Before You Act, See the Score Impact: Model Credit Changes Instantly
ScoreLift uses published FICO factor weights to estimate how each credit action shifts your score — with a confidence rating on every estimate and honest caveats about what models cannot predict.
Your information never leaves your browser. All calculations are done locally.
Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate are credit score simulators?
All credit score simulators — including those offered by FICO and the bureaus — provide estimates, not guarantees. Your actual score depends on your full credit profile, which version of FICO or VantageScore the lender uses, and the precise timing of when changes are reported. ScoreLift is transparent about confidence levels and always shows a range rather than a single number to reflect this uncertainty.
What are the five FICO score factors?
FICO scores weigh five factors: Payment history (35%) — whether you pay on time; Amounts owed (30%) — primarily your utilization ratio; Length of credit history (15%) — average age of accounts; New credit (10%) — recent hard inquiries and new accounts; Credit mix (10%) — variety of account types. ScoreLift models the three highest-weight factors where published data supports estimation.
Does opening a new credit card hurt my score?
Short-term, yes — typically 5–10 points from the hard inquiry, plus a small reduction in average account age. Long-term, a new card can improve your score by increasing your total available credit (reducing utilization) and diversifying your credit mix. The net effect depends on your existing profile. Someone with thin credit may see a different outcome than someone with many established accounts.
How much does a late payment hurt my credit score?
A single late payment can drop a score by 60–110 points, depending on your starting score (higher scores experience larger absolute drops), how late the payment is (30, 60, or 90+ days), and how recently it occurred. Payment history is 35% of your FICO score. The good news: on-time payments following a late mark progressively reduce its impact over 12–24 months, and it falls off entirely after 7 years.