Most credit advice is designed to sell you expensive services. We show you how to improve your credit score for free — and only recommend ethical products when you need them.
Use these free tools to understand your credit, plan improvements, and generate dispute letters — all without paying for expensive services.
Credit utilization is 30% of your FICO score. Find out where you stand and how to optimize.
Enter your card balances and limits to see your utilization score
See how different actions could affect your credit score.
Select an action to see its estimated impact on your score
Generate free dispute letters based on CFPB templates. No credit repair company needed.
Fill out the form to generate your free dispute letter
How long different items stay on your credit report and affect your score.
Stop affecting your score after 12 months. Stay visible for 2 years.
Worst impact in first 2 years. Diminishes significantly after.
Must be removed after 7 years from original delinquency date.
Removed 7 years from filing date. FHA eligible after 12 months into plan.
Removed 10 years from filing. FHA eligible after 2 years post-discharge.
Stay on report while open + 10 years after closing with positive history.
These strategies cost nothing and actually work. No credit repair company needed.
Get added to a family member's card and inherit their credit history. You don't even need to use or receive the card.
Add utility, phone, and streaming payments to your Experian credit file. Instant score update, 100% free.
Dispute errors directly with bureaus for free. No credit repair company needed — they just send these same letters.
Pay down balances strategically. This is 30% of your score and can boost it 20-100+ points in one month.
Check your credit for free, as often as you want. Multiple free services cover all angles.
Ask creditors nicely to remove a one-time late payment. Costs nothing, and success rates can be high.
If you need a product, these are the only ones we recommend. No predatory fees, no gotchas, no 26% APR secured cards.
| Product | Cost | Credit Check? | Reports To | Best For | Our Take |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chime Credit Builder Secured Card | $0 | No | All 3 bureaus | Beginners, no utilization risk | ★★★★★ |
| Self Credit Builder Credit Builder Loan | ~$25 fee(money returned) | Soft only | All 3 bureaus | Credit mix, forced savings | ★★★★☆ |
| Kikoff Credit Line | $5/month | No | All 3 bureaus | Score under 600, quick boost | ★★★★☆ |
| Discover it Secured Secured Card | $0 annual fee($200+ deposit) | Hard pull | All 3 bureaus | Cash back + graduation path | ★★★★★ |
| Capital One Platinum Secured Secured Card | $0 annual fee($49-200 deposit) | Hard pull | All 3 bureaus | Low deposit option, fast graduation | ★★★★☆ |
| Boom Rent Reporting | $2/month | No | All 3 bureaus | Renters, thin files | ★★★★☆ |
Some links on this page are affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you sign up — at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we'd use ourselves and that meet our ethical standards. Full disclosure
These companies make money by exploiting people with bad credit. We refuse to recommend them no matter how much they pay.
26%+ APR, confusing fees, no grace period on many cards. Often confused with Capital One — they're nothing alike.
Up to 36% APR, $75+ annual fee on a secured card, processing fees before you even get the card.
High annual fee, extremely high APR, specifically targets desperate people with bad credit.
Lexington Law, CreditRepair.com, etc. They send the same letters you can send for free. Multiple class action lawsuits.
Any lender offering "guaranteed approval" at 300%+ APR is designed to trap you in debt, not help you build credit.
"Credit Privacy Numbers" are stolen Social Security numbers. Using one is federal fraud. There is no legal alternative to your SSN.
Everything you need to know about credit, written in plain English.
The 5 factors, FICO vs VantageScore, why your scores differ between bureaus.
📊The 30% myth, AZEO method, timing payments, instant score boost.
✉️Step-by-step guide to disputing errors without paying a credit repair company.
👨👩👧Which issuers backdate, how to ask family, what to look for in an account.
🔄Ch 7 vs Ch 13, realistic timelines, when you can get a mortgage again.
🌱No credit history? Here's exactly how to start, step by step.
⚡Get credit for bills you already pay. Average 13-point boost in 5 minutes.
💌Free templates to ask creditors to remove late payments as a courtesy.
Start with our free tools. Calculate your utilization, simulate score changes, or generate dispute letters — all without paying a dime.
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