What a credit score is
A credit score is a three-digit number, usually between 300 and 900, that sums up how you have repaid loans and credit cards. Banks and NBFCs report every borrower's accounts to the credit bureaus; the bureau turns that record into a credit report and a score. Lenders read both before they approve a loan or a card, and often to decide the rate.
There is no single "official" score. India has four credit bureaus licensed by the RBI, each with its own data and formula, so your scores can differ by a few points from bureau to bureau.
| Bureau | Website | What the score is called |
|---|---|---|
| TransUnion CIBIL | cibil.com | CIBIL Score |
| Experian | experian.in | Experian Credit Score |
| Equifax | equifax.co.in | Equifax Credit Score |
| CRIF High Mark | crifhighmark.com | CRIF Score |
Your free report from each bureau
The RBI requires every bureau to give you one free full credit report, with your score, every year. With four bureaus that is up to four free reports a year — space them out (say one every three months) and you can watch your record all year without paying.
How to get yours:
Many bank and fintech apps also show a free score. That is fine, but read what you agree to — some use your number for marketing. The bureau's own website is the cleanest route.
What moves your score
- Paying on time — the biggest factor by far. A single EMI or card payment that is 30+ days late can pull the score down for a long time.
- How much of your card limits you use — staying under about 30% of the limit helps.
- Your mix and age of credit — a long, clean history counts for more than a new one.
- How often you apply — many loan or card applications in a short time each add a "hard enquiry".
Checking your own score is a soft enquiry and never lowers it. See how to increase your CIBIL score for a step-by-step plan.
Rules that protect you
Since 1 July 2026, lenders send updates to the bureaus every week (it was every fortnight from January 2025), so a repaid loan or a correction now shows up within days rather than months. Found a mistake? Here is how to raise a CIBIL dispute.
What lenders read in it
A lender looks beyond the number: late payments in the last 12 months, accounts marked settled or written off, how many loans you already have and recent enquiries. There is no RBI minimum score — each lender sets its own policy. Read CIBIL score for a personal loan and how to read a CIBIL report for what each section means.
Oxon Fintech is a loan facilitation platform, not a credit bureau. We do not check, sell, repair or change credit scores; get your report from the bureaus' own websites. Rules as checked on the date above.