Credit Report vs Credit Score: What's the Difference

Credit Report vs Credit Score

Many people use these terms interchangeably, but they serve very different purposes.

Your Credit Report

A credit report is a detailed document containing:

You have THREE credit reports, one from each bureau (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). They often contain different information.

Your Credit Score

Your credit score is a number calculated FROM your credit report data. Think of the report as the raw data and the score as the summary.

Why Both Matter for Disputes

When disputing negative items:

Key insight: Errors on your credit report are the #1 reason for unnecessarily low scores. A Federal Trade Commission study found that 1 in 5 consumers had errors on their reports.