WalletHub editors compared the leading free credit report providers so you can get your free credit report without having to worry about any hidden terms.
Updated Sep 6, 2024Fact checked
By:John Kiernan, Credit Card Editor
|Sep 6, 2024
Reviewed by:Alina Comoreanu, Senior Researcher
Fact checked
Your credit report offers a detailed look at your financial history and plays a crucial role in determining your eligibility for a credit card, renting an apartment, securing a mortgage, or obtaining various types of loans. Federal law provides a free option to obtain your credit report from the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. However, this service is only available once a week, and there are websites that allow you to get more frequent updates.
To identify the best credit report site, WalletHub compared 15 different service providers, ranging from free options to premium ones that require payment for access.
WalletHub
TransUnion Report
Free, No Credit Card Required
Go to Site
More Details More Details
Fee Details
- Free membership includes features related to credit reports, credit scores, overall credit monitoring, etc.
- Premium membership is also available starting $6.49 per month which includes features like identity theft protection, criminal activity monitoring, priority customer support, etc.
Credit Score Provided
- Yes
Related Features
- Free Credit Scores, Updated Daily
- 24/7 Credit Monitoring
- Premium membership includes identity protection services
- Specialized tools and resources: "why my score changed" feature, SMS alerts, a personalized debt payoff plan, change of address alerts, social security number trace alerts, credit analysis, credit timeline, credit score simulator, real-time credit inquiry alerts, personalized money-saving offers, credit-improvement advice and enhanced credit monitoring
- Site also includes educational resources
Editor’s Notes
Just to be clear, we’re completely biased in saying this, but we nevertheless believe it to be the truth: WalletHub is the best credit report website because it provides your full report and updates it daily. This enables you to obtain an unparalleled perspective of your credit circ*mstances and ensures that you’ll never have to attempt tending to your credit report on a delay.
Annual Credit Report
Equifax Report Experian Report TransUnion Report
Free, No Credit Card Required
Go to Site
More Details More Details
Fee Details
- Free credit reports annually, no membership
Credit Score Provided
- No
Related Features
- Official site authorized by federal law
- Reports provided annually
- Site includes educational tools and resources
Editor’s Notes
Annual Credit Report is the only Federally mandated site for free access to credit reports from each of the 3 bureaus. The site includes educational tools and does not require an ongoing membership. While the reports may be difficult to understand or digest at first, this is the most reliable method for an annual credit report check from each of the 3 major bureaus.
Free Credit Report
Experian Report
Free, No Credit Card Required
Go to Site
More Details More Details
Fee Details
- Free membership includes all features
Credit Score Provided
- Yes
Related Features
- Report updated monthly on login
- Site includes educational tools and resources via Experian
Editor’s Notes
Powered by Experian, Free Credit Report is just that, it gives users access to a credit report as well as their FICO 8 Score with a free membership. It is a solid option for a one-time credit check.
Credit Report
Experian Report
Free, No Credit Card Required
Go to Site
More Details More Details
Fee Details
- Free membership includes all features
Credit Score Provided
- Yes
Related Features
- Ongoing credit monitoring included with membership
- Members receive identity protection benefits
- Custom credit card and loan offer recommendations
Editor’s Notes
CreditReport.com gives users access to their Experian report and score with membership. Also included is ID Protection, which is a nice bonus. Given there are services offering data from all three bureaus along with identity protection, better options are available.
Credit Karma
Equifax Report TransUnion Report
Free, No Credit Card Required
Go to Site
More Details More Details
Fee Details
- Free membership includes all features
Credit Score Provided
- Yes
Related Features
- Reports updated daily
- Ongoing credit monitoring included with membership
- ID monitoring provided
- Membership includes specialized tools and offers: custom credit card and loan offers, credit score simulator, debt repayment calculator, and mortgage refinance calculator
- Site includes educational tools and resources
Editor’s Notes
Credit Karma is one of the stronger names in the free credit monitoring space, and lets users see 2 free credit reports with membership. Daily updates of 2 reports combined with educational tools and monitoring makes it one of the stronger offerings in the free credit report marketplace for frequent monitoring.
MyFICO
Equifax Report Experian Report TransUnion Report
Free, No Credit Card Required for Basic Membership
Plans starting at $19.95/mo for Upgraded Membership
Go to Site
More Details More Details
Fee Details
- Membership includes credit reports and scores
- Upgraded membership plans include a variety of FICO scores, enhanced monitoring, and identity protection services
Credit Score Provided
- Yes
Related Features
- Reports provided monthly
- Ongoing Experian credit monitoring included with free membership
- Upgraded membership includes identity protection services
- Site also includes educational tools and resources
Editor’s Notes
myFICO provides users with their credit reports from the three bureaus. There are a wide variety of options, including single- or triple-bureau checks, both one-time or ongoing. Unless you feel a strong need to go directly to FICO, this is not the place to start your search. You can find better free services.
Lexington Law
TransUnion Credit Report Summary with Free Consultation
TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian Report with Upgraded Membership
Free Consultation
Plans starting at $8.95/mo for upgraded membership
Go to Site
More Details More Details
Fee Details
- Free consultation includes TransUnion credit report summary, credit score and credit repair recommendation
- Membership includes all three credit reports from Transunion, Equifax and Experian every 60 days
Credit Score Provided
- Yes
Related Features
- Customized credit repair included with upgraded membership
- Site includes educational tools and resources
Editor’s Notes
Lexington Law is a law firm that sells credit rehabilitation services, but, through a free consultation, it gives users access to a summary of their TransUnion credit report, as well as a brief walkthrough with a credit specialist. While this is a method for getting free one-time access to credit data, the potential to get upsold into very expensive credit rehabilitation services ranging from $99.95 to $139.95 per month makes this a weaker option.
Protect My ID
Experian Report
Free, No Credit Card Required for Basic Membership
30-Day Free Trial, $24.99/mo after for Upgraded Membership
Go to Site
More Details More Details
Fee Details
- Free basic membership includes Experian report score, and ongoing credit monitoring
- Upgraded membership includes reports and scores from all three bureaus and three-bureau monitoring
Credit Score Provided
- Yes
Related Features
- Ongoing credit monitoring included with membership
- Members receive identity protection benefits
- Site includes educational tools and resources
Editor’s Notes
Protect my ID is a service offered by Experian that provides access to users' credit report and score for free. Upgraded membership includes identity protection and quarterly updates from all three bureaus. For an additional cost, the premier service provides data monthly. Given the fees and limitations, this is not a great option for ongoing monitoring.
Identity Guard
Equifax Report Experian Report TransUnion Report
$29.99/mo
Go to Site
More Details More Details
Fee Details
- Discounted Offers available if billed annually
- Membership includes annual reports from all three bureaus, monthly credit score and credit monitoring from all three bureaus
Credit Score Provided
- Yes
Related Features
- Reports provided annually
- Ongoing credit monitoring included with membership
- Members receive identity protection benefits
Editor’s Notes
Identity Guard gives users access to credit reports from all three bureaus annually, three-bureau monitoring, and their monthly Equifax score with membership. However, the site's main focus is ID protection. A number of tools are offered including data breach notifications, credit and debit card monitoring, and social media monitoring. This is an option for free access to credit reports from all three credit bureaus during the trial period. However, given the fee, it's not the best choice for ongoing credit monitoring.
Equifax
Equifax Report Experian Report TransUnion Report
Free, No Credit Card Required for Basic Membership
Plans starting at $4.95/mo for Upgraded Membership
Go to Site
More Details More Details
Fee Details
- Free basic membership includes credit report and credit score
- Upgraded membership includes credit monitoring and identity theft protection features
Credit Score Provided
- Yes
Related Features
- Free membership includes credit reports updated every month and upgraded membership includes credit reports updated daily
- Ongoing credit monitoring included with upgraded membership
- Upgraded membership includes identity protection benefits
- Site includes educational tools and resources
Editor’s Notes
Equifax, one of the 3 major bureaus, has the strongest of the 3 offerings. Users can access credit reports from all 3 major bureaus, and Equifax has one of the best packages of tools and resources of any of the sites reviewed. The major downside to this membership is the monthly fee, making it not the best option for ongoing monitoring. However, the offering is strong enough to earn consideration.
Experian
Experian Report
Free, No Credit Card Required for Basic Membership
7-Day Free Trial, $24.99/mo after for Upgraded Membership
Go to Site
More Details More Details
Fee Details
- Free basic membership includes Experian score, report, and ongoing credit monitoring
- Upgraded membership includes reports and scores from all three bureaus and three-bureau credit monitoring
Credit Score Provided
- Yes
Related Features
- Free basic membership includes monthly Experian report while upgraded membership includes daily Experian report and three bureau credit reports updated monthly
- Ongoing Experian monitoring included with basic membership and three-bureau monitoring included with upgraded membership
- Members receive identity protection benefits
- Site includes educational tools and resources
Editor’s Notes
Experian, one of the 3 major bureaus, gives users access to their credit report and score with its free membership. An upgraded membership also offers comprehensive three-bureau monitoring and identity protection. Credit enhancement services such as their FICO Score Simulator and Experian Boost are included in the paid plan as well. While the monthly fee is a deterrent for upgraded membership, the free offering makes Experian a strong option.
PrivacyGuard
Equifax Report Experian Report TransUnion Report
Plans starting at $9.99/mo
Go to Site
More Details More Details
Fee Details
- Membership includes scores and reports
Credit Score Provided
- Yes
Related Features
- Reports provided monthly
- Ongoing credit monitoring included with membership
- Upgraded membership includes identity protection benefits
- Site includes educational resources
Editor’s Notes
Privacy Guard, an ID protection site, offers users access to credit reports from all 3 bureaus with its membership. Users can access this through the trial period, and also get access to a decent set of resources. Given the fee, this is not a strong option for longer-term monitoring, but is a good option for a one time check of all 3 reports.
CreditCheck Total
Equifax Report Experian Report TransUnion Report
$1 Trial (7 days), $29.99/mo after
Go to Site
More Details More Details
Fee Details
- Trial includes Experian credit report
- Membership includes full credit reports and scores from all three bureaus, and three-bureau credit monitoring
Credit Score Provided
- Yes
Related Features
- Three credit reports provided with membership
- Ongoing credit monitoring included with membership
- Members receive identity protection benefits
Editor’s Notes
Powered by Experian, Credit Check Total offers comprehensive credit data for a fee. This includes three-bureau monitoring, full credit reports, and three-bureau credit scores. However, given the monthly cost, this is not a great option for longer-term monitoring.
AARP
Equifax Report
Plans starting at $7.99/mo
Go to Site
More Details More Details
Fee Details
- Discounted service offered via Norton to AARP members
Credit Score Provided
- Yes
Related Features
- Ongoing credit monitoring included with membership
- Members receive identity protection benefits
Editor’s Notes
AARP offers an ID Protection service to its members powered by Norton that includes access to their Equifax report. The primary focus is identity protection accompanied by limited credit reporting data. Considering the fee, there are better longer-term options.
TransUnion
TransUnion Report
$29.95/mo
Go to Site
More Details More Details
Fee Details
- Membership includes daily TransUnion report and score updates and three-bureau monitoring
Credit Score Provided
- Yes
Related Features
- Reports updated daily
- Ongoing credit monitoring included with membership
- Members receive identity protection benefits
- Site includes educational tools and resources
Editor’s Notes
TransUnion, one of the 3 major bureaus, gives users access to their credit report via its membership. Users get a few extras beyond reports and scores, but ongoing service still requires a monthly fee. Aside from data directly from a credit bureau, TransUnion is not offering users anything they can't get from other sites for free.
Best Credit Report Sites FAQ
Finding the best institution can be tough. But you’ve got the knowledgeable WalletHub community on your side. We encourage everyone to share their knowledge while respecting our content guidelines. Please keep in mind that editorial and user-generated content on this page is not reviewed or otherwise endorsed by any financial institution. In addition, it is not the financial institution’s responsibility to ensure all posts and questions are answered.
Most Popular
4
Upvotes
How do I get a complete credit report history?
Reply
4
Lauren Smith, WalletHub Staff Writer
@laurenellesmith
You can get a complete credit report history by requesting your reports from the three major credit bureaus – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – or a reputable credit report website such as WalletHub. Your credit reports typically list data from the last seven to 10 years.
That said, your entire credit file is never available to anyone, even you. Credit files contain a more comprehensive collection of data, which may span longer than a 10-year period.
How to Get Your Complete Credit Report
You can access your TransUnion credit report, your credit score and personalized credit-improvement tips for free here at WalletHub. You can see your full credit report as well as a timeline version that makes it easy to understand what changed when.
In addition, you are legally entitled to free credit reports from all three bureaus every 12 months, which you can access at AnnualCreditReport.com. Your reports are also available over the phone or through the mail. Currently, you can even get free weekly reports as part of a pandemic program that has been extended through the rest of 2023.
How to Request Your Annual Credit Reports
- Online: Visit AnnualCreditReport.com, click “Request your free credit reports,” and follow the instructions.
- Phone: Call (877) 322-8228 and follow the prompts.
- Mail: Download and complete the Annual Credit Report Request form. Mail the completed form to:
Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta
GA 30348-5281
You have the option to request all three of your reports at once or just one at a time. Additionally, it's possible to access your reports directly from each of the credit bureaus.
1
6
Upvotes
What is a consumer credit report?
Reply
6
1
WalletHub
@WalletHub
A consumer credit report is a record of a credit history from a number of sources, such as banks, credit card companies and collection agencies.
Information from a credit report is used to determine their credit score, which is important when applying for different types of loans or credit cards. You can learn more about what's included in a credit report by consulting our guide on the subject or by checking your own credit report for free.
3
9
Upvotes
What does a closed account on my credit report mean?
Reply
9
4
Sydney Garth, Credit Cards Moderator
@sydneygarth
A closed account on your credit reportis an accountthat isno longer active, meaning itwaseither closed upon your requestor automatically closed by the creditor after a long period of inactivity.
Loans and refinanced loans are also regarded as accounts and they should appear as closed accountsafter they are paid off. Information about closed accounts typically stays on your credit report for 10 years.
We have an article...
show more
1
View more answers
7
Upvotes
How can I get an official credit report?
Reply
7
1
Lauren Smith, WalletHub Staff Writer
@laurenellesmith
You can get an official copy of your credit report by requesting it from AnnualCreditReport.com. Each of the three major credit bureaus, Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian, is required by federal law to provide you with a copy of your report once a year upon request.
You can also check your official TransUnion credit report for free here at WalletHub and get daily updates.
It's important to note, there are other instances when you are entitled to a free copy of your...
show more
5
Upvotes
How often should you check your credit report?
Reply
5
WalletHub
@WalletHub
You should check your credit report at least once every year and before major transactions. You can request a free copy of your credit report from all three credit reporting bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) on an annual basis. And it's a good idea to check your credit report before transactions that might require a hard pull on your credit, such financing for a house or a car, because you'll be able to dispute any...
show more
5
View more answers
3
Upvotes
How are credit reports created?
Reply
3
Lauren Smith, WalletHub Staff Writer
@laurenellesmith
Credit reports are created by the major credit bureaus, which collect personal information such as your address, birthdate, SSN and employer, along with the payment history, inquiries, balances and credit limits related to your loans and credit lines. Your credit report is generated each time it's requested.
Although there are dozens of credit reporting agencies, most companies and consumers request reports from the largest three, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. The contents of a credit report are used...
show more
3
Upvotes
How do I remove negative items from my credit report before 7 years?
Reply
3
Lauren Smith, WalletHub Staff Writer
@laurenellesmith
You can remove negative items from your credit report before 7 years passes by filing a dispute with the three major credit bureaus, assuming the negative items are inaccurate. Accurate information typically cannot be removed from your credit report early. You can ask the creditor to make a goodwill adjustment or negotiate a “pay for delete” arrangement to remove the items, but the company has no legal obligation to do so.
How To Remove Negative Information From Credit Reports...
show more
1
6
Upvotes
Where do credit reports come from?
Reply
6
2
Lauren Smith, WalletHub Staff Writer
@laurenellesmith
Credit reports come from companies called credit bureaus, which compile data from lenders such as banks and credit unions, collection agencies, landlords and other so-called data furnishers. The bureaus generate credit reports by organizing the data in a clear and digestible format when requested by consumers or businesses.
There are dozens of credit reporting bureaus, but most companies and consumers request reports from the largest three: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Although credit reports from each...
show more
3
Upvotes
How do I dispute incorrect addresses on my credit report?
Reply
3
Lauren Smith, WalletHub Staff Writer
@laurenellesmith
You can dispute incorrect addresses on your credit report by contacting the credit bureaus online, via mail, or over the phone. Each major bureau has an online dispute process available to consumers, and that tends to be the easiest method for disputing errors. The bureaus typically resolve disputes within 30 to 45 days.
Major Credit Bureaus' Contact Information
Credit Bureau | Online Portal | Mailing... | Phone Number |
show more
6
Upvotes
How long does it take for a new credit card to show up on your credit report?
Reply
6
WalletHub
@WalletHub
It takes 30 to 60 days for a new credit card to show up on yourcredit report. In most cases, a new credit card account will show up on your report sometime after the end of the first billing cycle – roughly a month after you activate the card.
How Credit Reporting Works and What to Expect
The credit card company won't have anything to report until you make a payment (or miss a payment)....
show more
6
View more answers
