Why Is My Credit Score Different On Different Sites?

Sometimes, checking your credit score can feel like playing Whac-A-Mole. Just when your score on one site is starting to look good — wham — your score on another site drops. What gives? Why is your credit score different on different sites?

As it turns out, there are actually a few reasons why your credit score varies between sites, and it mainly has to do with credit reference agencies (CRAs). Here, we’ll tell you the top three reasons why your score might be different across sites.

A quick word on credit reference agencies and your credit score

Understanding credit scoring is simpler when you consider what lenders want: lenders want to know how you use credit so they can judge whether or not they’re likely to get their money back if they loan it to you. Credit reference agencies collect information from your credit history, compile and score it, and share that information with lenders to help them make those decisions.

Understanding what kinds of things lenders are looking for can help you navigate your personal finances so that they see more of what they like and less of what they don’t. That starts with credit reference agencies, the information they collect, and the information they report.

1. Credit reference agencies collect different information

The three leading CRAs in the UK are Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. They broadly collect the same core information, which includes:

Your payment history
Whether you’re registered on the electoral register
What you owe in credit (your debt)
Your credit utilisation (or, how much of the credit that’s available to you you’re using in a given period)
How long you’ve had a credit history
How often you have hard credit checks or credit applications
Your credit mix (or, whether you have a single credit card, or a credit card, loan, and mortgage)
Negative credit markers like bankruptcies, county court judgments (CCJs), debt relief orders, or individual voluntary agreements.

Many of these items, which can be collected from public records, like the electoral register, should be the same between CRAs. However, each CRA works with different organisations that supply additional data, which is one of the first reasons that your credit score can vary between sites.

For example, not all organisations report information to each credit reference agency. They may only report to one or two. Your energy payments might be reported to TransUnion alone, while your credit card payments might be reported to Equifax and Experian.

Related read: What affects your credit score in the UK?

2. Credit reference agencies uses different scoring models

Not only do the three leading CRAs receive different data, they use their data differently. Each CRA implements the information they’ve received into their own algorithms, calculation methods, and scoring models.

As a result, there are natural variations in their scoring systems. Here’s what the big three CRAs’ credit scoring models look like:

TransUnion

TransUnion uses the VantageScore® 3.0 scoring model. Scores can range between 0 and 710. 566-603 is a fair score, 604-627 is good, and 628-710 is excellent.

Experian

Experian uses scores between 0 and 999. 0-560 is very poor, 561-720 is poor, 721-880 is fair, 881-960 is good, and 961-999 is excellent.

Related read: Is Experian safe? Here’s what to know

Equifax

Equifax developed their own scoring system in 2021, using scores between 0 and 1000. According to their scoring model, scores between 0-438 are poor, 439-530 is fair, 531-670 is good, 671 to 810 is very good, and 811-1000 is excellent.

These scoring models are the primary reason why your credit score might be different across websites. For instance, a 710 on TransUnion is excellent but would be considered poor in Experian and very good with Equifax.

3. Reporting and timing

The third and final factor that can influence your score is the frequency of reports and how updated the information a credit reference agency has is. The lenders, banks, and other organisations that report information don’t necessarily follow the same cadence.

For example, let’s say you have a credit card, and your credit card company reports data to the CRA on the 25th of each month. Now, let’s say you spend £150 on the card on the 10th, and then pay it off on the 20th. When the CRA finally receives information, they may see that your payment history has changed, but your credit utilisation may be null as you’ve paid it off.

Alternatively, let’s say your credit card company reports to CRAs on the 15th of each month. In this instance, your credit utilisation could go up, which may impact your credit score, leading to discrepancies between sites.

Likewise, each CRA updates your score every month, but these updates won’t necessarily happen on the same day. Your TransUnion update might happen on 15 September, while your Experian update might happen on 27 September.

Get two scores in the same place with Pave Plus

The bottom line is that a single score gives you an idea of where your score is. However, if you want to be confident in your credit score before applying for a product like a credit card, you should be sure to review two scores.

Here at Pave, we’ve made doing that easier than ever. Not only can Pave Plus help you actively build and protect all 3 of your credit scores, we also give you the power to track your Equifax and TransUnion scores in one place.

Ready to experience a clearer credit score experience? Download Pave today.