on each.
Are the FICO bands the same as VantageScore bands?
No. Poor, Fair, Good, Very Good and Exceptional are FICO’s labels for its own scores. VantageScore labels vary depending on who publishes them, so the decoder only shows where a VantageScore falls on the 300 to 850 scale.
Is the score in my banking app the one a mortgage lender will use?
Usually not. Most apps show FICO Score 8 or VantageScore 3.0 or 4.0, while most mortgages are still priced on older Classic FICO versions or, at some lenders, VantageScore 4.0. Treat the mortgage band here as a starting estimate.
How many points will it take to reach the next milestone?
The decoder shows the gap in points between your number and each cutoff. It can’t tell you how many points any action will add, because FICO and VantageScore don’t publish point values for actions.
Does entering my score here affect my credit?
No. The decoder runs in your browser, doesn’t pull a report, and doesn’t send what you type anywhere.
Guides behind the math
- 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.
- 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.
- FICO 8, 9, 10 and 10T: which version lenders actually useYou have dozens of FICO Scores. What changed in FICO 8, 9, 10 and 10T, which lenders use each, and how to learn which one you'll face.
- 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.
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