Get the Facts — Learn Why You Should Know Your 3 Bureau Credit Scores

Knowing and understanding your credit scores is one of the best ways you can stay on top of your credit. There are many factors that influence your credit profile, and your scores are a great overall statement of how well you are doing.

Just as a school report card provides a numerical assessment of your performance (i.e. your grades), your credit score serves the same purpose for your credit history. It's an at-a-glance view of your total credit profile presented in numerical format.

A credit score is the numerical assessment of your credit risk. Lenders such as banks, credit card companies, cell phone providers and other services use credit scores when they determine how likely a consumer is to pay back their debt. If you have a low credit score, for example, you could pay higher interest rates. A higher score could ultimately save you money with better loan terms.

See All 3 Credit Scores for the Complete Picture

FreeScoresAndMore makes it easy to get your 3 bureau credit scores and compare them side-by-side. Your credit scores are based on information from each of the major credit bureaus - Experian, TransUnion and Equifax.

Your FreeScoresAndMore scores (as developed by VantageScore Solutions LLC) are designed to help you understand your credit. Although different from the scores lenders use, they use the same credit bureau data and are intended to reflect common credit scoring practices.

It's important to note the credit bureaus generally do not receive the same credit information from creditors and lenders, so your credit scores will likely be different across the bureaus. This is why it's important to see and understand your 3 scores.