What actually moves your credit score.

Credit scores can feel mysterious, but they come down to five weighted factors. Knowing the weights tells you where to spend your energy.

Payment history (about 35%)

The biggest factor. One on-time payment at a time builds it; a single late payment can set it back. Automate at least the minimum on every account.

Amounts owed / utilization (about 30%)

How much of your available credit you are using. Keeping balances under 30% of your limits—ideally under 10%—is one of the fastest improvements you can make.

Length of credit history (about 15%)

Older accounts help. Keep your oldest cards open and lightly active rather than closing them.

New credit (about 10%) and credit mix (about 10%)

Many new applications in a short window can ding your score, and a healthy mix of account types helps a little. Neither is worth chasing at the expense of the first two factors.

Want to see your own numbers move? Try the Score Simulator and Utilization Calculator in our Credit Academy.