You can see both your credit report and your credit score in Canada without paying, and checking doesn’t hurt your score. The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) states it directly: “Checking your credit report or score won’t affect your credit rating.” This page covers each free route, from the two credit bureaus themselves to banking apps and free score services, and what to look for once you have the report. It is part of our credit score guides.
Your free credit report from Equifax and TransUnion
FCAC: “You can access your credit report online for free from Canada’s 2 main credit bureaus,” Equifax and TransUnion. Both let you download or print the report and see information updated every month. TransUnion calls its free report the Consumer Disclosure. Other ways to get it:
| Method | How it works |
|---|---|
| Online | Through each bureau’s website, after confirming your identity |
| By mail | Fill out the bureau’s request form and mail it “with photocopies of 2 valid pieces of identification” |
| By phone | Call the bureau, answer identity questions and follow the instructions: Equifax Canada 1-800-465-7166, TransUnion Canada 1-800-663-9980 |
| In person | “In some provinces or territories, you can request your free credit report at an Equifax or TransUnion office,” with at least 2 pieces of ID |
Source: FCAC, Getting your credit report and credit score.
Your free credit score
The score is a separate product from the report. FCAC says you can get it online from the bureaus as follows:
- Equifax: “free in all provinces and territories.”
- TransUnion: “free if you live in Quebec or Ontario (as part of your Consumer Disclosure).”
FCAC adds: “You may also request a non-electronic credit score from Equifax for free (for example, by phone or by mail). If you live in Quebec or Ontario, you may also request it from TransUnion.” Credit bureaus “update your credit score at least once per month.”
Through your bank
“Some Federally Regulated Financial Institutions may also provide free credit scores through their banking app,” according to FCAC. Several large banks show a score in online banking for their customers; which bureau it comes from and how often it updates varies, so the app’s own description is the place to check.
Through free score apps
Free services such as Borrowell show a bureau score and report in exchange for showing you product offers. Borrowell, for example, gives “free access to your Equifax credit score and report, which we update every single week,” and explains its business model: “If you take one of our recommendations, that partner pays us a referral fee.” FCAC notes that “Other companies may also offer your credit score for free. Some may ask you to sign up for a paid service to get your score.”
Why the score you see can differ from a lender’s
A free score is usually one bureau’s own model. Borrowell’s disclaimer makes the point: “The Equifax credit score is based on Equifax’s proprietary model and may not be the same score used by third parties to determine your credit profile.” Your two bureau scores can also differ from each other, because not every lender reports to both bureaus and the reports update on different days. Equifax vs TransUnion explains the differences, and credit score ranges explains what your number means.
Checking safely
FCAC warns: “Fraudsters may pretend to offer free credit reports or credit scores to steal your personal and financial information.” Before giving a company your details, FCAC suggests researching it, reading its terms of use and privacy policy, checking how it stores and uses your information, and finding out “if they’ll sell your data to third parties.” A secure website address starts with “https”.
Checking your own score doesn’t count against you
When you look at your own report or score, the bureau records a soft inquiry, which only you can see and which doesn’t affect your score. A lender’s check when you apply for credit is a hard inquiry. Soft vs hard credit checks explains the difference and which checks are which.
What to look for on the report
The report lists your personal details, your accounts and their payment history, inquiries, and any collections, bankruptcies or court judgments. How to read your credit report explains each section and the rating codes. Things worth checking:
- accounts or inquiries you don’t recognize, which can be a sign of fraud;
- personal information that isn’t yours;
- payments marked late that were on time;
- debts shown as owing that were paid, or included in a bankruptcy or proposal.
If something is wrong, how to dispute a credit report error covers the process with each bureau, which is free.
When it’s worth checking
- Before a big application such as a mortgage or car loan, so there’s time to fix an error first. Improving your score before a mortgage covers the run-up.
- After a score drop you can’t explain; why did my credit score drop lists the usual causes.
- When you’re building or rebuilding, to confirm new accounts are reporting to both bureaus (building credit from scratch).
- After a data breach or lost ID, to catch fraud early.