A credit score is a three-digit number derived from the information in an individual's credit report. This report summarises your credit history, including applying for credit cards, paying off a mortgage, and more.
Credit score services monitor and track your credit history, providing updates on your credit score and offering tips to improve it. They also help detect potential fraud or identity theft and may offer tools to manage and optimize your credit profile.
Key Takeaways
- Credit Karma Credit Monitoring is the best credit score service available to Canadians.
- You can also get your credit score and information straight from a credit bureau.
- Most Canadian banks offer free credit score services as a feature of your banking plan.
Best credit score service 2025 winner – Credit Karma Credit Monitoring
Monthly Fee
$0
Which Credit Bureau?
See Issuer for Details
Credit Score Access?
Credit Report Access?
The best time to check your credit score is always now, and with Credit Karma, the price is right at $0. This free credit score service gives you access to your credit score and report, provides weekly updates, and even sends alerts whenever there are notable changes to your file. Credit Karma pulls data from TransUnion and Equifax, giving you a reliable snapshot of where you stand. Plus, you’ll also get access to identity monitoring for extra peace of mind.
Pros
- Free to use
- No need to provide your SIN
- Helpful articles and educational info
Cons
- Annoying product recommendations
- Limited customer service options
Provinces
AB, BC, MB, NB, NL, NS, ON, PE, SK
Eligibility
- Canadian citizen
- Age of majority
Why You Want It
Completely free to use + Monitors score from Transunion.
Special Features
- Receive notifications if notable changes occur
- Retrieves info from both major credit bureaus
- Identity monitoring available
Monthly Fee
$0
Which Credit Bureau?
See Issuer for Details
Credit Score Access?
Credit Report Access?
Update Frequency
Weekly
Mobile App
Our pick for the best credit score service of 2025 is Credit Karma Credit Monitoring.
The most obvious benefit is that Credit Karma Credit Monitoring is completely free without lacking any major features that other, paid services have. It also updates weekly and doesn’t require you to submit your SIN or credit card number.
How we picked the best credit score service
To evaluate credit score services, we analyze over 10 data points to generate a trustworthy Genius Rating. We consider all aspects of a credit score service, including fees, credit report access, access to an app, identity theft protection, customer satisfaction, and update frequency, to assess its overall value. Then, the credit score service’s features are rated based on how they stack up against other available options.
How to check your credit score in Canada
There are three ways to check your credit score in Canada: requesting the information from the credit bureau(s), using the credit services provided by your bank, or by using a third-party credit score service.
Here's an overview of how these methods compare:
| Credit score option | Third party service | Credit bureau | Bank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pros | * Often free * Updated monthly (one is weekly) * Get access to current offers and rates from their providers | * The most up-to-date information * Direct access without using a third-party * May offer limited free access | * Available through the bank's mobile app or online banking * Included for free with your banking plan |
| Cons | * Frequent product advertisements * Typically only offers information from one credit bureau | * Costly, around $20/month | * Not offered by all banks * Only offers information from one credit bureau |
Remember, checking your credit score will not lower your credit score. It's considered a "soft" check (as opposed to "hard" checks that can affect your score), so go ahead – check it as many times as you’d like!
Third-party credit score services
You can easily get your credit score for free through a third-party service, or at least at a low price. Credit Karma Credit Monitoring is the best third-party credit score service available to Canadians.
Depending on the service, they may also offer other services and perks, like identity theft protection or even credit score-building tools.
In exchange for this inexpensive service, though, these providers typically send clients promotional content related to their other financial products and services. And since it’s a third party service, you may not always see the most current results.
Credit score services from credit bureaus
Canada has two credit bureaus: TransUnion and Equifax. By using either of these to access your credit score, you'll be getting the most precise, up-to-date information.
You're able to acquire your report and score directly from them for a fee, and there are other features included, such as identity theft insurance and credit monitoring.
If you submit an official request, you can receive a free credit score and report from Equifax, or you can subscribe to one of their automated services. The most popular one is Equifax Complete Premier for $24.95 per month.
TransUnion offers a free Consumer Disclosure once every 30 days and this includes all the information on your credit report. For further information and increased protection, you can subscribe to TransUnion Credit Monitoring for $24.95 per month.
Credit score services from your bank
Some Canadian banks offer free credit score services as a feature of certain banking plans or credit cards. Clients can access this service via their online banking portal or mobile app apps.
Here's a look at the five major banks in Canada and what credit score services they provide their customers.
| Bank | Provides free credit score and report | Credit bureau used |
|---|---|---|
| BMO |  | TransUnion |
| CIBC | | TransUnion |
| RBC | | TransUnion |
| Scotiabank | | TransUnion |
| TD | | Equifax |
What is a good credit score in Canada?
Credit scores in Canada range from 300 to 900. A high credit score indicates a strong history of managing debt responsibly, making you a lower-risk borrower in the eyes of lenders. Normally, the better your credit score, the lower risk you will be to lenders and the greater chance you have of getting accepted for your credit request (and at better rates to boot).
If you have a poor credit score, your credit card application may be denied, or it may be approved but have increased borrowing rates. A poor score can make it more challenging to find credit lenders and make it more expensive to borrow.
| Credit score level | Credit score |
|---|---|
| Excellent | 760 - 900 |
| Very good | 725 - 759 |
| Good | 660 - 724 |
| Average | 560 - 659 |
| Poor | 300 - 559 |
"Good" credit scores
Range: 660 - 900
A "good" credit score can be broken down into three subcategories:
- Excellent: 760 - 900
- Very Good: 725 - 759
- Good: 660 - 724
While there's no number that guarantees approval, a good credit score typically increases your chances of being accepted for most types of credit — often at the best rates. The closer you get to the 900 mark, the more likely you are to secure the best rates on credit applications.
"Average" credit scores
Range: 560 - 659
If your credit score falls in this range, it's likely that you'll have less favourable terms if your credit application is approved, including higher borrowing rates.
This doesn't mean it's impossible to get decent rates. You may have some luck getting your foot in the door, especially with secured products.
"Poor" credit scores
Range: 559 or lower
With a credit score in this range, you may struggle to find approvals for credit.
If you do get approved, you'll almost certainly have unfavourable terms and higher borrowing rates.
How to increase your credit score
Your credit score is not a static number. It fluctuates depending on your habits, which means it's perfectly normal for your score to vary, depending on when it's being calculated and which metrics a company or credit bureau uses.
This means you have the power to improve your credit score because your habits are what affect it the most.
Here are five ways to improve your credit score:
- Always make payments on time: This is the most important factor used in determining your credit score, accounting for 35% or 1/3 of your total score. It doesn’t matter how large your required payment is – missing a $20 payment is just as bad as missing a $2,000 one. If you’re unable to pay off your full balance, there’s no need to panic. Just be sure to make the minimum payment.
- Credit history: This is how long your active accounts have been open – the longer your accounts are active the better. Closing your oldest accounts can be especially inadvisable as it lowers the history length of your active accounts. Because of this, it's best to keep your oldest accounts active if possible.
- Lower your utilization ratio: This is the amount of money you owe across all your accounts. The golden rule is to keep your utilization ratio below 30% on all accounts at any time during a monthly cycle, never passing 35%. Be wary of closing too many credit accounts, as this can significantly impact your credit utilization ratio.
- Number of credit inquiries: This is the number of times you have applied for credit that required a "hard" check. Doing so frequently will lower your credit score because it makes your credit risk appear unstable. If shopping for a mortgage or other type of credit requires numerous "hard" credit checks, try to have all inquiries done in a two-week period to reduce the damage to your credit score.
- Review your credit report and score: Your credit report might be inaccurate. Check your report at least once per year with each of the credit bureaus and file a notice with the bureau(s) if you find anything unusual.
Editorial Disclaimer: The content here reflects the author's opinion alone, and is not endorsed or sponsored by a bank, credit card issuer, rewards program or other entity. For complete and updated product information please visit the product issuer's website.
FAQ
Where can I get my free credit score in Canada?
There are several ways to access your score for free, although some will provide more detailed information than others. You can try a third-party service, go directly to the credit bureau(s), or use services offered by your bank.
Any other tips on how to check my credit score?
Your best bet is to go straight to the source and request your score from either Transunion or Equifax. You’ll likely have to pay for this service, but the results will contain the most up-to-date information possible.
What's a good credit score in Canada?
Credit scores in Canada range from 300 to 900, with different categories falling into different ranges. The good range falls between 660 and 900, with 660 - 724 being "good," 725 - 759 "very good," and anything above 760 "excellent."
What's the difference between my credit score and credit report?
A credit report contains your actual credit history, which is used to calculate your individual credit score. There are two credit bureaus in Canada, each of which has its own algorithm for using your report to calculate your credit score.
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