What is the highest credit score in Australia?

On the Equifax scale (the most widely-used in Australia, used by most major banks) the highest possible credit score is 1200. On the Experian and illion scales the highest possible is 1000. Practical reality: scores above 850 (Equifax) or 800 (Experian/illion) are extremely uncommon and require a long, perfect credit history with no defaults, low utilisation, and a healthy mix of credit accounts. The 'excellent' band at Equifax starts at 853, not 1000 â€” so most lenders treat 853+ as effectively maximum for credit decisioning purposes.

What are the Equifax credit score ranges in Australia?

Equifax score bands (0-1200 scale): Below Average 0-459 (one in five Australians), Average 460-660 (one in five Australians), Good 661-734 (one in five Australians), Very Good 735-852 (one in five Australians), Excellent 853-1200 (one in five Australians). The bands are constructed so that approximately 20% of the Australian population falls in each band â€” they are relative rankings, not absolute risk thresholds. The Equifax score is the score most major Australian banks (CommBank, NAB, Westpac, ANZ, Macquarie) pull during credit assessment.

What are the Experian credit score ranges in Australia?

Experian score bands (0-1000 scale): Below Average 0-549, Fair 550-624, Good 625-699, Very Good 700-799, Excellent 800-1000. Experian's market share in Australia is smaller than Equifax â€” many major lenders historically have not used Experian as the primary bureau, though usage is growing. The same applicant can have a meaningfully different Experian score versus Equifax score because each bureau weights account types and recency differently.

What are the illion credit score ranges in Australia?

illion score bands (0-1000 scale): Below Average 0-299, Average 300-499, Good 500-699, Very Good 700-799, Excellent 800-1000. illion (formerly Dun & Bradstreet) is widely used by Australian telcos, utilities, and finance companies â€” particularly for novated lease and car finance assessments. A clean illion score does not guarantee a clean Equifax score and vice versa. Pulling all three bureaus is the only way to know what every lender sees.

What is a good credit score in Australia?

A 'good' credit score in Australia varies by bureau but the practical threshold for mainstream bank lending at standard rates is: Equifax 661 or higher (the 'Good' band starts at 661), Experian 625 or higher, illion 500 or higher. Scores below these thresholds typically require either non-bank specialist lenders (at higher rates) or credit repair to address the underlying negative listings dragging the score down. Most Australian lenders treat the 'Very Good' band (Equifax 735+) as effectively unrestricted access to standard rates and products.

What is the average credit score in Australia?

The Australian average credit score is approximately 700 on the Equifax scale (within the 'Good' band) as at 2026. The national average has trended upward over the past 5 years as Comprehensive Credit Reporting (introduced under the Privacy Act 1988 Part IIIA) became fully operational, allowing positive repayment history to be reported rather than only negative events. Average scores vary by age band, state, and capital city versus regional location â€” see /blog-details/average-credit-score-australia for the full breakdown.

Why is my Equifax score different from my illion score?

Three reasons. (1) Different bureaus receive different data â€” many credit providers report to one or two bureaus, not all three. A default reported to Equifax may not appear on illion at all. (2) Different scoring models â€” each bureau weights factors like credit enquiries, repayment history, and utilisation differently. (3) Different timing â€” bureaus update files at different intervals; a recent change may have hit one bureau but not yet the other. The same person can have a 730 Equifax score and a 580 illion score simultaneously and both can be 'correct'. Always pull all three before any major credit application.

Is a credit score of 950 good in Australia?

On the Equifax scale (0-1200), a credit score of 950 sits in the 'Excellent' band (853-1200) â€” well above the average Australian score of approximately 700. It signals to lenders a very low credit risk and typically opens access to the best available rates on home loans, car finance, and credit cards. On the Experian or illion scales (both 0-1000), 950 is near-maximum and falls in the 'Excellent' band. The practical advantage of moving from 850 to 950 is marginal â€” most lenders treat the 'Excellent' band as a single tier for pricing purposes.

Is a credit score of 800 good in Australia?

On the Equifax scale a credit score of 800 falls within the 'Very Good' band (735-852) â€” well above average and sufficient for approval at virtually all mainstream Australian lenders at standard rates. On the Experian scale 800 is the entry point to the 'Excellent' band. On the illion scale 800 is also the entry point to 'Excellent'. In practical terms, 800 across any bureau is a strong score that lenders treat as low-risk for home loans, car finance, and credit card applications.

Is a credit score of 700 good in Australia?

On the Equifax scale (0-1200), a credit score of 700 sits in the 'Good' band (661-734) â€” at or slightly above the Australian average of approximately 700. Sufficient for approval at most mainstream lenders for standard products. On the Experian scale, 700 is the entry point to the 'Very Good' band (700-799). On the illion scale, 700 is the entry point to the 'Very Good' band. A 700 score qualifies for standard pricing but may not access the very-best promotional rates that 'Excellent' band scorers can negotiate.

Is a credit score of 500 good in Australia?

No â€” on the Equifax scale (0-1200), a credit score of 500 sits in the 'Average' band (460-660). Mainstream banks typically decline applications at this level or require additional security. On the Experian scale (0-1000), 500 falls below the 'Fair' band threshold of 550. On the illion scale, 500 is the entry point to the 'Good' band â€” but illion is less commonly used as the primary credit score by major banks. If your score is at or below 500 on any bureau, you almost certainly have removable negative listings (defaults, judgements) on your file. Free credit assessment to identify them: australiancreditsolutions.com.au.

Is a credit score of 300 bad in Australia?

On the Equifax scale (0-1200), a credit score of 300 sits firmly in the 'Below Average' band (0-459) and almost universally triggers automatic decline at mainstream Australian lenders. The cause is usually at least one unpaid default, sometimes multiple, sometimes accompanied by a court judgement. The fastest path back to mainstream lending is professional credit repair â€” removing incorrectly listed defaults under the Privacy Act 1988 typically lifts the score 100-300 points in 30-90 days on accepted cases. ACS: 98% success rate, No Win No Fee on success-fee component.

Is a credit score of 200 bad in Australia?

Yes â€” on the Equifax scale a credit score of 200 sits deep in the 'Below Average' band (0-459) and signals to lenders multiple negative events on the credit file: typically several unpaid defaults, possibly a court judgement or serious credit infringement, and a thin or negative recent payment history. Almost universally triggers decline at mainstream lenders for any credit product. Recovery path: professional file repair to remove any listings recorded in breach of the Privacy Act 1988, then 6-12 months of clean ongoing credit behaviour to demonstrate improved discipline.

What is the maximum credit score in Australia?

The numerical maximum on the Equifax scale is 1200. On Experian and illion, the maximum is 1000. In practice, the 'Excellent' band at Equifax starts at 853, and most lenders make no distinction between 853 and 1200 â€” both are treated as the lowest credit-risk tier for pricing and approval decisions. Achieving a score above 1100 (Equifax) or 950 (Experian/illion) typically requires 7+ years of perfect repayment history, low utilisation, a healthy mix of credit account types, and no recent enquiries. There is no consumer benefit to chasing the absolute maximum once you are firmly in the 'Excellent' band.

How is the Equifax credit score calculated in Australia?

Equifax uses a proprietary scoring model that considers (in approximate weighting order): repayment history on existing credit accounts (24 months reported under Comprehensive Credit Reporting), public record information (defaults, court judgements, bankruptcies, serious credit infringements), credit enquiries (last 5 years, with recent ones weighted more heavily), credit account mix and age, and current credit utilisation. Equifax does not publish exact weighting formulas. What is verifiable: removing a single unpaid default typically lifts an Equifax score by 100-300 points, far more than any other single change a consumer can make.

How do I check my credit score for free in Australia?

Three free monthly options. CreditSavvy (creditsavvy.com.au) provides free Experian-powered score monitoring. ClearScore (clearscore.com.au) provides free illion-powered score and file monitoring. GetCreditScore (getcreditscore.com.au) provides free Equifax score monitoring. You are also entitled to a free full credit file from each bureau annually (equifax.com.au, experian.com.au, illion.com.au) and an additional free file within 90 days of any credit decline. Always pull all three bureaus â€” your score and file vary between them. None of these checks affect your score (they are 'access seeker' enquiries, not credit applications).

How long does it take to raise my credit score in Australia?

Depends on the cause of the low score. (1) Removing incorrectly listed negative items: 30-90 days under the Privacy Act 1988, typical lift of 100-300 points. Fastest path available. (2) Organic improvement through positive payment history alone: 6-12 months for noticeable lift if no negative listings exist, 12-24+ months if negative listings remain on file. (3) Removing recent credit enquiries that were listed in breach of the Credit Reporting Code: 30-60 days, lift of 20-50 points typical. ACS's free assessment identifies which path applies to your file. See /blog-details/how-to-raise-credit-score-fast-australia.

Does my credit score affect every loan application in Australia?

Yes â€” every licensed Australian credit provider (banks, credit unions, non-bank lenders, telcos, BNPL providers, novated lease providers) is required to consider creditworthiness under the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 responsible lending obligations. The score is one input; lenders also consider income, employment, expenses, and the specific listings on your credit file (which they see in detail, not just the summary score). A clean file with a 'Good' band score is the standard threshold for mainstream rates across all credit products in Australia.

Can credit repair improve my credit score in Australia?

Yes â€” when the cause of your low score is a removable listing on your credit file. Professional credit repair under the Privacy Act 1988 removes defaults, court judgements, serious credit infringements, and (sometimes) credit enquiries where they were recorded in breach of the law. Removing a single unpaid default typically lifts an Equifax score by 100-300 points. Australian Credit Solutions (ASIC ACL 532003) is lawyer-led by Principal Solicitor Elisa Rothschild BA/LLB, removes defaults in 30-90 days on accepted cases with a 98% success rate, and operates on a No Win No Fee structure for the success-fee component. Credit repair cannot improve a low score caused by accurate, lawfully recorded negative information â€” the assessment is free either way.

Credit Score Ranges Australia 2026 (Equifax 0-1200)

Published: May 25, 2026Updated: May 25, 202610 min read

Quick Answer

Australia has three credit bureaus with different score ranges. Equifax: 0-1200 (the highest possible is 1200). Experian: 0-1000. illion: 0-1000. The same person can have three different scores on the same day. Equifax is used by most major banks. The Australian average is approximately 700 on the Equifax scale. Scores above 661 (Equifax 'Good' band) open standard lending at mainstream banks. If your score is below 460 (Equifax 'Below Average'), there is almost certainly a removable listing on your credit file. Australian Credit Solutions (ASIC ACL 532003) removes defaults in 30-90 days, typically lifting Equifax scores by 100-300 points. Free assessment: australiancreditsolutions.com.au.

The Three Australian Credit Bureaus â€” Quick Reference

Australia has three commercial credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and illion. Each maintains its own credit file on every Australian who has used credit, each uses its own scoring model, and each receives data from a partially-overlapping but not identical set of credit providers. The result: the same person can have three different credit scores on the same day, all correct.

Bureau	Score Range	Highest Possible	Most Used By
Equifax	0 â€“ 1200	1200	Major banks (CommBank, NAB, Westpac, ANZ, Macquarie), mortgage lenders
Experian	0 â€“ 1000	1000	Some banks, BNPL providers, growing market share
illion	0 â€“ 1000	1000	Telcos, utilities, novated lease providers, car finance

Equifax Credit Score Ranges (0-1200) â€” The Most Used Score in Australia

Equifax operates the largest credit bureau in Australia. Most major banks pull the Equifax file as the primary credit assessment input. The Equifax score band structure is built so that approximately 20% of the Australian population falls in each band â€” they are relative rankings, not absolute risk scores.

Equifax Band	Score Range	% of Australians	Practical Meaning
Below Average	0 â€“ 459	~20%	Auto-decline at mainstream lenders. Removable listings are very likely the cause.
Average	460 â€“ 660	~20%	Possible at non-bank lenders at higher rates. Often blocked at major banks.
Good	661 â€“ 734	~20%	Standard approval threshold at most major Australian banks.
Very Good	735 â€“ 852	~20%	Strong approval at standard rates across all mainstream products.
Excellent	853 â€“ 1200	~20%	Best available rates, premium products, fastest approvals.

The Equifax average score across Australia in 2026 sits at approximately 700 â€” within the 'Good' band. For most practical purposes, anything from 661 upwards qualifies for mainstream lending at standard rates. The difference between 853 and 1200 is largely cosmetic for credit decisioning.

In the Below-Average or Average Band?

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Experian Credit Score Ranges (0-1000)

Experian is the smaller of the two Anglo-Australian bureaus but is growing in market share, particularly with BNPL providers and some banks. The Experian score band structure:

Experian Band	Score Range	Practical Meaning
Below Average	0 â€“ 549	Decline at mainstream lenders likely.
Fair	550 â€“ 624	Specialist lenders only at most products.
Good	625 â€“ 699	Mainstream lending threshold for Experian-using lenders.
Very Good	700 â€“ 799	Strong approval at standard rates.
Excellent	800 â€“ 1000	Best available rates, premium products.

illion Credit Score Ranges (0-1000)

illion (formerly Dun & Bradstreet Australia) is the third Australian credit bureau, widely used by telcos, utilities, novated lease providers, and finance companies in the consumer credit space. The illion score band structure:

illion Band	Score Range	Practical Meaning
Below Average	0 â€“ 299	Auto-decline at telcos, utilities, and finance providers.
Average	300 â€“ 499	Limited approval, specialist providers only.
Good	500 â€“ 699	Mainstream telco and finance approval typical.
Very Good	700 â€“ 799	Strong approval, standard rates.
Excellent	800 â€“ 1000	Best available rates and premium product access.

Why the Three Bureaus Give Different Scores for the Same Person

A single Australian consumer often has materially different scores across the three bureaus. Three reasons:

Different data inputs. Not every credit provider reports to every bureau. A default reported to Equifax may not appear on illion at all. A credit card account reported to illion may not appear on Experian. The bureaus build different pictures of the same person.
Different scoring models. Each bureau weights factors differently â€” recency of enquiries, mix of credit account types, utilisation, and repayment history are all weighted slightly differently across bureaus. Even with identical data, the scores would differ.
Different update timing. Bureaus refresh their files at different intervals. A change made today may appear on Equifax within 24 hours but take 2 weeks to appear on illion.

Always pull all three bureaus before any major credit application. The lender will pull whichever bureau they use as primary â€” usually Equifax for a home loan, illion for a novated lease, sometimes Experian for a BNPL. The bureau you skipped is the one that may have the unexpected listing.

What to Do If Your Score Is Below the 'Good' Band on Any Bureau

If your score is below 661 (Equifax) / 625 (Experian) / 500 (illion), the cause is almost certainly one of three things:

An unpaid default or court judgement on your file. Single biggest cause of low scores. Removable under the Privacy Act 1988 if recorded in breach of the law (wrong address for the Section 21D notice, account during a dispute, wrong amount, fraudulent account). 30-90 day typical resolution time on accepted cases. Average score lift: 100-300 points.
Multiple recent credit enquiries. More than 3-4 in 6 months signals credit stress and reduces the score by 5-15 points per enquiry. Some enquiries can be removed if listed in breach of the Credit Reporting Code.
Thin or negative recent payment history. Comprehensive Credit Reporting (Privacy Act 1988 Part IIIA) reports 24 months of monthly payment status. Missed payments visible for 2 years. Solution is time + perfect ongoing payment behaviour â€” but addressing the listings first is much faster than waiting out the history.

Find Out Which Listings Are Removable on Your File

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How to Check Your Score on Each Bureau (Free)

Equifax score: Free monthly via getcreditscore.com.au or via your bank app if it integrates Equifax. Full annual file free at equifax.com.au.
Experian score: Free monthly via creditsavvy.com.au. Full annual file free at experian.com.au.
illion score: Free monthly via clearscore.com.au. Full annual file free at illion.com.au.

All of these are 'access seeker' checks â€” they do NOT affect your score. You are also entitled to an additional free full file from any bureau within 90 days of being declined for credit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Australia has three credit bureaus, each with its own scale. Equifax uses a 0 to 1200 range (the highest score is 1200). Experian uses a 0 to 1000 range. illion uses a 0 to 1000 range. Each bureau also defines band labels (Below Average, Average, Good, Very Good, Excellent) with slightly different cut-offs. The same person can have three different scores on the same day because each bureau uses different data sources and scoring models â€” telco accounts and BNPL are weighted differently across bureaus, and not every credit provider reports to every bureau.

✓ This article was legally reviewed by Elisa Rothschild BA/LLB before publication

Elisa Rothschild

(BA/LLB)

Principal Solicitor & Director · Australian Credit Solutions · Fogarty Oliver & Rothschild

Elisa Rothschild is the Principal Solicitor and Director of Australian Credit Solutions (ASIC ACL 532003), a credit repair subsidiary of Fogarty Oliver and Rothschild, Solicitors & Legal Consultants. Elisa holds a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Monash University and has practised in credit law, consumer finance, and debt negotiation for over 10 years.

Since founding ACS in 2014, Elisa has overseen the removal of defaults, court judgments, and credit enquiries from the files of more than 5,000 Australians. Her team operates under Australia's Privacy Act 1988 and Credit Reporting Code, with the legal authority to challenge non-compliant credit listings. ACS has won the Industry Excellence Award five consecutive years: 2022–2026.

Elisa's team has achieved 976+ verified 5-star reviews on ProductReview.com.au

BA/LLB — Monash UniversityASIC ACL 532003Award Winner 2022–2025AFCA MemberPrivacy Act 1988 Specialist

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