Check your credit score and report for free
- See your score and full credit report in 60 seconds
- Learn what makes up your score so you can improve it
- Checking won't affect your score
AS FEATURED IN
Our Promises
No Credit Score Impact
Easy to understand report
Clearly show how to improve your score
We monitor and inform you of any changes
How it works
1
Create a free secure account
2
View your score and credit history
3
Understand your report and what is affecting your score
We'll help you understand and improve your credit score to make you financially stronger
Benefits of checking your score
- Understand how lenders view your creditworthiness
- Check for errors or signs of fraud
- Get alerted when something changes
- Learn how to improve your score with tips and guides
- Your information will be kept secure
Hear from people who improved their credit score
Why checking your credit score and report is important
Having a healthy credit record makes a big difference when you apply for new credit.
You see, lenders in Australia check your credit score and report before deciding whether to lend to you and how much.
They’ll also use this information when calculating your interest rate.
A good credit score can mean a lower interest rate. A bad credit score can will mean the opposite.
So checking your credit score BEFORE you apply can help you understand whether you’ll be approved for credit AND how much you’re likely to pay.
What will you need to check your credit score and report?
Our credit score tool uses data from credit reporting company, Equifax.
To check your credit score and report, you’ll need to enter some information so Equifax can confirm your identity. This includes:
- Your name
- Address (for the past three years)
- Date of birth
- Drivers licence number
This information will be stored securely and will not be shared with any third parties.
What is a credit score?
Your credit score is a number that represents your track record as a borrower.
It's calculated by credit reporting companies based on information in your credit report.
Various factors affect your credit score, like the loans and credit cards you've applied for, how much you borrowed and how consistently you paid it back.
Negative information like any payment defaults are captured in your credit report and will be reflected in your credit score.
But the positives will be reflected too, like consistently making your repayments on time and avoiding too many credit applications.
What you will see in your credit report
Your credit report includes personal and financial details:
- Personal details like your age and the length of time you’ve been at your current residential address.
- Credit products you’ve used in the last two years. Including the credit limit, type of credit (car loan, personal loan, home loan etc.), opening and closing dates, credit provider details.
- Credit applications: Every time you apply for credit.
- Credit report requests: Every time a credit provider requests your credit report that is recorded.
- Defaults: Including information on overdue debts or credit infringements. That includes defaults on utility bills, credit cards, loans and other finance products.
- Court decisions like bankruptcies, debt agreements and/or judgements relating to your finances .
- Company directorship: If you’re the director of a company, details of the company may appear on your credit report.
What can you do once you've checked you're credit score and report?
If your aim is to get on top of your finances, knowing your credit score is an important first step.
But the real advantage is in what it allows you to do next.
- See what loans and rates you’re eligible for based on your score
- Check and fix any incorrect items (e.g. if you score is lower than it should be)
- Identify signs of fraud so you can report them (again usually if your score has dropped unexpectedly)
- Identify what is negatively affecting you so you can improve your credit score
- Pay off any defaults that are listed on your report
- Monitor how your changes are positively affecting your score
Why check your credit score with Money Matchmaker®?
We want to make managing money easy, and fun!
We do this by giving Australians simple tools so they can make good decisions about their money.
We want to build a nation of confident financial decision makers, in control of their own financial wellbeing.
Understanding and improving your credit score gives you a better chance of loan approval, lower interest rates and more borrowing capacity if you need it.
Credit Score and Report FAQs
What's the difference between a credit score and a credit report?
Your credit score is simply a number that represents your creditworthiness on a scale (0-1,200).
Your credit report is a more detailed record of your credit history and is what your credit score is based on.
Lenders typically look at both your credit score and report when assessing a loan application.
Where does the information in my report come from?
We work with one of Australia's leading credit reporting companies, Experian.
Your free credit score and credit report will be based on credit information gathered by Experian from financial institutions.
Government agencies provide information such as court rulings.
Will checking my score negatively impact it?
No it won’t. We do what’s called a 'soft' Access Seeker check that does not affect your credit score.
What does it cost to check my credit score?
Nothing. We offer this service for free to help as many Australians as possible understand and improve their financial position.
How often can I check my credit score?
You can check your credit score as often as you like. But changes, if any, are generally only reflected in your score once a month.
Generally we recommend checking your credit score every few months if you are actively working on improving it. Or once or twice a year if you are not actively seeking credit.
Of course if you are concerned about errors in your credit report or potential fraud, you may want to check your score more frequently.
How long does it take to get my credit score?
It takes around a minute in total. You simply enter your details (you only have to do this the first time when you register) and we will reach out to Experian to verify it's you and pull your score and report into an easy to read dashboard.
Why do you need my license and other details?
We need to make sure it's you. Credit scores and reports are personal so we will only ever show you your report once we have verified your identity.
How will my personal information be stored?
We store your registration details and identification so that you only need to enter this once. Next time you check your score we'll send those details to Experian to pull your latest score and report.
Who else will see my credit score?
We will not share your credit score or report with any other parties.
If you apply for a loan or credit product through a lender, they will confirm the information in your report and your credit score separately at the time of application.
Why is my credit score so low?
Your credit score is built by managing credit well over time.
If you have never taken out a loan or a credit card you might have a low credit score because you have no track record of paying off debt.
It might also be because you have missed repayments on loans or credit cards, or you have court rulings against you.
Enquiries for loans and credit count too, sometimes as much as actually borrowing money. So if you have applied for loans but never completed the process,that can lead to a lower credit score.
Of course a low credit score can also be caused by errors in your report. If your score is lower than expected, check your report carefully for any mistakes or signs of fraud. If you find anything unusual, you can report it to the credit reporting agency and your lender.
What if I have no credit score?
It is possible to have no score if you've never had a credit account or loan.
If you want to start building a credit history, think about an internet plan, mobile plan, other utility or a low fee credit card in your name.
Who will know I've checked my credit score?
Checking your credit score is recorded as a 'soft' record on your report. But it does not impact your credit score.
Anyone who views your credit report (e.g. a lender you are making a loan application with) may be able to see soft credit checks you have made.
Simply checking your credit score is generally not viewed as a negative signal.
Written by
Loans Expert
Shaun McGowan
Reviewed by
Editor
Sean Callery
