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.
So what’s the trade-off? Instead of charging you a fee, Credit Karma uses your information to show you tailored credit card offers and other financial products. For some people, that’s a convenient way to find relevant options, while others may find the ads a little intrusive. Either way, the value is clear: free credit monitoring, regular updates, and a user-friendly mobile app make Credit Karma a simple and effective tool for keeping tabs on your financial health.
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Credit Karma features
Check out this table and see for yourself what features Credit Karma has to offer.
Verified on August 29, 2025
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
Eligibility
- Canadian citizen
- Age of majority
Provinces
AB, BC, MB, NB, NL, NS, ON, PE, SK
Features
Monthly Fee
$0
Which Credit Bureau?
Equifax
Credit Score Access?
Credit Report Access?
Update Frequency
Weekly
Mobile App
Credit Karma product rating: 5.0 stars
Credit Karma provides a valuable service for no fee. They'll use your information to advertise to you, but that's really par for the course in this day and age. Once a week, you'll receive an email from Credit Karma letting you know that your updated credit report is available. At that point you can head over to their site to get a quick overview of your current credit score and report, including some nice charts and graphs. All in all, it's a simple to use service that provides valuable and timely information.
Learn more about our rating methodology.
The pros of Credit Karma
Take a look at the helpful points and features that Credit Karma has to offer.
Pros
Free to use
We can't not mention this, because who doesn't love a free service? With Credit Karma, you don't have to pay even a dollar to access your credit score or to receive their regular credit monitoring reports. In this case, free and convenient go hand-in-hand.
No need to provide your SIN
You might think that in order to access something as specific as your credit score, a company like Credit Karma would need to know extremely personal details about you. But, luckily, they don't. They'll never ask for your SIN, credit card number, or anything like that.
Helpful articles and educational info
Even if you don't have an account with them, Credit Karma has an impressive number of articles about personal finance matters. You can read about how to get out of a lease, how your credit card use affects your credit score, the definition of a foreign transaction fee, and more. It's nice to see a company that cares about its customer's understanding of financial concepts.
The cons of Credit Karma
Of course, there are some details about Credit Karma that are less than stellar.
Cons
Annoying product recommendations
Yes, we know that Credit Karma has to make their money somehow, but sifting through piles of credit card, loan, and financial product recommendations can get pretty frustrating. It would be nice to not immediately have to deal with these, especially since we get similar recommendations from so many other avenues.
Limited customer service options
Nobody wants to wait on hold on the phone, but most of us at least like knowing we have the option to call a company if we have problems with their products or services. The only customer service that Credit Karma provides is through their online form – you'll be sent an email to confirm your message was received and that they'll get back to you. You won't find a phone number, email address, or chat feature anywhere.
Credit Karma alternatives
Here's a handy way to look at Credit Karma and its competitors all in one place.
 |  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account | Credit Karma Credit Monitoring | Equifax Complete Premier | KOHO Credit Building | Borrowell Credit Monitoring |
| Genius Rating | ||||
| Why You Want It | Completely free to use + Monitors score from Transunion. |  $25 GeniusCash + Up to $1 million in ID theft insurance + Daily credit score updates. | Build your credit for only $10/month + Keep tabs on your progress. | Free credit score and report + Personalized tips, tools, and offers. |
| Monthly Fee | $0 | $24.95 | $10 | $0 |
| Which Credit Bureau? | Equifax | Equifax | Equifax | Equifax |
| Credit Score Access? | | | | |
| Credit Report Access? | | | | |
| Update Frequency | Weekly | Daily | Monthly | Weekly |
Show More | ||||
| Apply Now See more Credit Karma products Compare | I Want This Deal See more Equifax products Compare | Apply Now See more KOHO products Compare | Learn More See more Borrowell products Compare |
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FAQ
What is Credit Karma Canada?
Credit Karma is an online service Canadians can use to find out their credit score and/or request regular credit monitoring updates. They also partner with 3rd parties to offer mortgages, personal loans, and credit cards.
Is Credit Karma accurate?
Yes, the information you receive about your credit score and report from Credit Karma is especially accurate because they access your credit information directly from both major credit unions, Transunion and Equifax.
Is Credit Karma safe?
Using Credit Karma is completely safe. They won't sell your information to anyone, and they use 128-bit encryption to protect the data on their site. Plus, their data center is monitored 24/7. There are also firewalls in place as well as other security measures. You can see all of Credit Karma's features laid out here.
Does Credit Karma have the best credit monitoring in Canada?
While there are certainly other credit score services that rank higher, Credit Karma is a solid choice. If you're looking for an alternative to paid credit score checks and don't want to go through your personal banking institution, Credit Karma has exactly what you want. Click here to read the pros and cons of going with Credit Karma.
Rating methodology
To calculate our Genius Ratings, we compare the features of the account or product in question with other similar products in Canada. We give each feature a score out of 5 based on that comparison. Once we’ve rated all the features, we run them through our proprietary algorithm to produce a final rating out of 5.
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.
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