Credit Score Calculator

Q: What is a good credit score in 2026?

FICO scores range from 300-850. Exceptional: 800-850. Very Good: 740-799. Good: 670-739. Fair: 580-669. Poor: 300-579. Most lenders consider 670+ as good. For the best mortgage rates, aim for 740+.

Q: How much does a hard inquiry affect my credit score?

A single hard inquiry typically drops your score by 5-10 points. The impact recovers within 3-6 months, though the inquiry stays on your report for 2 years. FICO groups multiple loan inquiries within 45 days as one for rate shopping.

Q: What are the 5 factors that determine my FICO score?

FICO scores are calculated from 5 factors: Payment History (35%), Credit Utilization (30%), Length of Credit History (15%), New Credit (10%), and Credit Mix (10%). Payment history and utilization together make up 65% of your score.

Q: How fast can I improve my credit score?

Credit utilization changes can improve your score in 1-2 billing cycles (30-60 days). Removing hard inquiries takes 3-12 months. Recovering from a missed payment takes 9-18 months. Building credit history length takes years. The fastest fix: pay down credit card balances below 10% utilization.

Q: What is the difference between FICO and VantageScore?

Both range 300-850, but weight factors differently. FICO requires 6 months of credit history; VantageScore needs just 1 month. FICO weights payment history at 35%; VantageScore at 41%. FICO has a 45-day rate shopping window; VantageScore uses 14 days. Since July 2025, mortgage lenders can use VantageScore 4.0 for conventional loans.

Simulate how paying down debt, opening cards, or missing payments affects your FICO score. Analyze per-card utilization and get personalized tips based on the 5 FICO scoring factors.

Educational simulator only. This is NOT your actual FICO score. For your real score, check your bank, credit card issuer, or annualcreditreport.com.

Estimate your FICO score and see what-if scenarios

Current score (if known)

Your last known score, or leave as 715 (US average)

Total credit limit

Sum of all credit card limits

Current balances

Total across all credit cards

Number of accounts

Credit cards, loans, mortgage, etc.

Oldest account age

Years since oldest account opened

Recent inquiries (2yr)

Hard pulls from credit applications

30-day late payments

Impact: -60 to -110 points each

60-day late payments

Impact: -80 to -130 points each

90-day late payments

Impact: -100 to -150 points each

Collections

Accounts sent to collections

755

300 Poor580 Fair670 Good740 V.Good800+ Exc.

Very Good

Try another scenario

How to Use This Calculator

Score Simulator tab

The default tab. Enter your current credit score, total credit limit, current balances, and expand "More options" for number of accounts, oldest account age, recent inquiries, and late payments (30/60/90 day). The calculator shows your estimated FICO score with a color-coded gauge, factor breakdown with grades A–F, and what-if scenarios: pay down $X, open a new card, or close your oldest card.

Utilization Impact tab

Enter each credit card individually (limit + balance, up to 5 cards). See per-card utilization, overall utilization, optimal targets (<10% ideal, <30% good), estimated score impact of paying down each card, and a recommended paydown strategy prioritizing the highest-utilization card first.

FICO Factors tab

Input your payment history (% on-time), credit utilization %, credit age (years), and credit mix (revolving/installment/mortgage counts). The calculator shows weighted scores by factor (35%/30%/15%/10%/10%), a grade per factor (A–F), actionable tips to improve each area, and estimated months to reach your target score.

Share your result

Every input is encoded in the URL. Click Share to send your exact scenario to a financial advisor, partner, or credit counselor.

How Credit Scores Are Calculated

FICO scores — used by 90% of top lenders — weigh five factors:

FICO Score = f(Payment History, Utilization, Credit Age, New Credit, Credit Mix)

Payment History: 35% — on-time payments vs. late/missed
Credit Utilization: 30% — balances ÷ credit limits
Length of Credit History: 15% — age of oldest/newest/average accounts
New Credit: 10% — hard inquiries + recently opened accounts
Credit Mix: 10% — variety of account types (cards, loans, mortgage)

Utilization is the fastest factor to change — it updates every billing cycle. Payment history is the most impactful: a single missed payment can drop your score 60–150 points depending on severity, and it stays on your report for 7 years.

Utilization sweet spots: 1–9% is optimal, 10–29% is good, 30–49% is fair, and 50%+ significantly hurts your score. Both per-card and overall utilization matter.

Example

Maria — rebuilding credit after medical debt in Phoenix, AZ

Maria, 31, has a 645 FICO score. She has 3 credit cards with $12,000 total limit and $5,400 in balances (45% utilization). She has 1 late payment from 2 years ago and 4 years of credit history. She wants to qualify for a car loan at a decent rate.

Score Simulator tab

Current score645 (Fair)

What-if: Pay down $3,000+25 to +40 points

New utilization20% (from 45%)

Estimated new score670–685

By paying down $3,000, Maria crosses the 30% utilization threshold and enters "Good" score territory — enough for most auto lenders.

Utilization Impact tab

Card 1: $5K limit, $3K balance60% (Poor)

Card 2: $4K limit, $1.5K balance38% (Fair)

Card 3: $3K limit, $900 balance30% (Fair)

Overall utilization45%

Priority: Pay Card 1 firstHighest utilization

Maria pays down Card 1 by $2,550 (from 60% to 9%), then requests a $3,000 limit increase on Card 2. Her overall utilization drops to about 16%.

FICO Factors tab

Payment History (35%)Grade C — 1 late payment

Amounts Owed (30%)Grade D — 45% utilization

Credit Age (15%)Grade C — 4 years

Biggest opportunityPay down to <10% util (+30-50 pts)

Estimated months to 72012–18 months

Maria's plan: pay down balances, set up autopay, and wait for the late payment to age out. In 12–18 months she could reach 720+.

FAQ

What is a good credit score in 2026? ▼

FICO scores range from 300 to 850. Exceptional: 800–850. Very Good: 740–799. Good: 670–739. Fair: 580–669. Poor: 300–579. Most lenders consider 670+ as “good.” For the best mortgage rates, aim for 740+. The average American FICO score is around 715.

How much does a hard inquiry affect my credit score? ▼

A single hard inquiry typically drops your score by 5–10 points. The impact recovers within 3–6 months, though the inquiry stays on your report for 2 years. FICO groups multiple loan inquiries (mortgage, auto, student) within a 45-day window as a single inquiry for rate shopping purposes.

What are the 5 factors that determine my FICO score? ▼

Payment History (35%): Whether you pay on time. Credit Utilization (30%): How much of your available credit you use. Length of Credit History (15%): How long your accounts have been open. New Credit (10%): Recent hard inquiries and new accounts. Credit Mix (10%): Variety of account types (credit cards, installment loans, mortgage). Together, payment history and utilization make up 65% of your score — focus here first.

How fast can I improve my credit score? ▼

Utilization changes are the fastest — they can improve your score in 1–2 billing cycles (30–60 days). Pay down credit card balances before your statement closing date for fastest results. Hard inquiry impact fades in 3–12 months. A late payment takes 9–18 months to recover from, and stays on your report for 7 years. Building credit history length takes years — keep old accounts open.

What is the difference between FICO and VantageScore? ▼

Both use 300–850 ranges but weight factors differently. FICO requires 6 months of credit history; VantageScore needs just 1 month and 1 active account in 24 months. FICO weights payment history at 35%; VantageScore at 41%. FICO has a 45-day rate-shopping window; VantageScore uses 14 days. FICO is used by 90% of top lenders. Since July 2025, mortgage lenders can also use VantageScore 4.0 for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac conventional loans.

Related Calculators

Add This Calculator to Your Website

Embed the sum.money Credit Score Calculator on your site. Free, responsive, always up-to-date.