Does Experian Use FICO or VantageScore?

Experian can display either a FICO® Score or a VantageScore®, depending on the specific product and the lender's request. Your free Experian Credit Score report usually presents a VantageScore® 3.0, while paid tools such as Experian CreditWorks, Experian Boost, or the FICO® Score service deliver the FICO® Score 8 (or newer versions like 9) that lenders often use for underwriting.

In short, Experian provides both scores, and which one you see hinges on the service you choose and the scoring model the creditor specifies.

Experian calculates both a FICO® Score and a VantageScore® for every consumer file, then delivers whichever model the requesting party has licensed; the choice depends on the lender's contract, the product type (mortgages often require FICO® Score 8 or 9, while many online lenders prefer VantageScore 3.0/4.0), and the version the lender has authorized. In short, you get the score that the entity pulling your report asks for, not a random one.

Consumer‑focused tools such as Experian Free Credit Report default to VantageScore® because Experian does not need a FICO® license for those services, whereas Experian Business Center, CreditWorks and lender portals show the FICO® Score that matches the lender's request. You can identify which score you received in the next section. For more detail, see Experian's explanation of score models.

Experian shows you the model name right next to the number, so you can tell instantly whether it's a FICO® Score or a VantageScore®.

1. Sign in to your Experian account.
2. Click the 'Credit Score' tab (or 'MyScore').
3. Find the large score display; the model appears in parentheses or below the number, e.g., 'FICO® Score 8' or 'VantageScore® 4.0'.
4. If the label isn't visible, select 'Score Details' or 'How Your Score Is Calculated' - the page lists the exact scoring model and version.
5. Still unsure? Open the PDF version of your credit report; the header of the score section always states the model used.
6. When all else fails, contact Experian support and ask which scoring model is attached to your account.

These steps let you confirm the exact Experian score model before moving on to the five reasons your Experian score might be VantageScore®.

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• You opened a free Experian product that automatically presents the VantageScore® version, such as CreditScoreCheck.
• The lender or website you queried supplies a VantageScore® model (for example VantageScore 4.0) and Experian mirrors that choice.
• Your recent credit activity triggers VantageScore®'s newer weighting, so Experian defaults to that score for a more current view.
• In your region or loan type, VantageScore® serves as the standard pre‑qualification metric, leading Experian to show it first.
• The specific Experian tool you used - like CreditWorks® Basic - is built to output VantageScore® rather than a FICO® Score.

Your FICO® Score and VantageScore® look different on Experian because they are built on separate algorithms, each with its own version and weighting rules. For example, FICO 8 penalizes high credit‑card balances more heavily than VantageScore 4.0, so a borrower with a recent spike in utilization may see a lower FICO® Score while the VantageScore® stays relatively stable.

Experian also runs the two models on slightly different data cuts, and lenders choose which score to request. If a lender asks for a FICO® Score today, Experian pulls the newest file for that model; a later request for a VantageScore® might use a file that includes a recent payment or new account, producing a different result. This timing and request variation explains why the numbers rarely match.

Experian displays both a FICO® Score and a VantageScore® in the same consumer interface when you use its paid credit‑monitoring products, while the free tools normally show only VantageScore®.

• Experian CreditWorks (and CreditWorks Plus) - dashboard lists the current FICO® Score 8 (or 9, depending on your plan) side‑by‑side with VantageScore® 3.0.
• Experian CreditScore (free) - shows only VantageScore® 3.0; no FICO® Score appears.
• Experian Boost - adds a 'boosted' FICO® Score 8 to the CreditWorks view after you add utility or telecom payments, but the Boost feature itself does not present a separate score screen.
• Experian Insights (business‑focused) - provides custom or industry‑specific scores, not the standard consumer FICO® or VantageScore®.

Lenders decide which Experian score to pull based on the product they offer and their underwriting policies.

• Mortgage lenders - most conventional, FHA, VA and USDA loans request Experian FICO® Score 2, 3, 4 or 5; a growing number of lenders also accept a VantageScore® for early‑stage pre‑approval.
• Credit‑card issuers - major banks (Chase, Amex, Citi, Discover) usually pull Experian FICO® Score 8 or newer; some issuers (e.g., Capital One) may also look at VantageScore® 3.0.
• Auto lenders - traditional banks and credit unions tend to use Experian FICO® Score 8 or 9; several online finance platforms accept VantageScore® 3.0 as an alternative.
• Student‑loan lenders - private lenders (Sallie Mae, Discover Student Loans) run a FICO® Score (commonly 8) or VantageScore®; federal Direct PLUS loans require a credit check but do not mandate a specific version, while other federal Direct loans are not credit‑based.
• Personal‑loan marketplaces - services such as LendingClub, Upstart and Prosper rely on the latest Experian FICO® Score model or VantageScore® 3.0/4.0, depending on their proprietary algorithms.

Knowing which score your prospective lender checks helps you interpret the offers you'll see in the next section, 'how lenders use Experian's FICO vs VantageScore for offers.'

FICO® Score and VantageScore® appear side‑by‑side in Experian's credit file; lenders simply query the model they have licensed and use that number to trigger pre‑approval offers. If a bank's underwriting rules reference a FICO® threshold, Experian supplies the FICO® version; if a fintech's algorithm is built on VantageScore®, Experian delivers that score instead, and the offer is generated from the returned value.

Different products favor different models: most mortgage and auto lenders rely on FICO® Score because it is the industry standard for risk‑based pricing, while many online credit‑card or personal‑loan platforms prefer VantageScore® for its newer data‑inclusion rules. Lenders set cut‑offs (e.g., 720 for a low‑rate mortgage, 650 for an instant‑approval credit card) and the Experian score that meets the cut‑off determines whether the applicant receives the advertised rate or credit limit. For more detail on how Experian supplies both scores, see Experian's scoring models.

If Experian displays a score that seems wrong, you can fix it by verifying the model, identifying the error source, and filing a dispute.

1. Log into your Experian account and note whether the report lists a FICO® Score or a VantageScore®. This matches the explanation in the 'Check which score Experian provided you' section and tells you which model to dispute.
2. Pull your latest free credit reports from the other two bureaus. If they show a different score for the same model, the discrepancy likely stems from outdated or inaccurate data on Experian's file.
3. Open the Experian dispute center and select 'I dispute an error.' Choose the specific item (e.g., late payment, account balance) that is inflating or deflating the score. Attach a copy of a recent statement or a letter from the creditor as proof.
4. If the disputed item belongs to a creditor, call the creditor's customer service line, explain the mistake, and request they correct the information they reported to Experian. Many errors resolve faster at the source.
5. After submitting the dispute, monitor the status in your Experian dashboard. Experian must investigate within 30 days and send you the results. Once the correction is made, refresh your credit score to confirm the updated FICO® or VantageScore® reflects the accurate risk profile.

Experian reports alternative or custom scores when a lender or partner requests a model that's tailored to a specific product, risk‑level, or industry instead of the standard FICO® Score or VantageScore®.

Examples include the Experian CreditScore 8 used by many credit‑card issuers, the Experian Auto Score for auto‑loan approvals, and proprietary 'Experian Custom Scores' built for mortgage or utility providers; these appear on your free Experian report alongside any FICO® or VantageScore® you may have. Learn more about Experian's alternative credit scores.