Confused at CreditKarma

[PastorH]

Although there is no comparison with this forum, I was advised to subsribe to CreditKarma. I like some of their tools, but am confused ...

I have a score of 708 at CK.  When I go to their Simulator and add the combined $7.5k CL of my two new cards, it goes to 737.  Good.

But, if I simulate adding a new card with a BT (I am considering Discover) ...  it plummets to 656.

If I simulate paying off my current CC balance (about $3k) ... it goes down to 689.

Aren't these two last one good things? 

[sghosh5]

Credit Karma scores and their simulator is not something very trustworthy. My CK score is stuck to 629 for 4 months now while my FICO TU has increased upto 661 over the months. And  in CK simulator even if i say 18 months of on time payment history it does not change my score. If i say i will pay off all my credit card balances it brings my score down below 600...lol

[PastorH]

Thanks. I'll continue to monitor.

[MidnightVoice]

I just use it to monitor what is happening.  Scores are not much use, but mine are in the right ballpark

[PastorH]

Although I'm new at this, I had pretty much decided that I would use some of its tools, but ignore its scoring.  Thanks.

[Gunnar419]

Ditto. CK scores are iffy (though mine have personally always been close to my FICOs). But CK's simulator is a ridiculously broken tool whose results have NO connection with reality! People have been noticing that for years. CK should have either fixed or pulled that simulator long ago.

[Shogun]

Like Midnight said, just use them to monitor accounts.  Their scores aren't of much use, and the simulators are just a toy.

[SuperKirby]

Good job, PastorH, ignore the scores!