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FICO® Scores vs. Other Credit Scores – What’s the Difference?

While the FICO® Score is the most widely used credit score, it's not the only one. Read on to learn the differences between a FICO Score and other credit scores.

Rebecca Lake • June 2, 2023

In This Article

  1. What is a FICO Score?
  2. What's a good FICO Score?
  3. What is a VantageScore?
  4. What's a good VantageScore?
  5. Are there other credit scores?
  6. FICO Score vs. other credit scores: What's the difference?
  7. How to check your FICO Score
  8. Build a good FICO Score for the best rates
  9. FAQs

Did you know there are different kinds of credit scores, but FICO® Scores are the ones most commonly used by 90% of top lenders?1 Odds are, if you apply for a loan or a credit card, the lender’s going to take a peek at your FICO Score.

But other credit scores can come into play when you need to borrow money. A FICO Score is one type of credit score, but not all credit scores are FICO scores. So what’s the difference between FICO Scores and other credit scores? Let’s break it down:

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What is a FICO Score?

A FICO Score is a type of credit score. But what about FICO Score’s origins? FICO Scores were first developed by the Fair Isaac Corporation, which now goes by FICO for short. These scores have been in use for over three decades, and as mentioned, FICO is the most commonly used credit score model.

FICO Scores operate on a range from 300 to 850, with 300 being the lowest score possible and 850 being the highest score you can earn. Your scores are based on the information reported to the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

If you’ve ever seen a copy of your credit report, you’ve seen what FICO uses to generate your scores.

But how does the FICO Score formula work? It’s broken down like this:

  • Payment history: 35% of your score
  • Credit utilization: 30% of your score
  • Credit age: 15% of your score
  • Credit mix: 10% of your score
  • Credit inquiries: 10% of your score

FICO only uses these criteria to calculate your credit score. Other factors, like your age, income, or where you work, don’t come into play.

What's a good FICO Score?

FICO Scores aren’t all the same. There’s a significant difference between having an 800 FICO Score and a 600 FICO Score when applying for loans or lines of credit.

Your score matters for two reasons. First, a higher score can make getting approved for loans or credit lines easier. And second, the better your score, the better your interest rate will likely be, which means saving money.

In terms of what is a good FICO Score, here’s how the different score ranges compare:

  • 800-850: Exceptional credit
  • 740-799: Very good
  • 670-739: Good
  • 580-669: Fair
  • 300-579: Very poor

Based on this, “good” credit is a FICO Score between 670 and 739. But the higher your score, the more favorable any loan or credit terms you qualify for are likely to be.

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What is a VantageScore?

After FICO Score, VantageScore is probably the second most well-known credit scoring model. VantageScore was founded in 2006 as a joint effort between Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion to provide consumers with a comprehensive credit scoring model.

Like FICO Scores, VantageScore credit scores also operate on a range from 300 to 850, with 850 being considered a perfect score. And like FICO Score, VantageScore credit scores are based on the information from your credit reports. But the main difference lies in what information is used and how it’s weighted.

Here’s how VantageScore calculates scores:

  • Extremely influential: Total credit usage, balance, and available credit
  • Highly influential: Credit mix and experience
  • Moderately influential: Payment history
  • Less influential: Age of credit history
  • Less influential: New accounts

Right away, you can see that in terms of FICO Scores vs. VantageScore, FICO Scores place more emphasis on payment history, while VantageScore looks more at how much of your credit limit you’re using and what types of credit you have.

Newer versions of FICO Scores and VantageScore also rely on trended data, which is how you manage credit and debt over time.

What's a good VantageScore?

Wondering if there’s a difference between a good VantageScore and a good FICO Score? Since these are two different credit score models, there is some variation in what VantageScore considers good credit.

  • 781-850: Excellent credit
  • 661-780: Good
  • 601-660: Fair
  • 500-600: Poor
  • 300-499: Very poor

While there is a range shift between VantageScore credit scores and FICO Score, one detail remains the same. A higher score can work in your favor when it’s time to borrow money.

Are there other credit scores?

Aside from FICO Score and VantageScore credit scores, the credit bureaus can also generate their own consumer credit scores. These scores follow a proprietary model unique to the credit bureau issuing the score.

These scores can give you an idea of where you stand credit-wise, but they aren’t the same scores lenders will check when you apply for loans. For that reason, they’re often referred to as educational scores since they’re designed to inform consumers about their credit situation.

FICO Score vs. other credit scores: What's the difference?

FICO Scores are considered the go-to credit scoring model, though VantageScore is gradually gaining popularity among lenders. So when it comes to which is better, FICO Score has an edge regarding how many lenders use it and its overall reputation.

If you’re checking your FICO Scores or your VantageScore, you will likely get two different perspectives on financial health. That’s because of how each scoring model is calculated and what factors weigh the heaviest in those calculations.

Want to learn more about the differences between a credit score vs. a FICO Score? Here’s a side-by-side look at how other credit scores vs. FICO Scores compare:

FICO ScoresOther credit scores
  • Used by over 90% of top lenders
  • Payment history is the most important scoring factor, followed by credit utilization
  • Since it is widely used by lenders, checking your FICO Score can give you a realistic idea of what loan terms you’re likely to qualify for
  • Less commonly used in lending decisions
  • Give more weight to total credit balances and credit utilization vs. payment history
  • May not be an accurate way to gauge your creditworthiness when applying for loans with lenders that rely on FICO models for credit scoring

Bottom line, FICO Scores are considered the industry standard. So if you’re checking your credit scores for the first time, then checking your FICO Score can give you a better idea of how lenders perceive you in terms of risk.

Other credit score models can also offer insight into what you may be doing right when using credit and what you could improve upon. But overall, FICO Scores can carry more weight in credit and lending decisions.

How to check your FICO Score

If you’re curious about how your FICO Scores add up, there are a few ways you can check them.

  1. You can purchase a FICO Score through an authorized FICO retailer. The three credit bureaus – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – are all authorized to sell FICO scores to consumers.
  2. You could get your score through an authorized FICO open-access partner. The FICO open-access program allows banks and other financial institutions to provide FICO Scores to their customers for free. So if you have a rewards credit card, for example, one of your card perks may include free FICO Score access.
  3. You can look into services that provide FICO Scores for free. For example, Experian Credit Boost and Chase Credit Journey both offer free access to your FICO Score.
  4. Free credit monitoring services can issue updated credit scores to customers monthly for free. But instead of a FICO Score, you may get a VantageScore or a proprietary credit score. So be sure to read the fine print before signing up.
  5. You can also check your FICO Score for free in the Chime app.

Build a good FICO Score for the best rates

Having a decent FICO Score matters if you want to qualify for the best interest rates when applying for new loans or refinancing existing ones.

All things considered, developing good financial habits like paying bills on time and keeping your credit card balances low can help you build a stronger credit score!

FAQs

Is FICO Score the same as a credit score?

All FICO Scores are credit scores, but not all credit scores are FICO Scores. While the FICO Score is the most widely used, other credit scores include the VantageScore. There are also scores generated by the credit bureaus, known as educational scores.

Is the FICO Score accurate?

Yes, the FICO Score has a longstanding reputation for being a fair, reliable, and trusted way to gauge someone’s creditworthiness—or their ability to stay on top of debt payments. Lenders lean on the FICO Score to help them take on less risk, and borrowers can use the FICO Score to tap into the credit they need quicker and easier.

How do I get my FICO Score?

You can pay for your FICO Score through the three credit bureaus, which are all authorized FICO retailers. Another way to get your score is through an authorized FICO open access partner, such as banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions and platforms. Some services offer FICO Scores free of charge. And if you’re a Chime member, you can check your FICO Score for free in the Chime app.

Do lenders use the FICO Score or another credit score?

The FICO Score is the most popular credit score used by lenders, and more than 90% of lenders use it to figure out how risky it would be to extend a loan, credit card, or other form of financing to a borrower.

Is your FICO Score the most accurate credit score?

In short, no credit score is more accurate than the others. While they’re used to determine a borrower’s creditworthiness or how likely they are to repay a loan on time, slightly different criteria are used. As for how each factor plays into your score, each one carries a different weight. Plus, the credit score ranges vary.

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1 FICO® Scores are developed by Fair Isaac Corporation. The FICO Score provided by ConsumerInfo.com, Inc., also referred to as Experian Consumer Services ("ECS"), in Experian CreditWorks℠, Credit Tracker℠ and/or your free Experian membership (as applicable) is based on FICO Score 8, unless otherwise noted. Many but not all lenders use FICO Score 8.

In addition to the FICO Score 8, ECS may offer and provide other base or industry-specific FICO Scores (such as FICO Auto Scores and FICO Bankcard Scores). The other FICO Scores made available are calculated from versions of the base and industry-specific FICO Score models. There are many different credit scoring models that can give a different assessment of your credit rating and relative risk (risk of default) for the same credit report. Your lender or insurer may use a different FICO Score than FICO Score 8 or such other base or industry-specific FICO Score, or another type of credit score altogether. Just remember that your credit rating is often the same even if the number is not. For some consumers, however, the credit rating of FICO Score 8 (or other FICO Score) could vary from the score used by your lender. The statement that "90% of top lenders use FICO Scores" is based on a third-party study of all versions of FICO Scores sold to lenders, including but not limited to scores based on FICO Score 8. Base FICO Scores (including the FICO Score 8) range from 300 to 850. Industry-specific FICO Scores range from 250-900. Higher scores represent a greater likelihood that you'll pay back your debts so you are viewed as being a lower credit risk to lenders. A lower FICO Score indicates to lenders that you may be a higher credit risk. There are three different major credit reporting agencies — the Experian credit bureau, TransUnion® and Equifax® — that maintain a record of your credit history known as your credit report. Your FICO Score is based on the information in your credit report at the time it is requested. Your credit report information can vary from agency to agency because some lenders report your credit history to only one or two of the agencies. So your FICO Score can vary if the information they have on file for you is different. Since the information in your report can change over time, your FICO Score may also change.

2 Credit score calculated based on FICO® Score 8 model. Your lender or insurer may use a different FICO® Score than FICO® Score 8, or another type of credit score altogether. Learn More

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