About the Finder credit score service

There are several websites such as Finder that offer Australians free access to their credit score, making it easier to track your overall financial health.

If you were wondering how Finder’s credit score works before signing up, this comprehensive guide will help you make a decision.

Who owns Finder?

Finder was founded by Australians Fred Schebesta and Frank Restuccia in 2006, after selling their previous startup, a digital marketing agency called Freestyle Media.

Their credit score service — currently only available in Australia — exists to assist in their goal to help people save money and get a better deal.

Are they a legit service?

Yes. Finder is a legitimate business. They are primarily a comparison website focused on personal and business finance. Finder is owned and operated by Hive Empire Pty Ltd and their ABN is 18 118 785 121.

What credit reporting bureau do they use?

Experian is Finder’s credit reporting bureau of choice. Experian is a global information and analytical services company. One of the services Experian offer businesses like Finder is the provision of comprehensive credit information.

Experian has credit information on over one billion people and businesses worldwide, making it a very comprehensive data source. The credit score you get from Finder will be the same as what you would get if you signed up for Experian.

How much does it cost?

Finder’s credit reporting and scoring service is entirely free. They make money if you choose to click on a referral link or sign up for a third party product, but you are under no obligation to do so.

Additionally, Finder guarantees they won’t on-sell your information to third party marketers to make money. They also promise there’ll be no annoying follow-up calls just because you chose to check your credit rating.

What ID is required to sign up?

All you’ll need to sign up is an Australian driver's licence or passport. You’ll also need to supply personal details like your residential address and phone number. With this information, Finder can verify your identity to ensure the credit information you’re seeking is your own. They use a third party service to verify your ID against that on file with the issuing government agency.

How often can you check?

There is no limit on how often you can check your credit information. The Finder app will also send you push notifications to inform you of changes to your credit rating as they happen.

Do they provide your full credit report?

Yes, they do. A credit score reflects your overall credit “health” and can be used as a good indicator of your credit standing with various lenders and providers. It is part of your larger overall report, which includes payment history for credit products in your name.

If you want to drill down and get more detail, you can access your credit report and see every credit enquiry, infringement or default in the last five years.

This can be especially useful in the event you disagree with your credit score.

Do they have a mobile app?

Yes, they have an app for iOS and Android. It not only notifies you of updates to your credit rating, but it can also show you all your accounts in one place, track your spending, and indicate how likely you are to be approved for a financial product before you apply.

Does using Finder affect your credit score?

No. Finder run a “soft check”, a speculative enquiry, if you will, that does not affect your credit history.

Can I use it to get the credit score for a business?

No. Finder’s credit score service cannot be used to retrieve the credit score for a company.

Alternatives

There are several alternatives to Finder in the market. If you’re interested in finding out more about your credit standing, check out some of these Finder competitors to find the right service for you:

• Finty. Uses Experian for your credit score. Also offers an app for iOS and Android.
• Get Credit Score. Free access to your Equifax credit score. No app available.
• Credit Simple. Owned and operated by Ilion. Provides targeted offers based on your profile.
• Credit Savvy. A subsidiary of CommBank. Provides credit scores from Experian.
• ClearScore. Headquartered in the UK, ClearScore also uses Experian for their credit score service. iOS and Android app available.
• Experian. One of the main credit reporting bureaus in Australia. Offers free and paid access.
• Equifax. Another of Australia's main consumer credit reporting bureaus. Free and paid plans available.