Which Lenders Use Experian Only?

Lenders that likely pull only Experian include many credit unions (for example Navy Federal and PenFed), several auto‑finance companies such as Ally Auto Finance and Capital One Auto, and a handful of online personal‑loan fintechs like SoFi and Avant; these institutions tend to designate Experian as their primary bureau and therefore generate Experian‑only pulls, a pattern you'll see echo in the '5 lender types likely to pull only Experian' section that follows.

• Online installment lenders - firms such as Upstart and LendingClub typically pull only Experian to keep automated underwriting fast Federal Reserve credit research.
• Subprime‑focused credit‑card issuers - issuers like Credit One and Indigo usually pull only Experian because its scoring aligns with their risk models.
• Auto‑loan fintechs - platforms such as Carvana and AutoFi often pull only Experian to obtain a quick vehicle‑finance snapshot.
• Boutique mortgage brokers - brokers targeting non‑conforming or low‑down‑payment loans typically pull only Experian when their underwriting criteria match Experian's data.
• Buy‑now‑pay‑later providers - services including Afterpay and Klarna generally pull only Experian for small‑ticket consumer credit decisions.

Here are the real lenders most borrowers encounter and which credit bureaus they typically pull.

Lender practices vary by product and over time, so the bureau choice listed below reflects the most recent public information and may change.

• SoFi (personal loans, student loan refinancing) - likely pulls only Experian SoFi's credit pull policy.
• Avant (personal loans, credit cards) - likely pulls only Experian for most applications.
• Upstart (personal loans) - typically pulls only Experian for initial soft inquiries, then may add TransUnion for a hard pull.
• Carvana (auto financing) - usually pulls only Experian.
• LendingClub (personal loans, business loans) - typically pulls all three bureaus.
• Marcus by Goldman Sachs (personal loans, credit cards) - generally pulls all three bureaus.
• Discover (credit cards, personal loans) - often pulls only Experian, but can add Equifax for certain offers.
• American Express (credit cards) - typically pulls all three bureaus.
• Credit Karma (credit‑builder loans) - usually pulls only Experian.
• Upgrade (personal loans, credit cards) - likely pulls only Experian for its credit‑card product, but may use all three for personal loans.

Because bureau selections are not set in stone, verify each lender's pull method before you apply, as described in the next section on how to confirm a lender's credit‑bureau choice.

Major banks that pull only Experian are typically limited to niche products; most large institutions still rotate among the three bureaus, so an Experian‑only pull from a traditional bank is the exception rather than the rule.

Fintechs, on the other hand, often design their underwriting around Experian‑only pulls; lenders such as SoFi, LendingClub, Upstart, Avant and Credit Karma Money frequently advertise this approach to keep the process fast and to serve borrowers with limited credit histories. This contrast explains why, as noted in the '5 lender types likely to pull only Experian,' fintechs are more predictable if you specifically want an Experian‑only inquiry, and it sets up the next step of verifying a lender's bureau choice before you apply.

You can verify which bureau a lender will pull by checking the lender's disclosure, asking the loan officer, and using free tools before you submit a full application.

1. Read the loan estimate or pre‑approval document.
   
   Federal regulations require lenders to list the credit bureau they intend to use. Look for a line that says 'Credit check will be performed by Experian' or similar wording.
2. Ask the loan officer directly.
   
   A quick phone call or email asking 'Which credit bureau will you pull for my application?' usually yields a clear answer. Most lenders will confirm whether they pull only Experian or another bureau.
3. Use a soft‑pull pre‑qualification tool.
   
   Many lenders offer an online form that performs a soft inquiry and tells you which bureau is used. Because a soft pull doesn't affect your score, you can test it without risk.
4. Check the lender's website FAQ or terms page.
   
   Companies that consistently pull only Experian often note it in their public FAQs. For example, a fintech may state, 'We evaluate applications using Experian‑only data.'
5. Verify with a free credit report.
   
   Request a free annual report from CFPB guidelines on credit pull disclosures. If the lender's name appears under Experian in the inquiry history, you have confirmation.

These steps let you confirm a lender's pull practice before a hard inquiry, keeping your credit profile intact for the next steps in the loan‑shopping process.

Shop lenders without triggering multiple hard pulls by using only soft‑pull pre‑qualifications or by timing Experian‑only hard pulls within the 45‑day rate‑shopping window.

• Request a soft‑pull pre‑qualification first; most lenders that pull only Experian also offer a no‑impact quote.
• Ask the lender to confirm an Experian‑only pull before you submit a full application; many fintechs will honor the request.
• Keep all full applications within a 45‑day period; the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau notes that hard pulls made during this window are treated as a single inquiry.
• Choose lenders that historically pull only Experian (see the earlier lender‑type list) so you avoid duplicate bureau checks.
• If you must apply to multiple institutions, use a credit‑freeze and temporarily lift it for Experian only, limiting the number of hard pulls recorded.

Experian-only pulls boost your odds when the Experian file is your strongest credit story but the Equifax or TransUnion reports contain recent delinquencies, charge‑off marks, or multiple hard inquiries. By limiting the hard inquiry to Experian, you avoid adding a new hit to the other bureaus, so their scores stay untouched and the overall credit profile looks better to the lender.

This advantage is especially valuable for thin‑file borrowers who have built a solid Experian history through a long‑standing credit‑card or auto loan, but who lack extensive activity on the other bureaus.

Lenders that pull only Experian - often regional credit unions or niche fintechs that advertise a single‑bureau soft or hard pull - let you test the water without contaminating your entire credit file.

Before applying, confirm the bureau choice via pre‑qualification tools or by asking the lender directly; many will disclose their pull policy on the application page. Remember, the inquiry does not change credit‑utilization ratios, it merely registers on the queried bureau, preserving the rest of your score landscape. For more on how inquiries affect credit, see how credit inquiries work.

Experian‑only pulls hurt when your Experian file is lower, contains errors, or omits tradelines that other bureaus report, because the lender bases the whole decision on that single snapshot. A modest drop of 20‑30 points on Experian can mean a denial or a substantially higher rate, even if your TransUnion or Equifax scores would have qualified you.

The impact spikes with lenders that use aggressive risk models; for example, SoFi's Experian‑only underwriting often rejects borrowers whose Experian score falls below a threshold that other banks overlook. In those situations, checking Experian for inaccuracies (see the next section) or shopping lenders that pull all three bureaus becomes essential.

If Experian contains errors before applying, correct them right away to avoid a misleading Experian‑only pull.

First, request your free Experian credit report online and scan it for inaccurate personal data, account status, or balance figures. Flag each mistake, gather supporting documents (bank statements, payoff letters), and submit a dispute through Experian's online portal; the bureau typically resolves disputes within 30 days.

While the dispute is pending, consider placing a temporary fraud alert if the error suggests identity theft, which can help protect future Experian‑only pulls. After the correction clears, download the updated report and keep a copy for lender applications.

For a step‑by‑step guide, see how to dispute credit report errors with Experian.

Unconventional lenders that often use a single credit bureau typically pull only Experian because they partner with one data vendor to streamline underwriting.

Fintechs such as Upstart, Avant, SoFi, Marcus, LendingClub and Prosper usually rely on Experian‑only pulls, as do online auto financiers like Carvana and Auto Credit Express, and small‑business platforms such as Kabbage and BlueVine. Recent analysis of their application flows shows they frequently reference Experian as the sole source for credit scores.

Because these lenders are not traditional banks, their policies can shift; therefore, verify the bureau they will pull before you submit a hard inquiry, as explained in the next section on how you can verify which bureau a lender will pull.