Bank of America shows your credit score for free if you have certain account types
Bank of America displays your credit score at no cost through its online banking platform and mobile app, but only if you hold a may have access to account. The score you see comes from Equifax, one of the three major credit bureaus, and updates monthly. You do not need to pay for a credit monitoring service to see this number — it is built into your account dashboard.
Not every Bank of America account includes credit score access. Checking and savings accounts generally do not. Credit card accounts, investment accounts, and certain premium banking packages are the accounts most likely to show your score. If you have a Bank of America credit card, log into your account online or open the mobile app to find your score on the dashboard or in the credit card details section.
Key Takeaways
- Bank of America displays your Equifax credit score free of charge if you hold a credit card, investment account, or certain premium checking accounts.
- Your score updates once per month and appears in your online account dashboard or mobile app without requiring you to take any action.
- The score Bank of America shows is one of three possible scores — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion each calculate slightly different numbers.
- If your Bank of America account does not show a credit score, you can check your score free once per year at AnnualCreditReport.com or through other free services.
Where to find your score in the Bank of America app and website
On the Bank of America website, log in and look for your credit score on the main dashboard or account overview page. The score typically appears as a single number with a range indicator showing where it falls (poor, fair, good, very good, or excellent). If you have multiple may have access to accounts, the score may appear in more than one place.
In the mobile app, open the menu and navigate to the account you want to check. For credit card accounts, the score often shows on the card details screen. For investment or brokerage accounts, look in the account summary section. The exact location varies slightly depending on your account type and which version of the app you are using, but the score is always labeled clearly as "Credit Score" or "Your Credit Score."
What the Equifax score means and why it differs from other scores
The score Bank of America shows is your Equifax credit score, calculated using Equifax's own formula. This is different from your Experian score and your TransUnion score — all three bureaus use different data and different math to produce different numbers. Your Equifax score might be 680 while your TransUnion score is 710. Both are real and both are used by lenders, but they are not the same.
Lenders do not all use the same bureau or the same scoring model. A mortgage lender might pull all three scores and average them. A credit card company might use only Equifax. An auto lender might use TransUnion. Seeing one score through Bank of America tells you part of the picture, but not the whole one. If you are about to apply for credit, check all three scores to understand what different lenders will see.
How often Bank of America updates your 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 Equifax sends the updated data to Bank of America, so it may shift by a few days. You do not need to refresh or request an update — it happens automatically if you have a may have access to account.
The score you see reflects information from your credit report as of a few days before the update date. If you made a large payment or opened a new account, it may take one to two billing cycles before that change shows up in your score. Credit bureaus do not update in real time, so checking your score daily will not show you the impact of recent actions.
Accounts that include credit score access at Bank of America
Bank of America credit cards almost always include credit score access. This includes cash-back cards, travel cards, and student cards. If you have a Bank of America credit card, log in to your account and look for the score on your card dashboard.
Bank of America investment and brokerage accounts also typically display your credit score. If you hold stocks, mutual funds, or other investments through Bank of America, check your account summary. Some premium checking accounts, such as Preferred Rewards accounts at higher tiers, may include credit score access, though this varies. Standard savings and checking accounts usually do not include this feature.
What to do if your Bank of America account does not show a credit score
If you log in and do not see a credit score, your account type likely does not include this feature. You have other free options. The federal government requires each of the three credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — to provide you with a free credit report once per year. Visit AnnualCreditReport.com to request your reports from any or all three bureaus.
A credit report is different from a credit score. The report shows your payment history, accounts, and inquiries. The score is a single number based on that report. AnnualCreditReport.com gives you the report for free but not the score. However, many credit card companies, banks, and free services like Credit Karma and Discover's Credit Scorecard show your score at no cost even if you do not have an account with them. These services make money from lenders, not from you, so the score is genuinely free.
Why Bank of America only shows one of three credit scores
Bank of America chose to partner with Equifax and display only that bureau's score because it simplifies their system and reduces their costs. They are not required to show you any score at all — the free access is a feature they offer to attract and retain customers. Showing all three scores would mean paying three different bureaus and managing three different data feeds, which is why most banks show only one.
This does not mean the Equifax score is better or more important than the others. All three scores matter equally depending on which lender you are dealing with. If you are shopping for a mortgage, auto loan, or credit card, ask the lender which bureau they use so you know which score to check. Do not assume Bank of America's Equifax score is the one a lender will see.
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 affect your credit at all. Only hard inquiries — when a lender pulls your credit to make a lending decision — can lower your score slightly. You can check your score as often as you want without any penalty.
Why is my Bank of America credit score different from the score another bank shows?
Different banks partner with different credit bureaus. Bank of America uses Equifax, but another bank might use Experian or TransUnion. Each bureau calculates scores differently, so your Equifax score will almost always differ from your Experian or TransUnion score. All three are legitimate and all three are used by lenders.
Can I see my credit score if I only have a Bank of America savings account?
Standard savings accounts typically do not include credit score access. If you have a credit card with Bank of America, you can see your score through that account. Otherwise, use AnnualCreditReport.com for your free annual credit reports, or check free services like Credit Karma that show scores without requiring an account.
How long does it take for changes to show up in my Bank of America credit score?
Changes usually appear within one to two billing cycles, which means 30 to 60 days. Credit bureaus do not update instantly. If you paid off a large balance or opened a new account, wait at least a month before checking to see the impact on your score.
Is the credit score Bank of America shows the same one lenders will see?
Not necessarily. Lenders may use a different bureau than Equifax, and they may use a different scoring model. Some lenders use industry-specific scores for auto loans or mortgages. Bank of America's Equifax score gives you a general idea of your creditworthiness, but the exact score a lender sees depends on which bureau and model they use.