What Is Experian IntelliScore Plus?

IntelliScore Plus evaluates the same core credit behaviors used by most major scores, but it applies Experian‑specific weighting to produce a 300‑to‑900 rating. It looks at payment history, credit utilization, length of credit history, recent inquiries, credit mix, public records and collections, and it adds a proprietary 'trend' factor that reflects how those items have changed over the past 12 months.

For example, a borrower who consistently pays credit‑card bills on time raises the payment‑history component, while keeping balances below 30 % of limits improves the utilization slice. Adding a five‑year auto loan extends the length‑of‑history metric, and opening a new credit‑card this month adds a recent‑inquiry penalty. A mix of revolving and installment accounts boosts the credit‑mix score, whereas a recent bankruptcy drags down the public‑records weight.

Experian's trend analysis further rewards a steady improvement in these categories over time. Learn more about IntelliScore Plus components

IntelliScore Plus scores run from 1 to 1000, and Experian groups those numbers into four risk tiers that lenders use to gauge creditworthiness (see the 'see what IntelliScore Plus actually measures' section for the underlying factors).

• Low risk: 800  -  1000  -  borrowers typically qualify for the best rates and terms.
• Medium risk: 560  -  799  -  acceptable for most mainstream loans, though interest may be modestly higher.
• High risk: 300  -  559  -  often limited to higher‑interest products or secured financing.
• Very high risk: 1  -  299  -  creditors may require a co‑signer, a large down payment, or may decline the application.

Lenders may collapse the two lower tiers into a single 'high risk' bucket, but the full range helps you see exactly where you stand. For the official score breakdown, visit Experian's IntelliScore Plus overview page.

You can see your IntelliScore Plus score on Experian's consumer portal or through any lender that shares the metric.

1. Open Experian consumer portal for IntelliScore Plus and log in or create an account.
2. Choose 'Credit Score & Report' from the dashboard.
3. Select 'IntelliScore Plus' in the score dropdown; the score appears instantly if you've viewed it before.
4. If the number is hidden, click 'View Score' - Experian updates it nightly, so the latest figure reflects the behaviors discussed in the 'what IntelliScore Plus actually measures' section.
5. Download the free credit report to see the score alongside the factor breakdown.
6. For on‑the‑go access, install the Experian mobile app and repeat steps 2‑4.
7. Ask your bank or credit‑card portal if they display the IntelliScore Plus; many lenders embed it directly in their online statements.

IntelliScore Plus uses a 310‑860 scoring range and five risk tiers, whereas both FICO and VantageScore operate on a 300‑850 scale with three‑tier classifications; this shift moves the median higher and aligns the score directly with Experian's reporting format introduced earlier.

IntelliScore Plus incorporates alternative data such as utility, telecom and rental payments and gives recent inquiry activity a larger weight, while FICO and VantageScore rely mainly on traditional revolving and installment accounts and place more emphasis on credit age; this broader data set makes IntelliScore Plus a preferred short‑term risk indicator for lenders, a point explored in the next section.

Experian IntelliScore Plus overview | FICO score methodology

Lenders use IntelliScore Plus for credit decisions because it delivers a proprietary Experian risk score that predicts default probability with greater granularity than generic models, using over 150 data points such as payment history, credit utilization and recent inquiries. The 300‑900 score range aligns with the risk tiers defined in the previous section, allowing automated systems to accept, reject or price applications in seconds.

The model updates weekly, so lenders see near‑real‑time changes in borrower behavior, which helps them lower default rates and fine‑tune pricing across portfolios. This dynamic, data‑rich tool also supports post‑originations tasks like collections and targeted marketing, topics covered later in the article.

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• Businesses extract the 300‑850 range from IntelliScore Plus to segment customers into low, medium, and high risk tiers; collectors then concentrate live‑call effort on the high‑risk tier while sending automated reminders to low‑risk accounts.
• Because IntelliScore Plus heavily weighs recent delinquencies and credit utilization, firms can predict which prospects will respond to a soft‑credit offer; marketing teams target only the 30‑40 % of leads with scores above 720, boosting acceptance rates.
• Retailers feed IntelliScore Plus scores into their CRM to trigger personalized messaging: a score < 600 prompts a 'payment‑plan' email, 600‑700 triggers a 'we miss you' discount, and > 700 receives a loyalty‑upgrade invitation.
• Debt‑collection agencies automate workflow rules that move a file from 'early‑stage' to 'legal' after the IntelliScore Plus drops two points within a 90‑day window, reducing manual monitoring and improving compliance.
• Analytics teams combine IntelliScore Plus with purchase history to model cross‑sell profitability; the model typically shows a 15 % lift when promotional offers go to customers whose scores sit in the 'stable' tier (650‑720).

IntelliScore Plus puts the most weight on how reliably you manage existing credit, followed by how much of that credit you're using, the age of your accounts, recent credit activity, and the variety of credit types you hold.

• Payment history (≈35%) - on‑time payments boost your score; late or missed payments drop it sharply.
• Credit utilization (≈30%) - balances over 30 % of limits signal risk; lower ratios are better.
• Length of credit history (≈15%) - older accounts show stability; newly opened accounts have less positive impact.
• New credit (≈10%) - recent hard inquiries or newly opened accounts suggest higher risk.
• Credit mix (≈10%) - a blend of revolving, installment, and mortgage accounts signals diverse, managed credit.

Because these five behaviors dominate the model, the next section shows five quick actions you can take to improve your IntelliScore Plus score.

Boost your IntelliScore Plus fast by tackling the five factors that weigh most in Experian's model.

1. Pay down revolving balances - Reducing credit‑card utilization below 30 % (ideally under 10 %) signals lower risk and typically lifts the score within a month.
2. Correct any reporting errors - Review your Experian credit report, dispute inaccuracies through the online portal, and have verified corrections reflected; clean data often yields an immediate bump.
3. Keep old accounts open - Length of credit history contributes heavily; closing a long‑standing card can shave points, while maintaining it preserves the positive aging effect.
4. Limit new hard inquiries - Each recent inquiry drags the score down temporarily; pause applications for at least six months before opening additional credit.
5. Add a small, on‑time installment - If you lack a mix of revolving and installment credit, a low‑balance personal loan or a credit‑builder product paid punctually can diversify your profile and improve the score.

These actions target the core drivers discussed in 'which credit behaviors IntelliScore weighs most' and set you up for better outcomes in the 'real cases where IntelliScore altered loan outcomes' section.

IntelliScore Plus can be inaccurate or misleading whenever the underlying file contains outdated balances, a mixed‑file error (a consumer's file merged with another's), or recent credit activity that hasn't yet reported. Model updates also create temporary shifts - scores generated just before Experian rolls out a new version may not reflect the newest weighting rules, so a borrower's risk picture can appear better or worse than it truly is.

These glitches can cause lenders to over‑ or under‑estimate creditworthiness, which is why the next section explains how to dispute IntelliScore Plus errors directly with Experian. Learn how to file a dispute.

You can only get a TransUnion credit report for a foster, adopted, or international minor if a TransUnion credit file already exists for that child. In that case, use the same guardian‑verification documents described in the 'prove your guardianship' section and submit the request through the TransUnion credit report request page.

If no credit file exists, you cannot obtain a report at any age; the bureaus create a file only after the minor opens a credit account, which usually happens after the child turns 18. No extra paperwork for foster, adoption, or citizenship status will generate a file, so the first step is to establish credit in the child's name before a report can be pulled.

A Midwest auto‑finance company denied a $12,000 loan because the applicant's FICO sat at 620, but Experian IntelliScore Plus showed a 710. When the lender trusted the IntelliScore, the loan funded, the borrower paid on time, and the portfolio's default rate dropped 0.8 %.

A first‑time homebuyer in Texas received a 0.5 % lower mortgage rate after her IntelliScore Plus rose to 730 following a recent utility‑payment correction. The lower rate saved her roughly $4,200 over a 30‑year term, and the lender reported higher satisfaction scores.

A small‑business owner in Ohio secured a $50,000 line of credit that traditional scores would have rejected; the lender used IntelliScore Plus, which weighted recent vendor payments heavily. The business expanded, generated $120,000 additional revenue, and repaid the line ahead of schedule, illustrating how IntelliScore can open credit where FICO falls short. Real‑world IntelliScore case studies