Your three-digit score decides your interest rate more than any negotiation. Here's how it works and how to move it up — in plain language.
A 300–900 number that summarises your repayment history, computed by TransUnion CIBIL from data all lenders report monthly. Above 750 you're a prime borrower who can negotiate rates; below 650 most banks hesitate. India also has three other bureaus — Experian, Equifax and CRIF — whose scores differ slightly.
| Score | Band | What it means for loans |
|---|---|---|
| 750 – 900 | Excellent | Fast approvals, lowest advertised rates, real negotiating power |
| 700 – 749 | Good | Approved by most banks, rates ~0.5–1.5% above the best |
| 650 – 699 | Fair | Bank approvals selective; NBFCs approve at higher rates |
| 550 – 649 | Poor | Mostly secured loans or co-applicant needed; repair first |
| 300 – 549 | Very poor | Fresh unsecured credit unlikely; 6–12 month rebuild plan |
| NA / NH | No history | Not negative — build a file with a secured card or small loan |
Every EMI and card bill, on time, every month. One 30-day late mark can cost 50–100 points and stays visible for years.
Card spends vs limits. Staying under 30% of your total limit signals control; maxed-out cards scream risk.
Older accounts and a healthy mix of secured (home/auto) and unsecured (cards/personal) credit help. Never close your oldest card.
Each application triggers a hard enquiry. Several in quick succession look credit-hungry — apply selectively, or let us do the selecting.
Set auto-debit for all EMIs and at least the minimum due on cards. Payment history is a third of your score.
Pay card balances before the statement date or request a limit increase — both drop the reported ratio fast.
1 in 5 reports has errors — wrong late marks, closed loans shown open. Raise a free dispute on the bureau site; fixes reflect in 30–45 days.
Each rejection plus enquiry digs the hole deeper. Check eligibility softly first, then apply to one right-fit lender.
Age of credit matters. Use the oldest card for one small purchase a month and pay in full.
A 'settled' tag (paid less than owed) hurts for years. Where feasible, pay the difference and get it re-reported as 'closed'.
Rolling 40% credit-card debt into a 12% personal loan cuts utilisation and interest at once — often a double score boost.
On a ₹40 lakh, 20-year home loan, a 750+ borrower at 8.35% pays about ₹8 lakh less interest than a 690 borrower at 9.5%. On personal loans the gap is wider still. Improving your score before applying is the highest-paying homework in personal finance.
Every credit bureau (CIBIL, Experian, Equifax, CRIF) must give you one free full report per year on their website. Many banking apps also show a free monthly score. Checking your own score is a soft enquiry and never reduces it.
Meaningful movement takes 3–6 months of clean behaviour: on-time EMIs, credit-card utilisation under 30%, and no new applications. Fixing a report error can lift the score within 30–45 days of the bureau resolving your dispute.
No. We assess eligibility from the details you share — a soft process that never touches your bureau report. A hard enquiry happens only when you choose a lender and formally apply, and we limit that to your best-matched one or two lenders.
Start with a secured credit card against a fixed deposit or a small consumer-durable loan, and pay flawlessly for 6–12 months. That builds a score from scratch. 'No history' is scored NA/NH — different from a bad score, and easier to fix.
Broad bands: 750+ unlocks the best rates everywhere; 700–749 gets bank approvals at slightly higher rates; 650–699 works with NBFCs; below 650 usually needs a co-applicant, security, or a few months of score repair first.
Tell us your profile — we'll match lenders whose policy loves it and negotiate like it's our own money.