Your credit score is a three-digit number between 300 and 900 that summarises your credit history for lenders. In Canada, scores are maintained by two credit bureaus — Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada — and used by banks, lenders, landlords, and credit card issuers to assess your creditworthiness.
Canadian Credit Score Ranges
| Score Range | Rating | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| 760–900 | Excellent | Best rates; approved for premium cards |
| 725–759 | Very Good | Most prime credit products accessible |
| 660–724 | Good | Approved for most standard credit cards |
| 560–659 | Fair | Limited prime products; secured cards accessible |
| 300–559 | Poor | Secured cards; credit rebuilding required |
What Affects Your Credit Score
Canadian credit scores (FICO and similar models) are influenced by:
| Factor | Approximate Weight |
|---|---|
| Payment history | ~35% |
| Credit utilisation (amounts owed) | ~30% |
| Credit history length | ~15% |
| New credit applications | ~10% |
| Credit mix (types of accounts) | ~10% |
The two most important factors are paying on time (always) and keeping your credit card utilisation below 30% of your limit.
How to Check Your Credit Score Free in Canada
- Equifax Canada: Free online at equifax.ca — your full Equifax report and score
- TransUnion Canada: Free at transunion.ca — your TransUnion report and score
- Borrowell: Free Equifax score monitoring via app/website
- Credit Karma: Free TransUnion score monitoring via app/website
You can check your own credit score as often as you like without any impact on your score (this is a “soft inquiry”).
Equifax vs TransUnion in Canada
Both bureaus collect the same type of data from lenders, but your scores may differ slightly between them because not all lenders report to both bureaus. Most major banks report to both.
See Equifax vs TransUnion Canada for a full comparison.
In This Section
- How Credit Scores Work in Canada
- Credit Score Ranges Canada
- How to Check Your Credit Score Free
- How to Improve Your Credit Score in Canada
- Building Credit in Canada: Step-by-Step
- Equifax vs TransUnion Canada
Related Guides
- How to Apply for a Credit Card in Canada
- Best Secured Credit Cards in Canada
- Best Newcomer Credit Cards in Canada
- Credit Card Basics — Canada Guide
Credit score ranges and models may vary by lender. The ranges shown use FICO 8 equivalent ranges common in Canada. Lenders use proprietary scoring models that may differ. See our Advertiser Disclosure.