Credit Karma vs. Experian: Which is more accurate for your credit scores? You are going to be surprised to know that the simple answer is that both are accurate. Please read on to find out what is different between the two companies, how they get your credit scores, and why you have more than one credit score to begin with.
Experian vs. Credit Karma: What is the Difference?
Need to know that Credit Karma and Experian play different roles when it comes to your credit. Experian is one of the three major credit bureaus, along with TransUnion and Equifax. Those companies compile information about your credit into reports which are used to generate your credit scores.
Credit Karma is not a credit bureau. It means that Credit Karma does not determine your credit scores. Instead, Credit Karma works with TransUnion and Equifax to provide you with your free credit reports and free credit scores, which are based on the VantageScore 3.0 credit score model. Also, Credit Karma offers recommendations for personal loans, credit cards, auto loans and mortgages.
What is Experian Boost™?
If you have been regularly checking your Experian credit score, you may have found Experian Boost. Experian Boost is not a model used to calculate a credit score. Rather, it is an offering which goes beyond the traditional credit score factors to incorporate your payment history from common bills for things like cell phone service, popular streaming services and also other utility bills.
Remember that not everyone sees a credit score increase with Experian Boost. A lender will be able to use a different credit score which is not affected by Experian Boost when deciding whether to approve you for a loan.
How to Get Your Experian Credit Scores?
If you still want to access your Experian credit score, you are able to find it for free in some places. Experian’s free CreditWorks℠ Basic service will update your credit score every 30 days. Also, Experian operates freecreditscore.com, another place where you are able to get your free Experian FICO score once a month. Several banks and credit card issuers, like Discover, offer complimentary Experian-based FICO® credit scores too.
If you are willing to pay, Experian and FICO offer premium services through which you are able to access your credit scores on a more regular basis. Those services also offer other benefits such as access to your credit reports and credit and identity-theft monitoring and support. However, we believe that you should never have to pay to access your credit scores or credit reports.
Which Credit Report is Most Accurate?
Keep in mind that the three major credit bureaus get their information from different sources. It means that your three credit reports from those bureaus may all be slightly different. Please consider monitoring each of those reports on an annual basis to assist make sure the information is correct.
If you are using Credit Karma to check your credit scores and monitor your credit reports, remember that Credit Karma updates your TransUnion credit scores on a daily basis, so you are able to follow your progress carefully.
However, as we mentioned, the most crucial credit report is the one your lender reviews when you apply for a new credit card, loan or mortgage. As you may not know which report your lender might use, it is more crucial to focus on the general principles of building credit than on memorizing what is in a certain report.
Why is Experian Credit Score Different from Credit Karma?
To recap, usually Credit Karma provides your Equifax and TransUnion credit scores, which are different from your Experian credit score. The credit bureaus look at the same sort of things: your payment history, length of credit history, credit use, credit mix and new credit. The enders occasionally only report your account information to one or two of the bureaus instead of all three.
Therefore, if Experian has access to different information about your credit than TransUnion or Equifax, your scores from each of the bureaus might be different. Even though the three major credit bureaus have the same information, each bureau has proprietary algorithms which might score you differently. However, it does not mean one credit score is more or less accurate than the others. Instead of comparing your Experian credit scores to the scores you discover on Credit Karma, we suggest you look at how each credit score changes over time.
Is Experian Better Than Credit Karma?
Once again, Credit Karma is different from Experian. While Experian arranges your credit report and determines your credit score, Credit Karma only shows you credit scores and reports information from TransUnion and Equifax. Simply, we are able to say that Credit Karma is like a newspaper which writes about the credit scores other companies give for you.
Is My Credit Score Higher Than Credit Karma?
You are able to find your Equifax and TransUnion VantageScore 3.0 credit scores on Credit Karma. You have many different credit scores, so several of your credit scores might be higher than the TransUnion and Equifax scores you see on Credit Karma, while several of your credit scores might be lower. However, as long as you are looking at the same version of the same score, the Equifax and TransUnion credit scores you see on Credit Karma must be the same as the Equifax and TransUnion credit scores you discover on other sites.
Conclusion
Whether you are checking your Experian credit reports on a third-party site or going to Credit Karma to check your Equifax and TransUnion credit reports, it is very important to monitor your credit file regularly for signs of identity theft, and also to get a general picture of your credit health. Remember that Credit Karma offers credit-monitoring alerts which help you keep track of activity on your Equifax and TransUnion credit reports. If you want to learn more about Credit karma and Experian, you are able to check out other articles on our site.
AUTHOR BIO
On my daily job, I am a software engineer, programmer & computer technician. My passion is assembling PC hardware, studying Operating System and all things related to computers technology. I also love to make short films for YouTube as a producer. More at about me…
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