topic Re: Credit Mix: Equifax vs Experian in Understanding FICO® Scoring

Credit Mix: Equifax vs Experian

FICOdawg — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 12:41:30 GMT

Here's interesting datapoint. Equifax has me at 2 inquries in last 12 months and 4 revolving accounts. Experian has me at 4 inquires and 4 revolving accounts. The inquiries are from buying new car last December and will show 0/12 at end of year.. Both show 7 months as age of newest account which is the car loan.

Equifax has me listed as "Very Good" credit mix while Experian has me at "Good". Scores are 765 EQ vs 756 EX

Re: Credit Mix: Equifax vs Experian

Janet729Shires — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 04:10:44 GMT

Hello!

This datapoint illustrates how Equifax and Experian interpret credit data differently: Equifax reports 2 inquiries and a "Very Good" credit mix with a 765 score, while Experian shows 4 inquiries, resulting in a "Good" mix and a 756 score. The discrepancy, LiteBlue USPS stemming from a car loan from last December, highlights how bureaus weigh factors like inquiries distinctly, though the scores are expected to converge as those inquiries age off the 12-month window.

Re: Credit Mix: Equifax vs Experian

Horseshoez — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 10:56:08 GMT

@FICOdawg wrote:
Here's interesting datapoint. Equifax has me at 2 inquries in last 12 months and 4 revolving accounts. Experian has me at 4 inquires and 4 revolving accounts. The inquiries are from buying new car last December and will show 0/12 at end of year.. Both show 7 months as age of newest account which is the car loan.

Equifax has me listed as "Very Good" credit mix while Experian has me at "Good". Scores are 765 EQ vs 756 EX

Assuming both scores are FICO, what you are seeing is well within the realm of what can be called "normal".

Re: Credit Mix: Equifax vs Experian

Thomas_Thumb — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 12:32:29 GMT

Inquiries are seperate from credit mix.

Re: Credit Mix: Equifax vs Experian

FICOdawg — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 15:55:54 GMT

@Thomas_Thumb wrote:
Inquiries are seperate from credit mix.

I brought this up as I've seen posts about Experian often being 10-12 points lower than EQ & TU. Trying to narrow down what they may look at differently. My EQ and EX have exact same revolving dollar amounts and installment loan amounts so this was direct comparison. Somehow Experian grades me lower on something.

Lot of datapoints coming up as my utilization keeps dropping. Seems the Experian cares more about the aggregate.

Re: Credit Mix: Equifax vs Experian

SouthJamaica — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 18:38:01 GMT

@FICOdawg wrote:
Here's interesting datapoint. Equifax has me at 2 inquries in last 12 months and 4 revolving accounts. Experian has me at 4 inquires and 4 revolving accounts. The inquiries are from buying new car last December and will show 0/12 at end of year.. Both show 7 months as age of newest account which is the car loan.

Equifax has me listed as "Very Good" credit mix while Experian has me at "Good". Scores are 765 EQ vs 756 EX

Nothing mentioned in your first paragraph has any bearing on "credit mix". Credit mix has to do with the types of accounts you've held, both open and closed. So if you want to find out why one bureau has your mix at good and the other at very good, I would look carefully over both reports to see what open and closed accounts are showing.

Re: Credit Mix: Equifax vs Experian

Thomas_Thumb — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 20:48:51 GMT

@FICOdawg wrote:
@Thomas_Thumb wrote:
Inquiries are seperate from credit mix.
I brought this up as I've seen posts about Experian often being 10-12 points lower than EQ & TU. Trying to narrow down what they may look at differently.

Lot of datapoints coming up as my utilization keeps dropping. Seems the Experian cares more about the aggregate.

Experian cares very little about number of accounts with balances. Prior poster data and my own does suggest EX has increased emphasis on revolving Utilization relative to EQ and TU. For me, the penalty on score for a spike in UT was greatest for EX Auto Fico score 2

* The large Auto EX score 2 drop I suffered for high UT was subsequent to having no open loans on file. Your open Auto loan may mute response to changes in UT.

Re: Credit Mix: Equifax vs Experian

FICOdawg — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 20:33:17 GMT

@Thomas_Thumb wrote:
@FICOdawg wrote:
@Thomas_Thumb wrote:
Inquiries are seperate from credit mix.
I brought this up as I've seen posts about Experian often being 10-12 points lower than EQ & TU. Trying to narrow down what they may look at differently.

Lot of datapoints coming up as my utilization keeps dropping. Seems the Experian cares more about the aggregate.
Experian cares very little about number of accounts with balances. Prior poster data and my own does suggest EX has increased emphasis on revolving Utilization relative to EQ and TU. For me, the penalty on score for a spike in UT was greatest for EX Auto Fico score 2

Noted. I'll try to update my main thread as score progression continues. I passed the 39% Aggreegate threshold but waiting for my scores to update. I am hoping for big jump once below 29%

Re: Credit Mix: Equifax vs Experian

Vinjints — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 20:40:04 GMT

It's my understanding that the thresholds are in twenty point increments (89-69-49-29-9).

Re: Credit Mix: Equifax vs Experian

Thomas_Thumb — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 21:32:21 GMT

Those are the standard thresholds.

Substantial 49% and 29% threshold data for highest card. Some data at 89%. Not much at 69% but it fills in the logical progression. The 9% threshold appears to be insignificant for highest card but very important for aggregate UT.

Some others reported thresholds (minimum 5 point change) with supporting data:

1) Highest card UT reporting 100% or above vs 99%. Posted by multiple sources and tested a couple times recently by SJ. As I recall, he reported a 7 point loss/gain crossing 100%.

2) Aggregate utilization 5%. A lot of discussion on this a few years back.

Re: Credit Mix: Equifax vs Experian

FICOdawg — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 21:21:10 GMT

@Vinjints wrote:
It's my understanding that the thresholds are in twenty point increments (89-69-49-29-9).

I should find out in another week or two. Sucks when you pay 3k off the balance in a month and FICO score doesn't budge lol

There is a graph on Experian app and they delineate 30% and 6%. Hoping for that big bump at 29%

Re: Credit Mix: Equifax vs Experian

Vinjints — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 22:10:27 GMT

I've seen that graph too and always wondered what the 6% was for. Maybe that's what Thomas was referring to with the 5 threshold.

Re: Credit Mix: Equifax vs Experian

Thomas_Thumb — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 00:02:10 GMT

I have not seen the Experian graph. I was referring to poster data on MyFico. CassieCard provided some data on single digit aggregate UT score and somewhere around 5% resulted in noteable score shift. This was in 2019/2020. Others before but mostly after have reported a score change at that aggregate UT level.

She is no longer active here and joined the ranks of anonymous. She and Birdman17 co-authored the length thread on Fico scoring using input from many sources here and some elsewhere. Tragically, Birdman was in a fatal car accident a 2-3 years ago.

Not all profiles experience score shifts at every identified utilization threshold. When I had an open mortgage; elevating card utilization above 29% or even 49% did not lower my score. Now, with my mortgage paid off and no open installment loans, I experience the UT score penalties.

* Not 100% sure if the Birdman handle ended in "17". He was also absorbed into anonymous. Deleting all these handles is unfortunate.

Re: Credit Mix: Equifax vs Experian

FICOdawg — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 00:21:42 GMT

@Thomas_Thumb wrote:
I have not seen the Experian graph. I was referring to poster data on MyFico. CassieCard provided some data on single digit aggregate UT score and somewhere around 5% resulted in noteable score shift. This was in 2019/2020. Others before but mostly after have reported a score change at that aggregate UT level.

She is no longer active here and joined the ranks of anonymous. She and Birdman17 co-authored the length thread on Fico scoring using input from many sources here and some elsewhere. Tragically, Birdman was in a fatal car accident a 2-3 years ago.

Not all profiles experience score shifts at every identified utilization threshold. When I had an open mortgage; elevating card utilization above 29% or even 49% did not lower my score. Now, with my mortgage paid off and no open installment loans, I experience the UT score penalties.

* Not 100% sure if the Birdman handle ended in "17". He was also absorbed into anonymous. Deleting all these handles is unfortunate.

That's too bad to hear about someone dying. I guess once you've maxed out your scores or achieved whatever goal I could see how people fade from the site.

Im trying to find the graph in the Experian app or hopefully someone else can post it. It shows your utilisation and shows clear delineations at 30% and 6% so obviously for Experian those threshols are important.

Im also cheating on my UT improvement by picking away at CLIs but once my United card is paid off I will no longer use it for anything but monthly expense to pad my miles and hotel pounts. Kicking myself for not having added cards and credit limits before now.