Credit scores play a vital role in everyday life. From purchasing a home to getting a new credit card, these key numbers help shape our financial lives. What’s the best way to monitor your credit score without breaking the bank? Here are free credit score monitoring services from leading banks and card issuers you should consider using.
Why Is Monitoring Your Credit Score So Important?
Keeping up to date with your credit score is essential for maintaining a healthy financial profile. Credit monitoring is even more critical for those rebuilding their credit because it helps instill confidence and reinforce the knowledge required to boost a bad credit score.
Other reasons to check credit scores regularly include:
- Protection from fraud
- Ensuring information on credit reports is accurate
- Seeing growth over time
- Understanding what types of credit card offers match a credit profile
Related Article: Why It’s Important to Check Your Credit Report Now
Credit Score Services from Major Credit Card Issuers
Multiple credit card issuers and banks provide credit monitoring tools available to consumers. Here are some of the tools available from a number of leading ledners:
Chase Credit Journey
Credit Journey is the free credit score service by JPMorgan Chase. The program allows both Chase and non-Chase cardholders to check their VantageScore 3.0 credit score, as well as monitor any changes to their report. Users can also increase their credit knowledge through Chase’s credit resources and see what card offers might be available for Chase’s credit profile.
MyCredit Guide from American Express
American Express offers a free credit monitoring and education service called MyCredit Guide. The Amex guide is free to use and does not require an American Express charge or credit card to join.
The MyCredit Guide service is like other services in that users can get their VantageScore credit score and receive alerts when there are changes to their credit report. The service also allows users to set “Score Goals” and monitor their progress towards those goals.
When a user opts into the Score Goals program, they:
- Choose their credit score goal.
- Receive personalized recommendations to help them reach their set credit goals.
- Track their progress with every login.
Like the Credit Journey program, MyCredit Guide also provides personalized Amex credit card offers.
CreditWise from Capital One
The Capital One credit service, CreditWise, bears many similarities to Chase’s Credit Journey. Like Chase, Capital One allows anyone to check their credit score, keep up with changes to their credit report, and monitor their credit information for fraud.
CreditWise also provides a simulator, which, like Credit Journey, allows users to see the impact of specific changes to their spending or credit repayment habits.
Discover Credit Scorecard
Credit Scorecard is Discover’s monitoring and credit education tool. Like the others, Discover Credit Scorecard doesn’t require a Discover card to join. It also provides a user’s FICO Score and a wealth of credit score informational resources.
Issuer Credit Tools That Require an Eligible Credit Card
While Amex, Chase, Discover, and Capital One provide credit resources to most consumers, other issuers require an eligible credit card account for users to receive a similar service. These banks and issuers include:
- U.S. Bank: Cardholders receive free access to their VantageScore from TransUnion visa CreditView.
- Wells Fargo: Free access to a FICO Score every month for account holders (including savings, checking, loan, or credit cards).
- Citi: Citi credit cardholders receive free access to their FICO Score when enrolling online.
- Bank of America: Free access to view a FICO Score every month for credit cardholders.
Related Credit Repair Articles
Featured photo by Matthew Henry / Burst
