Best Business Credit Report Service

We tested and reviewed the top players among the various business credit reporting tools on the market.

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For us, FairFigure wins by a decent margin thanks to its user-friendly dashboard, in-depth data, and credit-building tradelines.

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However, depending on your preferences, you may find an alternative provider more advantageous.

Best Business Credit Report Services Compared

1. FairFigure Business Credit Report Service

FairFigure stands out for how user-friendly it is, as well as the tools provided to help you build a better credit profile.

The FairFigure Foundation report displays tri-bureau scores (D&B, Equifax, and CreditSafe). Plus, it includes other data like your payment history and use of credit, so you can easily understand how much of a risk your business poses to lenders.

Paid services include real-time credit monitoring, where you can compare your business information with the Secretary of State data to find and rectify any discrepancies.

We also like the Unify tool, which scans report data from the three major bureaus (plus the Foundation report). This flags any credit account discrepancies, like delinquencies or incorrect classification codes, allowing you to take action. 

And you can check the net-30 vendors to see which are reporting and if the data is accurate.

But what we really appreciate are the tangible ways that FairFigure gives you to actually improve your business credit score. 

First, the FairFigure subscription acts as a tradeline to help raise your score. 

Additionally, you apply for the FairFigure Capital Card. This business credit card gets you a second tradeline while unlocking extra funds.

‍FairFigure Lift acts like a business loan. You repay over 4 - 8 weeks, and the payments also get reported as a tradeline.

It’s also worth pointing out that both funding options are EIN-only and don’t involve a personal credit check.

The FairFigure Foundation report and basic monitoring are free. To access all features and tradelines, it’s an affordable $35/month.

2. Experian Business Credit Reports

Credit bureau Experian offers another user-friendly way to check scores. However, keep in mind that the tool relies on its own data and isn’t tri-bureau.

While it’s a shame a free report isn’t offered, the paid reports are well worth the investment because you get Intelliscore Plus. This powerful scoring model predicts how likely you are to suffer a serious delinquency within the next 12 months.

The report also gives you information on any judgments, tax liens, family linkage, and much more. And you get tips on how to improve your score or credit terms.

You can also compare your Experian data to other businesses within your industry. This feature allows you to see whether or not your risk levels are typical for the industry or if they need improving.

Additionally, Experian reports are widely used by banks and vendors to check creditworthiness. So you can check if you're likely to be approved for a credit card, startup financing, or a business loan.

Another useful aspect of Experian is the ability to run reports on other businesses. This allows you to check if potential partners are creditworthy and reliable before you work with them.

Depending on the level of detail you want, the CreditScore report costs $49.95, while the more comprehensive ProfilePlus report is $59.95.

However, if you prefer, you can pay $199/year to include daily report monitoring with inquiry alerts, allowing you to keep on top of your business credit score in real time.

3. Dun & Bradstreet Business Credit Reports

If you rely on the D-U-N-S number and PAYDEX score provided by this major business credit bureau, then this report will serve you best.

While you won’t get tri-bureau scores, you will get deep insight into your D&B credit rating. Plus, various other scores, including the Failure score, Delinquency Predictor, and Supplier Evaluation Risk. 

The free report is generous and includes the above scores, a summary of legal events and payments, any credit inquiries, and alerts for when new ones are made.

However, the paid Basic Credit Insights plan (from $49/month) gets you granular insights along with proper credit monitoring tools.

For instance, it includes the Maximum Credit Recommendation, which details the highest amount of credit that a lender can safely extend to your business.

It also draws on past data to reveal credit score trends. And it includes historical data, allowing you to identify and address potential issues. D&B also lets you compare your scores with industry standards to determine where you stand.

This, is in addition to real-time information and automated alerts that inform you when ratings change, allowing you to respond accordingly.

If you want to go all in on features, the Credit Insights Plus plan (from $149/month) supports strategic credit decisions by benchmarking your business against five competitors. 

Plus, you can see precisely who is requesting your business information, so you can identify where new opportunities might lie.

In all, this is undoubtedly the most comprehensive report for D&B score data, giving you a level of detail that tri-bureau reports can’t match.

4. Equifax Business Credit Reports

Another major bureau, Equifax, is widely used by lenders to determine the credit limit or loan terms they can extend to a business. It’s also one of the main bureaus used by insurers for business liability and credit insurance.

Unfortunately, there’s no free report, but one-off reports are available for a fee of $49.95.

Each report contains a comprehensive breakdown of company information, including the Equifax identification number (EFX ID). This ensures all credit, financial, and verification data accurately links to the correct company for reliable tracking and risk assessment.

Additionally, you get various scores and ratings, such as Credit Information, Payment Index, Commercial Delinquency Score, and more. These estimate the likelihood of the business making timely payments or suffering from failure.

We find the payment analysis tool particularly useful because you can look at trends over quarters or years to assess payment behavior and credit utilization.

Payment histories are also detailed, with credit limits, payment patterns, and any trade credit accounts.

Then, there are all the public records (bankruptcies, liens, judgments, debt collection, etc.), plus a full log of all inquiries made on your business.

Although Equifax’s one-off reports don’t include any monitoring tools, you can purchase the Equifax Risk Monitor separately ($19.95/month), which opens access to real-time credit insight.

However, we feel that overall, Equifax is a better option for carrying out due diligence on potential business partners. Thanks to the report’s in-depth risk assessment, you can quickly determine if they will be reliable.

5. Nav Business Credit Reports

Nav is a bit of an outlier because it’s the only tool that combines business and personal credit reporting and monitoring.

It's known for its intuitive interface and the ability to get up to six credit reports (personal and biz) on a single dashboard.

Basic reports and monitoring are available via the free plan, but if you want detailed insights and advanced monitoring, several paid plans are on offer (from $39.99/month).

Nav is tri-bureau (D&B, Experian, Equifax), plus TransUnion. And if you subscribe to the Expand plan ($74.99/month), you also get the FICO SBSS score to assess eligibility with over 7,500 lenders.

Real-time pings let you know when scores change, and Nav’s reports give insight into what you need to work on. Cash flow monitoring is included, helping you keep your balances in the black.

Nav can also provide you with a 1-on-1 coach who will teach you how to build business credit and plan for funding runs. The Build and Expand plans also include bookkeeping tools.

Like FairFigure, your Nav subscription works as a tradeline to build credit. A second tradeline is available if you get the Nav Prime Card.

We appreciate the fully-featured mobile app for viewing reports on the go. And if you need funding, Nav will match you with lenders that are likely to approve you.

Overall, Nav is a good all-rounder for financial management, but you may find the reports lack the depth provided by other services.

What Is a Business Credit Report Service?

Business credit report services collect, analyze, and present data related to a company’s financial health, credit history, and risk profile.

They are designed to help lenders make informed decisions on credit risk and how much credit to extend. 

Additionally, they help potential suppliers and partners decide whether or not they should do business with a company and under which terms.

Reporting services pull data from numerous sources, including the major credit bureaus (Dun & Bradstreet, Experian, and Equifax), trade vendors, public records, and banks.

Some providers use tri-bureau data, combining the three major credit bureaus’ scores onto a unified dashboard. Others concentrate on a single bureau’s datasets.

The credit reports themselves include the business credit scores per bureau, along with a detailed payment history, any outstanding debts or legal filings, and other financial data.

For business owners, using a credit report service provides visibility into how lenders and partners perceive them. For instance, the report might highlight errors, discrepancies, and make recommendations on how to achieve a good credit score.

Report services may also include ongoing credit monitoring, like real-time alerts for when scores change or inquiries are made. Some also provide ways to improve scores, like offering a business credit card as a tradeline.

Business credit reporting differs from consumer reports because it isn’t protected by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Unlike personal credit, monitored by platforms like Credit Karma, a business credit file is unregulated. 

That means it’s not available for free, and businesses must typically purchase access to full credit information.

How to Choose the Best Business Credit Report Service

To choose the right business credit reporting agency, consider the following:

• Data sources: Pick a service that compiles data from a wide range of reliable sources. This includes financial institutions, public records, credit bureaus, and vendors.
• Scoring model: Assess which scoring system aligns best with your financial partners or business stakeholders. Some rely on scores from a single bureau, while others consistently use tri-bureau scores.
• Report detail: Check that the service provides detailed credit histories that outline payment behavior. Reports should also include risk indicators, trends, and future performance forecasting.
• Ease-of-use: Look for a platform with user-friendly and intuitive features that make report analysis straightforward. It’s also important to ensure the reports are frequently updated.
• Error correction tools: The service should make it easy to uncover and dispute or correct any errors found.
• Credit monitoring service: Real-time alerts allow you to respond to issues before they get out of hand. Therefore, it’s wise to find a provider that includes ongoing monitoring. 
• Credit-building features: If your scores need improvement, you might want to consider a service that offers additional tradelines or ways to build your credit.
• Security and fraud protection: Features like dark web monitoring and identity alerts give your business an extra layer of protection.
• Price: A free credit report will only get you so far. Assess the cost of paid options against the value they provide. A slightly higher monthly fee is worth it if you get multiple reports, monitoring, credit building, and protection all in one place.

Conclusion

We are confident that FairFigure offers the most comprehensive credit reporting features. And when combined with its credit monitoring and building tools, you get excellent value for money.

That said, the alternative services on this list are top-notch, reliable choices, so take a look and find the best fit for your reporting needs.

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