Credit repair starts with the right reports. Here's where to pull all three bureau reports for free, which scores lenders actually use, and what to look for first.
You can't fix what you can't see. And most people trying to repair their credit are looking at the wrong thing.
The score on your banking app or free credit app is useful for spotting trends. But it's usually a VantageScore built from one or two bureaus. A lender may pull a different scoring model from a different bureau. Before you dispute anything, you need the full reports from all three bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
Step 1: Get all three reports, free, every week
Go to AnnualCreditReport.com. It's the only official site for free reports under federal law. In 2023 the three bureaus made free weekly reports permanent, so you can check every week at no cost (FTC).
Watch out for look-alike sites. The FTC warns that other sites may charge you or may be set up to steal your personal information.
Download each report as a PDF and save it with the date in the file name. You'll want a "before" snapshot to compare against later.
Step 2: Know which score matters for your goal
Your reports are the raw data. Scores are formulas run on that data, and lenders don't all use the same formula.
- Mortgages: Lenders selling loans to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can use Classic FICO or VantageScore 4.0. Since September 9, 2026, every approved lender can choose VantageScore 4.0 loan by loan (FHFA).
- Credit cards and auto loans: FICO Score 8 is still the most common.
- Free apps: Usually VantageScore 3.0 or 4.0.
If you're getting ready for a mortgage, a paid FICO product such as myFICO shows the mortgage versions across all three bureaus. For everything else, the free weekly reports are enough to start.
Step 3: Know what's on each report
Every report has the same core sections. Read each one:
- Personal information: name variations, addresses, employers. Wrong addresses can point to a mixed file or identity theft.
- Accounts (tradelines): creditor, account number, open and close dates, balance, credit limit, status.
- Payment history: the month-by-month grid of on-time and late payments.
- Collections and charge-offs: accounts sent to collectors or written off.
- Public records: today, mostly bankruptcies.
- Inquiries: hard pulls from applications, and soft pulls that don't affect your score.
Why all three, not just one
Each bureau keeps its own file. Not every lender reports to all three, and data arrives at different times. An error can sit on one report and not the others. Differences between bureaus on the same account, such as a different balance or a different late date, are exactly what you'll hunt for in the next step.
What not to do
- Don't pay a "credit repair" company to pull reports you can get free.
- Don't open new cards to "boost" your score before you've audited. New hard inquiries and new accounts muddy the picture.
- Don't panic over the number. The score is the output. You're going to work on the input.
Your next step
With all three reports saved, you're ready to audit them line by line. That's Article 2.
Start with the right reports—not just an app score
Get our free starter guide for practical credit report, dispute, and utilization basics before you choose your next step.
This article shares general tips. It is not legal or money advice for your own situation. Results are different for each person.
