What Credit Bureau Does Amazon Use?

Amazon mostly checks TransUnion when you apply for a credit line, a loan, or any Amazon‑offered financing; the retailer's system pulls a soft inquiry from that bureau in virtually every case, and only rarely reaches out to Experian or Equifax for special promotions or legacy accounts. This consistent reliance on TransUnion explains why the next section focuses on reading your TransUnion report before you submit an Amazon application.

Amazon pulls mostly from TransUnion when it checks your credit. The company's systems send a soft inquiry to TransUnion for the majority of account openings, renewals, and financing offers.

Occasionally Amazon may hit Experian or Equifax, but those instances are rare and usually tied to specific promotions or partner programs, which is why the next section explains why a strong TransUnion score matters most. For more detail, see Amazon credit check policy.

• Amazon rarely hits Experian or Equifax; only a credit‑card or financing application can generate such a pull.
• Everyday orders - Prime, Kindle, groceries - produce at most a soft check, which never appears on any bureau report.
• Applying for an Amazon Store Card or Business line of credit creates a hard inquiry, usually routed through TransUnion, though occasional Experian use shows up for certain business products (Amazon credit options).
• Large AWS financing requests sometimes channel to Equifax, but those involve corporate‑level credit, not regular consumer activity.
• No Experian or Equifax hit occurs without a credit application, confirming the TransUnion‑centric pattern we discussed earlier.

TransUnion score only unlocks Amazon's financing offers, not the everyday discounts most shoppers chase. When you apply for the Amazon Store Card or the 'Pay Over Time' option, the lender runs a credit check that often includes a TransUnion pull; a solid number improves approval odds, which then grants access to split‑payment plans and interest‑free periods. Regular price cuts, Prime‑trial upgrades, or bundle promotions remain independent of any credit bureau data, as we noted above.

Financing partners may also query Equifax or Experian; there's no public rule that Amazon favors one bureau over the others. Consequently, a high TransUnion rating matters solely for securing those 'buy now, pay later' deals, while all other Amazon specials operate on pricing algorithms, not credit scores. (Amazon Store Card details)

Amazon mostly pulls from TransUnion, so securing your free TransUnion report gives you the exact data the retailer will see.

1. Go to free TransUnion credit report portal and select 'TransUnion' as the bureau.
2. Enter your personal details, then answer the security questions to confirm identity.
3. Choose the 'download PDF' option or view the report instantly online.
4. Scan the report for inaccuracies; correct any errors before Amazon checks your score.

• Start with the free TransUnion report, dispute every error, and verify personal details; a clean file instantly lifts the score (as we covered above). Get your free TransUnion report
• Trim credit‑card balances until the utilization ratio falls under 30 %; ask for a higher limit or pay down existing debt to achieve the drop, which spikes the calculation within days.
• Add a new, low‑limit installment line - such as a secured card or short‑term loan - and keep every payment punctual; the fresh positive history diversifies the mix and nudges the model upward quickly.

Amazon denied you because the TransUnion pull (mostly) didn't meet its internal threshold.

What to do next

• Get your free TransUnion report immediately; free TransUnion credit report shows the exact numbers Amazon saw.
• Scan the report for errors; dispute any inaccurate late payments, balances, or personal information.
• Pay down high‑utilization balances; a lower credit‑utilization ratio often lifts the score within a month.
• Add a credit‑builder or secured card if you have thin credit; new positive activity can boost the TransUnion score quickly.
• Contact Amazon's support with the updated score screenshot; ask if they will re‑evaluate the application.

These actions address the most common reasons for a denial and set you up for the next section on how multiple Amazon apps may trigger separate bureau hits.

Amazon's apps generally share one credit pull, so a single hard inquiry appears on your TransUnion report even if you apply through the shopping site, Prime Video, or the Amazon Kids app. The company routes most checks to the same bureau, keeping the count low and avoiding multiple hits.

In rare cases a distinct Amazon‑owned service - such as a Whole Foods credit card or an Amazon Business account - can generate its own inquiry, but it still taps TransUnion first. Those occasional extra hits are exceptions, not the rule, and they seldom stack up across the ecosystem.

You can freeze TransUnion to block Amazon's usual credit pull, because Amazon primarily checks TransUnion for most purchases.

Freeze your TransUnion file online or by phone, set a four‑digit PIN, and keep that PIN safe; Amazon will read the 'frozen' status and won't receive a score. For details, see how to place a TransUnion credit freeze.

When you need Amazon to approve a big order, log into the TransUnion portal, use the PIN to lift the freeze for 24 hours, complete the purchase, then re‑freeze immediately to keep your credit protected.

Amazon's inquiry typically appears on your TransUnion report, tagged as 'Amazon Services LLC' or 'Amazon.com, Inc.' and is often a soft pull that won't dent your score (hard pulls happen only for store‑card or financing applications).

• Request the free TransUnion summary at TransUnion's free credit report page.
• Open the 'Recent Inquiries' section; entries are dated and labeled by the creditor.
• Scan for the Amazon variations mentioned above; note the 'soft' or 'hard' label beside the entry.
• If nothing shows, consider that Amazon sometimes checks Experian or Equifax for specific products - repeat the scan on those reports if you have them.
• Record the date and type; this data guides the next steps discussed in 'Amazon denied you? next steps inside.'