Authorized Reseller
of FICO® Scores

Since FICO® Scores were introduced to lenders over 25 years ago, they have become the best-known and most widely used credit score. But quite a bit has changed since lenders first started using FICO® Scores in 1989. Lender credit-granting requirements, data reporting practices, consumer demand for credit, and consumer use of credit have all evolved.

The FICO® Score model has been updated periodically to keep up with evolving trends in consumer behavior. For example, consumers use credit much more frequently than they did in the past. To help lenders make more informed credit-granting decisions and to help ensure consumers get access to the credit they need, FICO® Scores have been updated to reflect changes in behavior. If the scoring models didn't adapt, seemingly normal credit usage today would be considered higher risk than in years past. The result is that there are multiple FICO® Score versions available, and the most widely used version, FICO® Score 8.

Base FICO® Scores, such as FICO® Score 8, are designed to predict the likelihood of not paying as agreed in the future on any credit obligation, whether it's a mortgage, credit card, student loan, or other credit product. Industry-specific FICO® Scores incorporate the predictive power of base FICO® Scores while also providing lenders a further-refined credit risk assessment tailored to the type of credit the consumer is seeking. For example, auto lenders and credit card issuers may use an FICO® Auto Score or a FICO® Bankcard Score instead of base FICO® Scores.

FICO® Auto Scores and FICO® Bankcard Scores have these aspects in common: Many lenders may use these scores instead of the base FICO® Score. It is up to each lender to determine which credit score they will use and what other financial information they will consider in their credit review process. The versions range from 250-900 (compared to 300-850 for base FICO® Scores), and higher scores continue to equate to lower risk.

Consider these guidelines:

‍Financing a new car? You will likely want to know your FICO® Auto Scores, the industry-specific scores used in most auto financing-related credit evaluations.

‍Applying for a credit card? You will likely want to know your FICO® Bankcard Scores or FICO® Score 8, the score versions used by many credit card issuers.

‍Purchasing a home or refinancing an existing mortgage? You will likely want to know the base FICO® Score versions previous to FICO® Score 8, as these are the scores used in most mortgage-related credit evaluations. For other types of credit, such as personal loans, student loans, and retail credit, you'll likely want to know your FICO® Score 8, the most widely used score by lenders.