Bank of America shows your credit score free in Online Banking and the mobile app
Bank of America displays your credit score at no cost if you log into Online Banking or use the mobile app. The score appears in your account dashboard under a section called Credit Monitoring or Credit Score — the exact label depends on which account type you hold and when the feature was added to your account. You do not need to pay for a separate service or sign up for anything beyond your existing Bank of America account.
The score Bank of America shows you is a VantageScore 3.0, which is one of three major credit scoring models used in the United States. It is calculated by Experian, one of the three national credit reporting agencies. This score ranges from 300 to 850, with higher numbers indicating lower credit risk. The score updates monthly, usually around the same date each month, and reflects your credit behavior as of that update date.
Not every Bank of America account includes this feature. Checking accounts, savings accounts, and credit cards are most likely to have access. If you do not see a credit score section in your dashboard, your account type may not be enrolled in the program, or the feature may not yet be available for your specific account.
Key Takeaways
- Your Bank of America credit score is visible free in Online Banking or the mobile app under a Credit Monitoring or Credit Score section.
- The score is a VantageScore 3.0 calculated by Experian and updates once per month.
- Not all account types include this feature; checking and credit card accounts are most commonly included.
- The score Bank of America shows you is one of several credit scores lenders may use, so your actual score with other lenders may differ.
- Bank of America's credit score tool does not affect your credit in any way — viewing it is a soft inquiry that leaves no mark on your report.
Where to find your score in Online Banking
Log into Bank of America Online Banking at bankofamerica.com. Once you are signed in, look at your account dashboard or home page. The credit score section is usually displayed as a card or widget on the main view, often labeled "Credit Monitoring," "Credit Score," or "Your Credit Score." If you do not see it when ready, scroll down — it may be below your account balances.
Click on the credit score card or the "View Details" link if one appears. This opens a page showing your current VantageScore 3.0, the date it was last updated, and sometimes a brief explanation of what the score means. Some accounts also show a graph of how your score has moved over the past several months, which helps you see whether your credit behavior is improving or declining.
If you have multiple accounts with Bank of America, the credit score shown is typically tied to one specific account — usually your primary checking account. If you want to check the score associated with a different account, switch to that account in Online Banking and look for the credit score section again.
How to check your score in the mobile app
Open the Bank of America mobile app and sign in. Tap the menu icon (usually three horizontal lines) at the bottom or top of the screen, depending on whether you are using iOS or Android. Look for an option labeled "Credit Monitoring," "Credit Score," or "Insights" — the exact wording varies by app version.
Tap that option and your current credit score appears. Like Online Banking, the app shows your VantageScore 3.0 and the date of the last update. Some versions of the app also display a trend line showing your score over time and may include brief tips about what factors affect your score most.
The mobile app and Online Banking pull the same score data, so you will see the same number in both places. Checking your score on the app does not update it more frequently or give you a different result than checking Online Banking.
What the Bank of America credit score does and does not tell you
The VantageScore 3.0 that Bank of America shows you is a real credit score used by some lenders and creditors. However, it is not the only score that matters. Most mortgage lenders use FICO scores, which are calculated differently and may be higher or lower than your VantageScore. Credit card companies, auto lenders, and other creditors may use different scoring models or different versions of the same model.
This means your Bank of America credit score is useful for understanding your general credit health and tracking whether your behavior is moving you in the right direction. It is not a prediction of what score a specific lender will see when you explore for a loan or credit card. If you are about to explore for a mortgage, for example, the lender will pull their own FICO score, which may differ from the VantageScore Bank of America displays.
Viewing your credit score through Bank of America does not harm your credit in any way. It is a soft inquiry, meaning it does not appear on your credit report and does not lower your score. You can check it as often as you want without any negative effect.
Understanding the factors that affect your score
Your VantageScore 3.0 is built from information on your credit report, which comes from Experian. The main factors that move your score are payment history (whether you pay bills on time), credit utilization (how much of your available credit you are using), length of credit history (how long you have had credit accounts), and recent credit inquiries (how many times you have applied for new credit recently).
If Bank of America's credit score tool includes a breakdown of these factors, it usually shows which ones are helping your score and which ones are pulling it down. For example, if your score is being held back by high credit card balances, the tool may note that your credit utilization is above the recommended level. This information can guide you toward the changes most likely to improve your score.
Keep in mind that the factors affecting your VantageScore may not be weighted exactly the same way as the factors affecting a FICO score. If you are preparing for a mortgage process, where FICO scores matter most, focus on the fundamentals: paying all bills on time, keeping credit card balances low, and avoiding new credit inquiries in the months before you explore.
Other ways to check your credit score and report
Bank of America's free credit score is one option, but it is not your only one. You are may have access to to a free copy of your credit report from each of the three national credit reporting agencies — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion — once per year. You can request all three reports at annualcreditreport.com, which is the official government site for this purpose.
Many credit card companies, including some that are not Bank of America cards, also offer free credit scores to their cardholders. If you hold a credit card from another bank, check your account dashboard or call the customer service number on the back of your card to see whether that score is included.
Some third-party websites and apps offer free credit scores as well, though many of these services make money by selling your information to lenders or by advertising credit products to you. Bank of America's built-in credit score avoids this problem because Bank of America already has your information and is not using the score tool as a way to market other services to you.
What to do if you cannot see your credit score
If you log into Online Banking or the mobile app and do not see a credit score section, your account may not be enrolled in the program. Some older accounts or accounts opened before the feature was rolled out may not have access. Business accounts and some specialty accounts also may not include credit monitoring.
Try logging out and logging back in, or closing and reopening the mobile app. Sometimes the feature takes a few minutes to load. If it still does not appear after that, contact Bank of America customer service at the number on the back of your debit or credit card. They can tell you whether your specific account is may be able to access for the credit score feature and, if it is, help you enable it.
If your account is not may be able to access, you can still check your credit score through annualcreditreport.com (for your free credit report) or through a credit card from another bank that includes the feature. The VantageScore Bank of America would show you is useful, but it is not the only way to monitor your credit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does checking my credit score through Bank of America hurt my credit?
No. Viewing your credit score is a soft inquiry that does not appear on your credit report and does not lower your score. You can check it as many times as you want without any negative effect on your credit.
Why is my Bank of America credit score different from the score another lender showed me?
Different lenders use different credit scoring models. Bank of America shows you a VantageScore 3.0, but mortgage lenders typically use FICO scores, which are calculated differently. Even two lenders using FICO scores may see slightly different numbers because they may pull reports from different credit bureaus or use different versions of the FICO model.
How often does my Bank of America credit score update?
Your score updates approximately once per month, usually around the same date each month. The exact date depends on when Experian updates your credit report. You will see the update date displayed next to your score in Online Banking or the app.
Can I improve my credit score quickly?
Credit scores change slowly because they are based on your payment history and credit behavior over time. Paying down high credit card balances and making all payments on time are the fastest ways to improve your score, but even these changes typically take several months to show up in your VantageScore.
What should I do if I see errors on my credit report?
If Bank of America's credit score tool or your credit report shows information you believe is wrong, contact Experian directly to dispute the error. You can file a dispute online at Experian.com or by mail. You also have the right to dispute errors with the other two credit bureaus if the same error appears on their reports.