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Your credit score in Canada decides whether you get approved for a card, an apartment or a mortgage, and at what interest rate. Many people have never seen theirs, or they pay for something they could get free.
This guide shows where to check your score and report at no cost, and the steps that build it faster.
Key takeaways
- Canada has 2 main credit bureaus, Equifax and TransUnion, and your score can differ between them.
- Your payment history is the most important part of your score.
- Late payments can stay on your report for up to 6 years.
- Credit history from another country does not carry over: bureaus only collect credit activity in Canada.
Free ways to check your credit at a glance
| Tool | What you get free | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Equifax Canada | Credit report and score | Paid plans are also sold |
| TransUnion | Monthly report; score in ON and QC | Score not free elsewhere |
| Borrowell | Equifax score, updated weekly | Earns referral fees on offers |
| KOHO Credit Building | Builds history, 0% interest | Monthly fee applies |
As of September 2026, from each company’s official page and the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada.
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How to build and check your credit score, step by step
- Get your free credit reports
- Check your score
- Fix errors and signs of fraud
- Pay every bill on time
- Keep your credit use under 30%
- Build history if you have none
- Apply for credit sparingly
Step 1. Get your free credit reports
The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) says you can get your report free from both bureaus, online, by mail or by phone. Online, both show information updated every month. Pull both reports and compare them line by line.
Step 2. Check your score
Equifax gives you your score free in all provinces and territories. TransUnion includes it free only if you live in Ontario or Quebec. Free apps such as Borrowell also show an Equifax score, and some banks show one in their app. The score you see may differ from the one a lender uses.
Step 3. Fix errors and signs of fraud
Look for accounts you don’t recognize, wrong balances and late payments you did make on time. Contact the bureau to correct errors. Be careful with sites that “offer” free reports to collect your data; the FCAC warns fraudsters use this trick. Our guide to fraud and scams in Canada covers what to do next.
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Step 4. Pay every bill on time
The FCAC calls payment history the most important part of your score. Pay at least the minimum if you can’t pay in full, and set up payment alerts. Late or unpaid accounts can stay on your report for up to 6 years.
Step 5. Keep your credit use under 30%
Credit utilization is how much of your limit you use. With a $5,000 limit, a $1,000 balance is 20%. The FCAC suggests staying under 30%, even if you pay in full each month, and keeping older no-fee accounts open to protect your history.
Step 6. Build history if you have none
No file means no score. A secured card is the classic start; compare options in our list of the best secured credit cards in Canada. Just arrived? See the best credit cards for newcomers to Canada. Credit-builder programs, covered below, are another route.
Step 7. Apply for credit sparingly
Each application is a hard inquiry. Equifax keeps inquiries for 3 years and TransUnion for 6. When shopping for a car loan or mortgage, get quotes within 2 weeks: the bureaus treat them as one inquiry.
Common mistakes
- Paying for a score you can get free.
- Checking only one bureau.
- Closing your oldest no-fee card.
- Maxing out a card, then paying it off, month after month.
- Applying for several cards or loans at once.
- Believing a company that promises to erase accurate negative information.
Tools and offers that help
1. Equifax Canada
- Free: credit report and score, online or by phone at 1-800-465-7166.
- Paid: monitoring plans; the Equifax Complete Friends and Family plan costs $34.95 a month.
- Free score in every province.
- Paid upsells sit next to the free product; you don’t need them to see your score.
2. TransUnion Consumer Disclosure
- Free: your full report online each month, or by mail and in person. Phone: 1-800-663-9980.
- Score: included free for Ontario and Quebec residents.
- Shows every inquiry, including ones lenders don’t see.
- Outside Ontario and Quebec, the score is not part of the free disclosure.
3. Borrowell
- Free: Equifax score and report, updated weekly, plus tips.
- Credit Builder: from $5 every two weeks; reported to Equifax as a 48-month, 0% interest installment account. No hard credit check to join; cancel anytime without penalty. Not available in Saskatchewan or New Brunswick.
- Weekly updates, and checking doesn’t hurt your score.
- Borrowell earns referral fees when you take a partner’s product.
4. KOHO Credit Building
- How it works: you make monthly interest-free payments on a line of credit, and KOHO reports them to build your history.
- Cost: KOHO charges no interest, but the program has a fee not shown on its page. Its paid plans ($12 or $14.75 a month) cut that fee by up to 50%.
- No debt to spend, so no risk of a growing balance.
- A monthly cost for something a secured card can also do.
If your score is low and you need to borrow, read our guide to loans for bad credit in Canada before you sign anything.
Your credit checklist
- Download your Equifax and TransUnion reports.
- Dispute any error with the bureau.
- Turn on autopay for at least the minimum.
- Keep each card’s balance under 30% of its limit.
- Check your score again in 3 months.
How we compared
- Checked: every fee and feature on September 23, 2026, on each company’s official page and on Canada.ca (FCAC).
- Order: no ranking; the bureaus come first because their reports are the source, then third-party tools.
- Independence: no company paid for placement.
FAQ
What is a good credit score in Canada?
Scores usually run from 300 to 900, and higher is better. Each lender sets its own cut-offs, so there is no single official “good” number.
Does checking my own credit score lower it?
No. Checking your own report or score doesn’t affect it. Only hard inquiries from lenders count.
What do Reddit users say about checking credit scores in Canada?
Many compare Equifax and TransUnion scores and notice gaps. That’s normal: the bureaus use different formulas and data.
How is a Canadian credit score different from a US one?
Canadian scores use a 300 to 900 range. Canadian bureaus only collect credit activity in Canada, so a US history doesn’t transfer.
How long do late payments stay on my report?
Up to 6 years. Inquiries stay 3 years with Equifax and 6 years with TransUnion.
For the full picture, see our hub Best Savings Accounts in Canada 2026, our list of the best high-interest savings accounts in Canada and our roundup of bank account promotions in Canada.
Sources
- FCAC — Getting your credit report and credit score
- FCAC — Credit report and score basics
- FCAC — Improving your credit score
- FCAC — How long information stays on your credit report
- Equifax Canada — Credit score and report
- TransUnion — Consumer Disclosure
- Borrowell — Free credit score
- Borrowell — Credit Builder
- KOHO — Credit Building
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