Does Credit Karma Use TransUnion?

Credit Karma pulls your TransUnion file with a soft inquiry and shows it as a VantageScore 3.0, refreshing the data about once every seven days so the score reflects the latest TransUnion information (the following section lists all bureaus Credit Karma reports, and later we dig into the exact VantageScore model).

• Credit Karma displays credit information from TransUnion and Equifax only; it does not pull data from Experian.
• For each bureau, Karma shows a VantageScore 3.0 rating, which updates after a soft inquiry.
• The VantageScore model differs from the FICO scores lenders typically see, so your Karma score may not match a lender's report.
• Because Karma uses soft pulls, checking your score on the app does not affect your credit file.
• Any new data from TransUnion or Equifax appears after Karma's regular refresh cycle (usually every 7–10 days).

Credit Karma displays the TransUnion VantageScore 3.0. It is a soft‑inquiry score that ranges from 300 to 850 and is built on the same five factors lenders use: payment history, credit utilization, age of credit, types of credit, and recent inquiries.

For example, a user who sees a 720 on Credit Karma's TransUnion tab is looking at a VantageScore 3.0 of 720. If the same person applies for a loan that requires a FICO 8 score, the number could differ because FICO weights the factors slightly differently. In the app, the TransUnion section lists the VantageScore label next to the numeric value, making it clear which model you're viewing. VantageScore 3.0 methodology

Credit Karma pulls TransUnion data with a soft inquiry, so viewing your score does not affect your credit. A hard inquiry appears only if you apply for a loan or credit card through a Credit Karma offer; the inquiry is recorded by the lender, not by Credit Karma's monitoring. This difference matters when we discuss how often Credit Karma refreshes your TransUnion data in the next section.

Credit Karma pulls a fresh TransUnion report about every 7 days, so the data you see is typically no older than a week.

• Updates occur on a rolling schedule; if you check mid‑week you may still see the previous pull until the next cycle.
• A soft inquiry triggers each refresh, so it does not affect your credit score.
• After you dispute an item, the corrected information appears at the next weekly pull, not instantly.
• If a lender reports a new account late in the week, it may not show up until the following refresh.
• The weekly cadence aligns with the earlier discussion on which bureaus Credit Karma uses and sets up the next section on locating TransUnion details in the app.

Credit Karma shows your TransUnion data on the 'TransUnion' tab within the app's credit‑score section.

1. Open Credit Karma and tap the 'Scores' icon at the bottom navigation bar.
2. On the Scores screen, you'll see three cards labeled Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian; tap the TransUnion card.
3. The next page displays your TransUnion VantageScore 3.0 and the corresponding credit‑utilization gauge.
4. Swipe left or tap 'Factors' to view the five items that most affect this score.
5. Tap 'Recent activity' to see the latest inquiries, new accounts, and any updates pulled from TransUnion.
6. For deeper details, select 'View full report' at the bottom; the full TransUnion credit report opens in a scrollable PDF‑style view.

(These steps lead directly into the next section on why lenders may see a different TransUnion or FICO score than what you view here.)

Lenders pull the official TransUnion FICO score, which is calculated with the FICO scoring model and reflects any recent hard inquiries, while Credit Karma only displays the TransUnion VantageScore 3.0 produced from a soft inquiry. Because the two models weight factors differently - FICO gives more emphasis to recent hard pulls and credit mix - your score can vary between the two platforms.

Additionally, lenders receive the most current data snapshot at the moment of application, whereas Credit Karma's score updates only when it refreshes your file (typically every 30 days). A recent credit‑card application might therefore show a 720 FICO score, while Credit Karma still lists a 710 VantageScore 3.0 based on the older data set. Understanding FICO versus VantageScore differences

When Credit Karma highlights a TransUnion record that looks inaccurate, you can dispute it straight from the app or via TransUnion's own portal.

• Open the Credit Karma app, select the TransUnion report, find the erroneous line and tap the 'Dispute' (or 'Report an error') button.
• Add a concise description of the problem and upload supporting documents such as a bank statement or payment receipt.
• Submit; Credit Karma forwards the request to TransUnion, which emails you a dispute reference number.
• For a direct filing, visit TransUnion's online dispute page, enter the account details, choose the item, attach evidence, and confirm that the inquiry is a soft one (no impact on your score).
• Keep the reference number and watch the status in Credit Karma's 'Disputes' tab or on TransUnion's tracker; the investigation typically takes up to 30 days.
• Once TransUnion updates the entry, the corrected information appears on Credit Karma at the next data refresh (approximately every 30 days).

If the dispute is denied, you can re‑file with additional proof or contact the creditor directly before moving on to the next topic about having no TransUnion file.

If Credit Karma can't locate a TransUnion file, it displays a blank TransUnion section and only shows the Equifax data you do have.

A missing file usually means you've never had a credit product reported to TransUnion; opening a new credit account or contacting TransUnion directly will create a file (how to open a TransUnion credit file).

Without a TransUnion record you won't receive a VantageScore 3.0 from that bureau, but lenders that pull TransUnion may still see a score once activity is reported, and you can continue to monitor Equifax while you build a TransUnion history before the next section on freezing TransUnion.

Definition:

Stay compliant with GDPR and CCPA during Experian Address Validation by treating each address as personal data, establishing a lawful basis (consent or legitimate interest with clear notice), limiting the fields you transmit, encrypting the request, retaining records only as long as needed, and providing data‑subject rights such as access, correction, and deletion.

Include Experian's GDPR‑CCPA Data Processing Addendum in your vendor contract and document every validation event for audit purposes.

Examples:

Add a checkbox that explains the address check and records consent before calling the real‑time API; send only street, city, postal code, and country, then store the returned confidence score in a separate, non‑identifiable table. Configure batch validation jobs to strip email or phone numbers, keep the raw address for no longer than 30 days, and purge it after the confidence score is saved.

Honor CCPA 'Do Not Sell' requests by bypassing Experian for opted‑out users, and respond to DSARs by providing the validation logs you have retained. Use Experian's compliant addendum and retain the transaction ID for each request to satisfy both regulations.

Disputing a TransUnion error on Credit Karma can lift a score by dozens of points, as shown by a real case from a user in June 2024.

The user saw a 620 VantageScore 3.0 on Credit Karma, then filed a dispute for a $500 medical collection that never existed. After TransUnion completed its investigation (seven days), the collection vanished from the report and the score rebounded to 690 on the next data refresh.

Key moments:

• Day 0: Credit Karma displayed 620, flagged the collection as a possible error.
• Day 1: User submitted an online dispute through TransUnion's portal, linked from Credit Karma's 'Dispute' button.
• Day 7: TransUnion closed the inquiry, removed the collection, sent a confirmation email.
• Day 8: Credit Karma's automatic refresh pulled the updated file; score jumped to 690.

The jump illustrates why lenders may see a different TransUnion or FICO score than Credit Karma at any moment - Credit Karma reflects the most recent TransUnion file, but only after the weekly refresh.

If you follow the dispute steps outlined earlier, expect a similar timeline and potential score lift.