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A credit repair company will act on your behalf by working with the three credit agencies: Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. This is important because 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.
The best credit repair companies are reliable, effective, and have good customer service. 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.
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 for Package Options: The Credit Pros
- Best Guarantee: The Credit People
- Customer Education: AMB Credit Consultants
Best Overall : Ovation Credit Services
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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 its free consultation and no-risk refund policy.
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 | Essentials Plan |
|---|---|
| $89 first work fee, $109 per month Unlimited challenge validation letters Unlimited creditor goodwill letters Ovation recommendation letter Credit monitoring |
$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 Idaho, Minnesota, Ohio, and South Carolina, according to a company representative. Ovation services and pricing for customers in Mississippi and Oregon will vary from the standard prices, so you will need to contact Ovation to find out what is available.
Ovation Credit Services is Better Business Bureau accredited with an A+ rating with 73 reviews and 57 complaints. The company has had no complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Read the full Ovation Credit Services review
Runner-Up, Best Overall : Sky Blue Credit
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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.
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 Faster and custom disputes Debt validation Goodwill letters Cease and desist letters Score assistance Credit rebuilding |
Sky Blue Credit offers a 90-day, money-back guarantee and the process normally takes several 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, although they have an A+ rating. There have been two Sky Blue Credit complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Read the full Sky Blue Credit review
Best Simple Credit Repair Options : Credit Saint
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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.
90-day, money-back guarantee
Three credit repair packages
Transparent pricing
Not available in all states
First work fee
Credit Saint, an Oakland, New Jersey-based company, has been in business since 2004. 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 | Credit Remodel | Clean Slate |
|---|---|---|
| $99 first work fee, $79.99 per month Challenges to three bureaus Score analysis Score tracker Creditor interventions 5 items challenged |
$99 first work fee, $99.99 per month Everything from Credit Polish Inquiry targeting Experian monitoring 10 items challenged |
$195 first work fee, $119.99 per month Everything from Credit Remodel Unlimited items challenged |
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 Georgia and South Carolina.
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.
Read the full Credit Saint review
Best for Package Options : The Credit Pros
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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.
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 three service packages, two of which include credit repair:
| Money Management | Prosperity Package | Success Package |
|---|---|---|
| $69 per month TransUnion credit score and monitoring IDCover access Cash Rules bill reminder and budgeting |
$119 per month TransUnion credit score and monitoring IDCover access Cash Rules bill reminder and budgeting The Credit Pros debt and legal services including credit repair SlashRx prescription discounts |
$149 per month TransUnion credit score and monitoring IDCover access Cash Rules bill reminder and budgeting The Credit Pros debt and legal services including credit repair SlashRx prescription discounts Hutton Chase services |
There are no additional setup fees, according to a representative. The credit repair services include:
- One-on-one consultations with a Certified FICO Professional
- Unlimited dispute letters
- Debt validation letters
- Goodwill letters to creditors
- Cease and desist letters to collections agencies
There is also online portal access for all customers to manage your account and access the services that your package include.
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 KS, ME, MN, and OR.
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.
Read the full The Credit Pros review
Best Guarantee : The Credit People
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The Credit People’s risk-free six-month guarantee stands out among all the companies we reviewed.
Satisfaction guarantee
Transparent pricing
FCRA Certified Credit Consultants
Not accredited with the Better Business Bureau
Setup fee for monthly plan
The Credit People has been helping Americans repair their credit since 2001, employing a team of FCRA Certified Credit Consultants. The Cottonwood Heights, Utah-based company has helped more than 100,000 people with their credit, according to the company’s website.
The Credit People offers two credit repair options:
| Month Membership | Flat Rate Membership |
|---|---|
| $19 setup fee, $79 per month Access to credit reports and scores Online account access Unlimited disputes Creditor communication Debt and inquiry validation |
$419 for six months Access to credit reports and scores Online account access Unlimited disputes Creditor communication Debt and inquiry validation |
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 and has a C+ rating. It has nine complaints and four reviews with the BBB. There are numerous complaints in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s consumer complaint database for The Credit People.
Read the full The Credit People review
Customer Education : AMB Credit Consultants
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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.”
Customer education
Six-month money-back guarantee
High enrollment fees
Six- to nine-month commitment
AMB Credit Consultants has been helping Americans improve their credit since 2007. 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:
| Credit Empowerment Individual | Credit Empowerment Couple |
|---|---|
| $149 enrollment fee, $99 per month Unlimited case reviews Unlimited disputes Credit education Immediate responses to new collection letters Cease and desist letters |
$198 enrollment fee, $198 per month 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.
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 a C rating with the Better Business Bureau but isn’t accredited. There haven’t been any complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Read the full AMB Credit Consultants review
Final Verdict
We recommend Ovation Credit Services as the best overall credit repair company because it offers a free consultation and a no-risk refund policy. You can also enjoy multiple discounts and can have an unlimited number of issues repaired.
Compare the Best Credit Repair Companies
| Company | Services | Starting Fee | Fee Schedule | Max Repaired Issues |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ovation Credit Services
Best Overall |
2 | $89 | First work fee then monthly | Unlimited |
| Sky Blue Credit
Runner-Up, Best Overall |
1 | $79 | Setup fee then monthly | 15 items per 35 days |
| Credit Saint
Best Simple Credit Repair Options |
3 | $99-195 | First work fee then monthly | Varies |
| The Credit Pros
Best for Package Options |
2 | No setup fees | Monthly | Unlimited |
| The Credit People
Best Guarantee |
2 | $19 | Set up fee then monthly | Unlimited |
| AMB Credit Consultants
Customer Education |
2 | $149 | Enrollment fee then monthly | Unlimited |
Guide to Choosing the Best Credit Repair Company
When choosing the best credit repair company, the most important things to consider are how much it’s going to cost, what services you’ll receive, and the reputation of the provider. Make sure the credit repair company offers a free consultation. You can expect to pay a one-time setup fee plus a monthly fee with most providers. The best credit repair companies offer some type of credit monitoring, comprehensive dispute options, and personalized service.
Debt Settlement vs. Credit Repair vs. Credit Counseling
Before deciding what you should do to fix your credit, it’s important to understand the difference between the three most common debt relief options. Credit repair can be used to help resolve errors on your credit report. In contrast, debt settlement and credit counseling are debt relief options focused on helping people avoid bankruptcy and pay off their debt, in full but with a potentially reduced interest rate (credit counseling) or for a reduced amount (debt settlement).
The key differences between debt settlement vs. credit repair vs. credit counseling are:
| Credit Repair | Credit Counseling | Debt Settlement |
|---|---|---|
| Helps correct credit report errors by filing disputes with creditors and credit reporting agencies. | Creates plans to help people repay debt in full more quickly and works with creditors to negotiate reduced interest rates. | Works with creditors to negotiate debt settlements in an amount less the balance owed. |
When Would I Use a Credit Repair Company?
You might consider using a credit repair company if you need help fixing numerous errors on your credit report and you don’t want to spend the time doing it yourself. You can resolve credit reporting errors on your own. However, the process can be time-consuming, especially if there are lots of errors. Credit repair companies can ease the burden by doing this work for you.
If you only need to resolve one or two simple credit reporting errors (e.g., your creditor forgot to mark one of your debts as paid in full), you’ll save money by working directly with your creditor to fix the problem. However, if you have lots of errors (e.g., your identity was stolen), then a credit repair company may be a good option. This is because the credit repair company will do all the work needed to fix your credit report.
Keep in mind that credit repair companies can only be used to resolve credit reporting errors. If an item is not on your credit report erroneously, then credit repair is not for you. Rather, a good place to start is with a credit counseling agency. Your credit counselor will help you develop a plan to repair your credit (e.g., create a budget so you can pay on time, pay off or consolidate debt, etc.) and inform you about other debt relief options (e.g., debt settlement or bankruptcy).
How to Enroll with a Credit Repair Company
To enroll with a credit repair company, you’ll need to:
- Obtain a free consultation from one of the company’s credit repair advisors to discuss your situation, determine if credit repair is right for you, and develop a plan to fix your credit.
- Determine which credit repair plan will work best for your situation. Make sure to review the plan paperwork before you enroll to understand the fee structure and the services you’ll receive.
- Complete the paperwork needed to enroll in the program (e.g., submit an application) and pay any fees as they come due (e.g., enrollment or setup fees, monthly fees, etc.).
Comparing Credit Repair Companies
Before enrolling with a credit repair company, it’s important to understand how much it will cost, if the company offers a money-back guarantee, and the services you’ll receive (e.g., credit monitoring, number of disputes, etc.). Some of the factors to consider include:
- Cost: After providing you with a free consultation, most credit repair companies charge an upfront setup or enrollment fee. This fee is intended to cover the initial work needed for the company to start resolving your credit issues. Plus, you’ll usually be required to pay a monthly fee for the duration of the program. This means the quicker your credit issues can be resolved, the less money you’ll be required to pay.
- Money-back guarantee: Many credit repair companies offer a money-back guarantee, that promises a full refund if your credit issues aren’t resolved in three-to-six months (90 days is the most common money-back guarantee period). This type of money-back guarantee is important, as it provides the credit repair company with an incentive to resolve your credit issues as quickly as possible.
- Services: Although the primary goal of credit repair companies is to help you fix errors on your credit report, the exact services vary by provider. For example, many providers offer an unlimited number of credit disputes, while some providers limit the number of items you can dispute (e.g., 10 items). Plus, some credit repair companies only offer credit monitoring with their higher-cost plans. Make sure you understand what you’ll get before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
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 Use a Credit Repair Company?
Although you’ll get a free consultation before enrolling with a credit repair company, the services these companies offer aren’t free. Most credit repair companies charge an upfront setup or enrollment fee ranging from $79 to $149. Plus, you’ll usually be required to pay a monthly fee, which often ranges from $69 to $198 a month.
Is Using a Credit Repair Company Worth It?
Credit repair companies can be worth it, especially if you need help repairing multiple credit reporting errors. Not only do credit repair companies know what documentation is needed to get credit issues resolved, but they also have extensive experience working with creditors and credit reporting agencies. This means credit repair agencies might be able to help you fix errors quicker than you could on your own.
Before enrolling, make sure the credit repair company offers a money-back guarantee (e.g., a 90-day guarantee). With this type of guarantee, the company is incentivized to quickly resolve your issues. Also, make sure you understand how many items the company will dispute. This is particularly important if you have a lot of errors on your credit report that need to be resolved.
Lastly, if the issues on your credit report are complicated, make sure the credit repair company creates custom dispute letters and will provide you with individualized support. This is because one-on-one support might be needed to resolve complicated issues.
Methodology
We evaluated many providers before settling on our list of the best credit repair companies. To create our list, we began by looking for companies offering nationwide services. Plus, we looked for companies with good reputations, based on a review of a wide variety of resources. Lastly, to make it on our list, the providers needed to offer transparent pricing and comprehensive credit repair services.
You can read our credit repair methodology for a complete description of how we evaluated each company.