Using Chase Credit Journey To Check Your Credit Score

Chase Credit Journey is a free online tool available to both Chase customers and noncustomers that provides access to your credit score and credit report from the credit bureau Experian.

For those looking for an interactive credit-monitoring tool to help keep track of your credit standing, we’ll walk you through the features offered by Chase Credit Journey.

What is Chase Credit Journey?

Chase Credit Journey is a free credit-monitoring tool which offers the following:

• Your VantageScore 3.0 based on Experian data.
• An analysis of factors that are impacting your credit score.
• A chart tracking your credit usage over time.
• Access to information on your credit report.
• Alerts on credit activity and your personal information.
• A simulator to help estimate changes in your credit score.
• Restoration services in cases of identity theft.
• Offers such as preapproved Chase credit cards.

Be aware that preapproval for a Chase credit card does not guarantee that you’ll be approved, but it can be a good indicator of qualification chances.

How to use Chase Credit Journey

If you have a Chase credit card, you can access Chase Credit Journey through your credit card’s online dashboard via chase.com. Those without a Chase card can sign up for Credit Journey for free with this link.

Here’s where to find Credit Journey after logging in as a cardholder:

The first time you access Chase Credit Journey, you’ll be taken to an enrollment webpage where you must select “I’ve read and agree to the above” and then click “enroll.”

Then, you’ll be directed to a page that highlights your credit score, factors that are impacting your score, your current credit usage and balances.

Chase Credit Journey pros and cons

Because Chase Credit Journey is a free tool, even if you don’t have a Chase credit card, there are more pros to using it than cons. However, if Credit Journey doesn’t offer quite what you need, head over to the section on alternatives for checking your credit score and getting alerts.

Useful Chase Credit Journey features

Check your credit score

Credit Journey lets you check your VantageScore 3.0 (which ranges from 300 to 850) based on Experian data and denotes where your score falls within one of four ranges:

• Excellent: 780 to 850
• Good: 720 to 779
• Fair: 660 to 719
• Poor: 300 and 659

The score is updated monthly and includes a note on when your score will update next.

What’s also included below your credit score are the factors impacting your credit score, so you can make a plan of action if you need to improve your score. For example, if you have too many credit checks on your report, that indicates you should stop applying for new credit for some time, or if your credit usage is too high, that indicates you need to pay down your balance.

Be aware that the credit score lenders typically use when deciding whether or not to extend credit to you is your FICO Score, which is similar to the VantageScore, but uses somewhat different ranges:

• Exceptional: 800 to 850
• Very Good: 740 to 799
• Good: 670 to 739
• Fair: 580 to 669
• Poor: 300 to 579

However, many of the same factors impact your FICO Score and your VantageScore — so if you’re managing your finances well and have a good VantageScore, you’re on the right track.

Review info on your credit report

Chase Credit Journey also offers the option to review your Experian credit report, where you can review:

• Open accounts
• Closed accounts
• Credit checks
• Derogatory marks
• Collections
• Public records
• Consumer statements
• Personal information

Checking what’s on your credit report allows you to spot any inaccurate information and file a dispute with the credit bureau. Note that you can also get your credit reports directly from each of the bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) for free by using annualcreditreport.com.

Get alerts when something changes

Credit Journey can send you email alerts when something changes on your Experian credit report, such as when a new account is opened or if a new hard inquiry of your credit report is recorded.

If you have a Chase credit card, you can also set up alerts based on a wide variety of triggers, such as when your available credit is less than a certain amount, when your payment due date is approaching, and when transactions of certain types are charged to your credit card.

You can also opt in for Chase’s free identity monitoring, which includes:

• Dark web monitoring (checks if your personal info is on various unsafe places online).
• Data breach monitoring (checks if someone has accessed your personal info).
• Social Security number (SSN) trace monitoring (looks for new names, aliases and addresses linked to your SSN).
• Identity verification (keeps track of when your info is used to confirm your identity).

Simulate changes to your score

The score simulator tool available through Credit Journey lets you plug in a wide variety of financial actions and see how they might affect your credit score.

For example, you can simulate:

• Being approved for a new credit card.
• Consolidating credit card debt onto a new card.
• Being approved for an installment loan.
• Getting declined for a loan.
• Taking out a mortgage.
• Paying off all your credit card balances.
• Maxing out your credit cards.
• Paying off all your installment loans.
• Making on-time payments for 6 to 24 months.
• Missing a payment on a credit card.
• Having an account in collections.
• Declaring bankruptcy.

The tool estimates the number of points that will be added or subtracted from your score based on the actions you input into the simulator tool.

6 Things That Can Hurt Your Credit Score

Other ways to check your credit score

If you want to check your credit score, you can also consider a free LendingTree Spring account.

More ways to check your credit score for free, even without having a credit card, include:

• CreditWise by Capital One (VantageScore)
• American Express MyCredit Guide (VantageScore)
• Experian Boost (FICO Score)

In addition to letting you check your credit score, Experian Boost offers a chance to improve a thin credit file by letting users link a bank account and build credit with recurring payments such as utility bills, phone payments and Netflix subscriptions, which don’t normally contribute to your credit score. However, this will only impact your score when it’s generated from Experian data.

Finally, if you want to review your credit reports, you’re entitled by law to one free report from each bureau every year. You can request your reports online at annualcreditreport.com.