What's Length of Credit History?
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What is a Bad Credit Score?
4 min read
Last Updated: January 14, 2026
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.
| 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 |
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