Your credit score can be the key metric when it comes to buying a car or a home. If you have a lower credit score, these purchases can be more expensive and difficult to achieve—and you may have to pay higher interest rates. According to myFICO, your mortgage interest rate may vary by 1.5% depending on your credit score. For example, with a 30-year, $250,000 mortgage, you could pay an extra $80,000 in interest, or worse—you may get denied for a loan altogether.
You may have negative marks on your credit reports from late payments, maxing out credit cards, or debt in collections, all of which may hurt your creditworthiness. If you don’t have the time or desire to fix these credit report blemishes, you can pay someone else to do the work for you.
One option is working with a credit repair company. These companies act on your behalf by negotiating with your creditors and working with the three credit agencies—Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. While the industry has its share of scams, these six credit repair companies are worth considering based on effectiveness, cost, customer service, and more.
The 6 Best Credit Repair Companies of 2021
- Best Overall: Ovation Credit Services
- Runner-Up, Best Overall: Sky Blue Credit
- Best Simple Credit Repair Options: Credit Saint
- Best Package Options: The Credit Pros
- Best Guarantee: The Credit People
- Best for Customer Education: AMB Credit Consultants
Best Overall: Ovation Credit Services
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Ovation Credit Services
Free consultation
No-risk refund policy
Discounts for couples, seniors, and military
High monthly fees
First work fee (an enrollment fee)
Credit monitoring for Essentials Plus plan only
Ovation Credit Services, a LendingTree company, has been in business since 2004. Founded by attorneys, the Jacksonville, Florida-based company offers proven credit repair services and has helped fix more than 120,000 credit profiles, with an average of 19 improvements per customer, according to the company’s website.
Ovation Credit Services offers two credit repair service options:
Essentials Plus: $89 first work fee, $109 per month
- Unlimited challenge validation letters
- Unlimited creditor goodwill letters
- Ovation recommendation letter
- Credit monitoring
Essentials Plan: $89 first work fee, $79 per month
- Options for personalized dispute
- Personal case advisor
- Financial management tools
Both plans include a free consultation and a no-risk refund policy. You will also have one-on-one service through a Personal Case Advisor. The company offers services in all states except Minnesota and South Carolina, according to a company representative.
Ovation Credit Services is Better Business Bureau accredited with an A+ rating with 70 reviews and 38 complaints. The company has had no complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Why We Chose It: Ovation Credit Services stands out in a number of ways. The company earns our top spot with a long history of credit repair, a winning Better Business Bureau rating, and top-notch customer service. Ovation Credit Services also builds customer trust with their free consultation and no-risk refund policy.
Runner-Up, Best Overall: Sky Blue Credit
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Sky Blue Credit
90-day money-back guarantee
Fixed, transparent pricing
Discounts for couples
Setup fee
Not accredited with Better Business Bureau
Sky Blue Credit has been in the credit repair business since 1989. The Boca Raton, Florida-based company disputes 15 items—or five items per credit bureau—every 35 days, according to the company’s website.
Sky Blue Credit offers one simple credit repair service option:
Sky Blue Credit: $79 setup fee, $79 per month
- Credit reports and monitoring
- Debt validation
- Goodwill letters
- Cease and desist letters
- Debt settlement and negotiation
Sky Blue Credit offers a 90-day, money-back guarantee, and the average customer works with the company for six months. You may pause the service or change the billing date any time—without paying an extra fee. These services are available in all states except for Colorado and South Carolina, according to a representative.
Sky Blue Credit isn’t currently Better Business Bureau accredited. There have been two Sky Blue Credit complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Why We Chose It: Sky Blue Credit stands out thanks to the company’s simple, easy-to-understand service offering. They offer transparency on exactly what they do—and how long customers spend with them. We especially love the 90-day money-back guarantee and ability to pause the service any time without paying a fee.
Best Simple Credit Repair Options: Credit Saint
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Credit Saint
90-day, money-back guarantee
Three credit repair packages
Transparent pricing
Not available in all states
First work fee
Credit Saint, a Saddle Brook, New Jersey-based company, has been in business since 2007. The company’s website features rankings from various personal finance websites, and their services include a personal advisory team, an online account, and ongoing credit education.
Credit Saint's three simple levels of credit repair service provide customers with a clear-cut path to becoming more creditworthy:
Credit Polish: $99 first work fee, $79.99 per month
- Medium level of service
- Challenge late payments, identity theft, charge-offs, collections
Credit Remodel: $99 first work fee, $99.99 per month
- High level of service
- Escalate information requests
- Challenge late payments, identity theft, charge-offs, collections, bankruptcies, and repossessions
Clean Slate: $195 first work fee, $119.99 per month
- High level of service including the company’s “dispute avalanche” meaning you get as many disputes addressed as possible
- Escalate information requests
- Challenge late payments, identity theft, charge-offs, collections, bankruptcies, repossessions, judgments
Credit Saint offers a free consultation by phone, and then you'll have online access and phone support throughout the process. You'll also rest easy with the company’s 90-day money-back guarantee. There is one thing to be aware of, though: Credit Saint doesn’t offer services in 12 states, according to a representative.
Credit Saint is Better Business Bureau accredited with an A rating. Over the past year, there haven’t been any customer complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Why We Chose It: Credit Saint offers the most comprehensive package for simple credit repair needs for those who may not require all the bells and whistles of the more expensive plans. The company also has a long history, a strong reputation, and an excellent money-back guarantee.
Best for Package Options: The Credit Pros
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The Credit Pros
90-day money-back guarantee
Certified FICO professionals
No setup fee
Not available in four states
The Credit Pros is an AI-driven personal credit improvement company staffed with Certified FICO professionals. The Newark, New Jersey-based company has been around since 2009.
The Credit Pros offers four credit repair packages, which include:
CreditSentry Monitoring: $19 per month
- TransUnion credit score and monitoring
- IDCover access
Money Management: $69 per month
- TransUnion credit score and monitoring
- IDCover access
- Cash Rules bill reminder and budgeting
- The Credit Pros debt and legal services
- Access to National Credit Direct, a product financing program where you can get approved for credit for home goods and appliances
Prosperity Package: $119 per month
- TransUnion credit score and monitoring
- IDCover access
- Cash Rules bill reminder and budgeting
- The Credit Pros debt and legal services
- SlashRx prescription discounts
Success Package: $149 per month
- TransUnion credit score and monitoring
- IDCover access
- Cash Rules bill reminder and budgeting
- The Credit Pros debt and legal services
- SlashRx prescription discounts
- Access to National Credit Direct
There are no additional setup fees, according to a representative. All four credit repair packages include:
- One-on-one consultations with a Certified FICO Professional
- Unlimited dispute letters
- Debt validation letters (except for CreditSentry Monitoring plan)
- Goodwill letters to creditors
- Cease and desist letters to collections agencies
- Online client portal access
The Credit Pros offers a free consultation by phone. According to a representative, the company has a 90-day money-back guarantee if they can’t remove any negative items from your credit reports. The representative also confirmed that the company provides services in all states except Kan., Maine, Minn., and Ore.
The Credit Pros is Better Business Bureau accredited with an A rating. There haven’t been any complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau over the past year.
Why We Chose It: The Credit Pros offers the most comprehensive package options, including other services to improve your finances. You may have access to identify monitoring, bill reminders, budgeting software, medication discounts, and more.
Best Guarantee: The Credit People
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The Credit People
Satisfaction guarantee
Transparent pricing
FCRA Certified Credit Consultants
Not accredited with the Better Business Bureau
Setup fee for monthly plan
The Credit People has spent 20 years helping Americans repair their credit, employing a team of FCRA Certified Credit Consultants. The Cottonwood Heights, Utah-based company has processed more than 310,000 credit reports, according to the company’s website.
The Credit People offers two credit repair options:
- Monthly membership: $19 setup fee, $79 per month
- Flat rate membership: $419 for six months
Both options include the following:
- Access to credit reports and scores
- Online account access
- Unlimited disputes
- Creditor communication
- Debt and inquiry validation
- Assistance beyond credit reports
Both plans include the company’s risk-free guarantee. You can cancel at any time without being charged for the month. Flat-rate members have a six-month satisfaction guarantee. The Credit People offers service in every state except for Oregon, according to a representative.
The Credit People is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau; it has seven complaints and three reviews with the BBB. It’s not easy to find The Credit People in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s consumer complaint database.
Why We Chose It: The Credit People’s risk-free six-month guarantee stands out among all the companies we reviewed.
Customer Education: AMB Credit Consultants
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AMB Credit Consultants
Six-month money-back guarantee
Customer education
High enrollment fees
Six- to nine-month commitment
AMB Credit Consultants has been helping Americans improve their credit for more than 10 years. The Dallas, Texas-based company focuses not only on improving credit reports but also on empowering customers through client advocacy and advisement. AMB Credit Consultants can help enable their clients to recognize and correct the negative financial habits that lead to poor credit in the first place.
AMB Credit Consultants offers two credit repair service options:
- AMB Credit Empowerment Individual: $149 enrollment fee, $99 per month
- AMB Credit Empowerment Couple: $198 enrollment fee, $198 per month
These options include the following:
- Unlimited case reviews
- Unlimited disputes
- Credit education
- Immediate responses to new collection letters
- Cease and desist letters
You are obligated to commit to at least six to nine months of service. You also must sign up for credit monitoring through IdentityIQ before scheduling your first consultation. There is a $25 cancellation fee if you don’t cancel an appointment at least 24 hours ahead of time.
The company offers a money-back guarantee. If AMB Credit Consultants doesn’t remove at least one negative mark from your credit reports within six months, the company will offer a refund. We were unable to reach AMB Credit Consultants’ team by phone during business hours to confirm where the company does business.
AMB Credit Consultants has earned an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau but isn’t accredited. There haven’t been any complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Why We Chose It: AMB Credit Consultants focuses on empowering customers through better financial education through its financial literacy courses. According to the company’s website, they hope to “influence good credit decisions that last a lifetime.”
What Is a Credit Repair Company?
When it comes to credit repair, there are many service providers to choose from, each offering to boost your credit score. But per the Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA), companies can’t promise results. If you can’t afford to pay for a credit repair company's services, it may be possible to achieve the same results on your own for free.
Credit repair companies may improve your credit score for a fee. These companies review your credit reports and work to remove negative information. This may involve negotiating with your creditors. It also may include disputing inaccuracies with the credit bureaus. As the negative marks disappear, your credit score will improve.
Do Credit Repair Companies Actually Work?
Credit repair companies can improve your credit score, especially if your damaged credit history feels like too much to tackle alone. But credit repair companies aren’t the only option. You may seek guidance from a non-profit credit counselor through the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.
How to Verify a Credit Repair Company
Unfortunately, fraud is common in the credit repair industry. Before signing up with a credit repair company, you should always do your homework.
Start by making a list of established companies. Check ratings with the Better Business Bureau and search for complaints in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau database. After narrowing down your list, you can interview each company before making a decision.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, there are several signs of fraud to watch for:
- Asks for large amounts of money upfront
- Discourages you from contacting the credit reporting agencies yourself
- Says to dispute correct items on your credit reports
- Encourages false information on credit or loan applications
- Skips over your legal rights when explaining the company's services
The Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA) says you have the right to cancel a contract within three days of signing for any reason. If you have trouble with a credit repair company, you can report the issue to your state attorney general or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
In a recent interview with Steve Weisman, an accomplished lawyer and senior lecturer on law and taxation at Bentley University, he explained that "The Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA) requires credit repair companies to provide you with a written contract that details the services they will perform for you and explain your rights under the law, notify you of a three day right to cancel your contract with the credit repair company, inform you of how long it will take to perform their services and explain in detail the total cost to you."
How Much Does It Cost to Repair My Credit?
According to our research, most companies charge an upfront fee, ranging from $19 to $149. After that, you can expect to pay $19 to $149 per month. It may take up to six months or longer to improve your credit score, depending on your situation. It’s also possible to repair your credit on your own for free.
How We Chose the Credit Repair Companies
It can be challenging to find the right credit repair company. To create our list, we looked for established companies offering nationwide services. We also considered each company's reputation and searched for regulatory enforcement action. We compared each company's services, pricing, and transparency.