How to view your credit score in Bank of America's online banking
Bank of America shows your credit score for free in two places: the mobile app and the website. You do not need to pay for a separate service or sign up for anything beyond your regular account. The score appears in your account dashboard once you log in.
On the website, log into your Bank of America account, then look for "Credit Monitoring" or "Credit Score" in the main menu or under "Accounts & Services." On the mobile app, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines), scroll to "Accounts & Services," and select "Credit Monitoring." Your score will display on the next screen along with a brief explanation of what it means.
The score Bank of America shows you is your VantageScore 3.0, which is different from the FICO score that most lenders use. VantageScore ranges from 300 to 850, the same as FICO, but the two scores can differ by 50 points or more because they weight your payment history, credit mix, and other factors differently. Bank of America updates your VantageScore monthly, usually around the same date each month.
Key Takeaways
- Bank of America displays your VantageScore 3.0 free in the mobile app or website under Credit Monitoring, with no separate sign-up required.
- Your Bank of America credit score updates once a month and reflects data from one or more of the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion).
- VantageScore and FICO are calculated differently, so your Bank of America score may not match the score a lender sees when you apply for a loan or credit card.
- You can also view your full credit report for free once per year at AnnualCreditReport.com, which shows the actual data lenders use to calculate your score.
What information appears alongside your credit score
When you open Credit Monitoring in Bank of America, you see your current VantageScore, the date it was last updated, and a color-coded range showing whether your score is poor, fair, good, very good, or excellent. Bank of America also displays a brief trend line showing whether your score went up or down since the previous month.
Below the score itself, Bank of America lists factors that are helping or hurting your score. These typically include your payment history (whether you pay on time), your credit utilization (how much of your available credit you are using), the length of your credit history, and your credit mix (whether you have credit cards, loans, or both). The app highlights which factors are working in your favor and which ones are dragging your score down.
Bank of America does not show your full credit report in this section—only the score and the main factors affecting it. To see the complete details of what is on your credit report, you need to pull your report directly from one of the three credit bureaus or through AnnualCreditReport.com.
Why your Bank of America score may differ from other scores you see
Multiple companies calculate credit scores, and they do not all use the same formula. FICO is the most common score used by mortgage lenders, auto lenders, and credit card companies. VantageScore, which is what Bank of America shows you, is used by some lenders and credit monitoring services but not by most traditional banks when you apply for a mortgage or car loan.
The difference between your VantageScore and your FICO score can range from a few points to 100 points or more. This happens because VantageScore and FICO weight the same information differently. For example, VantageScore may be more forgiving of recent late payments than FICO, or it may treat a new credit inquiry differently. Both scores use data from the same three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion), but they interpret that data in different ways.
If you are applying for a mortgage, auto loan, or other major credit product, the lender will pull your FICO score, not your VantageScore. Use your Bank of America score as a general indicator of your credit health, but understand that the actual score a lender sees may be different. You can see your FICO score through some credit card issuers, through myfico.com (which charges a fee), or by checking with the lender directly.
How often Bank of America updates your credit score
Bank of America updates your VantageScore once per month. The update typically happens on the same day each month, though the exact date varies by account. You can see the date of your last update displayed next to your score in the Credit Monitoring section.
Your score updates based on information the credit bureaus report to Bank of America. If you make a payment, open a new account, or have a late payment reported, it may take 30 to 45 days for that change to show up in your credit report and then in your Bank of America score. This delay is normal and happens across all credit monitoring services, not just Bank of America.
What to do if you spot an error in your credit report
If your Bank of America credit score seems wrong, or if you notice something in the factors listed that does not match your actual credit activity, the problem is likely in your credit report itself, not in Bank of America's display of it. Bank of America is only showing you what the credit bureaus reported to them.
To investigate, pull your free credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com, which is the official government site for free annual credit reports. You get one free report per year from each of the three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). Review the report carefully for accounts you do not recognize, incorrect payment statuses, or duplicate entries. If you find an error, contact the bureau that reported it and file a dispute. You can also contact the creditor directly and ask them to correct the information they reported.
Disputes typically take 30 days for the bureau to investigate. Once the error is corrected, your credit report will update, and your Bank of America score should reflect the change in the following month's update cycle.
Other ways to monitor your credit outside of Bank of America
Bank of America's credit score is one tool, but it is not the only way to track your credit. You have several other options depending on what you need to know.
AnnualCreditReport.com gives you your full credit report from each bureau once per year for free. This shows every account, payment history, and inquiry on your record—much more detail than Bank of America provides. You can stagger your requests (one bureau every four months) to monitor your credit throughout the year.
Credit card issuers often provide free FICO scores to cardholders. Discover, Capital One, Chase, and American Express all offer this. If you have one of these cards, check your online account or app for a credit score section. These scores are FICO-based, which is more relevant if you are planning to apply for a loan.
Credit monitoring services like Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion offer free and paid versions of their own monitoring tools. The free versions show your score and basic report information; paid versions add features like fraud alerts and identity theft insurance. These are separate from Bank of America and require their own sign-up.
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 because you applied for a loan or credit card—can lower your score slightly. Bank of America's monitoring tool is for your own information and has no impact on your score.
Can I see my credit score if I do not have a Bank of America credit card?
Yes. You can view your credit score through Bank of America if you have any type of account with them—checking, savings, money market, or credit card. You do not need a credit card specifically. Log into your account and navigate to Credit Monitoring the same way.
Why does my Bank of America score look different on my phone than on the website?
The score itself should be the same, but the display or layout may differ between the mobile app and the website. If the actual number is different, refresh both screens or log out and back in. If the discrepancy persists, contact Bank of America customer service to confirm which version is current.
What should I do if I cannot find the Credit Monitoring section in my Bank of America account?
Not all Bank of America accounts have access to Credit Monitoring. If you do not see it in your menu, you may have a basic account type that does not include this feature, or you may need to update your account settings. Contact Bank of America directly to confirm whether your account is may be able to access and how to turn on the feature if it is available.