clearscore com

July 17, 2025

Want to check your credit score without paying a penny—or hurting it? ClearScore.com might already be your smartest financial tool, and you didn’t even know it. It’s free, legit, and surprisingly helpful. But here’s what actually matters about it.


What ClearScore Is (and What It Isn't)

ClearScore isn’t a credit bureau. It doesn’t lend you money. It doesn’t decide if you're approved for a loan or not.

It’s a middleman—but a clever one. It takes your credit data from agencies like Equifax or Experian, packages it up in a clean interface, and hands it to you for free. Then, based on your profile, it shows you credit cards, loans, and car finance deals you’re more likely to qualify for. No hard searches. No risk to your credit.

Started in the UK in 2015, it’s now used in countries like Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand. Over 20 million people have signed up. That’s not small-scale.


What You Actually Get From It

First thing: your credit score and report. In the UK, it’s updated weekly. In other regions, monthly. They pull data from major credit agencies—Equifax in the UK, Experian elsewhere.

Second, they give you your affordability score—a read on how lenders might view your ability to repay based on your income and spending habits. It’s not the same as a credit score, but it fills in the gaps. Think of it like a friend who knows your bank balance, not just your past mistakes.

There’s also ClearScore Protect, their identity theft monitor. It scans the dark web for your email and passwords. If someone’s selling your info, you’ll get a heads-up. The basic version is free. Want daily scans and fraud support? That’s part of “Protect Plus,” which costs a few bucks a month.

And of course, there’s the credit offers. These aren’t random ads. They’re based on your profile and come with a “likelihood” percentage. So if it says 90%, there’s a solid chance of approval. It’s useful when you’re planning to apply and don’t want to waste time—or wreck your score.


Is It Actually Accurate?

The score you see on ClearScore isn’t plucked from the sky, but it’s not the gospel either.

They use the real data from the credit bureau, but then run it through their own model to give you a score out of 1,000. It might not match the exact number your bank sees. But the underlying credit report—your payment history, defaults, CCJs, hard searches—that’s real-time, from Equifax or Experian.

If you’ve ever applied for a mortgage, you know lenders pull different scores depending on which bureau they use. ClearScore is just one view. But it’s a consistent one. And it’s free. That’s key.


What About the Business Model?

Why is it free? Because ClearScore makes money from the offers it shows you. When you apply for a credit card or loan through them, they earn a commission from the provider.

That means they’re incentivized to show you offers you might take—but they say they don’t mess with the rankings just to earn more. They’ve got a reputation to protect, and their user base is massive. Prioritizing trust keeps people coming back.

They also make money from their premium identity monitoring, but it’s optional. No shady subscription traps.


Is It Safe?

Data privacy is a big deal here. ClearScore’s regulated by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority and has certifications like SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001. Basically, they’ve jumped through serious hoops to prove they protect your data.

Could your data still end up in the wrong hands? Only if someone hacks your email and logs into your ClearScore account—which is why ClearScore itself now checks if your login has been compromised on the dark web. That’s not just clever marketing. It’s useful.


What People Are Actually Saying

The app scores around 4.4 out of 5 on Trustpilot. That’s from tens of thousands of reviews.

People like how easy it is to use. The dashboard makes sense. No bloated menus. No jargon. And they appreciate seeing their eligibility chances for loans or cards. It cuts the guesswork.

Some users do complain. Mostly about their credit score not matching what lenders showed them. That’s fair—but it’s also a misunderstanding of how credit scoring works. Every lender uses their own formula. No site can show you every possible variation.

Others get annoyed by promotional emails. Easy fix: change your notification settings.

And yes, there’ve been a few isolated reports of fraud—like someone opening a ClearScore account using someone else’s details. But when flagged, ClearScore’s response time seems solid. That stuff happens across all fintech platforms. The difference is how quickly and transparently it’s dealt with.


Who It’s For

If you want to understand your credit situation without paying or risking anything, ClearScore is a no-brainer.

If you’re trying to improve your score over time, it gives you weekly updates and tips.

If you’re shopping around for a loan, it saves you the pain of rejection by showing what you’re actually eligible for.

If you just want peace of mind that your identity isn’t being sold online, ClearScore Protect is decent. The free version does the job for most people.


Where It Falls Short

It only shows Equifax (or Experian, depending on the country) data. So if a lender is using TransUnion or a different credit agency, you won’t see those accounts or defaults here. That’s why some people use CheckMyFile—which gives access to all UK credit agencies in one place.

Also, the score itself is simplified. Lenders may see you differently. But the report? That’s accurate and current.

And sure, there’s cross-selling. But it’s upfront, not sneaky.


ClearScore’s Bigger Picture

Behind the scenes, ClearScore has grown fast. They’ve rolled out in multiple countries, added features like car finance and open banking tools, and even dabbled in usage-based insurance.

They were almost bought by Experian in 2018 for £275 million, but the deal was blocked. Now they’re eyeing a public listing, possibly in London. If that happens, expect a major expansion in tools and markets.

They also acquired Money Dashboard, a budgeting app—so it’s likely they’ll build more around spending insights soon.


The Bottom Line

ClearScore isn’t magic, but it’s damn useful. It gives you control over your credit visibility, helps you avoid bad financial decisions, and does it all without charging you.

Want a full 360 view of your credit profile? You’ll need to check with other agencies too. But for most people, ClearScore is the easiest place to start—and keep tabs on—credit health.

And in a world where every financial app seems to nickel-and-dime you, ClearScore’s model still feels refreshingly honest.