How To Build Your Business Credit History Fast: 6 Easy Steps
No strings attached. No impact to your score.
Your business credit score is more than just a number — knowing it can help you understand where you stand and help you plan your next move. Whether you're planning for growth, applying for funding or simply staying prepared, knowing your score gives you a clearer picture of your business’s financial health.
Understanding your score can help you:
Secure business funding. A good business credit score can make it easier to qualify for small business funding like a term loan or line of credit.
Get better terms from vendors. A strong score may lead to lower interest rates, better payment terms or higher credit limits with suppliers — saving you money and improving your cash flow.
Lower your insurance premiums. Some insurance companies consider your business credit score when setting rates. A stronger score may help reduce your premiums over time.
Catch fraud. Monitoring your score helps you spot inaccuracies, outdated information, or suspicious activity, such as identity theft, early.
Knowing your score puts you in control. It can help small business owners plan ahead, identify growth opportunities and position your business for success.
Each of the business credit bureaus uses their own unique scale — so there’s not an agreed-upon number that is a “good” business credit score. Generally, a higher score signifies a lower credit risk, which can be a big benefit for your business.
To get your free business credit score all you need to do is fill out the form at the top of the page with some business information like company name, address and time in business. We’ll use that information to get your business credit score from our partner, Equifax. Within a few days, we’ll send you an email with your score. There’s no cost and no need to create an account or apply for a loan.
No, checking your own business credit score won’t affect the score because it does not constitute an inquiry.
A business credit score is a number that shows how your business handles credit. It can help you get a better idea of how third parties view your business’s overall financial stability. It’s based on things like paying your bills on time, how much debt you carry and how long you’ve been in business.
Lenders, vendors, potential partners and investors may use it to determine your business’s creditworthiness and see if they want to work with you — and on what terms.
Business credit scores show your business’s creditworthiness — or, in simple terms, how likely your company is to pay back what it owes. They’re based on your business credit history which includes things like payment history, any liens or public records, how much you owe and your business’s overall credit activity.
There are three major business credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian and Dun & Bradstreet. They gather all your credit information to create a business credit profile. Lenders can use your business credit report and score to decide if you meet their eligibility requirements and under what terms they’ll lend to you. A good credit score can help you secure lower interest rates and larger business loan amounts.
A personal credit score only reflects your personal credit history, it’s affected by things like your personal credit card, car loan or mortgage. On the other hand, your business credit score reflects your business’s credit history — only business accounts taken out in your company’s name will affect it. Beyond your scores, there are several differences between personal and business credit. While lenders may consider both, a good business credit score can take some of the pressure off your personal score.
Yes, many lenders can use your business credit score to assess your eligibility for things like small business loans, credit cards and lines of credit. A strong score can help show that you are low risk and can help improve your chances of getting approved with better terms.
Business credit scores are made up of several different factors, but the suggestions below may help improve your score.
Building a strong business credit score starts with establishing your credit profile with the business credit bureaus and making sure your business information is complete and accurate.
From there, it can help to open tradelines by getting credit accounts with vendors or lenders that report to these bureaus. Business credit cards, lines of credit or small business loans can also help build your business credit history, as long as you make on-time payments and the lender reports your payment activity.
Maintain good credit habits by paying bills on time and keeping credit utilization low — this can help keep your credit file clear from delinquencies and liens. The age of your business and your industry’s risk level can also factor into your score. Newer businesses or those in riskier sectors may see lower scores initially.
Keep track of your progress by checking your score regularly — credit monitoring can help you catch and fix mistakes and fraud early.
You should receive an email from us within a few business days.
Applying with OnDeck won’t affect your business credit score. Why wait? Get started today.
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