Credit Karma vs Experian
Updated November 2026 · AppBreakup editorial
Credit Karma
Free US credit score app that also matches you with cards, loans, insurance and a no-fee bank account.
Experian
Credit bureau app with a free Experian credit report, FICO Score and paid identity protection.
The short answer
Credit Karma suits US consumers who want free credit monitoring bundled with card and loan shopping, a no-fee bank account and free federal tax filing. Experian suits people who specifically want their free Experian report and a FICO Score 8, plus optional paid three-bureau monitoring and identity theft insurance. The biggest difference: Credit Karma is free throughout and paid by partners, while Experian keeps its fullest protection behind a subscription.
Credit Karma or Experian: our take
Credit Karma, owned by Intuit, started in 2007 as a free credit score site and has become a wide personal finance app. Alongside scores, reports and monitoring alerts, it recommends credit cards, personal loans, refinancing and insurance, showing estimated Approval Odds before you apply, and it works with 30+ lenders. It also offers a banking account with no monthly fees, a credit-building feature called Credit Spark, identity monitoring and free federal tax filing, with state returns costing $15. Everything else is free because lenders and insurers pay Credit Karma when you pick their products, so the feed is full of offers, and Approval Odds remain estimates.
Experian is one of the three US credit bureaus, and its app gives you your own Experian credit report and a FICO Score 8 free, with no credit card required. FICO Score 8 is a model many lenders recognise, which matters if you are preparing for a mortgage or loan. Free members also get Experian Boost, which can add on-time utility, phone and streaming payments to the Experian file, and a dark web scan. The free side covers Experian data only. Paid plans add monitoring of Equifax and TransUnion, identity alerts, restoration help and identity theft insurance of up to $1 million, at $24.99/month after a 7-day trial that needs a card. Its free tier also carries card and loan offers.
Both run on the web, iPhone and Android, and both are US only. Pick Credit Karma if you want a free all-round finance hub where credit monitoring sits next to product shopping, banking and tax filing. Pick Experian if you want a FICO Score straight from a bureau, a way to raise your Experian file with Boost, or are willing to pay for three-bureau monitoring and insurance. Many people use both, since each shows a different slice of their credit picture.
Which should you pick?
Choose Credit Karma if…
- US consumers who want free credit monitoring plus card and loan offers matched to their profile
- Free credit scores, reports and monitoring alerts
- Shows estimated Approval Odds before you apply for cards and loans
Choose Experian if…
- US consumers who want their Experian report and FICO Score free, with optional paid identity protection
- Free Experian credit report and FICO Score 8, no card required
- Experian Boost can add utility and phone bills to your file
About each app
What is Credit Karma?
Credit Karma, owned by Intuit, began in 2007 as a free way to check your credit score and has grown into a broad personal finance app. You get free scores and reports with monitoring alerts, then the app suggests credit cards, personal loans, auto and home refinancing, and insurance quotes, showing estimated Approval Odds before you apply. It also offers a checking-style account with no monthly fees, a credit-building feature called Credit Spark, identity monitoring, and free federal tax filing through Credit Karma Tax. The service costs nothing to use: Credit Karma is paid by the lenders and insurers whose products you pick, so expect plenty of offers in the feed. It is aimed at people in the US who want to keep an eye on their credit and shop for financial products in one place, and runs on the web and on iPhone and Android apps.
What is Experian?
Experian is one of the three major US credit bureaus, and its consumer site and app let people see their own Experian credit report and a FICO Score 8 for free, without a credit card. Free members also get Experian Boost, which can add on-time utility, phone and streaming payments to their Experian file, plus a dark web scan and offers for credit cards and loans matched to their profile. Paid memberships (Experian Plus and Premium) add three-bureau credit monitoring covering Equifax and TransUnion too, identity monitoring and alerts, help restoring a stolen identity, and identity theft insurance of up to $1 million; they start with a short free trial that needs a card. It suits US consumers who want to watch their credit before applying for a mortgage, loan or card. Keep in mind that the free score reflects only Experian's data, lenders may use a different score model, and the free tier carries product offers.
Side by side
| Attribute | Credit Karma | Experian |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan + paid |
| Open source | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android |
| Best for | US consumers who want free credit monitoring plus card and loan offers matched to their profile | US consumers who want their Experian report and FICO Score free, with optional paid identity protection |
| Status | Active | Active |
Credit Karma vs Experian pricing
Credit Karma: free
We couldn't verify Credit Karma's plan details on its own site yet, so we don't list them.
Experian: free plan + paid
- Free credit report and score: Yes, no credit card required source
- Paid plan: $24.99/month after a 7-day trial source
- Premium plan: $24.99 a month after a 7-day free trial source
- Free trial: 7 days, credit card required source
Platforms
| Platform | Credit Karma | Experian |
|---|---|---|
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android |
Credit Karma facts
5 of 5 verified- Founded
- 2007
- Checked Nov 8, 2026creditkarma.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “About Intuit Credit Karma What started in 2007 as the original destination for free credit scores”
- Members
- 140 million+
- Checked Nov 8, 2026creditkarma.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “more than 140 million members manage their money.”
- Tax filing
- Free federal, $15 state
- Checked Nov 8, 2026creditkarma.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “See my score Free federal filing File your federal taxes for $0 with Free Credit Karma Tax. Every IRS form is included, and state filing is just $15.”
- Banking fees
- No monthly fees
- Checked Nov 8, 2026creditkarma.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “keep all of it with no monthly fees**, no minimums”
- Lender offers
- 30+ lenders
- Checked Nov 8, 2026creditkarma.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “See my offers Find the rate that's right for you Rate estimates from 30+ lenders, personalized to your profile and visible before you apply.”
Experian facts
7 of 7 verified- Free credit report and score
- Yes, no credit card required
- Checked Nov 8, 2026experian.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “boost your FICO ® Score instantly, for free. ø Get started No credit card required * Credit score calculated based on FICO ® Score 8 model.”
- Score model
- FICO Score 8
- Checked Nov 8, 2026experian.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Credit score calculated based on FICO ® Score 8 model.”
- Paid plan
- $24.99/month after a 7-day trial
- Checked Nov 8, 2026experian.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “※ Start for free Compare plans Free for 7 days, then just $24.99 /month”
- Identity theft insurance
- Up to $1 million
- Checked Nov 8, 2026experian.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “fraud resolution that includes up to $1 million ID theft insurance.”
- 3-bureau monitoring
- Paid plans
- Checked Nov 8, 2026experian.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “3-Bureau credit monitoring Detect changes across all three credit bureaus – Experian, TransUnion ® , and Equifax ® .”
- Premium plan
- $24.99 a month after a 7-day free trial
- Checked Nov 8, 2026experian.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “※ Start for free Compare plans Free for 7 days, then just $24.99 /month”
- Free trial
- 7 days, credit card required
- Checked Nov 8, 2026experian.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “credit card is required to start your free 7-day trial membership ‡ in Experian ® Plus or Experian ® Premium.”
Pros and cons of Credit Karma
- Free credit scores, reports and monitoring alerts
- Shows estimated Approval Odds before you apply for cards and loans
- Free federal tax filing built in
- Banking account with no monthly fees or minimums
- Paid by partners, so the app is full of product offers
- Approval Odds are estimates, not a guarantee of approval
- State tax filing costs extra
Pros and cons of Experian
- Free Experian credit report and FICO Score 8, no card required
- Experian Boost can add utility and phone bills to your file
- Paid plans cover all three bureaus and include ID theft insurance
- Free tier covers Experian data only, not Equifax or TransUnion
- Paid trial needs a credit card and rolls into a monthly plan
- Free experience includes card and loan offers
- US only
Other apps to consider
Rocket MoneyInstead of Credit Karma
Budgeting and subscription cancelling app that also tracks your credit score in one place.
BankrateInstead of Credit Karma
Focuses on comparing current mortgage, savings, CD and loan rates across hundreds of US lenders.
ClearScoreInstead of Credit Karma
Free credit report and pre-checked loan offers, with local versions in the UK, Australia, Canada and South Africa.
AuraInstead of Experian
All-in-one identity protection with credit monitoring, antivirus, VPN and family plans in one subscription.
Credit Karma vs Experian: common questions
Is Credit Karma better than Experian?
Credit Karma suits US consumers who want free credit monitoring bundled with card and loan shopping, a no-fee bank account and free federal tax filing. Experian suits people who specifically want their free Experian report and a FICO Score 8, plus optional paid three-bureau monitoring and identity theft insurance. The biggest difference: Credit Karma is free throughout and paid by partners, while Experian keeps its fullest protection behind a subscription.
Is Credit Karma free?
Yes, Credit Karma is free.
Is Experian free?
Experian has a free plan, with paid plans for more features. See its verified pricing facts above for current limits.
Is Credit Karma or Experian open source?
Neither is open source.
Which platforms do Credit Karma and Experian support?
Credit Karma: Web, iOS and Android. Experian: Web, iOS and Android.