Overview
It’s really a frustrating thing to have poor credit, especially when you want to buy a house, renovate your house or apply for a credit card. The terrible thing is that most times, a lot of poor credit is a result of unnecessary errors in your credit report. This is when you need the help of the best credit repair services.
These companies can greatly help you improve your credit report and your score by correcting errors, disputing charges, and many more.
If you want to understand how this service works, then this guide contains all you need to know about credit repair services plus a list of the top credit repair companies in the country.
1. Lexington Law
This company is one of the best credit repair companies in the country. It’s a law firm that focuses on effective credit repair and good customer service.
Therefore, it will really go all the way to help you repair and clean up your credit report. It offers services like a free consultation and credit report analysis, disputing errors on your report, and helps to negotiate better terms with your creditors.
Lexington Law also has a premium plan if you want advanced credit repair services.
Pros
- It offers identity protection
- Fraud and transaction alerts
- It covers all credit bureau challenges
Cons
- Its basic plan is very limited
- Has a longer repair process than most
2. Credit Saint
This company will help you by showing you how to repair your credit fast and professionally. It cleans up your credit report by managing inaccuracy challenges, correcting false information, and removing unverified information. This is why it is one of the best credit repair services.
It will also assign a team of credit experts to you, and it will monitor your account and help you to clean up your credit report. Credit Saint is for those who love personal interactions. It also has an online dashboard for you to conveniently monitor the repair of your credit report.
Credit Saint has three offers for you: the medium, high, and very high aggressiveness plans. It also has a money-back guarantee that runs for 90 days and you can cancel anytime. It is good with late payments, identity theft, charge-offs, and others.
Pros
- Handles bankruptcies, repossessions, etc
- Personalized challenge agreements
- 90-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- It has a pricey setup fee
- Not available across the country
3. The Credit People
The Credit People will offer a huge 53–187 points to help you boost your score. It has a record of about 1.5 million credit issues wiped out with over 70% approval ratings for its customers. With their fast track, the Credit People can mop up your credit within 60 days. It has an excellent satisfaction guarantee and it will handle your inquiry validation and also take care of unlimited disputes for you.
Pros
- It gives results in less than 60 days
- Monthly or a flat-rate pricing
- It has a satisfaction guarantee
Cons
- No identity theft protection package
- It gives no guarantee on bankruptcy removal
4. Pyramid Credit Repair
This company is one of the best credit repair services available due to their flexibility and straightforwardness.
It has a fee structure that’s easy to understand—you just pay your monthly fee, that’s all. You don’t have to pay for any hidden fees or startup fees. You can also stop and cancel your plan whenever you want.
Pros
- Customized dispute process
- Provides text alerts for credit updates
- It has live, assigned dedicated account managers
Cons
- Not available in every state
- It’s not as experienced as other services
5. The Credit Pros
The Credit Pros are very fast and professional. It offers you a personal, one-on-one meeting with an expert who will review your credit report, and it will help you to remove virtually all types of credit issues and errors from your credit report including inquiries, late payments, collections, bankruptcies, judgments, foreclosures, inquiries, and incorrect information.
This company also has some amazing features. For example, you’ll receive a lifetime guarantee on the results. They also offer to pay for results or monthly pricing, so you can choose the type of pricing plan that suits you best.
Additionally, you can even take advantage of payment plans for more flexibility. You can see your progress report with your private online account portal at any time.
Pros
- You can choose to pay per results or monthly plans
- It has a lifetime guarantee
- Online portal for real-time updates
Cons
- It has initial fees that are a little higher than others
- Not available in all states
6. Sky Blue
Its main focus is consumers, and it is fast. Sky Blue is so good that it will dispute 15 items every 35 days to quickly resolve the issues on your credit report and eventually improve your credit score as fast as possible.
Sky Blue has really affordable offers and also has a discount for couples who want to sign up together. You can also pause or cancel your plan anytime you want.
Sky Blue also offers additional services that can be helpful to those trying to repair and improve their credit. For instance, you’ll receive expert guidance on the things you should do to start improving your credit from scratch.
This company also provides services like goodwill letters, cease and desist letters, and debt validation papers. These services are totally free and come alongside your plan.
Pros
- Pro analysis technology for more in-depth results
- Rapid dispute process
- Provides excellent guidance on rebuilding credit
Cons
- High setup fee
- Does not provide legal services
7. CreditRepair
CreditRepair has one goal in mind—to fix your credit report. It will thoroughly go through your report and make sure that you have a good representation. It only requires you to pay a reasonable monthly fee and an initial fee to get things started.
This company offers a reasonable monthly fee, and only a small initial fee to commence things.
Also, customers will greatly appreciate all of the excellent resource tools that come with the plan.
CreditRepair also has a private online portal where you can see your status, see the check for any changes or improvements that have been made to your credit report, and also get email alerts about necessary credit events. It also has a useful score tracker and tools for analysis.
Pros
- It has a score tracker and analysis tool
- It also has a smart mobile app and online dashboard
- Provides text and email alerts
Cons
- It charges a fee for pulling credit reports
- Only works with TransUnion
8. Ovation Credit Services
This is a LendingTree company that has been in the business for over 17 years. Ovation Credit Services offers proven credit repair services and has fixed over 120,000 credit profiles. It has an average of 19 improvements for each customer, according to the company’s website.
It is Better Business Bureau accredited company with an A+ rating with over 70 reviews. Ovation Credit Services has had no complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau since its inception.
Pros
- Free consultation
- No-risk refund policy
- Discounts for couples, seniors, and military
Cons
- High monthly fees
- First work fee (an enrollment fee)
9. AMB Credit Consultants
This company has helped many Americans improve their credit for over 10 years. AMB Credit Consultants has its focus not only on improving credit reports but also on educating customers through client advocacy and advisement.
AMB Credit Consultants helps its customers detect and correct the negative financial decisions that lead to poor credit in the first place.
This company has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau but it hasn’t been accredited. Also, it hasn’t had any complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Pros
- Six-month money-back guarantee
- Customer education
Cons
- High enrollment fees
- Six to nine month commitment
10. Creditfirm.net
This company could give your credit report the best improvement for your money if you’re looking for a cheaper service. Creditfirm.net offers a flat, pay-as-you-go package at $49.99 per month.
This monthly payment will give you access to an in-depth audit of your credit report by experts and countless credit bureau and inquiry challenges. It also offers defense against collection agencies.
The company boasts of an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, making it a credible company in the industry.
Creditfirm.net is equally known for its speed, as it reviews the documents of its clients within five days on average.
Pros
- Its fee structure is one of the lowest in the industry
- 24/7 customer support
- Provides unlimited credit repair services
- Has educational resources on its website
Cons
- Its website may be difficult to navigate
- Does not provide debt settlement services
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is credit repair?
The reason for having a credit score and report is to help you achieve your financial goals, not to hinder them. With a good credit score, you can get more favorable interest rates on loans and credit cards, which gives you more choices and saves your money.
The first thing you need to do in improving your credit is to know your credit score and its function. A good credit repair service will come up with an effective plan for disputing errors, backed by actions that will boost your score.
If you have a ‘fair’ credit score, you’re categorized as a subprime borrower and it’ll be somewhat difficult to obtain credit such as mortgages and other loans; it’ll also be difficult to get better interest rates. Therefore being helped by credit repair companies can greatly improve how lenders see you.
If you have a credit score within the range of 300–579, then you have a ‘very poor’ credit. When you have this rating, then you have low chances of being approved for loans or you will make a large deposit with really high-interest rates. If you are in this area then credit repair services can improve your score and help you get a loan.
2. How does credit repair work?
You may have a low credit score, but a good credit repair company can make your credit score to improve by representing your disputes with the credit bureau. They will also dispute errors, negotiate better settlements, and walk you through the process of improving your credit report with pointers on how to maintain it.
3. Why use a credit repair company?
An important reason for using a credit repair company is to get rid of errors from your credit report. These errors can greatly reduce your credit score without your knowledge. These errors are fairly common and these professionals can help you rectify these issues.
4. How can credit repair help me?
Credit repair experts are trained to quickly improve your credit score which will, in turn, reduce your total debt, all with better interest rates, no extra loan insurances, and will help you get more credit options.
These are 5 things to check for in a credit repair company
When you choose the best credit repair service, it can greatly help you to get the best results. You should consider these factors when looking for the right company for you.
- It should offer a free consultation before you can sign up with them.
- It must have a team of experts in the business of credit repair.
- The company has to be certified by the industry.
- You should know the timeframe. On average, credit repair processes should not be more than 5 months, and disputes shouldn’t be more than 60 days.
- The price ranges from $80–$100.
- They should have an extra service if you want them to help you to maintain your credit score after it’s been repaired.
5. What’s the cost of repairing my credit?
Credit repair services have two types of pricing:
- Per item pricing
- Per month pricing
While some credit repair companies will give you the option of choosing the type of pricing structure you prefer, others only have one pricing model. When you have a choice, then the right option should depend on your credit report status.
When you have lots of issues with your report, then it’s best if you choose a monthly payment model. But if your report is somewhat clean, then you should choose a per-item pricing model.
On average, the best credit repair services will be in the monthly pricing of $49–$129 per month. Make sure you know what’s being offered with the plan as you compare prices.
You should also consider the initial fee. Although some top credit repair companies will not ask for this fee, most will charge a setup fee to kickstart things. This fee can be as low as $15 and as high as $100, which depends on the service and plan you choose.
6. How long does it take for my credit history to be repaired?
The time it takes to repair your credit history and score depends on the type of credit repair service you go for, and how bad your report is. If your report is in a bad shape, then it’ll take longer than it would if you only have few issues.
The process of credit repair usually takes about 6 months. Although some companies offer very fast credit repair services in about 2 months, this is in rare cases. You should expect your credit to be repaired in about 6 months.
You should also review these credit repair services and make sure you pick the best plan for you. Always note the reputation and the record of the company in solving issues like this.
Summary
Now, let’s take a recap of everything:
If you’re looking for a company with a good customer service, you should go for Lexington Law.
But if you want to work with a team of experts while improving your credit score, then Credit Saint is a better option.
Finally, if your interest is in a company that will improve your credit score quickly, then go for the Credit People.