Where to get a Free Credit Score with No Credit Card Required

Your credit score is one of the most important numbers in your financial life, yet many Canadians don't know what theirs is.

Whether you're planning to buy a home, apply for a car loan, or simply want to monitor your financial health.

The good news? You don't need to hand over your credit card information or pay monthly fees to access this information.

Why your credit score matters

Your credit score is a three-digit number that tells lenders how likely you are to repay borrowed money. It affects:

• Mortgage approval and interest rates

• Credit card applications

• Car loan terms

• Rental applications

• Sometimes even job applications

Despite its importance, many people avoid checking their credit score because they think it costs money or requires signing up for paid services.

1. KOHO

Sign up for a KOHO account in less than five minutes, and with a 30-day trial you can check your credit score for free!

• Powered by Equifax

• No hard credit checks—won't hurt your score

• Updated monthly

• Instant access, anywhere and anytime

Do you want to build credit history? With Credit Building, KOHO members have seen their credit scores go up by an average of 31+ points in just 4 months¹.

2. Borrowell

Borrowell offers free weekly updates of your Equifax credit score and complete credit report. As Canada's largest consumer credit bureau, Equifax data provides a comprehensive view of your credit health.

Borrowell's platform includes personalized insights about factors affecting your score and tailored recommendations for improvement.

3. Credit Karma

If you're looking for TransUnion insights, Credit Karma's Canadian app provides free access to both your credit score and credit report from this major bureau.

Checking your score through Credit Karma won't negatively impact your credit—no matter how frequently you check.

4. ClearScore

ClearScore offers another way to access your TransUnion credit score and report at no cost.

Their app includes personalized suggestions to improve your score and handy credit offer comparisons.

Red Flags to Avoid

When looking for free credit scores, watch out for:

• ❌ Services requiring credit card info for "verification"

• ❌ Requests for unnecessary personal information

• ❌ Pressure to sign up immediately

How to use your free credit score effectively

Once you have access to your credit score:

1. Check it regularly - Monthly or quarterly monitoring helps you spot changes

2. Understand what affects it - Payment history (35%), credit utilization (30%), length of credit history (15%), types of credit (10%), and new credit inquiries (10%)

3. Set up alerts - Many free services will notify you of significant changes

4. Focus on improvement - Use the score as a tool to guide better financial habits

Checking your credit score is important

Your credit score is too important to ignore, but you shouldn't have to pay to access your own financial information.

By using the legitimate free options available to Canadians, you can stay informed about your credit health without worrying about unexpected charges or complicated cancellation processes.

Remember: knowledge is power. The more you understand about your credit score, the better equipped you'll be to make financial decisions.