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Credit score

Credit score

Your credit score sums up, in a single number, how lenders view the way you manage debt. It affects your eligibility, the rates you are offered, and sometimes even a rental application. This section is not a lender comparison — it is plain-language guidance on what raises or lowers your score and the concrete steps to strengthen it. See our guides below.

This section is informational only — we do not compare lenders here. See our guides below to learn more.

Related guides

Credit score in Canada: understand it and improve it

Understand your credit score in Canada (Equifax, TransUnion), what affects it, and concrete steps to improve it.

What is a good credit score in Canada?

Learn what counts as a good credit score in Canada: the 300-900 range, typical thresholds for approval and better rates, and why Equifax and TransUnion differ.

How to fix errors on your credit report in Canada

An error on your Equifax or TransUnion credit report can cost you. Here's how to spot it, dispute it for free, and follow up until it is fixed in Canada.

What factors affect your credit score?

Payment history, credit utilization, account age, credit mix and new inquiries: how each factor shapes your credit score in Canada and what you control.

Credit utilization ratio and your credit score

Understand credit utilization in Canada: how it's calculated, why keeping it under 30% helps your credit score, and practical ways to lower your ratio.

How to check your credit score for free in Canada

Check your credit score for free in Canada through Equifax, TransUnion, your bank or a free app — with zero impact on your score. Here's how it works.

How to improve your credit score fast in Canada

Concrete steps to improve your credit score fast in Canada: lower credit utilization, fix report errors, pay on time, and set realistic expectations.

Hard vs soft credit inquiries explained

Hard vs soft credit inquiries in Canada: which ones affect your credit score, for how long, and how to rate-shop for a loan without hurting your rating.

How to build credit from scratch in Canada

Secured credit cards, authorized-user status and small credit-builder products: practical first steps to build an Equifax and TransUnion file from scratch.

Secured credit cards to build credit

How secured credit cards work in Canada: refundable deposit, reporting to Equifax and TransUnion, fees to watch for, and habits that build your credit.

How to rebuild credit after a default or bankruptcy

Late payments, collections, a consumer proposal or bankruptcy: concrete steps to rebuild your credit in Canada, plus a realistic timeline for recovery.

What credit score do you need for a mortgage in Canada?

Typical credit score ranges Canadian mortgage lenders look for, how down payment and income factor in, and how to improve your score before you apply.

How long negative information stays on your credit report

How long late payments, collections, bankruptcies and consumer proposals stay on your Equifax and TransUnion credit reports in Canada, and what happens after.

Does shopping for a loan rate hurt your credit score?

Compare multiple lenders in Canada without lowering your credit score: the rate-shopping window, pre-qualification and soft credit checks, all explained.

Becoming an authorized user to build credit

How becoming an authorized user on someone's credit card can help build your credit history in Canada, plus the caveats and when it truly helps a thin file.

Is free credit monitoring worth it?

Free credit monitoring in Canada: fraud alerts, soft pulls with no impact on your score, the limits of educational scores, and when paying is actually worth it.

Common credit score myths in Canada, debunked

Does checking your own score lower it? Should you carry a balance? Five stubborn credit score myths in Canada, debunked — and what actually helps your score.

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