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What Is a Good Credit Score? Understanding Credit Score Ranges in 2026
September 27, 2026
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A good FICO® Score is 670 to 739, on a scale that runs from 300 to 850. Scores of 740 to 799 count as very good and 800 or higher as exceptional, while the VantageScore model treats 661 to 780 as prime. If you're below 670, paying on time and lowering your reported balances are the two changes that move your score the most.
What Are the FICO Score Ranges?
Most lenders use a version of the FICO Score when they review a credit card, auto loan or mortgage application. myFICO groups scores into five bands:
- Exceptional: 800 to 850
- Very good: 740 to 799
- Good: 670 to 739
- Fair: 580 to 669
- Poor: 300 to 579
Each lender sets its own approval cutoffs, so a 690 can get you approved at one bank and turned down at another. The bands are a guide to where you stand, not a guarantee.
Kudos credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.
What Are the VantageScore Ranges?
VantageScore is the other major scoring model, built by the three credit bureaus. It also runs from 300 to 850, but it uses four tiers with different labels and cutoffs:
- Superprime: 781 to 850
- Prime: 661 to 780
- Near prime: 601 to 660
- Subprime: 300 to 600
Many free credit monitoring apps show a VantageScore, which is why the number in your app can differ from the FICO Score a lender pulls. Our guide to VantageScore vs. FICO explains where the two models differ.
Before you apply for a new card, check your approval odds in Kudos. Applying only for cards you're likely to get keeps unnecessary hard inquiries off your report.
What Makes Up Your FICO Score?
FICO weighs five categories of information from your credit report. The percentages below are FICO's published weights for the general population.
Payment History (35%)
Whether you pay on time is the biggest single factor. Late payments, collections and bankruptcies all count against you, and recent ones hurt more than old ones.
Amounts Owed (30%)
This includes your credit utilization, the share of your available credit you're using. FICO says a low utilization ratio helps more than no utilization at all, and the balance it sees is usually your latest statement balance, even if you pay in full afterward.
Length of Credit History (15%)
FICO looks at the age of your oldest account, your newest account and the average age of all your accounts. Keeping older no-fee cards open helps this factor.
New Credit (10%)
Opening several accounts in a short span can signal risk. For most people, one additional hard inquiry takes less than five points off a FICO Score.
Credit Mix (10%)
Having both revolving credit (credit cards) and installment loans (auto, student or mortgage loans) can help a little. It isn't worth taking on a loan just to improve your mix.
For a deeper look at each factor, see what affects your credit score.
Why a Good Credit Score Matters
Lenders use your score to decide whether to approve you and what rate to charge. A score in the good range or higher can mean:
- Lower interest rates on mortgages, auto loans and personal loans
- Better approval odds for rewards credit cards, including premium travel cards
- Higher credit limits, which also make it easier to keep utilization low
- Smoother apartment applications, since many landlords check credit
How to Check Your Credit Score and Reports
You can get free credit reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion every week at AnnualCreditReport.com. The bureaus made weekly access permanent in 2023, and checking your own reports doesn't affect your score.
Your reports don't include a score, but many card issuers and banks show one for free. Our list of places to get your free FICO® Score covers the easiest options. Checking your own score is a soft inquiry and has no effect on it.
How to Improve Your Credit Score
- Pay every bill on time. Set up autopay for at least the minimum so a busy month never turns into a late payment.
- Lower the balance that gets reported. Paying down your card before the statement closes lowers the balance the bureaus see.
- Space out applications. Hard inquiries stay on your report for two years but only affect FICO Scores for one. When you shop for a mortgage, auto or student loan, FICO counts multiple inquiries within a 14 to 45 day window as one.
- Dispute errors. Pull your free reports and dispute anything that isn't yours or is reported incorrectly.
- Become an authorized user. Being added to a family member's well-managed, low-balance card can add positive history to your file.
- Try Experian Boost. This free tool adds on-time phone, utility, internet, streaming and some rent payments to your Experian file. It only affects scores calculated from Experian data.
Our guide to increasing your credit score goes step by step.
How Kudos Helps You Use Your Score
Once your score is in good shape, the next step is picking cards you're likely to get. Kudos is free and shows your approval odds for each card before you apply, and Card Explorer lets you filter thousands of cards by welcome bonus, annual fee and more.
After you're approved, the free Kudos browser extension recommends which of your cards earns the most at online checkout. Kudos Premium members also get a Benefits Tracker that shows which card credits and perks they've used and which are still waiting.
Frequently Asked Questions About Credit Scores
Is 700 a good credit score?
Yes. A 700 falls in FICO's good range of 670 to 739 and in VantageScore's prime tier of 661 to 780.
How often does my credit score update?
Your score can change whenever a lender reports new information. Most lenders report about once a month, often around your statement date, and each one keeps its own schedule.
What's the difference between a hard and soft inquiry?
A hard inquiry happens when a lender checks your credit for an application and can lower your FICO Score slightly for up to a year. Soft inquiries, such as checking your own credit, don't affect your score. Read more about hard vs. soft inquiries.
Why do I have different credit scores?
There are several scoring models (FICO and VantageScore) and multiple versions of each. Each bureau may also hold slightly different information, so the same model can return different numbers.
How long do negative items stay on my credit report?
According to the CFPB, most negative information, including late payments, can be reported for seven years. Bankruptcies can stay on your report for up to 10 years.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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