Can I get credit scores for free?

Posted by Caitlin on February 3rd, 2009

The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.

Q: I am looking to get my credit SCORES somewhere, for free. And when I say "free" I mean NO CREDIT CARD. They all want credit cards! I need a non-credit card required credit score please!

A: Unfortunately, it is not possible to get your credit score without a credit card. You are entitled to one free credit report per year from each of the three credit bureaus, which you can request at AnnualCreditReport.com, without a credit card. These free credit reports, however, do not include credit scores.

It is possible to get a free credit score, but you will have to sign up for a credit monitoring service, and you will need to use a credit card. Many of the credit report and score services reviewed on NextAdvisor.com offer free trials. When you sign up for a free trial with one of these services, you will receive a copy of your credit report and score immediately. Some even provide tools to help you understand and improve your score. Equifax w/Score Power, for example, includes a FICO Score Simulator, which explains all of the factors impacting your credit score and estimates what your score would be if you took certain actions. If you are only interested in your credit report and score and do not want a credit monitoring service, simply cancel your membership before the end of the free trial, and your credit card will not be charged.

To learn more about credit report and score services, see our reviews and comparison chart.