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* This article does not provide financial advice. Please seek help from a financial advisor if you need financial assistance.
(Ad) Your credit history plays an important role in whether you qualify for loans and how much interest you pay when borrowing money. If you have errors on your credit report or negative items that are questionable, credit repair companies can help.
Credit repair companies work with your creditors and the major credit bureaus to dispute and challenge negative items that might be hurting your credit score. However, choosing the right credit repair company isn’t easy, considering how many credit repair services there are to choose from.
We’ve reviewed the top credit repair companies on a variety of factors including company reputation, user reviews, cost, success rate, and guarantee. If you’re ready to get your credit score on track, here are the 10 top rated credit repair services for 2023.
The 10 Best Credit Repair Companies of 2023
- Credit Saint: Best credit repair company overall
- Lexington Law: Most experienced credit repair experts
- CreditRepair.com: Best for free credit score analysis
- Sky Blue Credit: Best value and most affordable
- The Credit Pros: Best for credit monitoring and identity theft
- The Credit People: Best guarantee
- Ovation Credit Services: Best for credit education and tools
- AMB Credit Consultants: Best for veterans
- Pinnacle Credit Repair: Best customer service
- Credit Assistance Network: Best credit improvement plans
Review of the Top Credit Repair Services
#1. Credit Saint: Best Credit Repair Company Overall
Credit Saint is our top pick for the best credit repair service of 2023. Credit Saint is a trusted and experienced credit repair agency with a 90-day money-back guarantee and several different credit repair plans to choose from.
Credit Saint is a popular company with more than 15 years of experience helping people repair their credit. Credit Saint walks customers through the credit repair process, starting with a free credit evaluation. If you choose to work with Credit Saint, you’ll get a dedicated team of advisors who will handle your credit disputes and provide tailored advice on optimizing your credit report.
Credit Saint’s services include:
- Credit monitoring
- Credit challenges to all three credit bureaus
- Credit score analysis
- Credit score tracking
- Hard inquiry targeting
- Creditor intervention
Credit Saint offers these services at varying levels, depending on the package the customer chooses. Customers access credit reports and analyses via a private online dashboard, making tracking their credit repair progress easy. Every Credit Saint customer also enjoys a free credit consultation and a 90-day money-back guarantee.
We’re not the only ones hailing Credit Saint as one of the top credit repair companies in the industry. Many financial institutions consider Credit Saint a top pick for credit repair, including Money.com, Credit Takeoff, and the Credit Review.
*Credit Saint’s services may not be available in all states.
Plans Offered
Credit Saint customers choose from three available plans:
Credit Polish: This plan costs a monthly fee of $79.99 with a setup fee of $99. Customers on this tier receive credit score tracking and analysis services, creditor intervention, and limited challenges to all three credit reporting agencies.
Credit Remodel: The mid-tier plan costs a monthly fee of $99.99 with a $99 setup fee. It includes all services on the lower tier plus inquiry targeting services.
Credit Premium: The top tier costs a monthly fee of $119.99 with a setup of $195. It includes all services provided on the lower-level plans plus unlimited credit challenges.
Click Here to Learn More About Credit Saint
#2. Lexington Law: Most Trusted and Experienced Credit Experts
Lexington Law, another reputable credit repair company, connects customers with lawyers and paralegals who help them take control of their credit. This trusted credit repair agency has almost two decades of experience assisting clients with personalized financial and legal strategies. The Lexington Law team can help you monitor your credit score, understand your credit report, and dispute negative items.
Depending on which pricing plan you choose, you’ll get the following services:
- TransUnion credit monitoring
- Creditor intervention
- Credit bureau disputes
- Inquiry assistance
- Credit report analysis
- Credit report alerts
- Credit score tracking
Lexington Law’s services go beyond the usual credit repair offerings to include identity theft insurance, lost wallet protection, a debt handler tool, junk mail reduction, and personal finance tools.
Clients of this credit repair firm enjoy a free credit consultation that includes a free credit score, report summary, and repair recommendation.
Plans Offered
Lexington Law offers four pricing plans:
Lexington Essentials: This basic plan costs a monthly fee of $59.95 and includes a limited number of bureau disputes (four per cycle for Equifax and TransUnion and three per cycle for Experian), two creditor interventions per month, up to $25,000 in identity theft insurance, the Inquiry Assist tool, DebtHandler tool, and Personal Finance Manager.
Concord Standard: The next plan costs a monthly fee of $99.95 for six Equifax and TransUnion challenges, three Experian challenges, and the same services offered in the Essentials tier minus the Personal Finance Manager.
Concord Premier: This plan costs a monthly fee of $119.95 for the same number of challenges, all services offered in the Standard plan, and additional services, including credit report analysis and watch alerts.
Premier Plus: The highest-priced plan costs a monthly fee of $139.95 for up to eight Equifax and TransUnion disputes, three Experian disputes, and additional services, including lost wallet protection, up to $1 million in identity theft insurance, TransUnion FICO scores, and junk mail reduction.
This company also offers basic credit monitoring plans at reduced prices. These plans don’t offer the same level of services but may better suit a consumer on a tight budget.
Click Here to Learn More About Lexington Law
#3. CreditRepair.com: Best for Free Credit Score Analysis
Many lists of the top credit repair companies include CreditRepair.com due to its great reputation and excellent customer service. CreditRepair.com helps customers in various credit situations, whether they only have a few negative items on their credit reports or they need aggressive credit repair services.
If you trust this company with your credit repair, you’ll get access to a personal dashboard and stay up to date on your report through text and email alerts.
CreditRepair.com offers all the services you expect from a top credit repair company, including:
- Credit monitoring
- Bureau challenges
- Inquiry assists
- Goodwill letters to creditors
- Cease and desist letters
Like the other credit repair services on this list, CreditRepair.com provides new customers with free online credit evaluations that include a free score, a summary of negative items, and a recommended solution.
Customers also enjoy many options for connecting with customer service, including phone, email, live chat, and support tickets.
Plans Offered
Customers who use this credit repair service choose from three pricing plans:
Direct: This plan costs $69.95 per month with a $69.95 first-work fee. It includes bureau challenges, goodwill intervention, inquiry assists, and credit score updates every quarter. The number of challenges available per plan is not specified on the company website.
Standard: The middle tier costs $99.95 with a $99.95 first-work fee and includes the additional benefits of a FICO Score Inquiry Assist service. This service allows customers to challenge inquiries on their accounts.
Advanced: This plan costs $119.95 per month with a $119.95 first-work fee. It includes all the above services, monthly credit scores, and a higher number of bureau disputes and creditor interventions. This tier also includes cease and desist interventions.
The best credit repair plan for you will depend on your situation. You may not need the most expensive option if your credit report only has a few negative items.
Click Here to Learn More About CreditRepair.com
#4. Sky Blue Credit: Best Value and Most Affordable
Sky Blue Credit has been helping customers improve their credit health since 1989 and remains one of the top rated credit repair companies in the industry. Experienced teams provide comprehensive credit repair that takes the stress out of the credit restoration process. Sky Blue Credit can help you challenge inaccuracies on your credit report, help you build your credit by opening new accounts, and provide intervention to help you deal with creditors.
Sky Blue Credit repair services include:
- Credit score analysis
- Disputes to all three credit bureaus
- Statue of limitation research
- Credit score assistance
- Credit rebuilding
- Debt validation
- Goodwill intervention
- Cease and desist intervention
If you trust your credit repair to Sky Blue Credit, you’ll benefit from a free credit score analysis and a 90-day money-back guarantee that begins on the date you enroll. This trusted credit repair company also allows customers to pause or cancel service at any time via the Sky Blue Credit portal. They can also use this online dashboard to change their bill dates to the most convenient dates.
Plans Offered
Only one plan exists for Sky Blue Credit repair services, which some find disadvantages, but we appreciate the simplicity. Rather than trying to understand your credit report to determine how much help you need, you can get all the services Sky Blue Credit offers for an affordable monthly fee of $79.99. Sky Blue Credit also charges a $79.99 setup fee.
Members can add a second person for just $40 per month, which offers excellent savings to couples looking for reputable credit repair services. Membership for two people costs $119 per month with a $119 setup fee.
Sky Blue Credit services don’t include credit monitoring or financial tools, so it may not be the best credit repair agency for you if you’re looking for these additional services.
Click Here to Learn More About Sky Blue Credit
#5. The Credit Pros: Best Service for Credit Monitoring and Identity Theft
Although not as old as some other credit repair organizations on this list, The Credit Pros offers comprehensive and reputable credit restoration services. Founded by experts in credit law, this company provides all the credit services you need, including identity theft protection.
Customers who choose The Credit Pros benefit from one-on-one help from specialists with certifications from the National Association of Credit Services Organizations (NACSO). You can rest assured that if you choose this credit repair company, you’ll receive services of the highest standard.
Services offered by The Credit Pros include:
- Credit analysis
- Identity theft restoration
- Identity theft insurance
- Credit dispute letters
- Goodwill letters
- Cease and desist letters
- Debt validation
The Credit Pros offers a free credit score analysis to every new customer, transparent pricing, and credit improvement services by certified professionals. It also promises customers that it will keep their personal information secure, a must when working on credit repair.
Plans Offered
The three pricing plans The Credit Pros offers include the following:
Money Management: The most affordable plan costs a monthly fee of $69 with a $119 first-work fee. It provides credit scores and reports from one bureau, dark web monitoring, TransUnion alerts, and access to a budgeting system.
Prosperity: This tier costs a monthly fee of $119 with the same first-work fee as above. It includes all of the services from the first tier as well as credit challenges from all three credit bureaus, creditor interventions, cease and desist letters, and letters of reference.
Success Plus: The top tier costs a monthly fee of $149 with a first-work fee of $149. It includes all the services in the first and second tiers, credit reports and scores from all three bureaus, and credit builder loans.
The website indicates that customers get unlimited credit challenges with a certain plan but does not specify which.
Click Here to Learn More About The Credit Pros
#6. The Credit People: Good Credit Fixers for Fast, Reliable Results
If the high setup fees listed for the above credit fixing companies seem too steep, consider The Credit People, a credit repair agency with more than 15 years of experience helping customers repair their credit. This trusted credit repair service provides an affordable credit restoration option with simple pricing, low initial work fees (only $19), and free credit reports from all three major credit reporting agencies. You can begin your conversation with The Credit People with a free credit consultation.
Of course, this service wouldn’t be on our list of the best credit repair companies if it didn’t offer comprehensive credit clean up services. These services include:
- Credit challenges to all three credit bureaus
- Credit score analysis
- Creditor intervention
- Custom credit priorities
- Monthly credit scores
- Credit score “before and after”
Affordable pricing isn’t the only factor that makes The Credit People one of the top credit repair services. This company also provides an industry-leading satisfaction guarantee. Rather than the typical 90-day money-back guarantee, The Credit People offers unhappy customers instant cancellation with no monthly fees and a refund of the previous month at any time.
Plans Offered
The Credit People offers one plan option but with two prices, depending on if the customer wants to pay monthly or a higher flat rate. Customers receive every service listed in the above section, including unlimited credit challenges, for $79 per month (plus a setup fee) or a flat rate of $419 for six months (with no fees). You will save about $10 monthly if you opt for the higher six-month rate.
The Credit People only charge $19 for the monthly plan setup fee, a huge discount compared to other credit repair specialists. This pricing makes it easy for customers on a budget to find reliable credit repair solutions to address errors on their credit reports and rebuild their scores.
Click Here to Learn More About The Credit People
#7. Ovation Credit Services: Popular Credit Help Company with Good Reviews
Ovation Credit Services is another credit fixer founded by a team of lawyers. This company offers reliable credit monitoring and restoration services and some of the best customer service in the industry. Customers enjoy one-on-one customer care, expert advice, and all the essential services you expect from a credit repair company.
The Ovation Credit Services website features a comprehensive Education Center, where you’ll find detailed answers to all your credit repair and credit score questions, plus helpful advice on raising your credit score.
Services offered by Ovation include:
- One-on-one advisors
- Credit challenges
- Recommendation letters
- Creditor intervention
- Debt validation
- TransUnion credit monitoring
- Same day service
- Financial tools
You can try this credit cleaner with a free credit consultation. An expert credit analyst will review your reports with you and offer advice on achieving better credit.
Ovation proves its dedication to being one of the best credit repair companies with a secure refund policy. Customers can request refunds for any month if they feel the provided services failed to meet agreed-upon expectations. They can also cancel service at any time.
This top credit repair agency also offers tons of credits and discounts, including:
- Competitive Upgrade Credit: Customers who switch from another credit repair company get a $50 credit from Ovation.
- Tell a Friend Credit: Customers also get a $30 credit for every referral they provide.
- Couples Discount: Any two people (spouses, family members, or friends) can join together for a $20 discount.
- Military Discount: Retired and active duty military members receive a 10% discount (with a valid military ID).
- Senior Discount: Lastly, all customers aged 65 and older receive a 10% discount.
*These discounts do not apply to the setup fee.
Plans Offered
Ovation Credit Services offers two pricing plans:
Essentials: This plan costs $79 per month with an $89 setup fee. It includes credit challenges, advice from professional advisors, and access to a personalized dashboard and financial tools for budgeting, paying debts, and more.
Essentials Plus: This plan costs $109 per month with the same $89 setup fee. It includes all services listed for the above plan, plus TransUnion credit monitoring, an official recommendation letter for lenders, debt validations, creditor letter templates, and access to a fast-track add-on for a one-time fee.
#8. AMB Credit Consultants: Best for Fixing Credit Report Errors
AMB Credit Consultants has more than a decade of experience helping consumers remove inaccurate, misleading, outdated, and unverified information from their credit reports. The AMB Credit Consultants team understands the potentially devastating impacts of credit reporting errors and aims to provide the credit repair services, advice, education, and personal finance tools customers need to gain and sustain credit leverage and generational wealth.
This company goes beyond basic credit score repair with a dedication to helping clients sustain credit health once they achieve it. Customers receive advice and education on credit scores, proper credit behavior, and more to help them build their credit scores and make smarter financial decisions.
The AMB Credit Empowerment Program includes the following services:
- Credit report audits
- Personalized action plans
- Unlimited disputes to credit bureaus
- Creditor interventions
- Personal finance tools
Customers who trust this integrity-driven credit help company get more than just credit challenges. AMB Credit Consultants educates its clients on how to build credit and sustain a healthy financial status for long-term change. The client testimonials speak for themselves, with many customers gaining the ability to purchase a new car or a home for the first time.
Plans Offered
The AMB Credit Empowerment Program provides services for individuals and couples seeking better credit:
- Individual: Joining this credit repair program costs $99 per month for individuals, plus a $149 one-time setup fee.
- Couple: For couples, the program costs $198 per month with a setup fee of $198.
AMB Credit Consultants doesn’t provide credit monitoring services. Instead, they ask customers to join their preferred monitoring site IdentityIQ. This service costs a monthly subscription fee, but subscribers can access all three credit reports and scores. IdentityIQ subscribers also get $25,000 in identity theft insurance, daily credit monitoring, credit alerts, fraud alerts, and identity theft restoration.
#9. Pinnacle Credit Repair: Highly Rated Credit Cleaner with 120-Day Money Back Guarantee
Pinnacle Credit Repair is hailed as the fastest credit restoration service in the industry. Powered by artificial intelligence software designed by CEO Andre Nguyen, this service quickly finds and disputes negative credit report items for fast credit improvement. According to the website, customers begin to see items removed from their credit reports in as few as 15 days.
Pinnacle Credit Repair offers the following services:
- Credit report audit
- Challenges to credit bureaus
- Credit improvement strategies
- Personal credit mentoring
- Lender assistance
- Free access to all three credit reports
Credit mentors working for Pinnacle Credit Repair have many lending partners, including credit unions, banks, auto dealers, and others, making it easier for their clients to get the financing they need.
Like many of the other services on our list of the best credit repair companies, Pinnacle Credit Repair offers new customers free credit reviews to gain insight into their financial goals. New customers also enjoy a generous 120-day money-back guarantee. If you join Pinnacle and find yourself unsatisfied with the service after your 120-day enrollment period, you can request a refund.
Plans Offered
Pinnacle Credit Repair customers have two options for purchasing service:
Fast Track Elite: This program provides fast credit repair for $99 per month with a $299 enrollment fee. The company’s proprietary AI system A.C.A.T. provides an average deletion ratio of 40% in the first 15 days ― the fastest results in the industry. Customers also receive personalized advice from a professional credit mentor.
Hire Andre personally: Customers with severe credit issues who need more personalized attention can pay a one-time fee between $1,700 and $3,000 for one-on-one service from CEO Andre Nguyen. By working with Andre directly, customers benefit from an average of 80% deletion within the first 30 days.
#10. Credit Assistance Network: Best for Credit Improvement Plans
Credit Assistance Network has provided credit services since 2004. This reputable and experienced credit repair company consists of several services offered in a single package, including The Credit Pros, Credit Sentry, ID Cover, and more. This service uses a next-generation methodology and credit dispute algorithm that the Credit Assistance Network staff has spent a decade perfecting.
Customers benefit from white-glove credit restoration and 24/7 access to credit scores and progress through the web or a convenient credit repair app. They also receive protection against the potential impacts of identity theft.
Credit Assistance Network offers the following services:
- Credit report review
- Dispute letters to the three major credit bureaus
- Complaint filing for legal violations
- Creditor interventions
- Debt validation
- Updated credit reports
- Identity theft protection
- Finance management resources
If you leave your credit improvement to Credit Assistance Network, you’ll receive help from certified credit specialists and more comprehensive services than some competitors. For example, Credit Assistance Network offers identity theft resolution, public record disputes, security clearance assistance, and one-on-one coaching on how to build credit.
Customers also enjoy a 100% money-back guarantee for the first 90 days of service and a 20% discount for signing up with a spouse, relative, or friend.
Plans Offered
Credit Assistance Network offers three credit repair packages:
Money Management: The most affordable package costs $49 per month for TransUnion credit monitoring and scores, complete credit reports, identity protection services like dark web monitoring, and financial tools. This package does not include services by The Credit Pros.
Prosperity Package: This package costs $119 per month and includes all of the above services, plus credit restoration services, debt assistance, debt validation, creditor intervention, and 80% off medications through Slash Rx.
Success Package: The highest-priced package costs $149 per month and includes all services in the lower two tiers, plus a guaranteed line of credit with the Hutton Chase tradeline. This line of credit gets reported to Experian and TransUnion.
How Do Credit Repair Companies Work?
Identifying and challenging credit report inaccuracies is a crucial part of managing your credit, but many people struggle to understand their credit reports, let alone navigate the dispute process. Legitimate credit repair companies help customers improve their credit histories and scores by disputing negative items on their credit reports and educating them on maintaining credit health.
When you trust one of the top credit repair companies to repair your credit, you give that entity permission to access your credit report, challenge negative items, and communicate with creditors on your behalf. Many people benefit from these services because they don’t have the experience, knowledge, or time to handle these responsibilities independently.
What Is the Credit Repair Organizations Act?
Like any other industry that deals with customer finances and personal information, the credit repair industry includes its fair share of scammers. The Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA) helps protect consumers from credit repair scams by requiring credit fixing companies to conduct business in specific ways.
The CROA forbids these companies from overstating or overselling their services. In other words, companies may not misrepresent what they can do for customers. For example, if a company promises specific results or indicates incorrectly that a consumer couldn’t complete the same process by themselves, it would violate the CROA and be subject to legal ramifications.
The CROA also prohibits credit repair firms from charging customers for services before they have been performed and requires that they disclose a copy of the “Consumer Credit File Rights Under State and Federal Law” as laid out in the legislation.
Complaints against credit repair scams or noncompliant companies go to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a government agency that protects consumers from unfair business practices.
Types of Services That Credit Repair Companies Offer
Although specific offerings vary, credit help companies will typically offer the same types of services, including free credit consultations, credit disputes, creditor intervention, and more. Here’s a list of the major services you may encounter when searching for the best credit repair companies:
Free Credit Report Evaluation
You’ll likely get a free consultation if you choose a credit clean up service from our list. With your permission, the credit help company will pull your credit report from one or more credit reporting agencies and provide a summary analysis to determine if credit repair suits your situation. A free consultation may include a credit score check, a credit report summary, and advice on strengthening your credit.
A reputable credit repair company can use this free consultation to help you decide on the right plan tier for your needs. For example, suppose the free evaluation finds dozens of problems with your credit report. In that case, the company may recommend a higher-priced plan than it would to a customer with two or three report errors.
Credit Disputes with Three Major Credit Bureaus
When a customer’s credit report includes inaccurate or unfair information that may negatively impact their score, they can dispute the negative item themselves or through a credit repair company. Either the customer or the company sends the credit bureau a credit dispute, also called a credit challenge, that explains the error and requests its removal from the report.
Managing credit disputes represents a major part of what reputable credit repair companies do. The customers who benefit most from these services don’t have the time or know-how to complete these disputes solo and prefer to have them sent by industry professionals.
Credit Score Monitoring
Some (but not all) of the best credit repair services include credit score monitoring services in their credit repair packages. Credit monitoring services allow customers to see regularly updated credit scores from one to three credit bureaus. By monitoring their credit score, customers can track repair progress, understand their borrowing power, identify financial fraud, and more.
You don’t need a credit repair service to monitor your credit score. Many credit monitoring companies offer reasonable pricing, and you can check your scores for free using services like Credit Karma or Credit Sesame.
Stopping Debt Collection Harassment
If you deal with harassment from debt collectors and creditors, a credit repair service may be able to help. These companies can look into your debt to determine its statute of limitations and advise you on how to move forward.
In some cases, credit repair companies send creditors cease and desist letters that formally tell them to stop communicating with you. These letters prove effective when the statute of limitations has passed but may result in a lawsuit against you if used unscrupulously.
Debt Validation Letters
A credit repair agency can also send debt collectors requests for debt validation if you receive a collection notice for a debt you don’t owe.
If you send a request for debt validation within 30 days, the debt collector must provide verification of the following:
- Their legal right to collect the debt
- The debt amount
- The name and address of the original creditor
- Copies of any judgments
Writing debt validation letters requires expertise to ensure that the debt collector is legally obligated to provide the requested information. Legitimate credit repair services often offer debt validation as a part of their services to simplify this process for consumers.
Goodwill Letters to Creditors
Unlike disputes with credit bureaus, goodwill letters don’t indicate an error in the customer’s credit history. A customer may send a creditor a goodwill letter to request the removal of a legitimate negative item, such as a late payment, from their history in an attempt to raise their credit score.
Goodwill letters work best for customers with at least six months of on-time payments following the late payment, which illustrates to the creditor that the late payment was an isolated event. While a goodwill letter doesn’t guarantee the removal of a negative item, many consumers get isolated examples removed successfully.
Identity Theft Protection
Some of the best credit repair companies include identity theft protection among their services to protect customers from fraudulent activity that can wreak havoc on their credit scores. The credit repair process often includes identifying fraudulent accounts and removing them from credit reports. Additional services like identity theft insurance and lost wallet protection help customers stay ahead of the misuse of their financial and personal information.
Things to Consider When Hiring a Good Credit Repair Company
If you need to repair your credit but don’t have the time to tackle it yourself, you must find a reputable credit repair service you can trust and afford. Here’s a list of essential considerations to help you find the best credit repair company.
First-Work Fee
Most credit repair companies charge setup fees for initial account creation and strategizing. Some services call them first-work or initial-work fees, but they all refer to the same thing.
Depending on the company and the pricing plan, these charges can range anywhere from $15 to $200 or more. If your budget doesn’t accommodate a high first-work fee, you may prioritize credit repair companies with lower fees. The Credit People, for example, only charge a $19 first-work fee, which is much more affordable than other credit repair companies.
Credit Repair Services Offered
Some credit repair companies focus on providing simple services that directly relate to communicating with credit bureaus and creditors, but others include services like identity theft protection and credit monitoring. Suppose you’re looking for a credit repair service but already pay for identity theft insurance through another company. In that case, you may choose a different service than would a customer looking for credit repair and identity protection under one brand.
Consider all the credit improvement services you need before deciding on the best credit repair services for your situation.
Better Business Bureau Rating
Unfortunately, many shady companies exist within the credit repair industry, but you can weed some of these out by checking their rating and complaints through the Better Business Bureau. The Better Business Bureau is an excellent resource for investigating the reputation of any company. Hop on the Better Business Bureau website and look for A ratings, positive reviews, and low numbers of complaints to find the most reputable credit repair agencies.
For example, The Credit Pros, Credit Saint, and Sky Blue Credit all boast A+ Better Business Bureau ratings.
How Long a Company Has Been in Business
Although newer companies can provide legitimate services, we recommend prioritizing credit repair agencies with at least a decade of experience in the industry. The best credit repair companies will prove their past success with client testimonials and success stories. They may also describe their proven credit repair process on their websites, letting customers know upfront what they will do for them.
Credit Disputes per Month
Some credit repair companies limit the number of challenges they will make per cycle. You may choose a service that offers unlimited credit disputes if you have a problematic credit report full of misleading, incorrect, or unverified information. On the other hand, you may not need unlimited challenges if your report only has a few errors.
Alternatives to Hiring a Credit Repair Specialist
While investing in a credit repair service offers a viable option, it’s not the only way to improve your credit. Speak to a financial advisor about your options before making any large decisions. Here’s a brief list of services and strategies you may try as alternatives to hiring one of the top credit repair companies on our list:
Credit Counseling
You can find free and paid credit counseling services to get personalized advice on money management. Paid credit counseling services often provide financial guidance, negotiate with creditors, and create debt management strategies to help customers pay back debt, improve their borrowing power, and rebuild their credit.
Debt Settlement
Debt settlement may take the form of a debt consolidation loan or a paid debt settlement service. These services may help you negotiate the payment of a debt at a reduced cost and stop debt payments until the creditor and customer reach a settlement. Debt settlements can negatively impact your credit score and make it more challenging to qualify for a credit card or loan, so we only recommend this alternative if absolutely necessary.
DIY Credit Repair Software
Many types of DIY credit repair software exist in today’s market. Rather than leave your credit restoration to a third party, these programs allow you to handle your own credit repair. This software may include credit reports, credit score tracking, education resources, simulators, and guides on managing negative credit report items. Many customers use one or more types of credit repair software to take advantage of all available capabilities.
Credit Builder Loans
Many consumers apply for loans to build their credit. You may be able to significantly improve your credit score by getting a loan and making on-time payments. The best credit builder loans report to credit bureaus with each payment, supplying a consistent boost to your credit.
What Can Legitimate Credit Repair Companies Help With?
Negative items can decrease your credit score, but items reported in error don’t need to remain on your reports. The best credit repair company will help you remove derogatory marks from your credit reports to help boost your credit. Examples of items that may reduce your credit score include:
Late Payments
Most lenders report late payments for those made 30 days or more after the payment due date. If you have late payments on your report, they remain there for seven years, dragging down your score and reducing your credit leverage.
Repossessions
Repossession marks also remain on credit reports for seven years and indicate that one of your assets was seized by a creditor. This may occur if you use an asset, such as a car, home, or bank account, as collateral for a loan and then fail to make on-time payments.
Bankruptcy
Filing for Chapter 13 Bankruptcy begins a court process in which you sell your assets and remove all of your debt. This process essentially lets you reset your credit, but the negative mark will remain on your credit report for the usual seven years.
Foreclosure
A foreclosure occurs when a lender claims rights to a property due to an unpaid mortgage. The owner must surrender the property, and they receive a derogatory mark on their credit report. This negative item typically remains on the report for seven years from the filing date.
Charge-Off
If you fail to repay a debt and the account becomes delinquent for around 120 to 180 days, the lender may “charge off” the debt. The lender closes the delinquent account and hands the debt off to a collector, and the debt becomes “uncollectible.” A charge-off will remain on your credit report for seven years, reducing your credit score and suggesting to future lenders that you are unreliable.
Hard Inquiries
Hard inquiries (aka hard credit checks) allow potential lenders to check your credit score and credit history to determine if you are a reliable borrower. A landlord may also run a hard inquiry on your credit if you want to rent a property. These hard credit pulls can negatively impact your score, especially if you have several inquiries in a short period.
While a credit repair company cannot remove legitimate negative marks from your credit reports, it can help you remove inaccurate or questionable items that were reported unfairly or by mistake. If you have one of the above negative items on your credit report, but it doesn’t disappear in seven years, a credit repair company can help you get it removed.
Frequently Asked Questions About Credit Repair
Why do you need a good credit score?
You may not understand the importance of finding services to repair credit if you don’t know why you need a good credit score in the first place. A decent credit score is vital for many reasons, including qualifying for loans and credit cards and getting competitive interest rates and manageable monthly payments.
Potential lenders, landlords, and even some employers use consumer credit scores to determine eligibility for loans, rental properties, jobs, and more. Maintaining healthy credit can make all the difference in living the lifestyle you want to live and achieving your financial goals.
How fast can credit repair services clean up your credit history?
The length of time it will take to repair your credit will depend on your specific credit situation. If you only have a few incorrect items on your report, it may only take a month or two to clean up your credit history. However, complicated credit reports with many negative items may take longer to repair, especially if you choose a service that limits the number of disputes per cycle it will manage.
Customers who want to repair credit quickly may consider Pinnacle, an AI-driven company that boasts fast results.
Is paying someone to fix your credit worth it?
Hiring a third party to fix your credit may not be worth it if you only have one or two negative items on your credit report. You do have the option to contact the appropriate credit bureau on your own to request the removal of an incorrect item.
However, if you struggle with poor credit due to many derogatory marks or don’t have time for DIY solutions, trusting a credit repair business to handle it may be more than worth it. Professional credit-fixers know all the best practices and legal factors of credit repair, and many of the best credit repair companies also offer other credit-boosting services, such as credit monitoring and identity theft services.
Does credit repair hurt your credit score?
No, credit repair performed by good credit repair companies should improve your credit score, not hurt it. More than three-quarters of all consumer credit reports contain one or more errors, and the credit repair industry exists to help consumers overcome these challenges. Credit repair companies help remove these inaccurate negative marks from credit histories, resulting in higher scores.
However, working with a credit repair company that uses unethical or illegal practices may hurt your credit score. See the questions below about identifying a credit repair scam for some red flags to watch out for when looking for a reputable credit repair business.
How do you identify a credit repair scam?
The credit repair industry is no stranger to scams and other shady behaviors. Credit repair scams will try to convince you to sign up but will fail to provide the services they promise. You can avoid these shady companies by looking out for the following warning signs:
- The company makes offerings that sound too good to be true.
- The company demands payment before providing any services.
- The company fails to inform you of your consumer rights.
- The company fails to provide you with a written contract.
- The written contract does not include fees, a service breakdown, or other essential information.
- The company asks you to lie or misrepresent information.
- The company tells you not to communicate with the major credit reporting agencies.
- The company cannot answer questions about its processes.
- The company tries to sell you a new credit identity.
Keep these red flags in mind to avoid working with a shady company. The best advice we can offer for finding legitimate credit repair companies is to trust your instincts. Consider another option if something doesn’t feel right with a particular company.
Can a credit repair company erase poor credit history?
No, not even the best credit repair company can erase a poor credit history with accurate reporting. If you need a good credit score to qualify for a loan but struggle with many derogatory marks on your report, you can take steps to improve your credit, such as paying down debt. However, hiring a credit repair company won’t help unless your report includes inaccurate, misleading, outdated, or questionable negative items.
If a company promises to erase your poor credit history completely, it probably does not provide reputable services. A legitimate credit repair company can’t create a brand new credit identity for you; this would be illegal.
How does the Fair Credit Reporting Act impact credit repair?
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) helps consumers by guaranteeing free access to credit reports from all three bureaus. According to this act, each consumer has the right to obtain free official reports viaAnnualCreditReport.com once per year.
The FCRA also stipulates that any consumer has the right to request a free copy of their official report if a lender denies them. The lender must tell the consumer which credit bureau report they used to determine eligibility, and the bureau must provide a free copy of that report.
Having access to your credit reports is essential to form effective credit repair strategies. You and your chosen credit restoration company need to review your credit accounts to identify and remove misleading, inaccurate, or outdated information.
Do credit fixers work with all three major credit bureaus?
Many credit repair companies work with all three credit reporting agencies: Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. When choosing the best credit repair service for your needs, we recommend prioritizing companies that offer challenges to all three bureaus. For example, Credit Saint, Sky Blue Credit, and The Credit Pros all offer disputes to all three bureaus.
Your top choice may also provide free credit reports from all three bureaus for a complete view of your credit situation. It’s possible for one report to show an item the other reports do not.
How much do credit repair agencies charge?
Many credit repair companies charge monthly fees between $60 and $140 for their services, but you may encounter lower or more expensive prices. If you need to find the right credit repair company for a tight budget, we recommend investigating the lower-priced plans listed under each of the best credit repair services on our list, as well as available discounts. For example, Ovation offers excellent discounts for couples, military personnel, and seniors, and it also provides opportunities to earn cash credits.
We also recommend choosing a credit repair company that offers a 60-day money-back guarantee or better to reduce the financial risk. These guarantees ensure you’ll get the help you need to rebuild your credit, or you’ll get your money back.
Please note that the monthly fees and other prices listed in this article may differ depending on which state you live in. Contact your chosen company directly to confirm actual prices.
Can credit fixing services guarantee results?
No, credit score repair companies cannot guarantee results. It’s actually illegal for credit repair companies to overstate their services. If you encounter a company that promises specific results or seems too good to be true, it may not be the most reputable option.
Can a credit repair company provide identity theft help?
If you need identity protection and credit fixing services, you can find a company that offers both. Many credit repair companies include identity theft services to help consumers contend with the consequences of stolen information.
For example, all plan options from Credit Assistance Network include the following identity theft services:
- Dark web monitoring
- Change-of-address monitoring
- Social Security Number monitoring
- Payday loan monitoring
- Social network monitoring
Another great option is Lexington Law. This company provides customers with $25,000 to $1 million in insurance to cover the costs of identity theft, a protection that can make all the difference when a consumer experiences financial fraud.
Final Thoughts on Credit Repair Companies
We understand the importance of finding legitimate credit repair when you need help with your credit. All of the options on our list of leading credit repair companies provide trustworthy services to help consumers overcome inaccurate derogatory marks on their credit reports, deal with creditors, and better understand their credit situations.
We highly recommend Credit Saint for comprehensive but affordable credit repair, including credit monitoring and a free consultation. Those on a tighter budget may consider The Credit People to take advantage of the low $19 setup fee. Whichever company you choose from our list, you’re sure to receive reliable services to help repair your credit and meet your financial goals.
We wish you the best of luck on your credit repair journey. We hope this article proves helpful in understanding credit repair and your options for the best credit repair companies.
Summary of the Top Recommended Credit Repair Companies of 2023
- Credit Saint: Best credit repair company overall
- Lexington Law: Most experienced credit repair experts
- CreditRepair.com: Best for free credit score analysis
- Sky Blue Credit: Best value and most affordable
- The Credit Pros: Best for credit monitoring and identity theft
- The Credit People: Best guarantee
- Ovation Credit Services: Best for credit education and tools
- AMB Credit Consultants: Best for veterans
- Pinnacle Credit Repair: Best customer service
- Credit Assistance Network: Best credit improvement plans
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*This article is provided by an advertiser and not necessarily written by a financial advisor. Investors should do their own research on products and services and contact a financial advisor before opening accounts or moving money. Individual results will vary. Foreign companies and investment opportunities may not provide the same safeguards as U.S. companies. Before engaging with a company, research the laws and the regulations around that service, and make certain the company is in compliance. For comprehensive guidance on U.S. investments and financial regulations, visit the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s Investor.gov.