When you apply for a credit card, the card issuer may check your credit score from Experian, Equifax, or Transunion – or all three. Companies don’t typically disclose which credit bureau they use when checking consumers’ information and there is no guarantee that they will choose a particular one. However, some banks have been known to use one credit bureau more than the others. The state that you reside in might also have an impact on which credit bureau your company will use.
Following are a few examples of credit card companies that use Experian more than other bureaus in general.
American Express:
American Express is known to use Experian the most compared to other credit card companies. It almost always uses Experian exclusively, almost 90% of the time, for a hard inquiry when assessing a credit card application.
Bank of America:
Bank of America also usually uses Experian for about 80% of the time to pull credit reports. For specific cards, they may use TransUnion. In case the applicant has frozen their Experian report, they will most probably use TransUnion.
Chase:
While Chase generally uses Experian slightly more than the other bureaus, the choice of credit bureau may change according to the state you reside in. Some states might prefer TransUnion or Equifax over Experian and some might pull data from at least two bureaus for each application.
Citi:
Citi commonly uses Experian or Equifax to pull credit reports. For some applications, they may use both for a credit pull. Very rarely do they use TransUnion.
Wells Fargo:
Wells Fargo uses Experian around 40% of the time followed by TransUnion and Equifax. The bureau it uses to pull credit reports from also depends mostly on the applicant’s state of residence.
FAQs
Some credit cards that use Experian only reportedly include Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Citi Premier Card, among others. There's no guarantee these credit cards use Experian 100 percent of the time.
What is excellent credit with Experian? ›
For a score with a range between 300 and 850, a credit score of 700 or above is generally considered good. A score of 800 or above on the same range is considered to be excellent. Most consumers have credit scores that fall between 600 and 750. In 2023, the average FICO® Score☉ in the U.S. reached 715.
Which is better my FICO or Experian? ›
Experian's advantage over FICO is that the information it provides is far more detailed and thorough than a simple number. A pair of borrowers could both have 700 FICO Scores but vastly different credit histories.
What lenders use Experian only? ›
Which Lenders Use Experian Only?
- Latitude Financial Services.
- SocietyOne.
- Wisr.
- Liberty Financial.
The specific reason your Experian score is higher than your TransUnion score will depend on individual factors. Firstly, credit bureaus calculate credit scores differently, meaning they use different credit factor weightings to determine your score.
What credit score does Citibank require? ›
What Credit Score Do You Need To Get Approved for a Citi Card? Most cards offered by Citi require a good to excellent credit score—670 to over 800. The cards with such requirements are some of the most rewarding cards offered, but there are options if your score is not quite at that level.
What credit bureau does Citibank use? ›
Experian is the most commonly used source that Citi will draw a report from, but there's no guarantee that they won't decide to pull a different or additional report from another reporting agency. If you're not certain your score is good enough to be approved, you can work on improving your credit.
What FICO score does Wells Fargo use for credit cards? ›
Bottom line. To qualify for the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, you typically need at least a FICO® score of at least 670. However, the issuer also looks at other factors, such as the amount of credit card accounts you have and the time frame from which you opened a new account.
How rare is an 800 credit score? ›
According to a report by FICO, only 23% of the scorable population has a credit score of 800 or above.
Does anyone have a 900 credit score? ›
While older models of credit scores used to go as high as 900, you can no longer achieve a 900 credit score. The highest score you can receive today is 850. Anything above 800 is considered an excellent credit score.
While achieving a perfect 850 credit score is rare, it's not impossible. About 1.3% of consumers have one, according to Experian's latest data. FICO scores can range anywhere from 300 to 850.
What is a good credit score to buy a house? ›
You'll typically need a credit score of 620 to finance a home purchase. However, some lenders may offer mortgage loans to borrowers with scores as low as 500. Whether you qualify for a specific loan type also depends on personal factors like your debt-to-income ratio (DTI), loan-to-value ratio (LTV) and income.
Who has the most accurate credit score? ›
The primary credit scoring models are FICO® and VantageScore®, and both are equally accurate. Although both are accurate, most lenders are looking at your FICO score when you apply for a loan.
Why is my Experian score so much higher than FICO? ›
When the scores are significantly different across bureaus, it is likely the underlying data in the credit bureaus is different and thus driving that observed score difference.
What other agencies are with Experian? ›
The big three—Experian, TransUnion and Equifax—collect and organize data to create consumer credit reports. The bureaus don't make lending decisions or determine your credit scores.
What credit companies are like Experian? ›
Nationwide consumer reporting companies
There are three big nationwide providers of consumer reports: Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. Their reports contain information about your payment history, how much credit you have and use, and other inquiries and information.
Who uses Experian credit check? ›
Your Experian Credit Report will be accessed with your consent when you apply for credit. Credit providers such as banks, building societies, credit unions, finance companies, access seekers, mortgage insurers and other businesses that offer to lend you money can access your credit report.
Does Chase use FICO or Experian? ›
Which credit bureau the bank uses the most often depends on which state you live in. Based on anecdotal information, Chase generally uses credit data from Experian. However, Chase may opt to review your Equifax or TransUnion credit reports instead depending on which state you live in.
