Credit Score Basics > How and where to check your credit score for free?

How and where to check your credit score for free?

Credit scores? Boring, right? We doubt checking our credit report it's anyone's favourite past-time. It's hardly top of anyone's list when it comes to planning a relaxing evening or fun-filled weekend. And you should be even paying money for it? No, ma'am! So, let's check your credit score for free.

When it comes to applying for a mortgage, or any other form of credit, your credit score will be right in the focus. Not knowing your credit score or what your credit report says about you means that you are applying for these things blind. Why not increase your chances of being accepted by knowing exactly what's on there, and if it's not too great, take some steps to make it better?

Checking your credit score can never cause you any harm, so you can check it as many times as you like safe in the knowledge that you're not going to lower it. If you had to pay every time you checked it, it could restrict the amount times that you do look, but did you know that you can check your credit score for free?

A little wander down memory lane

Do you ever complain that things aren't as cheap as they used to be? I'm sure we all have those moments of (misplaced) nostalgia where we're sure that everything has gone up in price. Maybe that's true for many things, but not in relation to your credit score. Back in the day, if you wanted to check your credit score, you'd have to write to the credit reference agencies and send them a payment of £2. They will then process your request, and sometime later, they'll write back to you and post a copy of your credit report.

Then came the internet! Suddenly you could access your credit report in an instant and rather than the price going up, this became free of charge.

Why the change? Some of the companies involved became a little bit clever! Rather than charging your £2, they could instead partner with loans and credit card providers. Knowing everything about your credit score, they could then suggest credit card companies and loan providers where you are likely to be accepted. Once you are, these companies get a nice little commission payment. A win-win for everyone involved.

So how can I check my credit score for free?

Since 2018 you have had the legal right to see your credit report, free of charge. This comes from three credit reference agencies, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. To get the full picture of your credit score, you would need a report from all 3. These free reports only give an overview of your credit report and don't give you your credit score. To get the full picture, you're going to need more, so let's have a look at what options you have.

Checking your Experian credit score for free

This is the largest of the 3 credit reference agencies. As all of the agencies may hold slightly different information, it is always best to obtain your credit report and credit score from all of them. If you have to choose though, the safest bet would be Experian.

If you want to check your credit score for free, they offer a 30-day free trial of CreditExpert. This service allows you access to your credit score, credit report, and also offers email alerts to let you know when anything has changed on your file. At the end of the 30-day free trial, you have a couple of options. You can either continue to access everything and pay £14.99 a month. Or, if you'd like to access your credit score for free, you can also do this. With the free option, you can see your credit score, but not your credit report.

A third option is to sign up for the Money Saving Expert Credit Club. This is free for life and allows you to access your credit score and credit report, but doesn't include the email alerts that you'd get with CreditExpert.

See your Equifax credit rating

This credit reference agency again offers a free trial for 30-days. During the free trial, you will have access to their full credit monitoring service. If you'd like to continue after the first 30 days, this will cost you £7.95 a month.

As we're looking at how to check your credit score for free, a 30-day free trial followed by monthly payments just won't do. To access your credit score and report for free on an ongoing basis, you can head over to ClearScore and set up an account. ClearScore doesn't need to charge you as they make their money through commissions if you sign up for any of the credit products on their site. Don't want their products? That's okay too, you can still access the service for free.

Review your TransUnion credit score for free

Formally known as Callcredit, TransUnion is the 3rd of the credit reference agency in the UK. Rather than offering a free trial, TransUnion allows you to access your credit score and credit report for free, forever. Access to this information is via Credit Karma. Again, Credit Karma doesn't need to charge you as their money is made through commissions, allowing you to check your credit score for free.

Take advantage of free credit score checks!

With free options covering all 3 credit reference agencies, there is really no reason not to be checking your credit score. Make this a regular practice for yourself, and set a reminder to check your credit score every 3 months if not every month! More than this though, joining us allows you to improve your credit score. With Wollit Pro you can build your score with all 3 UK credit reference agencies every month. This way every time you check back on your free credit report you can see an even better number!

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