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How to Check Your Credit Score for Free in 2025

Written By Arwan November 03, 2025
A young person checking their credit score online for free on a laptop at home

Your credit score is one of the most important numbers in your financial life. It can affect your ability to rent an apartment, get a credit card, buy a car, or even land a job. If you're new to personal finance or just starting your financial journey, you're probably wondering how to check your credit score for free in 2025.

The good news? It's easier than ever to access your credit score without spending a dime. In this article, we’ll walk you through simple, legit ways to do it, and help you understand what your score means for your financial future.

Why Your Credit Score Matters

Before we get into the "how," let’s talk about the "why." Your credit score is a number between 300 and 850 that reflects how trustworthy you are with borrowed money. A higher score generally means better interest rates and easier approval for loans or credit cards.

Your credit score isn’t just about getting loans. It can impact your insurance premiums, ability to rent a home, and sometimes even job applications—especially in industries like finance or government. That’s why staying on top of your credit score is a smart move, even if you’re not planning on applying for credit any time soon.

If you’re not familiar with how credit scores work, check out our beginner-friendly guide: What is a Credit Score and Why is it Important?

How to Check Your Credit Score for Free in 2025

There are several ways to check your credit score for free, and you don’t need to sign up for a sketchy service or pay unnecessary fees. Here are the most common and trusted options:

1. Through Your Credit Card Issuer

Many credit card companies offer free access to your credit score as a perk. Some popular issuers include:

  • Discover – Offers your FICO Score for free

  • Capital One – Has CreditWise, which gives you access to your VantageScore

  • Chase – Provides Credit Journey, also using VantageScore

Just log in to your online account or mobile app and look for a section labeled “Credit Score” or something similar. These scores update regularly—usually once a month—and don’t affect your credit when you check them.

This is one of the most convenient methods because you’re probably already using your bank or credit card app frequently.

2. Use a Free Credit Score Website

Several websites offer completely free access to your credit score, with no credit card required. Popular options include:

  • Credit Karma – Uses VantageScore from TransUnion and Equifax

  • Credit Sesame – Also uses VantageScore

  • WalletHub – Updates your score daily

These platforms not only show you your score but also provide insights, such as:

  • What’s helping or hurting your score

  • Simulations showing how actions (like paying off debt) might change your score

  • Tips for improving your credit health

However, keep in mind that the scores provided might not be the same ones lenders use. Most lenders use FICO scores, while these websites usually show VantageScores. They’re still helpful for tracking your overall credit trends.

3. Check with Your Bank or Credit Union

Some banks and credit unions now include credit score monitoring as part of your account benefits. For example:

  • Wells Fargo offers FICO Scores to eligible cardholders

  • Bank of America provides monthly FICO Scores

  • USAA includes VantageScores for members

This method is super convenient if you already have a relationship with a bank that offers the service. Plus, seeing your score in your banking app encourages regular monitoring.

4. Through Experian’s Free Services

Experian, one of the three major credit bureaus, offers a tool called Experian CreditWorks. The basic (free) plan provides:

  • Your FICO Score from Experian

  • Score updates every 30 days

  • Basic credit monitoring alerts

You can also explore Experian Boost, a feature that lets you add utility and streaming payments to your credit file, which may help improve your score.

5. Through Government-Mandated Resources

While not directly offering a score, websites like AnnualCreditReport.com (the only site authorized by federal law) allow you to check your credit reports from all three major bureaus weekly. While the report doesn’t include a score, reviewing it helps ensure the data behind your score is accurate.

Once you have your report, you can use tools like Credit Karma to see an estimated score based on that data.

Is Checking Your Credit Score the Same as Checking Your Credit Report?

Not exactly. Your credit score is a number based on your credit report, which is a detailed history of your borrowing. It’s smart to check both regularly.

  • Your credit report includes things like open accounts, payment history, and credit limits.

  • Your score is calculated from this information.

If your report contains errors (like an account you never opened), your score could be negatively impacted. That’s why it's essential to check your reports too.

Good news: You can also check your credit reports for free. Learn how in our full guide: Check Your Credit Report for Free: A 2025 Guide

How Often Should You Check Your Credit Score?

You don’t need to check your score every day, but once a month is a good rule of thumb. Monitoring your score regularly helps you:

  • Spot errors or fraud early

  • Track your credit-building progress

  • Understand how financial choices affect your score

Many of the free platforms mentioned above will send you alerts if there’s a significant change in your score, which is a helpful feature for staying on top of things.

What to Do If Your Score Is Low

Don’t panic if your score isn’t great. Many people start out with a low score and build it over time. Improving your score is absolutely doable. Focus on:

  • Paying bills on time every month

  • Keeping credit card balances under 30% of your limit

  • Avoiding too many new credit applications in a short time

  • Checking your credit reports for errors

If you’re starting from scratch or trying to recover from past mistakes, check out our full article: How to Improve a Bad Credit Score – Beginner’s Guide

Remember, credit-building is a marathon, not a sprint. Consistency is key.

Tips to Keep Your Credit Score Healthy

Once you’ve learned how to check your credit score for free, it’s also helpful to know how to maintain or boost it. Here are some quick tips:

  • Set up autopay – Never miss a due date

  • Ask for credit limit increases – If done right, this can help your utilization ratio

  • Become an authorized user – Piggyback on a responsible person’s credit card account

  • Diversify your credit – A mix of installment and revolving credit can help

These small steps add up over time and show lenders that you’re responsible with credit.

Key Takeaways

  • You can check your credit score for free in 2025 through your bank, credit card issuer, or trusted websites.

  • Free credit score services do not impact your score.

  • Understanding both your credit score and report is crucial for your financial health.

  • If your score is low, there are beginner-friendly strategies to raise it over time.

Final Thoughts

Learning how to check your credit score for free is a great first step in taking control of your financial life. Whether you're just starting out or rebuilding your credit, understanding where you stand empowers you to make smarter money decisions.

Checking your score regularly, even if you're not planning a big financial move, can keep you one step ahead. Make it a monthly habit, just like checking your budget or tracking your savings.

Want to learn more about building good credit, budgeting, and saving? Browse other beginner-friendly tips on CashBegin.com!