Discover how credit scores and credit reports differ, why each is important, and how they impact your financial life.

Your bank app may let you check your credit score for free. But how is that different from your credit report? They are both measures of your financial health, but your score is a three-digit number ...

What’s the difference between a credit score and a credit report, and how does each affect my finances? If there’s one thing you know about your credit, it’s that it has to be good. That may sound ...

Most people know that a higher credit score is better -- but how much better? What does it really cost to fall just one tier below? The average credit score in 2025 is 715, according to Motley Fool ...

It’s smart to check your three credit reports and to do so often. Yet there’s a difference between checking your own reports with Equifax, TransUnion and Experian and allowing someone else to access ...

Investopedia contributors come from a range of backgrounds, and over 25 years there have been thousands of expert writers and editors who have contributed. Dr. JeFreda R. Brown is a financial ...

Take a Financial Relief Quiz. Get matched with an Authorized Partner. When you’re applying for a loan, credit card or lease, knowing the difference between your credit score and credit report can give ...