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What is a Bad Credit Score?

4 min read

Last Updated: January 14, 2026

Table of contents

Key Takeaways

FICO and VantageScore® are the two major credit scoring models. They calculate credit scores differently, but both offer an idea of your creditworthiness. Neither has a “bad” range.
A low credit score may make it difficult to qualify for the financial products you want or get favorable rates.
There are easy things you can do to improve your credit score, like making on-time payments and reducing your credit debt.

Your credit score plays a major role in your financial life. A credit bureau, or credit reporting agency, calculates your score using a credit scoring model (also called an algorithm) that puts a numerical value to your credit history.

In general, these are the factors affecting your credit score:

Payment history
Length of credit history
Credit mix

However, each credit bureau and credit scoring model will assess risk differently, so you might see different numbers and wonder what they mean.

Lenders, including card issuers, look at your credit score to determine your credit rating. Wondering where you stand?

See if You’re Pre-Approved

A low credit score may make opening revolving credit like a credit card account, buying a home, taking out a personal loan, or even renting an apartment more difficult. However, what qualifies as a “bad credit score” depends on your creditor and needs.

Credit score ranges

Lenders use credit scores to predict how likely you are to repay bills on time. Credit score ranges streamline the application and approval process. Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO)¹ and VantageScore^® are two well-known credit scoring agencies. While both companies use a scoring range of 300 to 850, they calculate and categorize scores differently. Both scoring systems use five ranges, but those ranges differ slightly.

As of April 2025, FICO^® lists the average credit score as 715.

Are there good and bad credit score ranges?

Both FICO and VantageScore^® have “good” credit score ranges. FICO^® Scores also have “very good” and “exceptional” ranges, while VantageScore^® calls its highest range “excellent”.

FICO^® Score Ranges		VantageScore^® 4.0 Ranges
Exceptional	800 - 850	Excellent	781 - 850
Very good	740 - 799	Good	661 - 780
Good	670 - 739	Fair	601 - 660
Fair	580 - 669	Poor	500 - 600
Poor	300 - 579	Very poor	300 - 499

However, you’ll notice neither scoring agency has a “bad” credit score range. Lenders may require different credit score ranges for each product, so what credit score will qualify you can vary.

A “fair” or “poor” credit score on the FICO^® Score scale or the “poor” or “very poor” on the VantageScore^® scale may indicate you’re a credit risk to a lender and make it more difficult to reach your financial goals.

Is it bad to check your credit score?

The simple answer is no. It’s a common misconception that checking your credit score hurts your credit; it doesn’t. In fact, it’s good to check your credit to identify increases or decreases in your score.

When you’re aware of changes in your credit score, you might make changes as necessary to improve your credit. Staying on top of your credit score and credit report could help you maintain your financial well-being, especially if you plan to make any significant life changes soon.

What's a bad credit score for you?

While lenders prefer a good credit score, what qualifies as a bad score depends on your needs and situation. Certain credit cards, mortgages, and loans, have stricter score requirements than others and you might need excellent credit to get them. Likewise, some landlords may require specific credit scores for certain units.

The credit scoring model each company uses to check your credit may also affect what qualifies as a bad credit score for you. For example, a 662 credit score would be “fair” under the FICO^® Score model but “good” under the VantageScore^® model.

Lenders may approve you for new credit even if you have a lower credit score. However, you may receive terms with higher interest rates or additional fees. A low credit score may also prevent you from qualifying for certain rewards credit cards.

Did you know?

If you have poor credit, it may be difficult to get a new credit card. That’s where a secured credit card may be able to help. See if a Discover it^® Secured Credit Card is right for you.

Learn More

Can you help a bad credit score?

Yes, you can help a low credit score. If your score isn’t as high as you’d like it to be, a few changes could help:

Pay your credit card bills on time each month and pay the required minimum payment. When possible, pay more than the minimum.
Keep your credit utilization ratio as low as possible. Your credit utilization ratio is the percentage of available credit you’re using. You lower that ratio by paying down your credit card balance or increasing your credit limits.
Take out a new credit card. A new card could increase your credit limit and improve your credit mix. A credit card company may even offer a specific credit card for low credit scores.

The bottom line

While “bad credit” may not have one universal meaning, a low credit score can make it more challenging to meet your financial goals. If you can keep your score in the higher credit score ranges of FICO^® Score and VantageScore^® models, you may find it easier to get approval for the credit you need. If your score slips below those ranges, don’t panic. You could help it over time by taking a few simple steps.