Want to know where your credit stands, without paying a cent? You can check your credit score for free, and it only takes a few minutes if you use an online provider. Here is the simple way to do it, step by step.
Quick answer: The fastest free option is a free credit score provider or app — sign up, verify your identity, and you will usually see your score within minutes. For the full detail behind the number, you can also request a free copy of your credit report from a credit reporting body once every three months. Checking your own score does not lower it. Moneysmart, the government’s money guide, confirms both of these points in its guide to credit scores and credit reports.
Before you start: what you will need
Whoever you check with will need to confirm you are really you. Have these ready:
- Your full name and date of birth
- Your current address, plus previous addresses if you have moved in the last few years
- A form of ID, such as your driver licence number
- An email address and mobile number for the account
That is it. A genuine free service will never ask you to pay or hand over your credit card details. If a site asks for payment, close it and try another one.
Method 1: Check your score free through an online provider
This is the quickest way, and the one most people use first.
- Pick a free credit score provider or app. Many are listed on the CreditSmart website, and our guide to the best free credit score apps compares the popular ones.
- Create a free account with your name, date of birth and address.
- Verify your identity, usually with your driver licence number and a few questions only you would know, such as a previous address or loan.
- Wait for your score to load. This usually takes just a few minutes once your identity checks out.
- Read your score and the band it sits in, such as fair, good or excellent.
These providers work out your score from data held by one or more credit reporting bodies, so the number you see is a guide rather than the exact figure a lender would use. That is normal, and it is still very useful for tracking whether your credit health is improving or slipping.
Method 2: Get your free credit report from a credit reporting body
Your credit score comes from your credit report, and you have a right to a free copy of that report every three months from each credit reporting body. Moneysmart lists the two main bodies as Equifax (138 332) and Experian (1300 783 684).
- Go to the credit reporting body’s website and look for the free credit report request option.
- Fill in your personal details and verify your identity.
- Submit the request and wait for your report to arrive. A free report can take up to 10 days to reach you.
- Read through the whole report, not just the score. Check that every loan, account and repayment listed is actually yours.
You can also ask for a free report outside the three-month cycle if you have been refused credit in the past 90 days, or if your credit information has recently been corrected.
Method 3: Check through your bank’s app
Many major banks now show a credit score inside their app or online banking for existing customers. If your bank offers it, you will usually find it under a section about credit or financial health. It costs nothing extra, and because you are already verified with the bank, there is often nothing new to set up. The score shown comes from one of the credit reporting bodies, so it may differ slightly from what another provider shows you.
Why is my score different on different sites?
Do not worry if two providers show you two different numbers. There are a few simple reasons:
- Different bodies hold slightly different information about you.
- Each body uses its own scoring scale. Depending on the agency, scores run from zero to either 1,000 or 1,200.
- Your score is a snapshot in time. It moves as new repayments, applications and accounts are added to your file.
What matters most is the general range your score sits in, and whether it is trending up or down over time — not a difference of a few points between providers. If you are still unsure what the number means, our simple guide on what a credit score is explains it in plain terms.
How often should you check?
Checking once every few months is plenty for most people. It is worth checking more often if you are about to apply for a home loan, car loan or credit card, or if you have just paid off a debt and want to see the change. Since checking your own score is a soft enquiry, it never hurts your score, so you can check as often as you like without worry.
What to check in your report (and how to fix mistakes)
When your report arrives, look for these things:
- Loans or debts you do not recognise — this can be a sign of identity theft
- Wrong personal details, such as a misspelt name or wrong date of birth
- Missed payments you actually made on time
- Accounts you closed that still show as open
If something is wrong or out of date, contact the credit reporting body and ask them to fix it. This is a free service, and you do not need to pay a credit repair company to do it for you. Companies that promise to wipe genuine negative listings for a fee cannot deliver on that promise — only wrong information can be removed, and you can get that done yourself for free.
Mistakes to avoid
- Paying for your score. Free options exist, so there is no need to pay.
- Applying for lots of credit at once. Each formal application is a hard enquiry and can lower your score for a while. Checking your own score is different — that one is free and harmless.
- Only checking the number. The report behind the score is where errors hide, so read it at least once a year.
- Ignoring a sudden drop. If your score falls sharply for no clear reason, get your full report and look for mistakes or unfamiliar accounts straight away.
Frequently asked questions
Does checking my own credit score lower it?
No. Checking your own score is a soft enquiry and does not affect your score at all. Only formal credit applications, such as applying for a loan or credit card, create hard enquiries that can lower it.
How long does a free credit report take?
An online score from a free provider usually appears within minutes. A free credit report requested directly from a credit reporting body can take up to 10 days to arrive.
Can I check my score if I have never had a loan?
If you have never applied for credit, you may have little or no credit file yet. In that case a provider may not be able to generate a score. Our guide on whether you need a credit card to build a credit score explains how a file gets started.
Is a free score the same one a lender sees?
Not exactly. Lenders look at your full credit file and apply their own checks, so the consumer score you see is a helpful guide, not a guarantee of approval. A higher score still means a lender is likely to see you as less risky, which can help you get a better deal.
Checking your credit score for free is one of the easiest money habits you can build. Set a reminder to do it every few months, read the full report once a year, and fix any mistakes as soon as you spot them. It costs nothing, it takes minutes, and it puts you in control of your credit before a lender ever looks at it.
