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How to check your credit report for free
Get your file and check your score for free
Updated 25 July 2024
Checking your credit report is in good shape is VITAL if you want to get a mortgage, credit card, loan and much more. And with the cost of living crisis eating into people's budgets and perceived 'affordability', having a good credit report has only grown in importance. Thankfully, there's no need to pay to access your credit report. In fact, some newbies can even earn money for doing so. Here's how to check your credit report.
1-min read: How to check your credit report for FREE
You can easily check your credit report – and it's totally free. Here's a quick lowdown if you know what you're doing and just want to get on with it. Alternatively, read our How to check your credit score for free guide below or check out our Credit scores guide for tips on how to improve your score.
There are three credit agencies which hold credit reports on you: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. It's best to check all three reports at least once a year, because they all have an impact. Here are our quick and FREE ways to do so:
- TransUnion: use the MoneySavingExpert Credit Club, which gives you free access to your TransUnion report (amongst a lot of other things).
- Experian: use Experian's CreditExpert* free 30-day trial, but you'll have to cancel before the end of the trial to avoid the ongoing £14.99/month fee. If you've already had the free trial, you can get Experian's free statutory credit report.
- Equifax: use Clearscore*, which provides free access to your Equifax report.
Get paid to check your report...
Plus, newbies to Experian and TransUnion can get paid to check their credit score or report via cashback sites.
Why and what you should check
There are three credit reference agencies, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, and they all hold information on you which lenders use. Even small errors can cause problems, so it's important you check through your credit report. Most of this is explained in detail in our How to boost your credit scores guide, but below is a quick checklist:
- Check addresses on old accounts.
- Fight unfair defaults on your file.
- Ensure you financially de-link (in other words, separate) if you no longer have joint accounts with someone.
- Rejected? Always check your credit reports after rejection.
- Cancel unused credit and store cards. Find out why unused cards can count against you.
Should I check all three credit reports?
If you're doing a specific application for a company and you know which credit reference agency it uses, it's obviously a priority to check that one. But as a general housekeeping rule we suggest you check all three credit reports at least once a year, because they all have an impact.
Don't worry about over-checking your credit report. Your checks are only recorded on your report as soft searches, which lenders either don't see, or if they do they can't use them in making lending decisions.
When you do check your reports, make sure you check EVERY detail and do it regularly. PLUS always check before making any big applications to minimise your risk of rejection.
How to check your full credit report for FREE
It used to be that the only way you could check your full report for free was to sign up to 30-day free trials with the credit agencies, and then cancel before the time's up so you don't get charged. Yet now there is more choice out there, and even the chance to earn money for checking.
Which way you choose to check your report will depend on what's most important to you – a full bells and whistles credit-monitoring service free for 30 days, or a more basic, but free-for-life service.
Here's how to do it, broken down by agency:
MoneySavingExpert.com's totally free Credit Club helps you keep a track of all things credit. We've recently revamped and relaunched our Club, and here's what you now get, all free, forever:
- MoneySavingExpert eligibility rating. We lead Credit Club on the MSE eligibility rating, which shows the big picture… when all is taken into account, if you need to borrow, will lenders accept you?
- TransUnion credit report. Your financial CV, a record of all your current credit relationships, it’s important to check it’s accurate.
- TransUnion credit score. The usual indicator of how well you're doing, though lenders don't see this when you apply for credit, so don't rely on it too much.
- MoneySavingExpert affordability score. Lenders don’t just check your credit report, they also look at whether you can afford to repay too, so here we analyse your income and expenditure the way lenders do.
- Eligibility tool to show your best credit deals. See how likely you are to get the top card and loan deals, without having to apply, therefore protecting your credit score.
- Your key credit insights. What factors are impacting how you currently look to lenders, and how to make yourself more financially fanciable.
If you're already signed up to the MSE App, we'll just need a few more details from you to set up your Credit Club account. Once that's done, logging in to the app will mean you can then seamlessly access Credit Club from it.
How to cancel your Credit Club account: It's easy. Just log in to your account, go to 'Settings' then click the big red 'Delete My Account' button. But if you're leaving we'd love to know why – please email us so we can fix any issues.
Or alternatively...
- Credit Karma. Your TransUnion credit report information will be updated every seven days. Apply online or via Credit Karma's app.
- Credit Monitor – free access to your TransUnion report. Credit Monitor is powered by MoneySupermarket.com, and also offers completely free access to your TransUnion credit report and score.
Get paid to check your report & score. You can also earn up to £3 cashback for signing up if you're new to Credit Monitor and sign up via this Topcashback* link.
- TransUnion's statutory credit report. A free credit report that you've got a legal entitlement to. A statutory credit report is done online, so it's quick and easy to access, but it won't usually include any of the 'extras' that you get with some subscription services, such as a guide credit score.
Experian CreditExpert*– free 30-day trial
What you get: Experian's CreditExpert* offers new customers a "free 30-day trial, then £14.99 a month" service. It gives you real-time access to your credit report, and offers an eligibility checker. You can only do the free trial once.
How to cancel your Experian account: To cancel your subscription, log into your account and go to 'My Subscriptions'.
- Experian's statutory credit report. A free credit report that you've got a legal entitlement to. A statutory credit report is done online, so it's quick and easy to access, but it won't usually include any of the 'extras' that you get with some subscription services, such as a guide credit score.
- Experian's Credit Score – free subscription to your score ONLY. If you don't want to pay a subscription to see your credit report, you can sign up for free to see your Experian Credit Score. You won't have to pay anything, but the information is limited to seeing your credit score, as opposed to credit report. The score updates every 30 days.
Get paid to check your score: you can also earn up to £5 cashback for signing up to Experian's Credit Score if you're new to Experian and sign up via this Topcashback* link.
Clearscore* – free access to your monthly Equifax Credit Report
What you get: Clearscore* provides free Equifax credit scores and reports, updated once a month, and also has an eligibility checker. Clearscore's basic services are free for life.
Clearscore sometimes needs basic details about which bank you're with in order for you to sign up. For instance, Clearscore might ask you to confirm the first two digits of your banking sort code and last six digits of your account number. These details are only used to match you to your credit report and are not saved.
How to cancel your Clearscore account: Go to your 'My Account' page, and click on 'Delete My Account'. You'll be sent an email to confirm your cancellation request has been processed.
Or alternatively...
- Equifax's Credit Report and Score – free 30-day trial. Equifax offers a 30-day free trial, then £14.95 a month. The paid-for service gives you access to your real-time credit report as well as daily email alerts whenever there are changes to your account, like a new search. To avoid being charged, you'll need to cancel your subscription at least 24 hours before the free trial is up. You can do this by going through 'My Account' and then 'Product Management' – alternatively you can cancel by calling 0800 014 2955.
- Equifax's statutory credit report. A free credit report that you've got a legal entitlement to. A statutory credit report is done online, so it's quick and easy to access, but it won't usually include any of the 'extras' that you get with some subscription services, such as a guide credit score.
How to check all three in one go
CheckMyFile gives you a 30-day trial to see your Experian, TransUnion and Equifax reports in one place. After that, it's £14.99 a month.
To cancel, either call 0800 086 9360 or log into your account, then click through 'Expert Help', 'I need help with my account' and then 'I'd like to stop my subscription'.
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