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How to Get Your FICO® Score for Free

Last Updated: May 21, 2024
4 min read
Getting a credit card

Key Points About: How to Check Your FICO® Credit Score for Free

  1. See your FICO® Score on the Discover mobile app, online and statements. It won't hurt your credit.1

  2. The FICO® Score you get from Discover is based on key categories like payment history, amounts owed, length of credit history, new credit, types of credit, and other information in your TransUnion® credit report.

  3. Checking your FICO® Credit Score for free will alert you to issues you need to correct to help your credit score.

How to check your FICO® Score for free

Discover cardmembers can get their free Credit Scorecard with your FICO® Credit Score, and more. Viewing your Credit Scorecard will never impact your FICO® Score.1

Did you know?

Not a Discover cardmember? Easily see if you’re pre-approved for a Discover card with no impact to your credit score.2

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Why should I check my FICO® Score?

90% of top lenders use FICO® Credit Scores, including Discover.1 That’s why Discover provides a FICO® Score instead of any other type of credit score. Lenders will use your credit score to determine your credit risk and creditworthiness. You can use your score to help you prepare for the future, stay on top of your credit, or avoid surprises—so it’s a good idea to review your score regularly.

How is my FICO® Score calculated?

Your FICO® Score is calculated using the information in your credit report from a specific point in time and summarizes your risk to lenders. FICO® Scores consider the following five categories when determining your credit rating. The breakdown below shows the impact of these score factors, but your individual score may give some factors more importance based on the information in your credit report.

  • Payment history: 35%
  • Credit utilization: 30%
  • Length of credit history: 15%
  • New credit opened: 10%
  • Types of credit you have: 10%

Why did my FICO® Score change?

The FICO® Score Discover provides is based on the information in your TransUnion® credit report at a specific point in your credit history. As the information on your credit file changes, your score may also change. FICO® Scores change by 20 points or less, or don't change, for 88% of people each month.3

What if I don’t agree with my credit score or the factors affecting my score?

Your FICO® Credit Score Discover provides is based on the current information in your TransUnion® credit report from a specific time in your credit history. Your score can change month to month if new credit information is shared with the credit bureau. If you believe there's an error, you can dispute any inaccurate information on the TransUnion website, according to TransUnion. You can also do the following:

Request free credit reports once per year

You can also use AnnualCreditReport.com to pull your free credit reports from the other two major credit bureaus, Experian® and Equifax®. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, each person has the right to receive one free credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus once per year.

How can I get a good credit score?

Good financial habits (like consistently paying bills on time, keeping balances low, and only opening new cards when necessary) can all have a positive effect on your FICO® Score. Similarly, hard inquiries, delinquent payments, and past due accounts may impact your score. 

Many credit card companies report your activity to one or all three major credit bureaus, so it's important to practice responsible credit habits.

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Why is my FICO® Credit Score with Discover different from my other credit scores?

The score Discover provides may be different than other scores you see for several reasons:

  1. Discover provides your FICO® Score 8, which is one of the company’s most widely used scoring models, according to FICO. Lenders use several different kinds of FICO® Scores, depending on the type of loan they provide.
  2. Discover provides your score from data on your TransUnion® credit report. Scores may vary when using data from a different credit reporting agency, like Experian or Equifax, because each credit bureau uses a different scoring model, and not all lenders share the same financial information with all of the credit bureaus.
  3. The score Discover provides is a calculation based on your information at a moment in time and will often vary from month to month. Be sure to note your “as of” date when you view your score.
  4. 90% of top lenders use FICO® Credit Scores1, but lenders may also use other credit scoring models. Credit scores that aren't FICO® Scores may show other results.

Will checking my FICO® Score hurt my credit?

Discover provides you a FICO® Score for free without affecting your credit.

See if you’re pre-approved

With no harm to your credit score2

Check now →

Will my FICO® Credit Score ever be unavailable?

You may not see your FICO® Score if:

  • You have mismatched or missing information, like an address change that hasn’t been updated with either Discover or TransUnion®.
  • Your account status is abandoned, bankrupt, fraud, lost or stolen, closed, revoked, or charged off.
  • You have a foreign address.
  • Your credit history is too new.
  • You put a security freeze on your credit report.
  • You have opted not to receive your FICO® Credit Score.4
  • You’ve had no account activity for 180 days; in which case the score will also be unavailable online or on our mobile app.

Do joint account holders receive FICO® Scores from Discover?

Joint account holders and authorized buyers do not receive FICO® Scores from Discover.

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  1. FICO® Credit Score Terms: Your FICO® Credit Score, key factors and other credit information are based on data from TransUnion® and may be different from other credit scores and other credit information provided by different bureaus. This information is intended for and only provided to Primary account holders who have an available score. See Discover.com/FICO about the availability of your score. Your score, key factors and other credit information are available on Discover.com and cardmembers are also provided a score on statements. Customers will see up to a year of recent scores online. Discover and other lenders may use different inputs, such as FICO® Credit Scores, other credit scores and more information in credit decisions. This benefit may change or end in the future. FICO is a registered trademark of Fair Isaac Corporation in the United States and other countries.

    Discover Financial Services and Fair Isaac are not credit repair organizations as defined under federal law or state law, including the Credit Repair Organizations Act. Discover Financial Services and Fair Isaac do not provide “credit repair” services or assistance regarding “rebuilding” or “improving” your credit record, credit history or credit rating.

  2. There is no hard inquiry to your credit report to check if you’re pre-approved. If you’re pre-approved, and you move forward with submitting an application for the credit card, it will result in a hard inquiry which may impact your credit score. Receiving a pre-approval offer does not guarantee approval. Applicants applying without a social security number are not eligible to receive pre-approval offers. Card applicants cannot be pre-approved for the NHL Discover Card.

  3. FICO is a registered trademark of Fair Isaac Corporation in the United States and other countries.

  4. Discover Financial Services and Fair Isaac are not credit repair organizations as defined under federal law or state law, including the Credit Repair Organizations Act. Discover Financial Services and Fair Isaac do not provide “credit repair” services or assistance regarding “rebuilding” or “improving” your credit record, credit history or credit rating.

  • Legal Disclaimer: This site is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional advice. The material on this site is not intended to provide legal, investment, or financial advice and does not indicate the availability of any Discover product or service. It does not guarantee that Discover offers or endorses a product or service. For specific advice about your unique circumstances, you may wish to consult a qualified professional.