Bank of America shows your credit score free through Online Banking and the mobile app
Bank of America displays your credit score at no cost if you log into Online Banking or use the mobile app. The score appears in your account dashboard under a section labeled "Credit Insights" or "Credit Score." You do not need to pay for a separate service or sign up for anything beyond your existing Bank of America account.
The score Bank of America shows you comes from one of the three major credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion—though the bank does not always specify which one. The score updates monthly, usually around the same date each month. This is a real credit score, the same type lenders see when you apply for a loan or credit card, not a marketing estimate.
You can also see your credit score through Bank of America's CreditWise tool if you enroll. CreditWise is a separate service that monitors your credit file and alerts you to changes, but the basic credit score check is free and does not require enrollment.
Key Takeaways
- Log into Bank of America Online Banking or the mobile app to find your credit score in the dashboard—no separate sign-up needed.
- Your credit score updates once per month and comes from one of the three major credit bureaus, though Bank of America may not tell you which one.
- The score Bank of America shows is a real credit score used by lenders, not an estimate or marketing number.
- CreditWise is Bank of America's credit monitoring tool, which includes score tracking and fraud alerts, and is also free to use.
- If you cannot see your score in Online Banking, you may not have a credit history yet, or your account may not be linked to credit reporting.
Where to find your score in Online Banking
Open Bank of America Online Banking and log in with your username and password. On the main dashboard or home screen, look for a section called "Credit Insights," "Credit Score," or "Account Summary." The score usually appears as a three-digit number with a date showing when it was last updated.
If you do not see a credit score section, scroll down the page or check the left-hand menu for a link labeled "Credit" or "Credit Insights." Some accounts show the score prominently; others require you to navigate to it. If you still cannot find it after checking these locations, your account may not be linked to credit reporting yet, or you may not have an established credit history.
The mobile app follows the same layout. Open the Bank of America app, log in, and look for "Credit Insights" or a similar label on your home screen or in the menu. Tap it to see your current score and the date of the last update.
What the score means and why it matters
Credit scores range from 300 to 850. Higher scores make it easier to borrow money at lower interest rates. A score of 670 or above is generally considered good; 740 or above is very good; 800 or above is excellent. Scores below 580 are typically considered poor and may limit your borrowing options.
Lenders use your credit score to decide whether to approve you for a loan, credit card, or mortgage, and what interest rate to charge you. A higher score can save you thousands of dollars over the life of a loan because you pay less interest. Your score also affects whether you can rent an apartment, get a cell phone plan, or open certain bank accounts.
Your score is built from five main factors: payment history (35 percent of your score), amounts you owe relative to your credit limits (30 percent), length of your credit history (15 percent), mix of credit types—such as credit cards, loans, and mortgages (10 percent)—and recent credit inquiries (10 percent). Missing a payment or carrying high balances on credit cards will lower your score. Paying on time and keeping balances low will raise it.
How to access CreditWise for ongoing monitoring
CreditWise is Bank of America's free credit monitoring service. To enroll, log into Online Banking, find the Credit Insights section, and look for a link to "Enroll in CreditWise" or "Sign up for CreditWise." You can also visit creditwise.com directly and sign up using your Bank of America login credentials.
Once enrolled, CreditWise shows you your credit score, a breakdown of the factors affecting it, and alerts you when something changes in your credit file—such as a new account opened, a late payment reported, or a hard inquiry from a lender. You can also see your credit report summary, though the full report comes from the credit bureaus themselves, not Bank of America.
CreditWise does not cost anything and does not affect your credit score. Checking your own score is called a "soft inquiry" and does not lower your score. Only hard inquiries from lenders—when you apply for credit—can lower your score slightly.
Why your score might not appear in your account
If you log into Online Banking and do not see a credit score, the most common reason is that you do not yet have an established credit history. Credit bureaus need at least one account reporting to them—such as a credit card, loan, or mortgage—before they can calculate a score. If you are new to credit or have never borrowed money, you will not have a score yet.
Another reason is that your Bank of America account may not be linked to credit reporting. This can happen if your account is very new or if you have not set up the right account type. Checking accounts and savings accounts alone do not generate credit scores; only credit products do.
If you have had credit in the past but your score has disappeared from your account, it may mean your credit file has been frozen or you have not used credit recently enough for the bureaus to maintain an active score. You can check your credit report directly from the three bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—at annualcreditreport.com, which is the official government site for free annual reports.
Comparing Bank of America's score to other sources
Bank of America shows you one credit score, but you actually have multiple scores. Different lenders use different scoring models, and the three credit bureaus may report slightly different information about you. A score from Equifax may differ from a score from Experian or TransUnion by 10 to 50 points, depending on what each bureau knows about you.
Bank of America does not always tell you which bureau its score comes from. If you want to see scores from all three bureaus, you can use free services like Credit Karma (which shows Equifax and TransUnion scores) or Discover's credit score tool (which shows your Experian score). These services are free and do not require you to be a customer.
The score Bank of America shows is real and accurate for that bureau, but it is not the only score lenders will see. When you apply for a mortgage, auto loan, or credit card, the lender may pull scores from one or more bureaus and may use a different scoring model than the one Bank of America uses. Your score may be slightly different depending on which lender pulls it and when.
Steps to take if your score is lower than expected
If your credit score is lower than you thought it would be, start by checking what is dragging it down. In the Credit Insights section of Bank of America Online Banking or in CreditWise, look for a breakdown of the factors affecting your score. The most common reasons for a lower score are late or missed payments, high credit card balances, or recent hard inquiries from lenders.
If you see a late payment reported, check whether it is accurate. If you paid on time, you can dispute it with the credit bureau. If the payment was actually late, the impact will fade over time—late payments from several years ago matter less than recent ones. Paying all future bills on time is the fastest way to rebuild your score.
If your score is low because of high credit card balances, paying down those balances will raise your score. You do not have to pay off the entire balance, but reducing the amount you owe relative to your credit limit (called your utilization ratio) will help. Aim to use no more than 30 percent of your available credit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does checking my credit score through Bank of America hurt my credit?
No. Checking your own credit score is a soft inquiry and does not lower your score. Only hard inquiries—when you apply for a loan or credit card—can lower your score slightly, and usually only by a few points.
How often does Bank of America update my credit score?
Bank of America updates your credit score once per month, usually around the same date each month. The exact date depends on when the credit bureau reports the information to Bank of America.
Can I see my full credit report through Bank of America?
Bank of America shows you your credit score and a summary of factors affecting it, but not your full credit report. To see your complete report from each bureau, visit annualcreditreport.com, which provides one free report per year from each of Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
What if I see an error on my credit report?
If you find an error—such as an account you do not recognize or a payment marked late when you paid on time—you can dispute it directly with the credit bureau. Contact the bureau listed in your credit report and provide documentation of the error. The bureau must investigate within 30 days.
Is CreditWise the same as my Bank of America credit score?
CreditWise shows you the same credit score Bank of America displays, plus additional monitoring features like alerts for changes to your credit file. Enrolling in CreditWise does not change your score; it just gives you more tools to track it.