Bank of America shows your credit score free, but only if you have certain account types

Bank of America displays your credit score at no cost if you hold a Bank of America credit card, checking account, or savings account. The score appears in your online banking dashboard or mobile app under a section called Credit Tracker. You do not need to pay for a separate credit monitoring service — it is built into your existing account.

The score Bank of America shows you is your VantageScore 3.0, which is calculated by TransUnion. This is different from the FICO score that most lenders use to make lending decisions, so the number you see may not match the score a mortgage lender or credit card company pulls when you explore. VantageScore and FICO often differ by 20 to 50 points in either direction.

If you do not have a Bank of America account, or if your account type does not include Credit Tracker, you can still see your credit report for free once per year through AnnualCreditReport.com, which is the official government site. That report does not include a score, but it shows the accounts and payment history that lenders see.

Key Takeaways

  • Bank of America Credit Tracker is free and shows your VantageScore 3.0, updated monthly, if you have a credit card, checking account, or savings account with them.
  • The VantageScore you see may differ from the FICO score lenders actually use, sometimes by 20 to 50 points.
  • You can access your score through the Bank of America website or mobile app under the Credit Tracker section.
  • If you do not have a Bank of America account, AnnualCreditReport.com provides a free credit report once per year, though it does not include a score.

How to find Credit Tracker in your Bank of America account

Log into your Bank of America account online or open the mobile app. On the web version, look for a section labeled Credit Tracker in the left navigation menu or under a tab called "Accounts" or "Tools." On the mobile app, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) and scroll to find Credit Tracker.

When you open Credit Tracker for the first time, Bank of America may ask you to verify your identity by answering security questions or confirming recent transactions. This is a one-time step. After that, your score will display automatically each time you log in, and it updates once per month.

If you cannot find Credit Tracker in your account, your account type may not include it. Business accounts, student accounts, and some older account types do not have access. Call Bank of America at 1-800-432-1000 to confirm whether your specific account includes this feature.

What information Credit Tracker shows you

Credit Tracker displays your current VantageScore 3.0, the date it was last updated, and a breakdown of what factors are affecting your score. The factors shown typically include payment history, credit utilization (how much of your available credit you are using), length of credit history, credit mix (having different types of accounts like cards and loans), and recent inquiries.

The tool also shows a trend line that tracks how your score has moved over the past few months. This helps you see whether recent actions — like paying down a balance or missing a payment — have moved your score up or down. Bank of America also provides brief explanations of what each factor means and how it influences your overall score.

Credit Tracker does not show you your full credit report, which would list every account, payment, and collection item. To see that level of detail, you need to order your credit report separately from one of the three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion) or through AnnualCreditReport.com.

The difference between VantageScore and FICO

Bank of America's Credit Tracker uses VantageScore 3.0, which is one of several credit scoring models. Most banks, credit card companies, and mortgage lenders use FICO scores instead. The two models weigh factors differently, so your VantageScore and FICO score are often not the same number.

VantageScore tends to be more forgiving of recent negative marks and gives more weight to recent positive behavior. FICO weighs older payment history more heavily and penalizes recent missed payments more severely. For someone rebuilding credit, a VantageScore might be 30 points higher than their FICO score. For someone with a long clean history, the scores might be nearly identical.

The score Bank of America shows you is useful for tracking your general credit health and understanding which factors are helping or hurting you. However, when you explore for a mortgage, car loan, or credit card, the lender will pull your actual FICO score (or sometimes a different FICO variant). Do not assume the number in Credit Tracker is what a lender will see.

How often your score updates and what triggers a change

Bank of America updates your Credit Tracker score once per month, usually around the same date each month. The update happens automatically — you do not need to do anything. The exact date depends on when TransUnion processes the data from your creditors, so it may shift by a few days month to month.

Your score can change for several reasons: a payment you made gets reported to the credit bureaus (usually 30 to 60 days after you pay), a creditor reports a missed payment, you pay down a credit card balance, you open a new account, or an old negative mark ages off your report. Large changes usually happen when a payment is reported or when you significantly reduce a balance.

If you do not see a change you expected, remember that the update happens only once per month. A payment you made today may not show up for 30 to 60 days, and the score update may lag another month behind that. Checking your score multiple times per week will not show you real-time changes.

What to do if Credit Tracker is not available on your account

If you have a Bank of America account but Credit Tracker does not appear, your account type may not include the feature. Business accounts, some older personal accounts, and accounts opened through certain partnerships do not have access. Call Bank of America at 1-800-432-1000 to confirm.

If your account does not include Credit Tracker, you have other free options. You can order your credit report once per year from AnnualCreditReport.com, which is the official site run by the three major credit bureaus. That report shows your payment history and accounts but does not include a score. You can also sign up for free credit monitoring through services like Credit Karma or Experian, which show VantageScore and offer fraud alerts.

Some credit card companies other than Bank of America also offer free credit score monitoring to cardholders. If you have a credit card from another bank, check your online account or call the customer service number on the back of your card to ask whether they provide this feature.

Protecting your account while checking your score

When you log into Bank of America to view your credit score, use the official Bank of America website (bankofamerica.com) or the official mobile app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Do not click links in emails or texts claiming to be from Bank of America, even if they look official. Scammers often send fake login pages that steal your username and password.

Enable two-factor authentication on your Bank of America account if you have not already. This adds a second security step when you log in from a new device or location. You can set this up in your account settings under "Security" or "Privacy."

Your credit score itself is not sensitive information — you can share it with lenders or advisors without risk. However, your Bank of America login credentials are sensitive. Never share your username, password, or the codes sent to your phone with anyone, including Bank of America employees or customer service representatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

No. Checking your own credit score is called a "soft inquiry" and does not affect your score at all. Only hard inquiries — when a lender pulls your credit to make a lending decision — can lower your score slightly. You can check your score as often as you want without any penalty.

Can I see my FICO score through Bank of America?

Bank of America Credit Tracker shows only VantageScore 3.0, not FICO. If you need your FICO score, some credit card companies (Discover, Capital One, and others) offer free FICO scores to cardholders. You can also purchase your FICO score directly from myfico.com, though it costs around $20.

Why is my Bank of America credit score different from the score another company shows me?

Different companies use different scoring models and may pull data from different credit bureaus. Bank of America uses VantageScore from TransUnion. Another company might use FICO from Equifax. The same person can have three different scores depending on which bureau and model are used.

What if I see an error on my credit report?

Credit Tracker does not show your full report, so you cannot dispute errors through it. Order your free credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com, find the error, and file a dispute directly with the credit bureau that reported it. The bureau must investigate within 30 days and remove the error if it is wrong.

Do I need to pay for credit monitoring if Bank of America shows my score?

No. Bank of America's free Credit Tracker is sufficient if you only want to monitor your score. However, paid credit monitoring services often include identity theft protection and fraud alerts, which Credit Tracker does not. Whether you need those depends on your risk level and personal preference.