Best credit repair companies—and what they do well (2024)

Working with a credit repair company could provide some much-needed relief if you’re struggling with significant credit issues. Credit repair companies can identify and remove inaccurate or incomplete information from your credit reports, with the goal of improving your credit history and score. Doing so can lead to getting you access to better interest rates that can ultimately save you money, especially on large purchases. To help you find a reputable credit repair service, we’ve researched over a dozen companies, analyzing their services provided, pricing, transparency, time it takes to see results, and company reputation (see full methodology). Here are our top picks for the best credit repair companies available.

The best credit repair companies of May 2024

1. Best overall: Credit Saint

Credit Saint

Minimum Monthly Cost $79.99
Setup Fee $99
Money Back Guarantee Yes, after 90 days

Best credit repair companies—and what they do well (1)

Credit Saint is a long-standing credit repair service that has been helping customers with their credit since 2007. It offers all the services you’d expect from a credit repair company, including a free initial consultation, dispute letters to the credit bureaus and creditor-specific intervention letters, inquiry tracking, and credit education for customers.Unlike many competitors, Credit Saint has a decent reputation with its customers and very few complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

  • Credit Polish – $79.99 per month, plus $99.00 initial work fee. Services: unspecified number of monthly challenges to the three credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion; credit score analysis and tracking; free access to educational credit content and online chat; and 90-day money-back guarantee.
  • Credit Remodel – $99.99 per month, plus $99.00 initial work fee. Services: all services of Credit Polish, plus inquiry targeting, access to one credit report and score, a guide to building credit, and real-time account syncing.
  • Clean Slate – $129.99 per month, plus $95.00 initial work fee. Services: all services of Credit Polish, creditor interventions, and access to three credit reports and scores.
View offer at Credit Saint

Our verdict

Credit Saint is a solid choice for those seeking credit repair assistance, and its tiered services make it suitable for many situations. Its customer service team is also accessible through many channels if you have questions or concerns. While Credit Saint isn’t the lowest-price service around, its industry reputation, array of features, high customer satisfaction, and 90-day money-back guarantee make it worth considering.

Learn more in our full Credit Saint review.

2. Best for couples: Sky Blue Credit

Sky Blue Credit

Minimum Monthly Cost $79.99
Setup Fee $79
Money Back Guarantee Yes, 90 days

Best credit repair companies—and what they do well (2)

Sky Blue Credit has been helping its clients rebuild their credit since 1989. It specializes in offering credit help to couples at a discounted rate, whether they want to improve their credit before getting a mortgage or for another purpose. Users can benefit from Sky Blue’s array of credit repair services, and the company offers a transparent process that’s clearly outlined on its website, so you’ll understand how the company is working on your behalf. Sky Blue Credit also provides a 90-day guarantee that lets you get a refund if you’re not satisfied with its services. Sky Blue Credit has two recent CFPB complaints, one of which was resolved in a timely manner. The other remains unresolved, but the complaint itself simply states that the company didn’t help repair their credit. It’s worth noting that credit repair companies don’t guarantee they can fix your credit.

  • Individual – $79 per month, plus $79 initial work fee. Services: professional credit analysis, custom dispute and re-dispute letters, score assistance, debt validation, cease and desist letters, goodwill letters, free credit reports, and more.
  • Couple – $119 per month, plus $119 initial work fee. Services: all the services of the individual plan for you and your partner.
View Offer at Sky Blue Credit

Our verdict

Sky Blue Credit is our pick for couples interested in repairing their credit together. Unlike some companies that charge full prices for each individual, Sky Blue Credit offers a special discount for couples. This makes it a great option if you want to work as a team to better your financial situation in general or in advance of a home purchase.

Learn more in our full Sky Blue Credit review.

Dig deeper:

Bad credit vs. no credit: Which is worse?
5 easy options for checking your credit score
What’s a good credit score? It depends on the lender and credit-scoring model

3. Best for low initial work fees: The Credit People

The Credit People

Minimum Monthly Cost $99.99
Setup Fee $19
Money Back Guarantee Yes, 6 months

Best credit repair companies—and what they do well (3)

The Credit People has been in business since 2001, and it has helped over 100,000 customers struggling with their credit. New customers get a free credit consultation to discuss their specific situation with a company representative. Its services also include unlimited disputes, credit score tracking, monthly credit scores and reports, and higher-level interventions and disputes for premium account holders. Like Credit Saint, The Credit People offers tiered plans based on the level of service you require. But unlike Credit Saint, which charges up to $99 to start working on your credit, The Credit People’s initial work fee is just $19, no matter which plan you sign up for. It offers two pay-as-you-go plans and one flat-rate plan. This company has no recent consumer complaints with the CFPB.

  • Standard – $79 per month, plus $19 initial work fee. Services: unlimited disputes to all three major credit bureaus, a before and after snapshot of your credit scores.
  • Premium – $99 per month, plus $19 initial work fee. Services: all the features of the Standard plan, plus monthly credit reports and scores, creditor interventions, and escalated dispute and validation requests.
  • Flat rate – $499 for six months, plus $19 initial work fee. Services: all the features of the Premium plan for a six-month flat rate.
View Offer at the Credit People

Our verdict

The Credit People is worth considering if you need moderate assistance with your credit without all the bells and whistles of a service like Credit Saint.

It’s also a great choice if you have a limited budget and are seeking a credit repair service that offers low initial work fees. These fees can be costly, so the fact that The Credit People charges just $19 sets it apart from competitors. While this company doesn’t offer a money-back guarantee, it does let you cancel at any time, and you won’t be charged for that particular month of service.

Learn more about the credit repair company in our full review of The Credit People.

4. Most affordable: Credit Firm

Credit Firm

Minimum Monthly Cost $49.99
Setup Fee $0
Money Back Guarantee No

Best credit repair companies—and what they do well (4)

Credit Firm has been helping consumers improve their credit scores since 1997, and was founded by attorneys who specialize in consumer credit. The company has an A+ BBB rating and a respectable four stars with TrustPilot. While Credit Firm does not offer tiered plans like some of its competitors, it does offers two plans — one of individuals, and the other for couples. Both plans offer a long list of credit services including credit bureau and inquire challenges, goodwill interventions, and cease and desist requests among others.

  • Individual Plan – $49.99 per month with $0 set up fee. You can cancel anytime.
  • Couples Plan – $89.99 per month with $0 set up fee. You can cancel anytime.
View offer at Credit Firm

Our verdict

While no credit repair company can truly guarantee results within a specified timeframe, Credit Firm says consumers may see results within 30 to 45 days (but should allow for 90 days for more meaningful changes). With its relatively quick average time to see results, couples discount, and unlimited services, Credit Firm can be a great choice for couples who are looking to get a loan or lower interest rates within a few months. Additionally, the company does not charge a setup fee like many of its competitors; consumers only pay the $49.99 monthly fee (or $89.99 for couples).

Learn more in our full review of Credit Firm.

Pro tip:

There are a number of factors that contribute to your overall credit score. Some of the main ones are:

  • Payment history: late payments will ding your score
  • Amount of debt: it is recommended to keep your debt below 30% of your overall credit
  • Length of credit: the longer you have credit cards open, the better
  • Amount of new credit: the credit bureaus don’t like to see a lot of new credit inquiries within a short period of time
  • Credit mix: the credit bureaus prefer to see a mix of various types of credits such as credit cards, store cards, car loan, and mortgages.

5. Best track record: Lexington Law

Lexington Law

Minimum Monthly Cost$99.99
Setup Fee$0
Money Back GuaranteeNo

Best credit repair companies—and what they do well (5)

Founded in 2004, Lexington Law has established itself as a go-to name in the credit repair service industry. Since its inception, the company has sent out over 200 million challenges and disputes for their clients. Lexington Law claims to have removed over 7 million negative items from their clients credit reports in 2020. The company also states that 89% of their clients saw an increase in the credit score of 40 points on average. Despite its mostly glowing track record, Lexington Law, along with CreditRepair.com, was sued in 2023 by CFPB for collecting illegal advance fees through telemarketing.

  • Credit Repair – $99.95 per month with a free consultative call and no setup fee.
View offer at Lexington Law

Our verdict

Due to its track record of success and almost 20 years in service, Lexington Law makes our list as one of the top credit repair companies. Its pricing is higher than many of the competitors so it would be wise to shop around before settling.

6. Best for additional features: The Credit Pros

The Credit Pros

Minimum Monthly Cost$69.99
Setup Fee$119, $129, or $149
Money Back GuaranteeYes, 90 days

Best credit repair companies—and what they do well (6)

Launched in 2009, The Credit Pros has grown to become a reputable credit repair company with over 1 million customers. It provides all the services you’d expect from a credit repair company, plus some extras. The Credit Pros also offers clear guidance on its process, explaining how it works from start to finish.In addition to helping clients repair their credit, The Credit Pros also offers tools to help them better understand their finances and credit. It provides a more holistic credit and budgeting solution than many competitors. The Credit Pros offers three plans, and it has no recent complaints with the CFPB.

  • Money Management – $69 per month, plus $119 initial work fee. Services: reports and scores from one credit bureau, ID monitoring, TransUnion credit alerts, real-time account syncing, budgeting tool, bill reminders.
  • Prosperity – $129 per month, plus $129 initial work fee. Services: all the features of the Money Management plan, plus disputes with the three credit bureaus, creditor interventions, cease and desist letters, and reference letters for credit card applications.
  • Success Plus – $149 per month, plus $149 initial work fee. Services: all the features of the Prosperity plan, plus reports and scores from the three credit bureaus and access to a credit-builder loan.
View Offer at The Credit Pros

Our verdict

Those seeking additional money management features beyond just credit repair might find what they’re looking for with The Credit Pros. In addition to typical credit repair services like dispute letters and creditor interventions, users also get access to identity monitoring, a budgeting system, bill reminders, and a credit-builder loan with the top-tier account.

That said, The Credit Pros isn’t the cheapest option around, so it may not be the best choice if you’re on a tight budget and prioritizing affordability.

Learn more in our full review on The Credit Pros.

What to know about credit repair companies

There’s not one specific menu of services or pricing model for credit repair companies. Instead, you’ll find that each offers different features, and while many companies charge a monthly fee, this isn’t true in all cases. For this reason, it’s essential to compare companies to find the best credit repair service for your situation.

Alternatively, you can also do most of what credit repair companies do independently. If you notice inaccuracies or incomplete information on your credit report, it’s possible to contact the three major credit bureaus or your creditors directly to resolve the issue. But for those with significant credit issues, working with a credit repair service could save you time and potential headaches.

How to choose a credit repair company

If a credit repair company sounds right for your situation, here’s what to compare as you research companies.

  • Transparency: Reputable companies will be upfront and clear about their pricing and services offered. Seek out companies that provide detailed information on their websites, and steer clear of those that aren’t transparent about their offerings.
  • Services and features: As mentioned, different companies offer varying services, including free initial consultations, dispute letters, credit repair, credit education, and access to credit reports among other services. Find one with services that best suit your situation.
  • Pricing: Pricing models also vary, often depending on the level of service you require. Look into pricing to find a plan that meets your needs and budget.
  • Customer service: You’ll want to compare each credit repair company’s customer service channels to ensure you can reach a representative if needed.
  • Company reputation: Review company websites and history, and look at company profiles on sites like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s compliant database, Trustpilot, the Better Business Bureau, and other consumer review sites. Doing so will provide some insight into whether a company is reputable and trustworthy.
  • Cancellation policy: Some credit repair services offer more flexible cancellation policies than others, and policy information is often available on company websites. Read over cancellation policies and look into any guarantees companies may offer. For instance, some provide a 90-day money-back guarantee if you don’t see inaccuracies removed from your credit reports.

Credit repair legal controversies

The credit repair industry, as a whole, has checkered reputation. They are sometimes viewed as predatory because the services they provide can be done by any individual with credit report inaccuracies. Some consumers with complaints were validated when Lexington Law and Creditrepair.com entered into $2.7 billion settlement agreement with CFPB in 2023. The CFPB accused the two companies of taking illegal advance fees from their clients through telemarketing, which violates federal law.

When considering hiring a credit repair company to assist in disputing inaccuracies in your report, be sure that the company is being transparent and upfront with their fees, which should be displayed clearly on their website.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the best credit repair company?

The best credit repair company for you will depend on your needs and budget. Each company offers an array of different services and pricing models, so comparing options can help you find a company that suits your situation. Some top companies include Credit Saint, The Credit People, The Credit Pros, Sky Blue, and Lexington Law.

Can you really pay someone to fix your credit?

Yes, it’s possible to pay a credit repair company to help dispute inaccurate or incomplete information on your credit reports. Getting this information removed could help improve your credit. That said, credit repair companies don’t guarantee they’ll fix your credit.

What’s the fastest way to fix your credit?

Several actions could help you fix your credit, including contacting the credit bureaus to get inaccurate or incomplete information removed from your credit reports, paying down credit card debt, making on-time payments, increasing your credit limits, and limiting the number of new accounts you open.

How long does it take to repair credit?

The three credit agencies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — typically evaluate credit on a monthly basis. They monitor factors that include debt and late payments. Reducing debt presents the quickest path to improving your credit where you may see results in less than two months. Seeing results after removing inaccuracies will take about three to six months.

What is a bad credit score?

Bad credit, or subprime credit, is typically anything below 580. The lower your credit score, the harder it will be to secure a lower interest-rate loan or credit card. A high credit score can help unlock the best available loans, credit cards, and other financial products.

What is the best possible credit score?

Older credit score models used to go as high as 900, but that’s not the case anymore. The highest possible credit score one can achieve is capped at 850, which only less than 2% of Americans have.

Our methodology

To develop our list of the best credit repair companies, we researched and analyzed over a dozen companies in the market. In our analysis, we considered factors like transparency, pricing, services provided, and company reputation. We also weighed other things like overall customer experience, customer satisfaction, and whether companies had any recent regulatory action taken against them.

Average time to see results (53%) – When it comes to repairing credit, time is money. The sooner your credit score improves, the sooner you can get better rates on loans and credit cards.

Consumer Reviews (22%) – What actual consumers have to say about their experience with a credit repair agency was taken into account. We looked at a number of consumer review sites — like TrustPilot and Google Reviews — to compile the score.

Costs (15%) – Many credit repair companies have developed a poor reputation of charging high fees while delivering little-to-no results. We ranked them based on fees including monthly rates, setup fees, money back guarantees, and available discounts.

Ratings (10%) – We ranked each company based on how well they are rated by Better Business Bureau and other independent rating agencies.

Best credit repair companies—and what they do well (2024)

FAQs

Best credit repair companies—and what they do well? ›

It's not possible to wipe your credit history clean. Negative items like late payments, collections and bankruptcies typically remain on your credit report for several years. However, you can rebuild your credit with on-time payments, debt reduction and responsible credit account management.

What is the best credit repair company out there? ›

Best credit repair companies
CompanyBest forBankrate Score
CreditRepair.comAffordability3.6
Credit SaintSimple credit repair options4.2
Sky Blue Credit RepairCouples3.9
The Credit PeopleDisputing many errors3.6
2 more rows

How to choose a credit repair company? ›

How to compare credit repair options
  1. Process and timeline. Research the company's process to know what to expect. ...
  2. Packages and services. Basic packages sometimes don't include disputes to all three credit bureaus or limit the number of disputes per month. ...
  3. Prices. ...
  4. Cancellation policy. ...
  5. Money-back guarantee. ...
  6. Reputation.
Apr 25, 2024

What is the best option to fix credit? ›

How to improve your credit score
  1. Check your credit report for errors. ...
  2. Prioritize paying on time. ...
  3. Work to pay down your debts. ...
  4. Become an authorized user. ...
  5. Request a credit line increase. ...
  6. Handle debt in collections. ...
  7. Consider opening a secured card. ...
  8. Get credit for other payments.
Apr 30, 2024

How to wipe your credit history clean? ›

It's not possible to wipe your credit history clean. Negative items like late payments, collections and bankruptcies typically remain on your credit report for several years. However, you can rebuild your credit with on-time payments, debt reduction and responsible credit account management.

Does 609 credit repair really work? ›

In general, a 609 letter is not a legal loophole that consumers can use to remove accurate information from their credit reports. This means they can't relieve you of any verifiable debt. If a credit bureau is able to verify your debt, it will stay on your report. They also can't relieve you of your existing debt.

Is it worth paying someone to fix your credit? ›

However tempting it may be to pay someone to undo damage, you are your own best resource. In short, no one can legally remove accurate and timely negative information from a credit report, and everything a credit repair clinic can do for you legally, you can do for yourself at little or no cost.

Which credit company is more accurate? ›

There is no “best” credit bureau—all three bureaus can offer helpful information and tools to help you make financial decisions.

What are 7 tips on how do you repair a credit score? ›

Here are seven steps you can take to begin improving your credit score.
  1. Check Your Credit Score And Credit Report. ...
  2. Fix or Dispute Any Errors. ...
  3. Always Pay Your Bills On Time. ...
  4. Keep Your Credit Utilization Ratio Below 30% ...
  5. Pay Down Other Debts. ...
  6. Keep Old Credit Cards Open. ...
  7. Don't Take Out Credit Unless You Need It.
Feb 8, 2024

How fast can a credit repair company fix your credit? ›

Policies and procedures vary by creditor but will usually include back-and-forth letters to get everything in writing. On average, credit repair takes about three to six months. Your score should gradually improve throughout the process each time a creditor agrees to make a change in your favor.

How to erase bad credit without paying? ›

How to remove negative items from your credit report yourself
  1. Get a free copy of your credit report. ...
  2. File a dispute with the credit reporting agency. ...
  3. File a dispute directly with the creditor. ...
  4. Review the claim results. ...
  5. Hire a credit repair service. ...
  6. Send a request for “goodwill deletion” ...
  7. Work with a credit counseling agency.
Mar 19, 2024

What is the fastest way to rebuild bad credit? ›

8 ways to help rebuild credit
  1. Review your credit reports. ...
  2. Pay your bills on time. ...
  3. Catch up on overdue bills. ...
  4. Become an authorized user. ...
  5. Consider a secured credit card. ...
  6. Keep some of your credit available. ...
  7. Only apply for credit you need. ...
  8. Stay on top of your progress.

How to raise your credit score 200 points in 30 days? ›

How to Raise your Credit Score by 200 Points in 30 Days?
  1. Be a Responsible Payer. ...
  2. Limit your Loan and Credit Card Applications. ...
  3. Lower your Credit Utilisation Rate. ...
  4. Raise Dispute for Inaccuracies in your Credit Report. ...
  5. Do not Close Old Accounts.
Aug 1, 2022

Is it true that after 7 years your credit is clear? ›

Highlights: Most negative information generally stays on credit reports for 7 years. Bankruptcy stays on your Equifax credit report for 7 to 10 years, depending on the bankruptcy type. Closed accounts paid as agreed stay on your Equifax credit report for up to 10 years.

What is a goodwill deletion? ›

While a goodwill letter is used to remove a debt you've already paid, a pay for delete letter is used to ask a creditor to remove a collection account or any other negative item from your credit report in exchange for paying either a portion of the balance or the full balance.

What is a 609 letter to remove late payments? ›

Section 609 gives consumers the right to request information related to debts listed on their credit reports. Examples of information that you may want to dispute include: Accounts opened due to identity theft. Late payments that were paid on time.

What is the fastest way to repair your credit? ›

If you want to improve your credit quickly, the following strategies could help:
  1. Use a reputable credit repair service.
  2. Prioritize and pay outstanding debt.
  3. Explore secured credit cards.
  4. Become an authorized user.
  5. Develop a budget and stick to it.
Feb 27, 2024

Do credit repair companies really work? ›

Legitimate credit repair companies can help you remove inaccurate information from your credit report, which may be damaging your credit score. However, they can't do anything for you that you couldn't do on your own—and for free. In addition, there are some disreputable credit repair companies that you should avoid.

Which credit company is the most accurate? ›

One credit bureau isn't more accurate than another, rather, they may simply have different methods of calculating your credit score. It's important to note that all three bureaus are used widely in the U.S. None of them are more “important” than the others.

Which credit agency gives the highest score? ›

Of the three main credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion), none is considered better than the others. A lender may rely on a report from one bureau or all three bureaus to make its decisions about approving a loan.

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