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What is FICO® Score 8?

6 min read

Last Updated: September 9, 2025

Table of contents

Key Takeaways

FICO® Score 8 is a widely used credit scoring model.
Payment history, credit usage, length of credit history, the type of credit accounts you have, and how often you apply for credit all influence your FICO® Score 8.
No matter which FICO® Score version your lender uses, you may positively impact your credit score by practicing good credit habits.

Your credit score is an important metric that lenders use to help determine your creditworthiness—that is, how likely you are to pay back your debt on a loan or credit card. FICO^® Score 8, created by the Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO), is one of the most popular scoring models in use today, along with other industry-specific versions. In fact, 90% of top lenders use FICO^® Credit Scores.¹

FICO^® Credit Scores typically range from 300 to 850¹. These three-digit numbers serve as a rating of your credit history that helps lenders determine whether to extend credit to you. The higher your score, the better.

Did you know?

Good credit habits, like paying your bills on time and keeping your credit use low, may help you improve your FICO^® Score. If you have poor or no credit, the Discover it^® Secured Credit Card may help you build or rebuild credit history with responsible use.²

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Credit scores other than FICO® Score 8

FICO periodically updates its scoring model to keep up with changes in consumer spending, credit habits, and credit reporting practices. According to myFICO.com, the various versions of the FICO^® credit scoring model address different business needs and industries.

While FICO^® Score 8 is popular among financial institutions, many credit card issuers use the FICO^® Bankcard Score 8 instead. This scoring model uses the same factors as FICO^® Score 8, but it emphasizes your history of credit card management.

Creditors often use different FICO^® Scores for certain types of credit applications. For example, mortgage lenders might use FICO^® Scores 2, 4, or 5 because older models might be stricter about certain risks.

An auto loan provider might use FICO^® Auto Scores 2, 4, 5, 8, or 9, depending on the credit bureau that provides the scores. The industry-specific score may help lenders focus on the most relevant factors.

Differences between FICO® Score 8, 9, and 10

FICO^® Scores 9 and 10 use the same key ingredients as FICO^® Score 8, but they build on previous models. Accounts in collections stop affecting your FICO^® Score 9 or 10 once you’ve repaid them in full. Rental history also factors into your FICO^® Score 9, as long as the landlord reports it.

The FICO^® Score 10 accounts for consumers’ increased use of personal loans. The 10T version looks at whether your balances have been increasing or decreasing over time, providing more context to your score.

What factors go into FICO® Score 8?

The information in your credit report and your credit habits shape your FICO^® Score.

Key factors that contribute to your credit score include¹:

Payment history (35%): A strong, consistent history of on-time payments may help your credit score. A single missed payment may bring your score down.
Credit utilization (30%): Your credit utilization ratio measures how much debt you have compared to your overall available credit. High credit utilization may hurt your score.
Length of credit history (15%): The length of your credit history refers to the age of your oldest credit account and the average age of all your credit accounts. Lenders like to see that you have a long history of managing credit.
Credit mix (10%): A diverse credit mix shows lenders that you have experience managing different types of debt responsibly, such as credit cards, mortgages, and personal loans.
New credit (10%): Each time you apply for a new credit account, the lender usually conducts a hard credit check on your credit file. Multiple hard credit checks in a short time may suggest financial trouble and hurt your score.

Why does FICO® Score 8 matter?

Because the FICO^® Score 8 is so widely used, it may have a greater influence on your financial life than other versions of your credit score. Your credit score may affect whether you get approved for a loan or credit card, as well as how much you get approved for and what your interest rate may be.

But credit scores may influence other, less obvious parts of your life, too. You might need a strong credit score to rent an apartment, get the best home and auto insurance rates, or even sign up for some mobile phone plans.

How to stay on top of your FICO® Score 8

No matter which credit score model your lender uses, the information in your credit report typically influences your eligibility and terms. In general, responsible credit habits like making on-time credit card payments and keeping your balances low may help you build a strong credit history.

Discover^® Cardmembers get a free Credit Scorecard with your FICO^® Credit Score and important information behind it, like credit utilization, number of missed payments, number of recent inquiries, length of credit history, and total number of accounts.¹

Regularly review your credit report

According to the Federal Trade Commission, you may receive one free report per week from each major credit bureau at AnnualCreditReport.com.

Review each report closely and dispute any errors with the credit bureau. If the bureau removes the error, your credit rating may get a boost.

Make on-time payments

Late payments may hurt your credit score, so you should aim to pay your bills on time, every time. Tools like automatic payments and payment alerts may help you keep track of your due dates to avoid missing a payment.

Don’t apply for too much credit

If you apply for too much credit in a short period of time, you risk hurting your credit score. You may avoid applying for credit that you’re unlikely to qualify for by requesting prequalification for new credit cards and loans.

Pay attention to credit utilization

To maintain a good credit score, keep your revolving credit usage low. Whenever possible, pay off your credit card balance in full. Even if you can’t afford to repay all of your credit card debt, paying more than the monthly minimum may help bring down your credit utilization.

The bottom line

The FICO^® Score 8 is a popular scoring model used by banks, credit unions, credit card issuers, and many other lenders. As economics and credit trends change, FICO and other credit scoring agencies may tweak their scoring models. But keeping your balances low, sticking to a budget, and paying your bill on time each month may lay a strong foundation for your financial future, no matter which scoring model a lender uses.