Bank of America shows your credit score free through its online banking and mobile app

If you have a Bank of America checking or savings account, you can view your credit score without paying a fee or leaving your account. The score appears in your online dashboard and mobile app under a section called Credit Tracker. You do not need to sign up separately or provide additional information — if your account is may be able to access, the score is already available to you.

The score Bank of America displays is your FICO Score 8, which is one of the most widely used credit scores by lenders. It updates monthly, usually around the same date each month. The score comes from Experian, one of the three major credit reporting agencies, so it reflects information Experian has on file about your credit history.

Not all Bank of America customers see Credit Tracker. The feature is available to most customers with a Bank of America consumer checking account, but some account types — such as student checking or certain business accounts — may not have access. If you do not see it in your account, you may not be may be able to access, or your account may not have been open long enough for the feature to set up.

Key Takeaways

  • Log into your Bank of America online account or open the mobile app and look for Credit Tracker in the dashboard or menu to find your FICO Score 8.
  • Your credit score updates once per month and comes from Experian, so it reflects only the information that bureau has about you.
  • The score is free and requires no separate sign-up, but not all account types are may be able to access for the feature.
  • Bank of America also shows you factors that hurt or help your score, such as payment history and credit utilization, so you can see what to focus on.

Where to find Credit Tracker in your Bank of America account

On the Bank of America website, log in to your account and look at the main dashboard. Credit Tracker usually appears as a card or section on the home page, often labeled "Credit Tracker" or "Your Credit Score." If you do not see it when ready, check the left-hand menu or search for "credit" using the site's search function.

In the Bank of America mobile app, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right of the screen. Scroll down and look for "Credit Tracker" or a section labeled "Credit & Loans." Tap it to view your score and the factors affecting it. The mobile app layout can change with updates, so if you cannot find it in the menu, try using the app's search feature and type "credit score."

If Credit Tracker does not appear in either location after you log in, your account may not be may be able to access. This most often happens with student checking accounts, business accounts, or accounts that are very new. You can contact Bank of America customer service to confirm whether your specific account type has access to the feature.

What information Bank of America shows you about your credit

Beyond your FICO Score 8 number, Credit Tracker displays the factors that are raising or lowering your score. These typically include your payment history (whether you pay on time), credit utilization (how much of your available credit you are using), length of credit history, credit mix (having different types of credit like cards and loans), and recent inquiries or new accounts.

Bank of America labels these factors as positive or negative influences. For example, if your payment history is strong, it will show as a positive factor. If your credit utilization is above 30 percent, it may show as an area to improve. This breakdown helps you understand which behaviors are helping or hurting your score most.

The score and factors update once per month. Bank of America does not tell you the exact date, but it is usually consistent from month to month. If you check your score multiple times in the same month, you will see the same number until the next monthly update arrives.

How Bank of America's credit score compares to other scores you might see

Bank of America shows you FICO Score 8, but lenders use different FICO versions depending on the type of loan. A mortgage lender might use FICO Score 2, 4, or 5. A credit card issuer might use FICO Score 8 or 9. An auto lender might use FICO Auto Score 8 or 9. This means your Bank of America score may not match the score a lender sees when you explore.

You may also encounter VantageScore, which is a different scoring model created by the three credit bureaus. VantageScore ranges from 300 to 850, the same as FICO, but it weighs factors differently. Some free credit monitoring services show VantageScore instead of FICO. A score that looks good in one model might be lower in another.

Bank of America's FICO Score 8 is useful for understanding your general credit health and tracking whether your score is moving in the right direction. But when you explore for a specific loan or credit card, the lender will pull their own version of your score, which may be different. The habits that improve your Bank of America score — paying on time, keeping balances low, not opening too many new accounts at once — improve all versions of your score.

Why your Bank of America score might differ from scores you see elsewhere

Bank of America pulls your score from Experian only. If you check your credit score through another source, it might come from Equifax or TransUnion instead. These three bureaus do not always have identical information about you. One bureau might have an old account you closed, or a late payment that another bureau has not yet recorded. This means your Experian score can legitimately differ from your Equifax or TransUnion score.

The timing of updates also matters. Bank of America updates your score once per month, but the exact date varies. If you check a different source on a different day, you might be looking at a score from a different month, which could be higher or lower depending on what changed in between.

If you see a significant difference between your Bank of America score and a score from another source, the most likely reason is that the sources are pulling from different bureaus. You can check all three bureaus for free once per year at annualcreditreport.com, which is the official government site. This lets you see what information each bureau has and spot errors that might be dragging down your score.

What to do if you cannot access Credit Tracker

If you log into your Bank of America account and do not see Credit Tracker, first confirm that your account type is may be able to access. Student checking, business accounts, and some specialty accounts do not have access. If you have a standard consumer checking or savings account, the feature may not have activated yet — new accounts sometimes take a few weeks to become may be able to access.

Try logging out completely and logging back in. Sometimes the dashboard does not refresh properly on the first load. If you are using the mobile app, try the website instead, or vice versa. The feature may appear in one location but not the other temporarily.

If you still cannot find Credit Tracker after trying these steps, contact Bank of America customer service. You can call the number on the back of your debit card, use the chat feature in your online account, or visit a local branch. They can tell you whether your account is may be able to access and, if it is, help you locate the feature or troubleshoot why it is not showing up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does checking my credit score through Bank of America hurt my credit?

No. When you check your own credit score, it is called a soft inquiry and does not affect your credit score 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. Checking your own score as many times as you want has no impact.

How often should I check my credit score?

You can check it as often as you want without any penalty. Many people check monthly to track progress, especially if they are working to improve their score. Since Bank of America updates only once per month, checking more than once per month will show you the same score until the next update arrives.

Can I dispute errors on my credit report through Bank of America?

No. Bank of America shows you your score but does not handle disputes. If you spot an error — like a late payment you know you made on time, or an account that is not yours — you must contact Experian directly. You can file a dispute on Experian's website or by mail. Bank of America can tell you how to contact Experian if you need help.

What if my Bank of America credit score is very different from my actual FICO score?

Bank of America shows your actual FICO Score 8 from Experian. If it differs from a score you saw elsewhere, the other source likely pulled from a different bureau or a different FICO version. Check all three bureaus at annualcreditreport.com to see what information each one has. If you spot errors, dispute them with the bureau that reported the wrong information.

Do I need a minimum balance or account age to see my credit score?

Bank of America does not publish specific requirements, but the feature is typically available to customers with established checking or savings accounts. Very new accounts may need a few weeks to become may be able to access. If you have had your account for several months and still do not see Credit Tracker, contact Bank of America to confirm your account type is may be able to access.