Which Credit Cards Use FICO 8 Score?

Your issuer will tell you whether it pulls FICO 8 through public disclosures, pre‑qualification language, or a soft pull you can run yourself.

1. Visit the issuer's website - most banks list the credit‑score model they use in the 'Eligibility' or 'FAQ' sections. Look for 'FICO 8' or 'FICO Score 8' wording. (We noted the same check for the five big‑name cards in the previous section.)
2. Read pre‑qualification offers - if an offer says 'based on your FICO 8 score' or mentions 'FICO Score 8,' the issuer is using that model for the soft pull.
3. Run a free soft‑pull tool - services like Credit Karma or WalletHub show which version of FICO powered the result. If the displayed model is 'FICO 8,' the issuer's soft pull uses it.
4. Call customer service - ask the representative, 'Do you use FICO 8 for credit decisions?' Keep a note of the name of the representative and the date of the call.
5. Check the credit‑bureau source - as covered in the next section, the bureau (Experian, TransUnion, or Equifax) often determines the score version. If the issuer reports to a bureau that supplies FICO 8, it's likely they're using it.
6. Observe denial letters - when you're denied, the issuer must disclose which score was used. Look for 'FICO 8' in the 'Score Used' line.

These steps let you confirm quickly whether your issuer relies on FICO 8 before you apply.

• These five big-name cards are most likely to pull FICO 8:
• Chase Sapphire Preferred - issuer likely pulls FICO 8.
• Chase Freedom Flex - issuer likely pulls FICO 8.
• American Express Blue Cash Everyday - issuer likely pulls FICO 8.
• Citi Double Cash - issuer likely pulls FICO 8.
• Capital One Venture Rewards - issuer likely pulls FICO 8.

Your issuer will pull the FICO 8 score from the credit bureau it has partnered with, and you can pinpoint that bureau by reviewing the score‑source line on any recent credit‑report copy, checking the 'score source' tab in a free monitoring tool, or simply asking the lender's customer service. If the report says 'Experian FICO 8' you know Experian supplied it; 'Equifax' or 'TransUnion' work the same way.

Most big‑name cards stick with a single bureau: Chase and Discover typically use Experian, Capital One leans on TransUnion, and Citi often chooses Equifax; this pattern makes the 'score source' field a reliable shortcut. Once you know the bureau, you can verify the pull type (soft pull vs hard) in the next section on FICO 8 versus FICO Bankcard, then move on to testing eligibility with a soft pull if needed. Which bureau supplies FICO 8 scores for major cards

FICO 8 and FICO Bankcard are two separate scoring models, and the model an issuer pulls determines your pre‑qualification odds and likely APR.

Most big‑name issuers pull FICO 8. Capital One, Discover, Chase, American Express and Citi all rely on the FICO 8 model from the three major bureaus, so their soft‑pull pre‑qualification tools and rate offers reflect the factors weighted in FICO 8 (payment history, credit utilization, length of credit, new credit and mix). If you score well under FICO 8, you'll see more offers and potentially lower interest rates from these issuers.

A handful of regional banks, credit unions and some store‑card programs still use the older FICO Bankcard model. Issuers such as certain community banks, First Republic and some co‑branded retail cards pull FICO Bankcard, which weighs recent activity and revolving balances differently and can produce a lower score for thin or newer files. Consequently, applicants may receive fewer pre‑qualification hits or higher APRs from these issuers compared with those using FICO 8.

Understanding which model an issuer uses lets you target the right cards, anticipate the likely rate and avoid surprise denials before you apply. Next, we'll explore how banks choose between FICO 8, 9 and 10 based on their risk strategies. Learn more about FICO scoring models

Banks weigh cost, risk profile, and vendor guidance when choosing between FICO 8, 9, and 10.
Older issuers - such as many Chase, Citi, American Express, and Discover cards launched before 2018 - still rely on FICO 8 because their underwriting rules are built around its score bins. When a bank's portfolio contains a large share of these legacy products, the migration expense and potential disruption often keep FICO 8 in place. Conversely, banks with newer, tech‑driven cards may adopt FICO 9 or 10 to capture the newer predictive variables those models use.

Key factors banks compare

• Implementation cost - licensing fees, system upgrades, and staff training rise with each newer version.
• Risk‑adjusted return - FICO 9 adds medical debt and trended data; FICO 10 adds rental and utility payments. Banks model whether the incremental predictive power outweighs added expense.
• Regulatory guidance - the CFPB's 'fair lending' recommendations sometimes favor the latest model for its reduced bias, nudging banks toward FICO 10.
• Portfolio composition - a high proportion of legacy cards pushes banks to stay with FICO 8; a growing share of 'digital‑first' cards encourages a switch to newer versions.
• Vendor support - credit bureaus may prioritize one version in their data feeds, affecting which score the bank can reliably pull.

Because many issuers still pull FICO 8, you'll often see that model referenced in the 'find out if your issuer uses FICO 8' section earlier. The next step - using a soft pull to test which score applies - shows how you can verify the bank's choice before you apply.

Run a soft pull with a trusted credit‑monitoring tool and check the score label to see whether the issuer is using FICO 8.

• Use a free soft‑pull service such as thecreditpeople.com soft pull tool that shows the scoring model alongside your score.
• Locate the model tag; it will read 'FICO 8', 'FICO 8‑2' or 'FICO 8‑3' if the issuer applies that version.
• Match the listed issuer to the credit card you're evaluating; the model tag is tied to the lender, not the bureau.
• If the tag is missing or unclear, contact the issuer's support team and ask which FICO version they use for soft inquiries.
• When you receive a pre‑qualified offer, repeat the soft pull to confirm the same FICO 8 tag appears before you apply.

The only way to confirm a prequalified offer uses FICO 8 is to locate the issuer's explicit disclosure before you click 'Apply.' Many banks include a line such as 'pre‑qualification based on your FICO Score 8' in the online offer, and some credit‑monitoring tools flag the exact model used for the soft pull.

Check the pre‑qualification page or your account dashboard for that wording; if it's missing, run a soft pull through a service that reports the scoring model (for example, Credit Karma often shows 'FICO 8 - Equifax'). You can also contact the issuer's customer service and ask, 'Which FICO version did you use for this pre‑qualification?' and request written confirmation.

For instance, a Chase Sapphire Preferred pre‑qualified offer typically reads 'FICO Score 8 (Equifax)' in the offer details, while a Citi Double Cash offer may label the model as 'FICO 8.' If the model isn't listed, a quick call or soft‑pull verification saves you a hard‑pull surprise. (FICO Score 8 model overview)

Ask the issuer directly for the exact FICO model applied to your denied application. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, they must tell you which version - likely FICO 8, FICO 9, or a custom bankcard score - was used.

Call the customer‑service line and request a written 'score source disclosure,' or send a brief email referencing your denial notice and the right to know the scoring model. Most banks will reply with the bureau (Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion) and the specific FICO version, giving you the data you need before you move on to improving the factors that drive approval odds.

Improving your FICO 8 score means focusing on the five components that most issuers weigh when they pull a hard inquiry: payment history, credit utilization, length of credit history, credit mix, and recent inquiries. Each component contributes a specific percentage to the overall score, so small changes can shift the odds of approval noticeably.

Pay every bill on time; a single missed payment can drop the score by dozens of points. Keep balances under 30 % of each credit limit, and ideally under 10 % for the best impact. Leave older accounts open, even if you don't use them, to lengthen the average age of your credit.

Add a different type of credit - such as a small‑balance installment loan or a secured card - to strengthen the mix. Finally, space out hard pulls; a soft‑pull pre‑qualification check won't hurt, but multiple hard pulls in a short period can. Implementing these steps consistently raises the factors that issuers see, boosting your approval odds when they finally pull your FICO 8.

An ultra‑high reported FICO score can actually work against you. Because the official FICO scale caps at 850, a number like 9002 signals a reporting glitch, and lenders often treat it as a red flag.

When a lender sees a score outside the 300‑850 range they may:

• reject the application outright, citing an impossible score,
• flag the file for manual review, slowing the approval process,
• bypass the reported figure and run their own underwriting model, which ignores the error and bases the decision on other data.

Consequently, the inflated score can delay or deny credit, and the next section shows how to correct the error on your report.

Small banks and credit unions still rely on FICO 8 because many of their underwriting systems were built around the 8‑series and have not migrated to newer models, because most credit‑bureau feeds continue to deliver FICO 8 by default, and because their membership often includes long‑standing credit files that FICO 8 evaluates well (see why community lenders still use FICO 8);

as noted earlier when checking which bureau supplies your FICO 8, these issuers typically pull the score from Experian or TransUnion, so a soft pull from either source can reveal the score they'll use, and when you encounter a pre‑qualified offer from a regional bank or credit union, confirm that the offer is based on FICO 8 before you apply, as explained in the next section.