700 Credit Score: Where It Sits, What It Can Get You, and the Next Step Up

A 700 credit score is a good score. It lands in the middle of FICO’s good range, 670 to 739 [1], and inside VantageScore’s prime tier, 661 to 780 [2].

In practice, that means most lenders will see you as a reasonable risk [3]. It also means there’s a tier above you. The very good FICO range starts at 740 [1], and the best terms are often reserved for borrowers further up the scale. This guide covers what a 700 typically opens up, what can still hold you back, and what helps you climb.

What a 700 tends to qualify for

There’s no rate sheet that applies everywhere, because every lender draws its own lines [3]. But the score bands give a fair sense of where you stand.

• Credit cards. VantageScore says prime borrowers should have little trouble getting approved for loans or credit lines [2]. Cards with the richest rewards or lowest rates may still want a higher score or more history.
• Car loans. You’re likely to be approved by many lenders. Your rate depends on the lender, the loan term and the car, so comparing offers matters more than the score alone.
• Mortgages. A 700 is well above the floor for government-backed loans. FHA, for example, allows its maximum financing at a minimum decision credit score of 580 or higher [4]. Conventional lenders set their own standards, and price differences between 700 and the 740-plus range can add up over a 30-year loan.
• Renting. Landlords use credit scores to screen tenants [5]. A 700 usually isn’t the obstacle; income and rental history often matter as much.

Things a 700 score doesn’t show

Your score is built only from your credit reports [5]. A lender deciding on a big loan will look at more than that number. Common examples are your income, how much of it already goes to debt payments, your savings, and the size of any down payment. Two people with the same 700 can get different answers if those details differ.

Your score also isn’t one fixed number. The CFPB notes that you have several scores, which vary with the model, the bureau’s data and the date they’re calculated [5]. So a 700 in one app and a slightly different number somewhere else can both be accurate.

Where your points come from

To move up from 700, it helps to know what the models weigh most.

VantageScore 4.0 puts even more on payments: 41% for payment history, with credit utilization and depth of credit at 20% each [2].

So the two biggest levers in both models are the same: paying on time and how much of your available credit you’re using.

Habits that help you climb toward 740

There’s no shortcut, and no one can tell you how many points a change will be worth. These are the habits the CFPB points to [6]:

Keep card balances well under your limits. Utilization is a big piece of the score. Many experts recommend staying under 30% of your total limit, and the CFPB says people with the highest scores often use less than 10% [6].

Never miss a due date. Repayment history is the number one factor for most scores [6]. Autopay for at least the minimum is a simple safeguard.

Hold off on new applications. Opening several accounts in a short stretch can read as financial strain [6]. If a mortgage or car loan is coming, it’s usually wise to avoid new cards in the months before.

Let your history age. Scores reward a longer track record of on-time payments [6]. The CFPB also suggests watching unused accounts so an identity thief can’t use them unnoticed [6].

Pay in full when you can. You don’t need to carry a balance or pay interest to build a good score [6].

Check for errors before a big application

A mistake in your credit report, like a late payment you didn’t make or an account that isn’t yours, can quietly hold down a 700. You can get free reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion every week at AnnualCreditReport.com [7].

If you find an error, dispute it in writing with the bureau and with the company that reported it [8]. The bureau has to investigate free of charge, and in most cases finish within 30 days of receiving your dispute [9]. If the problem isn’t fixed, you can file a complaint with the CFPB [8].

Accurate information is different. If a late payment from two years ago is correct, a dispute won’t remove it, and no company can legally take it off your report [10]. Its effect fades as it ages and as you add on-time payments.

Can credit repair help at 700?

It can, if an error is what’s keeping you out of the next tier. A credit repair company reviews all three reports, spots items that may be inaccurate, incomplete, outdated or unverifiable, and files and tracks disputes with the bureaus and with the companies that reported them, following up on each investigation deadline. That saves you time and keeps the process organized while you keep paying on time and lowering balances. You can file disputes yourself; a company handles the work and the follow-up for you.

Federal law sets clear protections that reputable companies follow. The company can’t take payment until it has performed the services it promised [11], has to give you a written contract with the services, total cost and timeline [12], and you can cancel within three business days without penalty [12].

If your score is lower than you expected, our guide What Is a Good Credit Score? FICO and VantageScore Ranges Side by Side walks through both scales in full.