Just curious

[MakingProgress]

If all three credit reports have exactly the same data will the FICO score ceated from each report be exactly the same?

[Anonymous]

It's unlikely.  There are slight variations across the bureaus, so it's very rare that even with equal data used at the same moment in time with the same scoring model that someone will possess 3 equal scores.

In most cases with identical data, scores vary within 10-20 points of one another.  There have been greater variances, though and reports of 32-36 points between highest and lowest score have been seen at times.

[Anonymous]

To dovetail on what BBS just said, the actual FICO 8 model is different -- the algorithm itself, not just the data -- depending on which bureau it has been implemented at. 

And when you move back in time to models before FICO 8, the difference between bureaus can be even more pronounced.  Imagine for example that you had an absolutely perfect profile, generating a perfect score. The mortgage score for EQ would be 818 and the mortgage score for TU would be 839.  Both bureaus are supposed to be using the same model (FICO 04) but the actual algorithm at the two bureaus is in fact different. 

[MakingProgress]

Thanks for satisfying my curiousity.   I kind of assumed that would be the case, but didn't know for sure.

[RobertEG]

In concurring with the prior comments, I would add that Fair Isaac, in their series of webinars conducted several years ago on this site, clearly disclosed that they license different flavors of their algorithms to each CRA based on their own individual preferences.

They stated that, with identical data with each CRA, the scoring can vary by up to 20-30 points.

Thus, it is not simply speculation that the algorithms vary between the CRAs.  It has been confirmed by Fair Isaac.......

[K-in-Boston]

Great answers.  Also there's the odd issue (I assume this is the case for everyone not just me) where Experian account opening and reporting dates only seem to be month and year so all dates become the first of any given month, making all of my account ages ever-so-slightly older than on TransUnion and Equifax.