Why Doesn't Credit Karma Show Experian?

Credit Karma typically shows only TransUnion and Equifax data because the platform licenses those bureaus for its free VantageScore 3.0 product, and Experian does not participate in that agreement; licensing costs and limited data sharing make Experian unavailable in the free view, so any accounts reported solely to Experian simply never appear on your Credit Karma dashboard.

Credit Karma pulls credit data only from TransUnion and Equifax, then applies the VantageScore 3.0 algorithm. It does not use Experian data for its free score.

• TransUnion provides the primary credit file (TransUnion credit data).
• Equifax supplies the second credit file (Equifax credit information).
• Credit Karma calculates a VantageScore 3.0 (VantageScore 3.0 model details) using those files.
• Experian data is not included in the free offering (Experian credit bureau) so Experian‑only items won't appear.
• Lenders choose which bureau(s) to report to, so accounts that only report to Experian stay hidden from Karma.

Experian's numbers differ because Credit Karma pulls your credit data from TransUnion and Equifax, not from Experian, and it shows a VantageScore 3.0 version that updates weekly.

Credit Karma's score reflects only the information those two bureaus have reported, so any account that a lender sends exclusively to Experian - or that Experian receives later - won't affect the Karma number.

Experian, on the other hand, generates its own FICO‑style scores and publishes a report that includes data only Experian has received, often on a different schedule. Because lenders can choose to report to Experian alone, and because Experian may incorporate newer collection entries or medical debts before the other bureaus, the Experian score can be higher, lower, or simply show items that Credit Karma's view never sees. Credit Karma's data sources

Order your Experian credit report from Experian or the free annual portal and open it next to your Credit Karma view, which still pulls only TransUnion and Equifax (VantageScore 3.0).

1. Visit the official Experian website, click 'Get My Credit Report,' and create an account with your Social Security number and date of birth.
2. Choose the free 'Experian Credit Report' option; you'll receive a PDF within minutes, or select a paid subscription for monthly updates.
3. Alternatively, go to the Annual Credit Report portal, select Experian, and request the free report that is available once per 12 months.
4. Download the PDF, then open it in a separate browser tab or split‑screen view alongside Credit Karma's TransUnion/Equifax dashboard.
5. Compare the three‑bureau scores, account listings, and inquiry sections side‑by‑side to spot differences that Credit Karma alone can't show.

If your Experian file is frozen or locked, Credit Karma - which pulls only from TransUnion and Equifax (VantageScore 3.0) - won't show any Experian data, so verify the freeze status first.

• Visit Experian's freeze portal (Experian security freeze page) or call 1‑888‑397‑3742 to check whether a freeze is active.
• Log into your Experian account; a banner or the 'Security Freeze' tab will indicate 'freeze is active' or 'locked.'
• If you see 'locked,' lender access to your file is blocked.
• Use the provided PIN or password to temporarily lift the freeze (24‑hour or permanent thaw).
• Refresh Credit Karma after the thaw; Experian data should appear within one business day.

Fix identity mismatches that hide your Experian data by correcting any personal‑information errors on the Experian file. Typical mismatches include a misspelled first or last name, an outdated address, a wrong Social Security number, or a maiden name still attached to a credit account. Because Credit Karma pulls scores only from TransUnion and Equifax (VantageScore 3.0), an Experian record that doesn't exactly match the name and SSN it has on file will appear blank on the platform, which we noted in the 'why you won't see Experian on Credit Karma' section.

To locate the errors, download your free Experian report via request your free Experian report, then scan the personal‑information section line‑by‑line.

Correct the mismatches by filing an online dispute with Experian, attaching a copy of a government ID, a recent utility bill, or a pay stub that proves the correct data. If a lender reported the wrong information, contact that lender and ask them to resend the corrected details to Experian.

Once the bureau updates the record, the previously hidden accounts will flow through to Credit Karma, and you can move on to 'find out which lenders report only to Experian or not at all' in the next section.

Only a handful of creditors send data solely to Experian or skip all bureaus, which is why Credit Karma (which pulls from TransUnion and Equifax) often shows gaps.

• Utility and telecom providers such as Comcast and AT&T typically file only with Experian, so their payment history appears on your Experian file but not on Credit Karma.
• Small‑bank credit unions and regional banks (for example, certain local branches of Navy Federal) often have Experian‑only reporting agreements, leaving their accounts invisible to Credit Karma.
• Specialty auto lenders like Mercedes‑Benz Financial Services usually report exclusively to Experian, meaning your auto loan details may be missing from Credit Karma's view.
• Some mortgage lenders partner solely with Experian for credit checks; their loan origination data shows up only on Experian reports.
• Payday lenders, many online installment lenders, and certain collection agencies do not report to any bureau, so Credit Karma and Experian both lack those accounts.

(See Experian's list of reporting sources and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explanation of non‑reporting creditors.)

You get Experian to show your accounts by asking each creditor to send your trade line to that bureau.

1. Review the 'find out which lenders report only to Experian or not at all' section to identify gaps in your Experian file.
2. Call the lender's customer‑service line, mention your Experian credit file, and request that they begin reporting the account there.
3. Provide any written consent the lender requires; most will ask you to sign a simple authorization form that can be faxed or emailed.
4. Ask for a confirmation email or reference number so you can track the request.
5. Monitor your Experian report (via Experian's website) for the new entry; updates typically appear within 30‑45 days, but follow up if nothing shows after that window.

Thin files or brand‑new accounts often leave Experian with little or no data, so Credit Karma shows almost nothing for that bureau.

Experian receives reports only after lenders submit a first billing cycle, and many small or regional creditors never send data to Experian; new credit lines, recent student loans, or minimal activity therefore remain missing while TransUnion and Equifax appear populated.

Keep the account open, use it responsibly, and wait 30‑60 days for the initial report; adding a secured card or becoming an authorized user creates tradelines that Experian will capture, gradually filling the thin file and populating Credit Karma.

Experian Boost only adds utility‑bill payments to your Experian file, so Credit Karma, which shows scores built on TransUnion and Equifax data, won't reflect the boost. Because the two services use different bureaus, any increase you see on Experian's VantageScore 3.0 stays invisible on Credit Karma's version of the same model.

• Boost updates only the Experian credit report; it does not send the new positive tradelines to TransUnion or Equifax.
• Credit Karma's score is calculated from the TransUnion and Equifax files, using the same VantageScore 3.0 algorithm but with those bureaus' data.
• Lenders that pull a Credit Karma score will still see the pre‑Boost information, even if your Experian score jumps.
• To view the effect, log into your Experian Boost service account or request a free Experian report; the change will not appear elsewhere until the other bureaus receive the same data, which they typically don't.

If you need the Boost reflected in the scores you monitor on Credit Karma, you'll have to wait for those accounts to be reported to TransUnion and Equifax, or use Experian's portal directly.

If you live outside the United States, regional credit‑bureau differences determine whether Experian data appear on Credit Karma because the platform only partners with TransUnion and Equifax in the markets it serves.

In Canada, Credit Karma Canada pulls from TransUnion Canada and Equifax Canada; Experian reports exist but are not displayed. In the United Kingdom, Credit Karma UK accesses Equifax and TransUnion (formerly Callcredit) only, so Experian files must be ordered directly from Experian UK. In Australia, the app uses Equifax and illion, leaving Experian as a separate bureau you must request independently.

Consequently, residents of these regions will not see an Experian score on Credit Karma and need to obtain Experian reports through the local Experian service.