What Are the Three Major Credit Bureaus?

• The three major credit bureaus are Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
• Each bureau gathers loan, credit‑card, and payment data from lenders, then creates a credit report that lenders use to evaluate risk.
• You can request a free report from each bureau once a year at AnnualCreditReport.com.

Three credit bureaus - Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion - track you so that each can maintain an independent record, encouraging competition, providing redundancy, and helping regulators verify that lenders receive accurate data. Lenders submit information to all three, but each bureau may receive slightly different details, reducing the chance that a single error will ruin your credit picture.

Because the databases can differ, you receive three separate reports; you can obtain the free annual credit reports from each bureau at free annual credit reports. In the next sections we'll examine how Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion each collect and use that information.

Equifax compiles your credit file by receiving data from lenders, collection agencies, public‑record offices and some utility or telecom providers; it refreshes the file roughly every 30 days and produces a report that lenders may request for underwriting or monitoring purposes.

• Data sources: credit cards, mortgages, auto loans, student loans, payday loans, bankruptcies, tax liens, civil judgments, and paid‑off accounts.
• Update cadence: most creditors report new activity monthly; some updates occur weekly or as soon as a change is reported.
• Inquiries: a 'hard' inquiry occurs when a lender checks your file for a new credit line; a 'soft' inquiry appears when you view your own report or a company does a pre‑approval check.
• Consumer access: you can view your Equifax report for free once a year through free annual credit reports or more frequently via paid services.
• Data sharing: Equifax shares only limited information with Experian and TransUnion when required by law or a court order; it does not exchange full files.
• Fraud tools: you may place a fraud alert or freeze on your Equifax file to limit new account openings without your consent.

Experian calculates your credit score by applying its own scoring models to the data it gathers from lenders, public records, and collection agencies. The model weighs payment history, amounts owed, length of credit history, new credit inquiries, and credit mix, but the exact weighting can differ from the models used by Equifax and TransUnion, so the number you see on an Experian report may not match the other bureaus.

Knowing how Experian scores helps you spot discrepancies when you compare reports later in the article. For a side‑by‑side view, request your free reports from all three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com and see how each score reflects the same underlying activity.

TransUnion flags the elements in your credit file that signal higher lending risk, then alerts you so you can act before a problem worsens.

• Payment history: late or missed payments raise your risk score.
• Credit utilization: balances that approach your limits suggest over‑extension.
• New credit activity: recent hard inquiries or opened accounts can indicate potential fraud.
• Public records: bankruptcies, tax liens, or judgments automatically boost risk flags.
• Identity‑theft alerts: sudden changes trigger fraud notifications and the option to lock your file.

By watching these indicators, TransUnion helps you see where your credit is vulnerable, setting the stage for the free report walkthrough in the next section.

You can obtain a free credit report from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion once each year at no cost.

1. Visit the official free annual credit report site, enter your personal information, choose the bureau you want, and submit the request.
2. Call 1‑877‑322‑8228, confirm your identity, and ask for a report from each bureau.
3. Download the mail‑request form, attach a copy of a government ID and a utility bill, and send it to the address listed for the specific bureau.

Each bureau will deliver the report within three business days; repeat the process after twelve months for a new free report.

Scores differ because Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion don't always see the same information. A creditor might report a payment to only two bureaus, or file updates on different days, so one file shows a recent balance while another still reflects an older amount.

Scores also diverge because each bureau may apply a distinct scoring model or version. Equifax might use FICO 9, Experian a VantageScore 4.0, and TransUnion a newer FICO 10, leading to different weightings for the same data, and any errors that exist in only one file will further shift that bureau's number.

Dispute errors on all three bureaus by filing a separate, identical request with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

First, download your free annual credit reports from free annual credit reports. Mark every inaccuracy, then act on each bureau:

• Submit the dispute online via the bureau's portal - see the Equifax dispute page, Experian dispute site, and TransUnion online dispute.
• If you prefer mail, send a certified letter that includes a clear description of the error, copies of supporting documents, and a request for correction.
• Keep copies of every submission and the tracking number for mailed letters.
• Monitor the bureau's response; they must investigate within typically 30 days and send you a written result.
• After a correction, obtain a fresh report to verify the change and note any impact on your scores.

Once the errors are removed, your credit file across Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion will reflect the same accurate information, which may improve the scores you'll see later when you freeze each bureau.

Freezing your credit means contacting each of the three major bureaus - Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion - and asking them to lock your file. Once the freeze is in place, lenders cannot open new accounts under your name without your explicit permission.

Equifax handles freezes via phone at 1‑800‑349‑9960 or online at Equifax credit freeze page. Experian accepts requests through 1‑888‑397‑3742 or its portal at Experian freeze center. TransUnion processes freezes by calling 1‑888‑909‑8872 or visiting TransUnion credit freeze portal. Each bureau will issue a PIN or password you'll need to lift the freeze later (yes, the extra paperwork is thrilling).

All three agencies provide this service at no cost, and the freeze remains until you remove it with the supplied PIN. As we covered above, a frozen file prevents the score fluctuations that can derail a loan application (fun fact: it also stops identity thieves from stealing your identity). This groundwork prepares you for the next section, where a single bureau's error can sink a loan despite a flawless freeze elsewhere.

First, order free copies of your Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion reports from AnnualCreditReport.com; the bureau that shows the erroneous late‑payment or charge‑off is the one that likely sank the loan, so compare the three files and note the discrepancy, then file a dispute with that specific bureau using its online dispute center or a certified‑mail letter, include the supporting documents, and once the bureau corrects the record, notify the lender so the loan can be reconsidered.