How to Check Your Credit Score for Free in Australia (2026 Guide)

You're Not Alone If You've Been Avoiding This

Maybe you've been putting it off for months. Maybe years. That quiet dread sitting in your stomach every time someone mentions credit scores — you know you should check, but you're terrified of what you'll find. What if there are defaults you didn't know about? What if your score is so low you can't get approved for anything?

I hear this every single day. People who've been too afraid to look at their own credit file, convinced that ignorance is somehow safer than knowing. But here's what I've learned after helping thousands of Australians with their credit: the not knowing is always worse than the knowing.

Your credit file isn't a judgement on you as a person. It's a document — one that's often riddled with errors, outdated information and listings that shouldn't be there. And you have every legal right to see it, for free, whenever you want.

Your Legal Right to a Free Credit Report

Under the Privacy Act 1988 (specifically Part IIIA, Division 2), every Australian is entitled to request a free copy of their credit reporting information from each credit bureau once every three months. This isn't a marketing gimmick or a limited-time offer. It's federal law.

The credit bureaus are legally obligated to provide your report within 10 business days of receiving your request. If they refuse or delay beyond that timeframe, they're in breach of the Act and you can lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

You don't need to provide a reason for requesting your file. You don't need to be applying for a loan. You simply have the right to know what information is being held about you — and who's been looking at it.

Australia's Three Credit Bureaus Explained

Australia has three credit reporting bureaus, and each one operates independently. Different lenders report to different bureaus, which means your credit file can look quite different depending on which one you check. That's why checking all three is essential.

Equifax (formerly Veda)

Equifax is the largest and most widely used credit bureau in Australia. Most major banks and lenders check Equifax when you apply for finance. Your Equifax file will typically have the most comprehensive record of your credit activity.

Experian (via CreditSavvy)

Experian is the second-largest bureau and has been growing its presence with Australian lenders. Their free consumer platform, CreditSavvy, gives you ongoing access to your Experian credit score and report. Many buy-now-pay-later providers and smaller lenders report to Experian.

Illion (via CreditSimple)

Illion (formerly Dun & Bradstreet) rounds out the trio. Their free platform, CreditSimple, provides access to your Illion credit score. Some lenders — particularly those in the telco and utility space — report exclusively to Illion.

Step-by-Step: How to Check Your Credit Score for Free

Checking Your Equifax Credit File

1. Visit the Equifax website and navigate to "Get your free credit report"
2. Complete the online identity verification form with your full name, date of birth, current address and one previous address
3. Provide a valid form of ID (driver's licence or passport number)
4. Submit your request — you'll receive your report by email or post within 10 business days

Alternatively, you can create a free Equifax account for instant online access to your score and a summary of your credit file.

Checking Your Experian Credit File

1. Go to CreditSavvy.com.au and create a free account
2. Verify your identity using the online prompts
3. Once verified, you'll have instant access to your Experian credit score and a detailed breakdown of your file

CreditSavvy also sends monthly email updates when your score changes, which is useful for ongoing monitoring.

Checking Your Illion Credit File

1. Visit CreditSimple.com.au and sign up for a free account
2. Complete the identity verification process
3. Access your Illion credit score and report instantly

CreditSimple provides a clear dashboard showing your score, open accounts and any negative listings.

Three Myths That Stop People From Checking

Myth 1: Checking Your Score Damages It

This is the most common misconception, and it stops thousands of Australians from ever looking at their own file. The truth? When you check your own credit score, it's recorded as a "soft enquiry." Soft enquiries are completely invisible to lenders and have zero impact on your score.

It's only "hard enquiries" — when a lender checks your file because you've applied for credit — that can affect your score. You can check your own file every single day without any negative consequence.

Myth 2: Free Credit Check Sites Are Scams

The bureau-affiliated platforms — Equifax's own portal, CreditSavvy (Experian) and CreditSimple (Illion) — are completely legitimate. They're operated by or directly partnered with the credit bureaus themselves.

Where you need to be careful is with third-party sites that offer a "free score" but bury a paid subscription in their terms and conditions. Stick with the three platforms above and you won't have any issues.

Myth 3: All Bureaus Show the Same Score

Your score will almost certainly be different on each bureau. Each one uses its own scoring algorithm, and different lenders report to different bureaus. You might have a score of 750 on Equifax and 680 on Experian — and both can be accurate based on the data each bureau holds.

This is exactly why checking only one bureau gives you an incomplete picture. A lender who checks a different bureau to the one you've been monitoring could see a very different story.

What to Look For on Your Credit File

Once you've got your reports in front of you, here's what to review carefully:

Personal Details

Check that your name, date of birth and addresses are correct. Wrong addresses can indicate identity fraud or that someone else's information has been mixed with yours. Even a misspelled name can cause issues with future credit applications.

Credit Enquiries

Look at every credit enquiry listed. Do you recognise each one? An enquiry you didn't authorise could mean someone has applied for credit in your name. Multiple enquiries in a short period — even legitimate ones — can drag your score down.

Defaults and Negative Listings

This is the section that matters most. Defaults, court judgements, serious credit infringements — these are the listings that can block you from getting finance. Check that any negative listing is accurate: the amount, the date, and whether you actually received the required notices before the default was listed.

Repayment History

Under comprehensive credit reporting, your file now shows whether you've been making payments on time for each account. A single late payment that was recorded incorrectly can affect your score for up to two years.

What to Do If You Find Errors

Errors on credit files are more common than most people realise. If you find something that doesn't look right, you have clear legal rights under the Privacy Act 1988 to get it fixed.

Your Dispute Rights

• You can dispute any listing directly with the credit bureau or the credit provider who listed it
• Under Section 20T of the Privacy Act, the bureau or provider must investigate your dispute within 30 days
• If the listing is found to be inaccurate, misleading or improperly listed, it must be corrected or removed
• If the provider fails to respond within 30 days, you can escalate to the OAIC or the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA)

Real Scenario: How One Check Changed Everything

A client came to us last year who'd been knocked back for a home loan. She'd never checked her credit file before — she assumed it was fine because she'd always paid her bills on time.

When we pulled her files from all three bureaus, we found two defaults she didn't know about. One was from a telco account that had been opened in her name fraudulently. The other was a utility bill from a rental property where the landlord had failed to transfer the account out of her name after she moved out.

Neither default was valid. We had both removed within five weeks. She got her home loan approved the following month. If she'd checked her credit file six months earlier, she could have saved herself the heartbreak of that initial rejection.

What to Do Next

Checking your credit score is the first step. Here's how to turn that knowledge into action:

1. Check all three bureaus — Don't just pick one. Request your file from Equifax, Experian and Illion so you have the complete picture.
2. Review every listing carefully — Look at personal details, enquiries, defaults and repayment history. If anything looks wrong, flag it.
3. Get a professional credit report analysis — If you're not sure what you're looking at, our team can review your files for free and explain exactly what each listing means.
4. Dispute any errors — If we identify invalid listings, we handle the entire dispute process on your behalf under the Privacy Act 1988.
5. Build positive credit habits — Once your file is clean, keep it that way with our credit score improvement strategies.

The worst thing you can do is nothing. Every day you don't check is another day a potential error sits on your file unchallenged — blocking you from the finance you deserve.

Key Stat: We have a 98% success rate when we take on cases — because we only accept cases where we've identified legitimate grounds to challenge the listing.

Elisa Rothschild

(BA/LLB)

Principal Solicitor & Director

With over 12 years of experience in credit law, Elisa has helped thousands of Australians remove unfair credit listings and rebuild their financial futures. She leads Australian Credit Solutions' legal team with a focus on consumer advocacy and regulatory compliance.

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