Are you trying to repair your credit fast and you’re wondering what is the best credit repair company do it for you? Choosing the right credit repair services or credit repair company is very important. Your credit score will be determined by the credit repair service you use. Finding an honest credit repair company is often a hard task so we did all the work for you!
But how do you know which are the very best credit repair companies?
There are so many credit repair companies to choose from: Credit Saint, Sky Blue Credit Repair, The Credit Pros, Pyramid Credit Repair, Credit Saint, Lexington Law, CreditRepair.com…etc.
Searching for the best credit repair service could take you a staggering amount of time comparing prices and customer reviews.
We know as we’ve done the hard work for you. After reviewing dozens of credit repair companies here are the results.
Whichever company you’re going to choose, keep in mind the five most important factors of legitimate credit repair companies:
- Reputation: the company should be well established with a history of delivering consistent improvements in their clients’ credit scores and should be in good standing with the governing regulatory bodies.
- Speed: the quicker, the better. The agency should show noticeable improvements in the clients’ credit rating in a reasonable period of time.
- Accreditations: the company should be licensed, registered, and comply with The Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA) which stipulates that a for-profit company cannot charge fees before performing credit repair work for a consumer.
- Customer support: they should help guide you through the credit repair process and address any credit-related questions along the way and respond in a timely manner.
- Pricing: the cheaper, the better, but the performance and results, must not suffer. It’s also important to ensure the company’s pricing is transparent. Pricing should be fair and upfront. Some credit repair services engage in deceptive practices to “hide” their rates by using convoluted pricing structures and are unclear about exactly what work they will be undertaking.
What is the Best Credit Repair Company?
Credit Saint has been providing excellent and fast credit repair services since 2004 at an affordable rate and has a rock-solid A rating from the Better Business Bureau. They’re our #1 Pick and continue to remain our top-rated service.
Visit Official Website (855) 386-1528
The 8 Top Credit Repair Services 2021 – Reviews
The following represent the best credit repair companies of November 2021:
- Credit Saint: Best Overall Service
- Sky Blue Credit: Runner Up
- The Credit Pros: Best for Financial Tools
- Pyramid Credit Repair: Best for Couples
- Lexington Law: Best of Specialist Legal Advice
- CreditRepair.com: Best for Simplicity
- The Credit People: Cheapest Service
- Ovation Credit Repair: Most Comprehensive Cancellation Policy
You can now read through our individual credit repair company reviews…
1. Credit Saint (www.CreditSaint.com)– Our #1 Recommendation
- Price: $79.99 per month
- Perks: Money-back guarantee for the first 90 days, 24/7 phone support, and a personalized strategy
- BBB Rating: A+
- Customer service: Excellent
- Website: www.CreditSaint.com
- Our Credit Saint Review
Credit Saint has a fantastic customer service record, a great BBB rating, and a safe 90-day money-back guarantee. Its service packages range from $79.99 per month to $119.99 per month, and they all come with an additional First Work Fee.
One area that allows this company to stand out is its written custom arguments for clients. Most credit repair companies use a standardized template to write arguments for clients. Credit Saint sets itself apart by customizing these arguments. Tailored written cases are much more compelling and produce a higher success rate when it comes to incorrect negative items removed.
Credit Saint Pros
- Every client receives the assistance of a personal advisory team
- A full analysis of your situation and progress reports are available on your online account
- The company helps you generate future months of positive history
Credit Saint Cons
- There are multiple packages available, so the pricing can be a little confusing
If you want a company to fight hard to repair your credit by using custom-written arguments, Credit Saint is the firm for you.
2. Sky Blue Credit Repair (www.SkyBlueCredit.com)
- Price: $79 per month
- Perks: 90-day guarantee, no charge for the first 6 days
- couples discount (half price for the second member)
- BBB Rating: A+
- Customer service: Excellent
- Website: www.SkyBlueCredit.com
- Our Sky Blue Credit Repair Review
Sky Blue Credit is our runner up for the best credit repair company available to you. Founded in 1989, this company is a legitimate firm with a reliable history. It charges $79 per month for its services, which include the option to dispute up to 15 claims on your report every 35 days. Up to 5 of these items can come from the same reporting agency.
Sky Blue Credit offers a free consultation for all new clients. If the firm discovers that you do not need its services, they will not charge you. Rather, its staff members will inform you that you can realign your financial situation yourself without the company’s services.
Sky Blue Credit Repair Pros
- Free consultations
- One simple package with one set price is available to all customers
- Offers a couple’s discount ($119 for 2 people)
- Provides potential clients with honest analysis
- the best credit repair company
Sky Blue Credit Repair Cons
- Basic and lackluster website interface
With over 30 years in its industry, Sky Blue Credit is a well-established company that has garnered an excellent reputation among the general public.
3. The Credit Pros (www.TheCreditPros.com)
- Price: plans available for $69/month or $149/month
- Perks: allows for service cancellations at any time
- BBB Rating: A+
- Customer service: Excellent
- Website: www.TheCreditPros.com
The Credit Pros is a newcomer to the industry compared to some of the other companies on this list, as it has only been in business for 10 years. This company offers different packages that range from $69/month to $149/month, depending on its client’s unique needs. It’s a trusted company that will meet your versatile needs. It’s easy to request a free consultation and get signed up for a plan. If you no longer need the company’s services, you can cancel at any time.
The Credit Pros Pros
- Easy-to-access online client portal
- The company claims that the signup process only takes 90 seconds
- The company offers a free mobile app for its clients to use to stay up-to-date
- Free consultations
- A free online blog with posts written by the company’s president Jason M. Kaplan, Esq.
The Credit Pros Cons
- The company’s website lacks a detailed description of its services
This company has diverse plans, including the Money Management and Prosperity packages, that help clients of all budgets meet their financial goals.
4. Pyramid Credit Repair (www.PyramidCreditRepair.com)
- Price: $99 per month
- Perks: 24/7 phone support and a personalized strategy
- BBB Rating: N/A
- Customer service: Excellent
- Website: www.PyramidCreditRepair.com
- Our Pyramid Credit Repair Review
Pyramid Credit Repair is a newer player in the industry (But still one of the best credit repair companies), as it was founded in 2011 by two entrepreneurs. This company has grown to encompass 254 team members who are dedicated to helping their clients get in the best possible financial situation.
The firm offers one standard plan, which is $99 per month. There is no discount available for couples, so the pricing is $198 for two individuals. Once you sign up to be on this monthly plan, you will be connected to a personal dispute manager. This individual will inspect your credit reports from three bureaus (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax) and pinpoint any errors. From there, he or she will file relevant disputes and get negative marks from your credit score erased.
Pyramid Credit Repair Pros
- A large company with a lot of employees on hand
- Easy-to-use online interface with 24/7 access
- Real-time updates during disputes
- Couples receive a half-off discount for the first month of service
Pyramid Credit Repair Cons
- No long-term discounts for couples
This up-and-coming company is making strides in its industry and has proven its worth since its near-decade in business.
5. Lexington Law (www.LexingtonLaw.com)
- Price: from $89.95/month to $129.95/month
- Perks: experience serving over 500,000 clients
- BBB Rating: C
- Customer service: Excellent
- Website: www.LexingtonLaw.com
- Our Lexington Law Review
Lexington Law is a team of dedicated lawyers who specialize in fixing clients’ credit. These professionals are located throughout 21 states, and the firm’s support team is available at all hours of the day via online chat, phone, or email.
Lexington Law offers three different service packages for those who are seeking basic, moderate, or aggressive credit repair. The lowest tier costs $89.95 per month, while the highest tier costs $129.95 per month. Depending on the tier you choose, you may have access to services and perks like Report Watch, TransUnion alerts identity protection and personal finance tools.
Lexington Law Pros
- 3 different plans available for those searching for different levels of repair
- A highly-experienced company established in 1991 that can help you improve your credit score
- Offers diverse educational resources for its clients
Lexington Law Cons
- Half-off family discount is only valid during their first month
Lexington Law has credit repair options available for every type of client. Whether you just need access to bureau challenges or a more aggressive approach, this company has the exact package you need.
6. CreditRepair.com (www.CreditRepair.com)
- Price: from $99.00/month
- Perks: experience serving over 500,000 clients
- BBB Rating: N/A
- Customer service: Excellent
- Website: www.CreditRepair.com
- Our CreditRepair.com Review
Creditrepair.com is very similar in structure to Lexington Law. Creditrepair.com offers 3 service plans, which take basic, moderate, and aggressive approaches. If you only have a few negative items on your credit report, the basic service package should meet your needs. Clients who have many negative items will benefit from the aggressive service package.
The company’s process begins as the company challenges your negative items with all 3 established credit bureaus. From there, the firm requests that your creditors verify all of the negative items they are reporting. If they are unable to verify them, creditrepair.com will ensure that they cease reporting them. Finally, creditrepair.com continues to monitor your credit and address any problems as they arise to keep your financial situation in check.
CreditRepair.com Pros
- User-friendly website with a built-in credit score tracker
- Removes a high average of 11 negative items from a client’s report
- Focuses on educating clients so they can maintain good credit for the long term
- One of the top credit repair companies
CreditRepair.com Cons
- The company may take up to 4 months to produce results
Established in 1997 CreditRepair.com has removed more than 1.5 million negative items from clients’ reports
7. The Credit People (www.TheCreditPeople.com)
- Price: from $99.00/month
- Perks: 60-day money-back guarantee and $40 couple’s discount available if you and a partner sign up for a monthly plan, free credit reports and scores
- BBB Rating: N/A
- Customer service: Excellent
- Website: www.thecreditpeople.com
- Our Credit People Review
The Credit People is a trusted credit repair company (One of the top credit repair companies) that has assisted over 100,000 clients since 2001. If you don’t want to subscribe to a month-to-month plan, the firm offers a flat payment option for $419. This $419 covers six months of services without any month-to-month fees involved.
If this one-time fee doesn’t fit with your budget, you can opt for the $79/month option. You can also try out The Credit People’s service by purchasing a 7-day trial period for only $19. This way, you can gauge if this company’s repair services are right for you.
The Credit People Pros
- Clients can expect their credit score to increase anywhere between 53 and 187 points
- Clients receive unlimited disputes
- One-time and monthly plans available
The Credit People Cons
- Clients don’t receive an individual case advisor
- Clients may experience long hold times when trying to reach customer service
The Credit People has a plan available for you whether you want to pay a one-time fee upfront or spread it across several months.
8. Ovation Credit Services (www.OvationCredit.com)
- Price: plans available for $79/month or $109/month
- Perks: owned by LendingTree, removes an average of 19 items per client, discounts for seniors and veterans
- BBB Rating: A+
- Customer service: Excellent
- Website: www.OvationCredit.com
Ovation Credit Services offers one of the cheapest credit repair packages you can find. Its services start at $79 per month. However, you should be aware that this company has “First Month” fees in place, so the starting price will be a little higher. For example, the lowest package will cost $89 for the first month, and then you will be billed $79 every month after that.
Those with complicated credit situations can opt for the more advanced plan called the “Essentials Plus.” This plan offers clients with specialized products like TransUnion credit monitoring and unlimited creditor goodwill letters and debt validation.
If you are hesitant about paying full price, you can take advantage of the company’s multiple discounts. You can receive a discount on one of its service packages if you switch from another company, refer a friend, or recruit service along with a partner or family member.
Ovation Credit Services Pros
- Usually removes an average of 19 negative items for each client
- Offers couple, senior, and military discounts
- Owned by a reputable lending company
Ovation Credit Services Cons
- Somewhat high “First Month” fees
Ovation Credit Services is a great option for repairing your credit score, especially if you can take advantage of the multiple discounts it offers.
Other Credit Repair Services Available
The following credit repair services may be of interest to you but based on our research we strongly recommend Credit Saint, which is our top recommended credit repair agency.
Credit Glory
- Price: 3 different payment plans
- Perks: 90-day money-back guarantee
- BBB Rating: A+
- Customer service: Excellent
- Website: https://www.creditglory.com
Credit Glory is a newer player in the industry. It was formed in 2016 with its headquarters located in New York City. Even though it’s only been in operation for four years, it has established itself as a reputable repair company.
One of the best things about this agency is its straightforward pricing. It offers three different payment plans to meet clients’ diverse needs. The most popular product is the “Repair” package. For $99 per month (plus a one-time $199 review and setup fee), the company will dispute all inaccurate items on your record.
Credit Glory’s other two products are for victims of identity theft. For a one-time fee of $799, the company will remove ten or more hard inquiries from your record. If you only need one or two hard inquiries removed, the company will dispute them for $79 per inquiry.
All products come with high-quality customer support and a 90-day money-back guarantee. If you aren’t satisfied with its services, the company will issue a full refund.
As a customer, you never have to be worried about getting locked into a contract. You can cancel at any time, and the company never places any obligations on its clients.
One drawback to this agency is that it only removes negative items from your report. It does not offer credit monitoring or other services like debt validation. However, this deliberate specialization makes the company all the more reliable for your credit repair needs.
Credit Glory Pros
- Superior in-class customer support
- 90-day money-back guarantee
- Straightforward plans
- No obligations for clients
Credit Glory Cons
- Offers limited services
If you’re looking for a transparent company with uncomplicated pricing, this agency might be right for you.
Pinnacle Credit Repair
- Price: $199 startup fee and $99/month OR a one-time fee of up to $2,500
- Perks: fast results
- BBB Rating: C+
- Customer service: Decent
- Website: https://pinnaclecreditrepair.com
Pinnacle Credit Repair is one of the most aggressive companies of its kind. It works quickly to get hard inquiries taken off of clients’ reports.
It can achieve results in as little as 15 days. The process may take up to 30 days, but this is still much quicker than most other companies.
This agency has produced many positive results for past clients. Nearly 90% of its clients experience a 100-point increase in their credit scores after just a month.
The company offers two different plans for its customers. To get on the Fast Track plan, you’ll have to pay a $199 startup fee and $99 per month. On this plan, the staff will work on your report until it’s clean or until you decide to cancel.
The Fast Track Elite plan is much pricier but tends to produce quicker results. After paying the $199 fee, you will be charged a one-time fee of anywhere between $1,500 and $2,500. With the Fast Track Elite plan, you have a safety net because of the 120-day money-back guarantee.
If this agency’s services seem too good to be true, you can request a free consultation. The staff will conduct an orientation and walk you through their repair process. You won’t be obligated to sign up for anything. Sit back and learn about their procedures. Then, you can decide for yourself if the service is worthwhile!
Pinnacle Credit Repair Pros
- Offers fast results compared with its competitors
- Free, no-strings-attached consultation
- Uses artificial intelligence and to quickly dispute errors and omissions
- Both plans come with support for lender approval and coaching/education services
Pinnacle Credit Repair Cons
- The 120-day money-back guarantee only applies to the premium plan
If you’re looking for fast results, Pinnacle Credit Repair may be the right company for you. Its two plans offer convenient options for customers with varying budgets.
Credit Firm
- Price: $49.99/month
- Perks: It’s an experienced company
- BBB Rating: N/A
- Customer service: Excellent
- Website: https://www.creditfirm.net
Credit Firm is an older agency, as it has been around for more than 20 years. It was founded by experienced attorneys who understand the legalities surrounding credit reports.
Signing up with Credit Firm is very simple. To get started, you will complete the firm’s online enrollment form or sign up over the phone to get started. Once you enroll, you will send a copy of your credit report to one of the firm’s consultants. From there, the firm works directly with your creditors to remove negative marks on your report.
Credit Firm works with both speed and accuracy. The firm will typically process and send out documents for investigation within 24-48 hours of receiving them.
The firm offers one pricing plan for all customers. For $49.99/month, you will get access to unlimited disputes.
Credit Firm Pros
- Has a good online reputation
- Works quickly
- Experienced lawyers will work on your case
- Straightforward pricing structure
- Offers unlimited disputes
Credit Firm Cons
- No add-on services like credit monitoring are available
If you’re looking for an experienced company to remove negative marks off of your report, Credit Firm has one of the best reputations in the industry.
Credit Versio
- Price: plans range from $19.95/month to $29.99/month
- Perks: subscriptions come with coaching video resources
- BBB Rating: N/A
- Customer service: Good
- Website: https://www.creditversio.com
Credit Versio is one of the most affordable repair companies available. Rather than disputing negative items for you, it uses an AI-powered app to find discrepancies in your report. From there, it will direct you to a form that you can fill out and send to the main reporting bureaus yourself.
This agency helps you delete errors like late payments, repossessions, charge-offs, bankruptcies, foreclosures, and collections from your report.
For less than $20 per month, you can sign up for the most basic plan. Under this plan, you’ll get reports from each bureau, credit monitoring alerts, and up to $1 million in identity theft insurance.
The mid-tier plan costs $24.95/month. It includes all the same perks as the basic plan plus unlimited action buttons and score pulls.
For $29.95/month, the company will keep an eye out for signs of identity theft. This plan comes with a 7-day free trial so that you can try it out for yourself without risk.
The biggest catch with this agency is that it’s more of a do-it-yourself solution. However, you won’t have to go through the credit repair process alone. The company offers helpful video coaching courses. These courses offer basic education and explain concepts that you can implement to repair your report on your own.
Credit Versio Pros
- Good for individuals with a DIY mindset
- All plans are affordable compared to most competitors
- Free 7-day trial with the $29.99/month plan
- Comes with educational video courses
Credit Versio Cons
- You won’t have live experts guiding you through the entire dispute process
Credit Versio is a newer company, as it was founded in 2020. Despite its short time in the industry, it has established itself as a beneficial resource. It helps clients take charge of and improve their own reports.
AMB Credit Consultants
- Price: $99/month with a one-time setup fee of $149
- Perks: couple’s discount is available
- BBB Rating: A+
- Customer service: Excellent
- Website: https://ambcreditconsultants.com
AMB Credit Consultants was founded over a decade ago in 2008. Its staff is focused on repairing clients’ credit and teaching them how to make sound financial decisions.
If you are signing up for this company’s service by yourself, you will have to pay a one-time setup fee of $149. After that, the charge is $99 per month.
This agency offers a lower price for couples. You and a spouse will only be charged a one-time setup fee of $198. After that, the monthly charge will be $198.
Under either service package, you will receive access to the company’s dispute resolution team. These experts will effectively deal with any inaccuracies you find in your report.
AMB Credit Consultants is meant for individuals who are serious about improving their financial status. If you choose to sign up for this company’s services, you have three days to cancel. After that period, you will be required to commit to at least 6 months of service.
To help you decide if this service is right for you, the company offers over-the-phone consultation calls. You can pick an available time slot that works best for you, and a qualified consultant will contact you. To keep things brief and informative, the staff will keep your call to a maximum of 15 minutes.
AMB Credit Consultants Pros
- Brief, informative consultation calls are available
- Discount for couples on the initial setup fee
- Unlimited access to the company’s dispute resolution team
AMB Credit Consultants Cons
- No free consultations
- Must commit to at least 6 months of service
AMB Credit Consultants is a reliable company to repair your report. Though it can’t promise specific outcomes, it will refund six months of fees if it can’t remove at least one item on your report within the first six months of your enrollment.
Are These Credit Repair Companies “Near Me”
In case you are wondering whether these companies are able to provide services near you then the answer is yes! All of the above services provide national coverage and are able to provide credit restoration services to you remotely – across all 50 states.
Can Credit Repair Hurt Your Credit?
It can be easy to damage your credit and difficult to re-build it. We all know of the common damaging factors like late or missed payments. Failing to pay the minimum amount set by your lender can also hurt your report.
What if you set out to repair your credit? Can you end up hurting it in the long run?
Technically, yes. If you go about the repair process poorly, you can end up doing your credit more harm than good. If you do it yourself, do not attempt to remove negative items that are accurate.
As a rule of thumb, you should never choose a company that makes lofty promises. As long as you choose a reputable company that follows legal, ethical practices, your credit report won’t suffer.
Even if a repair company successfully repairs your credit, you are not out of the woods. You cannot resort to old habits.
If you continue to borrow more than you can afford to pay back and engage in other poor financial decisions, your report will once again suffer.
Can Credit Repair Help with Identity Theft?
Yes! A lot of repair companies offer identity theft protection services, and some include these offerings as part of their main services. In other cases, identity theft protection is available as an add-on service. For example, Credit Versio offers identity theft insurance under its Basic and Premium plans. It also offers additional identity theft protection services under its third service package called IdentityIQ.
How to Sign Up For Credit Repair
Once you decide you need credit repair services, it’s time to sign up. You need to find the right company that will fulfill your needs.
Ask yourself all of these questions before committing to a company:
- Are you signing up by yourself or with a spouse?
- Do you want to take a hands-off approach?
- Do you want access to educational materials to learn more about the repair process?
- Do you require a free consultation or trial before beginning a company’s services?
- What is your budget?
- How many errors or omissions do you have to dispute?
As you start looking at different companies to sign up with, be wary of ones that:
- Encourage you to remove accurate negative marks
- Won’t explain your rights to you
- Guarantee to remove negative marks (there are no guarantees when it comes to credit repair)
- Tell you not to contact the nationwide bureaus directly
Depending on the services they provide, some companies may require you to take certain steps before signing up with them. For example, AMB Credit Consultants requires you to sign up for a credit monitoring subscription before scheduling your consultation appointment.
Other companies offer more of a hands-off approach. They’ll take care of every step of the process, so you don’t have to get involved.
How do these credit repair services repair your credit? What do credit repair companies do?
The million-dollar question (for some) would be “How does a credit repair company work?” Note that many of our visitors have already tried out different ways over time to improve their situation but have not managed to do so, turning to us eventually. Hence, financial resources are even more scarce now and they are unable to make any more financial mistakes that could deteriorate the situation further. We want to assure our readers on what they will benefit from upon hiring one of the reputable credit repair companies available.
This is how credit repair companies work: they ensure that any kind of negative items that can be removed from a credit report will be removed. Some of these items that do not tilt in one’s favor include late payments, repossessions, foreclosures, and liens, among others. We understand that they cannot work magic for all cases since there are still regulatory guidelines and rules of the game that need to be adhered to. However, we are well versed in the different situations where a certain credit repair service is able to help one out and get our clients out of a financial rut.
Before you decide to hire one of these credit repair companies, it would be wise to know what will you get for the money you pay. Companies that are good have to be upfront and tell you exactly what can they do with your particular case. The best companies will remove negative items from your report and improve your overall FICO score. That will help you buy a car, a home, insurance and secure a mortgage much easier.
Legitimate credit repair services will work should there be any kind of legitimate errors found in a credit report. Basically, any kind of credit repair firm will work to ensure that whatever errors which can be removed from a credit report will be removed. Not everyone is well versed with financial terms and lingo, and hence, errors will creep in eventually. Such errors could be as simple as personal information mistakes or errors in reporting from lenders. Since a sizable amount might cause a dent in your credit, those who feel that their credit reports contain such errors would definitely do well to appoint a credit repair company to pinpoint such mistakes.
From legitimate errors, we move on to unverifiable errors. If there is one particular thing that everyone needs to know about their credit report, it would be this: every single credit report needs to have details that can be verified. For instance, assuming a negative item that has been listed on a credit report from a lender who was eventually bought over or went bankrupt would normally receive a call from credit bureaus for verification purposes. Should they receive no answer, then it has no place whatsoever in a credit report. Such a loophole is often overlooked by many, and credit repair services take advantage of it in order to raise the credit rating of their client.
Should our reader’s lenders want to cooperate with credit repair agencies, then bringing further negotiation to the table might work in our client’s favor with regard to their final score. However, this is by no means a hard and fast rule as certain lenders are not willing to work this way. A credit repair service is not some sort of magical panacea that will see a top-notch credit score at the end of the day, but the chances of ending up with a higher score are greatly increased with the right service provider.
How to avoid getting scammed from Credit Repair Agencies
Just because you might be in rather dire financial straits, this does not mean throwing common sense out of the window. Just like any other sales pitch out there — if it is too good to be true, it probably is. Some possible danger signs that we recommend people to avoid include:
- Being insistent on paying the service fees upfront even before a single minute of work is done. The law dictates that the credit repair companies do not have the authority to force anyone to cough up money before the services promised have been completed and duly delivered to the client’s satisfaction.
- Credit repair agencies that do not inform their clients of their legal rights, as well as the means of action that clients are able to take personally without having to incur additional charges in terms of service fees. For instance, anyone is able to obtain a free copy of their credit report (from AnnualCreditReport.com) should credit be denied them within the past 60 days. This rule also extends to the denial of insurance or employment within a similar time period. Any mistakes or out-of-date details can be fixed in the credit report for free upon request.
- A claim that every single negative entry in the credit file can be removed. This is impossible to achieve if the credit report in question is already accurate and updated, as the credit bureau does not entertain such an option. However, inaccurate information is always open for the dispute to be corrected without the assistance or service from a third party.
- Suggestions for starting from a clean slate with a “new” credit report through the application for an Employer Identification Number as opposed to one’s Social Security Number. This is illegal as it involves the creation of a new credit identity, and would lead to an even greater degree of trouble with the law later on.
- No written contract is provided for the client. All contracts ought to be furnished with essential details such as the company’s contact details, a full description of services on offer, a detailed list of services provided, the amount of time before the completion of the assignment, as well as the final bill.
- “Free credit repair services”. Nothing screams fraud more than a company promoting their services for free or offering a cheap ‘credit fix’ or ‘credit help’. The best credit repair services are not usually the cheapest and are never free.
The rule of law is this: any credit repair company is unable to carry out its duties until the client signs a written contract with a three-day cooling-off period without being tied down or pressured to pay the fees involved. Choose one of the best credit repair companies that we reviewed in order to be sure about your choice!
Do credit repair companies really work?
This is an extremely common and yet valid question. Credit repair companies are like lawyers in a courtroom — you can choose to represent yourself (or in this case, an attempt to make things right on your own), but it would be better to have a qualified and experienced professional fight your case on your behalf, helping you see and uncover different viewpoints in the case that will be able to tilt the final judgment in your favor. It really boils down to the kind of company that you decide to have repaired your credit score. With the lack of any kind of long-term contracts to tie our readers down, they are free to walk away from the service at their own whim and fancy if they feel that they no longer need our services.
How much does credit repair cost?
The prices depend on the company you choose to work with. The best credit repair services generally charge between $79 and $100 on a monthly basis. The good thing is that long-term contracts are not available with services like these and that means that clients can cancel the services at any given time without a penalty. Some companies even offer a money-back guarantee if the client is not happy with the results.
What are the consequences of a “bad” credit score?
You can expect a reasonable improvement in your credit score from any of the above credit repair services, although do not expect overnight miracles. Our readers will also remain protected through federal laws that have been specially designed to protect them. In the event where a creditor violates any of the federal laws involved, the creditor will be given a window of opportunity to rectify that mistake, or our client would be on the receiving end of up to $1,000 as part of a compensation package. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is in place that will help ensure consumers’ rights remain protected from any form of illegal collection practices. Their expertise will take care of as many negative items on your credit report as possible, and you will notice a considerable change in a matter of a couple of months. You can reach out to these companies and fix your credit score once and for all.
Does Credit Repair Work?
A legitimate credit repair company will help you remove negative items from your report. It will work ethically and transparently so that you can more easily obtain a car loan, mortgage, or insurance. Credit repair, whether you do it yourself or through a company, can be incredibly useful and improve your financial situation.
How Does Credit Repair Work?
Credit repair is a detailed process that involves following precise steps. Either the individual in question or a professional company can complete the process. Individuals usually handle minor discrepancies that can be easier to fix, while experienced professionals remediate broader issues.
Most companies take a similar approach when it comes to repairing your credit. First, they must acquire your report from one or more of the major bureaus, which are Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
Once they have obtained your report, they look for any errors that are present. Examples of these kinds of errors include:
- Duplicate accounts
- Accounts to which you do not belong
- Inaccurate accounts
- Incorrect inquiries
Any of these inaccuracies can negatively affect your credit score. To get them off of your report, a credit repair company will initiate challenges for every error. When a company submits these errors to a bureau on your behalf, the bureau will review the accuracy of the information provided. If the bureau is unable to verify the information, they must remove or correct the errors present in your report.
Credit repair companies identify and collect the relevant evidence to give you the best chance at getting errors removed. They also will facilitate correspondence with the creditors and bureaus to clean up your report efficiently.
Besides reporting errors, a credit repair company also will recommend other ways to improve your score. This service will vary among companies, but it’s good to know your options. For example, some companies will continuously watch your credit and identify ways you can raise your score as they rise. While some companies offer this type of monitoring, others will provide counseling so that you can effectively manage your credit in the future.
How Long Does It Take to Repair Credit?
The time it takes to repair your credit will vary based on factors, including:
- Your current score
- Your current financial situation
- If you enlist professional service or do it yourself
For example, someone with a few minor errors in their report can repair their credit quickly. However, if you have several intricate errors, it will take a lot longer to improve your credit. There will need to be a lot of correspondence with your creditor or bureau, and this back-and-forth struggle can carry on for an extended period.
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), bureaus must remove or correct errors reported to them within 30 days. However, depending on your situation, the process still may take longer.
Without intervention, negative items take 7 to 10 years to fall off of your report naturally. If you allow these items to build up, they can get in the way of your financial goals.
Expect to see an improvement in your overall score within one to six months. It can take much longer to rebuild your score depending on how many severe errors are in your report.
What Does a Credit Repair Company Do?
A credit repair company will start by requesting a copy of your report from one of the three major bureaus: Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. From there, the company will review your report for negative marks like bankruptcies, charge-offs, and tax liens.
With these negative items identified, the company will create a plan of action for disputing them. The company will have to send a combination of the following documents on your behalf:
- Requests to validate the information
- Cease-and-desist letters to debt collectors
- Letters to dispute erroneous negative items
Depending on the company you choose, it may recommend that you apply for new accounts. While this can increase your score, you should adhere to the company’s advice cautiously. If you have a history of poorly managing your credit, this may not be the best option for you.
What Can a Credit Repair Company Not Do?
While a credit repair company can help improve your financial situation, you should manage your expectations. These kinds of companies are not miracle workers. Some things that they cannot do include:
- Repair your credit overnight: Repairing your score is a time-consuming process, and you need to be aware of this when you recruit a company to help you. If you are in a less-than-ideal financial situation, it can be easy to chase after instantaneous results. The right company will repair your credit efficiently and ethically.
- Promise an increase in your credit: No company should guarantee an increase in your score. If it does, it shouldn’t be by a specific number of points. Also, the company should offer a money-back guarantee if your score does not go up after a predetermined period.
Is Paying for Credit Repair Worth It?
Paying for credit repair services is well worth it if you have complex credit issues. Someone who has multiple errors showing in their report or is dealing with identity theft could benefit from professional help.
The credit repair process is intricate and tedious, so it is best to hire an expert when possible. Allowing a professional to assist with repairing your credit is quicker, more convenient, and often more effective.
Sometimes, individuals take on the credit repair process themselves. While this can be effective, you will likely experience results at a slower rate. If you need improvements on your report within a year to meet your specific financial goals, paying for credit repair is worth it.
Hiring a Credit Repair Agency vs. Doing It Yourself
Repairing your credit yourself can save you some money, but it may be challenging to manage. It requires a significant time investment. Individuals can often handle straightforward claims on their own. However, a repair agency has experience with contacting the right bodies to get negative marks removed.
By hiring an agency, you won’t have to dedicate your time to tasks such as:
- Contacting the appropriate bureau to notify them of the issues on your report
- Identifying the relevant consumer protection laws
- Tracking paperwork and other correspondence
Ultimately, the decision is up to you. Hiring an agency can save you a lot of time in the long run, while doing it yourself will keep some money in your pocket.
Key Tips for Hiring a Credit Repair Company
While there are laws in place to protect individuals, there will be illegitimate or ineffective companies out there. Here are some essential tips to keep in mind when you are hiring a credit repair company:
- Check its BBB reviews: Before you hand over any payment or personal information, check the company’s reviews on the BBB (Better Business Bureau) website. While a company’s presence on the BBB isn’t a definitive indicator of its quality or performance, it serves as a good starting point. You can also consult online reviews of the company on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau complaint database.
- Look for free consultations: Most reputable companies will offer a free consultation. They will walk you through your options and what they can and cannot do for you.
Find a company with a solid track record: Ideally, you should enlist a company with at least five years of experience in the industry. Do your research and ensure that the company you want to go with has never had to shut down for FTC violations. - Inquire about performance warranties: Don’t choose a company that will take your money even if it doesn’t fulfill your needs. Find one that offers a performance warranty, which means that you won’t get charged if it can’t remove a certain number of items from your report.
How to Spot a Credit Repair Scam
Individuals who are in compromised financial situations may look for ways to repair their credit quickly. It can be tempting to turn to the first promising company you come across. However, sometimes these companies’ promises are too good to be true.
From extravagant claims to subtler indicators, here are some telltale signs of a credit repair scam:
- They ask you for money before the company performs its service: Federal law prohibits credit repair companies from charging for its services they have yet to complete.
- You don’t receive a contract: A company should give you a contract that outlines all of the services it will perform you. Also, be wary of an incomplete agreement. A well-written contract should contain information such as the date by which the company will deliver the services and the exact amount they will charge you once they finish.
- The company promises to increase your score by a certain number of points: While credit repair companies can be helpful, they should never promise to improve your score by a certain amount of points. No matter how experienced the company is, it is impossible to predict the exact number of points your score will increase. Be wary of companies that make these outlandish and inaccurate promises.
- The company promises to remove negative items that the claimant accurately reported: All accurate information, even if it is negative, legally needs to show up your report. Some malicious companies will implement unethical tactics to get authentic items removed from your report. When repairing your credit, you should only aim to have incorrect items removed.
Alternatives to Credit Repair Companies
Instead of enlisting the help of traditional repair companies, there are some other ways to improve your credit:
- Take out a credit-building loan: It’s not always rational to take out a loan when you don’t need the money. However, it can be a smart financial move when it comes to improving your score. When you make consistent payments on this kind of loan, you will likely see your score go up by tens if not hundreds of points.
- Buying a Tradeline: Buying a tradeline can be a good alternative if you need to quickly increase your credit score. You can read more about the best tradeline companies.
- Apply for a secured credit card: When you hold this kind of card, you need to set aside some of your own money. This fund will act as payment in the event that you default. It functions like a regular credit card, as you have to meet a minimum amount, and you’ll carry interest from month to month on balances that you don’t pay. The one difference is that the lender has a guarantee to get payment. Using this kind of card is a great way to improve your credit, as it gets reported to the major bureaus. As long as you keep up with your monthly payments, it should positively impact your score.
- Open another credit card account or increase your current limit: Some individuals with a low score may be hesitant to try one of these tips. However, opening another account or expanding your current limit could positively affect your score. As long as you keep your utilization rate low and don’t open too many new accounts, you should notice your score rise.
- Credit repair software: you may want to consider using personal credit repair software as an alternative but this is often not as effective as engaging a legitimate service to undertake the work for you.
Not all of these methods are right for everyone. Consult with a professional before deciding on which one is right for you. In some cases, hiring a traditional credit repair company is the best route to take.
Is Credit Repair Illegal?
Credit repair is not illegal. There are three different acts in place that protect this action and ensure legal compliance:
- FCBA – Fair Credit Billing Act
- FDCPA – Fair Debt Collections Practices Act
- FCRA – Fair Credit Reporting Act
Under these acts, everyone has the legal right to challenge incorrect items in their reports. You can dispute all issues with both individual creditors and credit bureaus.
While this particular service is not illegal, credit repair companies must abide by specific laws. Laws put in place by the federal government and the FCRA bind companies to certain legal obligations.
These types of companies also must follow additional requirements at the state level. For example, most states require them to maintain bonded and insured status. Also, some states require all companies to have a licensed attorney on their team.
Best Credit Repair Services Summary
A detailed review of the 8 best credit repair companies.
Each review was based on our test clients’ experience, results, and speed. Third-party credit score monitoring services were used to measure the impact on the test clients’ credit score.
In short, we recommend using a credit repair service that provides transparent reporting and delivers noticeable improvements in the user’s credit rating.
| Company | Cost | Money Back | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Credit Saint | $79.99/month | 90 days | ★★★★★ |
| 2. Sky Blue Credit Repair | $79.00/month | 90 days | ★★★★★ |
| 3. Pyramid Credit Repair | $99.00/month | 90 days | ★★★★★ |
| 4. Lexington Law | $89.95/month | None | ★★★★ |
| 5. CreditRepair.com | $99.95/month | None | ★★★★ |
| 6. The Credit People | $79.00/month $19/7 day trial | 60 days | ★★★ |
| 7. Ovation Credit Services | $79.00/month | None | ★★★ |
| 8. The Credit Pros | $49.00/month | None | ★★★ |
We arrived at the conclusion that you can’t go wrong with Credit Saint. They provide consistent results, offer transparent pricing, great customer support, and are competitively priced.
Feedback and credit repair reviews on different credit repair companies (including the above-mentioned credit repair agencies) are more than welcome by contacting steven@creditrepairexper.org.
