Why Is My Equifax Score Lower Than Experian?

Equifax often shows a lower score because its database may miss recent on‑time payments that Experian already records, and because the Equifax scoring algorithm tends to weight credit utilization and recent inquiries more heavily.

These differences stem from lenders reporting to Equifax on a different schedule, some lenders sending data only to Experian, and occasional errors that hide or duplicate accounts - issues we explore in the next section on the five data gaps that commonly lower Equifax scores.

Five common data gaps often lower your Equifax score.

• Missing recent credit accounts or payments that lenders report only to Experian, leaving Equifax with an incomplete utilization picture.
• Out‑of‑date personal details (address, employer) that cause Equifax to flag the file, while Experian's record stays current.
• Closed tradelines that remain open on Equifax because the creditor's update hasn't been processed, inflating your debt balance.
• Unrecorded installment loans (auto, student) that Experian includes but Equifax omits, reducing the diversity of your credit mix.
• Duplicate or merged Equifax files that split your history, making each file appear thinner and hurting the overall score.

Equifax and Experian use separate scoring models, so the same credit history can generate a higher Experian score and a lower Equifax score. The difference often stems from each bureau's version of FICO or VantageScore and the way they weight the five credit pillars.

Equifax commonly runs FICO 9, which penalizes high credit‑card balances and any collection without a paid‑in‑full status, while Experian frequently applies VantageScore 4.0, which reduces the impact of medical collections and gives newer accounts a shorter 'penalty window.'

Thus, a recent high‑utilization charge may drag down the Equifax score but have a milder effect on the Experian score. For more detail on model variations, see FICO's official model overview.

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Only a handful of lenders send data exclusively to Equifax, so their activity influences your Equifax score but never appears on your Experian score.

• Small credit unions and regional banks (for example, community‑based institutions that partner with local loan servicing platforms) often report only to Equifax, leaving the same loan invisible to Experian.
• Certain auto‑lease and specialty finance companies (such as some sub‑prime auto lenders) file exclusively with Equifax, so a missed payment can drag down the Equifax score while Experian remains unchanged.
• A few utility and telecom providers, especially local cable or electricity companies, transmit payment histories solely to Equifax; late or absent payments therefore affect only that bureau.
• Select collection agencies that handle small‑scale debts sometimes use Equifax as their sole reporting channel, creating a negative item on the Equifax score alone.

When an account shows up on only one bureau, the scores diverge. The missing positive data can keep your Equifax score lower, and any negative item can hurt it without a counterbalance on Experian. Spotting these single‑bureau lenders helps you understand why the scores differ and guides you to focus on correcting or updating the missing information before moving on to the next diagnostic step.

Check whether any new credit accounts or recent payments are absent from your Equifax report. A missing auto loan, credit‑card opening, or on‑time mortgage payment can keep your Equifax score lower than your Experian score because lenders often submit data to Experian first, and reporting windows can be up to 30 days.

Inquiries that appear on your Equifax report but not on Experian are single‑bureau hard pulls, meaning the creditor sent the request only to Equifax.

Common reasons include: a credit‑card issuer that reports exclusively to Equifax, an auto‑loan lender that uses Equifax as its sole bureau, a mortgage application processed through a broker that partners with only Equifax, a utility or telecom provider that feeds data to Equifax and not Experian, and occasional reporting errors where Experian failed to capture the pull. For a deeper dive on how lender reporting varies, see Equifax inquiry FAQ.

Public records such as bankruptcies, tax liens, and civil judgments can show up only on your Equifax report because many courts and collection agencies send those filings exclusively to Equifax, which then feeds the data into the Equifax scoring model and can pull your Equifax score below your Experian score.

• Court filings (Chapter 7/11 bankruptcies, tax liens, civil judgments) often route solely to Equifax; Experian may never receive them.
• Lenders that rely on Equifax for underwriting may add the record themselves, creating a record that exists only in Equifax's file.
• Even a single bankruptcy can drop an Equifax score 100+ points, while the Experian score stays unchanged if the record is absent.
• Verify the entry by pulling your free Equifax credit report; compare the public‑record section to Experian's report.
• If the record is inaccurate or duplicated, file a dispute with Equifax and request removal; include court documents or a notarized statement.
• After resolution, re‑check Experian later‑in‑the‑article 'check for mixed, duplicate, or merged Equifax files' to ensure the correction syncs across bureaus.

Check your credit report for any mixed, duplicate, or merged Equifax files that could be pulling down your Equifax score. A merged file occurs when two separate consumer records are combined under one identifier, often because of similar names, Social Security numbers, or address history, and the resulting file may inherit negative items from the other consumer.

Duplicate files happen when the same person appears twice on Equifax's database, splitting positive data and duplicating negatives, which can lower the Equifax score while leaving the Experian score untouched.

Identify these issues by reviewing the personal details section of your Equifax report; mismatched birth dates, middle initials, or credit histories that jump suddenly are red flags. Use the 'Dispute' link on the report to request a split or correction, and attach proof such as a government ID or utility bill. The Equifax consumer help line can also run a 'file merge review' to verify whether two profiles have been erroneously combined.

Fixing a mixed or duplicate file often restores missing positive accounts that were only visible to Experian, narrowing the gap between scores. After you resolve any file anomalies, proceed to the Equifax dispute process guide and then follow the 7‑step plan to raise your Equifax score quickly.

Raise your Equifax score quickly by auditing the file, correcting mistakes, and fine‑tuning the five factors that usually differ from your Experian score.

1. Download the latest Equifax report - visit free Equifax credit report and save a PDF for reference.
2. Dispute every inaccuracy - use Equifax's online portal to challenge wrong balances, missed payments, or outdated personal info; a resolved error can add 10 - 30 points within weeks.
3. Lower credit utilization - pay down revolving balances to under 30 % of each limit, focusing on accounts that Equifax scores lower than Experian (see section 5).
4. Bring all past‑due items current - clear late payments, set up automatic transfers, and ask creditors to report the updated status.
5. Consolidate duplicate or merged files - if you spot mixed records (section 8), file a correction request so only one accurate file drives the score.
6. Pause new hard inquiries - postpone applications to lenders that report solely to Equifax until your score rises; each inquiry can shave a few points temporarily.
7. Add a positive tradeline - open a secured credit card or a credit‑builder loan, use it lightly, and keep the account open to boost the length‑of‑credit history metric.

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• Certain obscure data points - like medical collections, rental payments, or isolated fraud alerts - can pull your Equifax score down while Experian shows a higher number.
• Medical debt that lands in collections often reports only to Equifax, creating a hidden dent in your Equifax score.
• Rental and utility histories sometimes appear solely on Equifax, boosting your Experian score but leaving a gap in the Equifax model.
• Duplicate or merged consumer files cause older negatives to linger on your Equifax record, inflating the score difference.
• Fraudulent accounts opened on one bureau will scar that bureau's score; a single rogue entry on Equifax can explain the discrepancy.