I Tried Experian Boost, and It Was Totally Worth It | Credit Cards

When I was first rebuilding my credit several years ago, I didn’t know where to start. I was new to the finance world, had a score in the low 500s and felt utterly overwhelmed. That’s when I learned about Experian Boost.

Experian Boost is a free tool consumers can use to boost their credit score. After creating an account with Experian, consumers can see the option to sign up for Experian Boost. The feature adds up to two years of on-time payment history to your Experian credit file that would otherwise go unappreciated.

Eligible payments include:

These types of payments aren’t normally considered when calculating your FICO score. But by adding them to your Experian credit file, the number of on-time payments increases – which accounts for 35% of your FICO score.

This is how consumers are able to see an updated score in as little as a few minutes. Myself included.

It’s worth noting, however, that if you see a score increase after using Experian Boost, you will only see it in your Experian score. If a lender pulls your Equifax or TransUnion score, the changes won’t be reflected there.

According to Experian, consumers with little to no credit and those with very poor to fair credit scores will see the biggest benefit from the tool. Also, more specifically, Experian Boost can help improve your FICO Score 3, 8, 9 and 10, as well as your VantageScore 3 and 4.

I tried Experian Boost in 2019 when the program first launched. At the time, a tool like Experian Boost seemed too good to be true, so I was skeptical. But I figured it couldn’t harm my credit score and decided to take a leap of faith.

I did everything from my phone, inputting information like the checking account I use to pay my bills. After that, Experian Boost asked me to confirm it had all the right information – and then I waited. Ten minutes later, I saw the effects happen right before my eyes.

My Experian score went up 44 points in real time.

I was able to see my new score in the Experian app right away. I also saw what bills the tool pulled: 13 utility payments and 21 internet payments were collected.

Also, Experian Boost only pulls positive payment history, so there’s no need to worry the tool might pick up derogatory data.

If you’re working on your credit, Experian Boost is definitely a tool to consider. It’s a great way to give you a little leg up and could mean the difference between a secured credit card and an unsecured credit card, for example.

Now, there’s no guarantee your score will go up. I was lucky that my score went up so much, but that’s because it was so low at the time. I was just starting to rebuild my credit, and Boost was able to turn my lowest score into the highest.

If Boost improves your Experian score, capitalize on the momentum and continue working on your overall credit score. Using free credit monitoring tools and applying for the right credit card can help turn a win into a winning streak.