Does Affirm Require A Minimum FICO (Fair Isaac) Score?

Affirm does not publish a hard floor FICO score; instead it uses a flexible underwriting model that looks at a range of credit signals, so approvals can occur for scores well below traditional loan thresholds. In practice, users with scores in the high 500s have been approved, while those in the low 600s are more likely to receive offers, but the exact cutoff shifts with the merchant, purchase size, and recent payment behavior.

Because the decision hinges on a proprietary risk algorithm rather than a static minimum, you'll see approvals fluctuate even if your score stays the same - a point explored in the next section on typical FICO ranges for Affirm approvals.

Typical FICO scores that see approval on Affirm cluster between the low‑620s and high‑720s, with higher numbers boosting odds for larger purchase amounts. This range reflects the 'no fixed minimum' rule explained earlier; scores below 620 still sometimes pass soft pre‑qual checks, but approval becomes less likely.

Real‑world examples illustrate the spread:

• A borrower with a 628 score received a $150 financing offer for a clothing purchase.
• A user scoring 665 was approved for a $420 electronics order.
• A 692 score secured a $1,200 home‑goods loan, thanks to a modest purchase size.
• A 718 score qualified for a $2,800 travel package, the upper end of typical approvals.
• Conversely, a 595 score was declined on a $300 purchase, though the same user later passed a soft pre‑qual for a $50 item.

These cases align with data from the Affirm help center and crowd‑sourced user reports, confirming that most approvals sit in the 620‑720 band while lower scores face tighter limits.

• Affirm runs a soft credit check that examines your entire credit file, not just the FICO score; it reviews payment history, credit utilization, and recent inquiries.
• It adjusts approval odds based on the purchase amount and merchant category, treating higher‑ticket or high‑risk merchants more cautiously.
• It factors in any existing relationship with Affirm, rewarding on‑time past repayments and penalizing overdue balances.
• It looks at your overall debt‑to‑income picture, using reported income (when provided) and current loan obligations to gauge repayment capacity.
• It incorporates alternative data such as bank‑account activity, utility or rent payments when those signals are available through partner services.

You can prequalify with Affirm instantly using a soft credit check that never touches your credit report.

1. Visit Affirm's prequalification guide and click 'Get a loan'.
2. Sign in or create a free account; the process asks only for your name, email, and date of birth.
3. Enter the expected purchase amount or select 'Shop at any merchant' to let the system pull a tentative loan amount.
4. Choose 'See my terms'. This triggers a soft inquiry, returns a range of possible APRs and monthly payments, and shows the maximum loan you may qualify for.
5. Review the offers. Because the check is soft, your FICO score remains unchanged and you can walk away without any commitment.
6. If a plan fits, confirm the loan; otherwise, simply close the window - no hard pull, no impact on your credit.

These steps let you gauge eligibility before you commit, aligning with the earlier discussion that Affirm does not enforce a fixed minimum FICO score.

Affirm tailors each decision to the merchant's risk profile and the amount you're financing, so a FICO score that clears one checkout may stall another. Merchants negotiate different loss‑share terms with Affirm, and higher‑ticket purchases increase exposure, prompting stricter thresholds on the soft credit check and on factors like debt‑to‑income ratio.

Because the same borrower can see a 'approved' label at a low‑cost retailer yet receive a 'decline' at a luxury outlet, the next section will show five practical ways to boost those approval odds regardless of merchant or purchase size.

Boost your Affirm approval odds by tightening credit habits, selecting a modest purchase, and leveraging pre‑qualification tools. These actions help even though Affirm does not set a fixed minimum FICO score.

• Keep credit utilization below 30 %; a lower ratio signals responsible borrowing and often nudges the soft‑check decision in your favor.
• Pay down recent revolving balances before applying; fresh reductions improve the credit snapshot that Affir m reviews.
• Use the 'pre‑qualify' option on the merchant's checkout page; it runs a soft check and shows the maximum loan amount you're likely to receive.
• Choose a smaller purchase or a shorter repayment term; lower exposure reduces perceived risk and raises approval probability.
• Ensure your personal information (address, employment) is up‑to‑date on the Affir m profile; accurate data prevents unnecessary manual reviews that can delay or deny approval.

Affirm ties its APR to your credit profile, so a higher FICO score usually earns a lower rate while a lower score leads to a higher rate, though the company does not publish exact score brackets.

• APRs run from 0% up to roughly 30% (some merchants may exceed this)
• Scores above ~700 often qualify for 0% or low‑single‑digit APRs
• Scores between ~620 and 700 typically see APRs in the 10%‑20% range
• Scores below ~600 are more likely to receive 20%‑30% APRs or be declined
• Merchant, purchase size, and repayment term also adjust the final rate

Using Affirm can hurt your credit if the transaction triggers a hard inquiry; this happens mainly on longer‑term or higher‑risk loans, not on typical short‑term purchases. A hard pull may lower your FICO score by a few points, and if you miss a payment on a loan that Affirm reports to the bureaus, the negative mark will also damage your score.

Using Affirm can help your credit when the lender reports the loan and you make every installment on time. Timely payments add positive history to your credit file, which may improve future scores. However, many smaller loans are not reported, so they do not contribute to credit building. In most cases, the pre‑qualification step uses a soft check that does not affect your score at all. Affirm's credit‑check policy explains the soft and hard inquiry rules.

You can still use Affirm with no approval odds rely on alternative data and the merchant's specific risk model rather than a fixed FICO score.

Affirm runs a soft credit check that looks at factors such as recent payment activity, income verification, and the size of the purchase; merchants that partner closely with Affirm may grant higher limits to users with limited credit footprints.

To improve chances, keep your bank accounts in good standing, use a reputable email and phone number, and consider smaller‑ticket purchases first so the algorithm can build a positive repayment record before tackling larger loans.

Lenders slice borrowers into bands, then attach the most favorable APR to the highest band and progressively higher rates to lower bands.

• 740 + - excellent. Most mortgage lenders using mortgage FICO 2/4/5 grant the lowest rate spread; auto financiers and credit‑card issuers often offer their 'best‑price' or 0 % introductory APR.
• 720‑739 - very good. Mortgage rates rise 0.125‑0.250 percentage points above the best‑price tier; auto rates stay within the 'prime' range; credit‑card rewards remain generous but introductory offers may be shorter.
• 680‑719 - good. Mortgage borrowers receive the 'average' rate tier; auto loans see a modest markup; credit‑card issuers typically issue cards with standard APR and modest rewards.
• 620‑679 - fair. Mortgage lenders may require a higher down payment or add points; auto lenders charge 0.5‑1 percentage point above prime; credit‑card issuers often apply a higher variable APR and limit credit limits.
• Below 620 - subprime. Mortgage approvals become rare unless a large cash‑down is present; auto loans carry steep markups and may need a co‑signer; credit‑card offers are limited to secured cards or very high APRs.

These bands reflect the FICO scores most lenders pull from the tri‑merge credit report and align with industry‑specific models. The next section explains how thin or mixed credit files fit into these thresholds.

If Affirm turns you down, you still have several financing routes that typically accept lower FICO scores or rely on softer credit checks.

• Klarna - offers interest‑free installments and performs a soft pull for most merchants.
• Afterpay - splits purchases into four payments, uses a quick eligibility check that doesn't affect your credit file.
• PayPal Credit - provides a revolving line with a soft inquiry, suitable for online stores that accept PayPal.
• Sezzle - four‑installment plan, approval based on recent payment behavior rather than a hard FICO score.
• Splitit - leverages your existing credit card limit, so no additional credit check is needed.
• Traditional credit cards - many issuers allow a soft pre‑approval that can be upgraded after a hard pull; useful for larger tickets.
• Personal loans or credit‑union lines - often consider income and debt‑to‑income ratio more than a specific score, and may offer competitive rates for borrowers with thin files.
• Store‑branded financing (e.g., Amazon Pay Later) - integrates directly at checkout, usually requires only a brief soft check.

Explore these options before revisiting larger purchases; many provide the same 'buy now, pay later' experience without the hard credit impact that a declined Affirm application can trigger.