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Money · Credit score check
American Credit Score Reality Check
What is actually moving your credit score — and is the thing you think is helping actually hurting? Get a verdict on which lever to pull in the next 90 days.
Instant result
Plain-English why
Copyable takeaway
What this means
No waffle. Just the number and how it was worked out.
Formula used
FICO components: payment history (35%) + credit utilisation (30%) + length of history (15%) + credit mix (10%) + new credit (10%). Verdict prioritises the highest-impact lever given current inputs.
Worked example
Utilisation at 45% is a bigger drag than most people realise — dropping it to under 30% often moves the score 20–40 points in a single reporting cycle. Closing an old card to reduce temptation usually does the opposite of what was intended.
Common questions
What is the utilisation myth?
Many people believe they should carry a small balance month-to-month to show they use credit responsibly. In practice, FICO treats any balance above 0% as a utilisation cost. Paying to zero each month is better for the score than carrying a small balance.
Does checking my own credit score hurt it?
No. Checking your own score is a soft inquiry and has no effect on your FICO score. Only hard inquiries — from lenders when you apply for credit — affect the score, and even those typically have a minor and temporary effect.
Plain-English summary
The result summary for this calculator will live here.
This section translates the result into a short, direct takeaway rather than leaving the page at a bare number.
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