A credit score is the general name for the three-digit number a credit bureau assigns to a borrower. A CIBIL score is the credit score issued by one bureau, TransUnion CIBIL. India has four RBI-registered credit information companies, all scoring from 300 to 900, and a lender may use a report from any of them when assessing a home loan application.
Credit Score vs CIBIL Score at a Glance
| Comparison Parameter | Credit Score (Generic) | CIBIL Score (Specific) |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Any bureau's three-digit score | The score issued by TransUnion CIBIL |
| Provider | TransUnion CIBIL, Experian, Equifax, CRIF High Mark | TransUnion CIBIL Limited only |
| Score Range | 300 to 900 at all four bureaus | 300 to 900 |
| Scoring Model | Each bureau's own model | TransUnion CIBIL's own model |
| Free Report Access | One free full report with score per calendar year from each bureau | One free full CIBIL report with score per calendar year |
| Governing Law | Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005 | Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005 |
| Regulator | Reserve Bank of India | Reserve Bank of India |
| Lender Reporting Frequency | Weekly from 1 July 2026 | Weekly from 1 July 2026 |
The Four Credit Bureaus in India
Four credit information companies hold a certificate of registration from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) under the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005. Each one publishes a consumer credit score on a 300 to 900 scale.
| Credit Bureau | Registered Entity Name | Score Range |
|---|---|---|
| TransUnion CIBIL | TransUnion CIBIL Limited | 300–900 |
| Experian India | Experian Credit Information Company of India Private Limited | 300–900 |
| Equifax India | Equifax Credit Information Services Private Limited | 300–900 |
| CRIF High Mark | CRIF High Mark Credit Information Services Private Limited | 300–900 |
TransUnion CIBIL describes itself as India's first credit information company. It was founded in August 2000 and launched its consumer bureau in 2004. This head start is the reason "CIBIL score" is often used loosely to mean any credit score, even though the other three bureaus produce scores of their own.
An RBI directive dated 15 January 2015 requires every credit institution to be a member of all four credit information companies. A bank, NBFC or housing finance company therefore sends its borrower data to all four, and each bureau holds a record of the same loans and cards.
Why Your Score Differs Between Bureaus
All four bureaus use the same 300 to 900 range, but each calculates the number with its own scoring model. Equifax India states that because every bureau uses a proprietary model, an individual is likely to have a different score at each bureau. The same repayment record can therefore produce four different numbers.
Timing adds to the gap. Lenders submit data to the bureaus on fixed reference dates, and a repayment or a new loan appears in a report only after the lender has reported it and the bureau has processed the file. A report pulled from one bureau on a given day may not yet show an update that another bureau already carries.
| Item | TransUnion CIBIL | Experian | Equifax | CRIF High Mark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score Range | 300 to 900 | 300 to 900 | 300 to 900 | 300 to 900 |
| Scoring Model | Own model | Own model | Own model | Own model |
| Lender Reporting Dates | 9th, 16th, 23rd, month-end | 9th, 16th, 23rd, month-end | 9th, 16th, 23rd, month-end | 9th, 16th, 23rd, month-end |
| RBI Mandated Free Reports | 1 per calendar year | 1 per calendar year | 1 per calendar year | 1 per calendar year |
The bureaus name similar inputs. TransUnion CIBIL lists payment history, credit utilisation, age of credit and credit enquiries as the main factors in its score. Experian India lists payment history, credit utilisation and length of credit history. Neither bureau publishes a percentage weight for each factor.
Which Score Lenders Check for a Home Loan
No RBI rule tells a lender to use one particular bureau. Because every credit institution is a member of all four credit information companies, a home loan lender can pull a report from TransUnion CIBIL, Experian, Equifax or CRIF High Mark, and the choice rests with the lender.
TransUnion CIBIL states that the closer a score is to 900, the more favourably a credit institution views the application. It also states that the decision to lend rests solely with the lender, and that the score is one of several factors a lender weighs, alongside income, repayment capacity and existing liabilities.
When a lender pulls a report for a loan application, the enquiry is recorded in that report. TransUnion CIBIL says such an enquiry may have a marginal effect on the score, and that many applications in a short period can lower it. Under an RBI circular issued on 26 October 2023, a credit information company must send the customer an SMS or email alert when a credit institution accesses the report, wherever a mobile number or email address is on record.
How to Check Your Report for Free
An RBI circular dated 1 September 2016, effective 1 January 2017, requires each credit information company to give an individual one free full credit report, including the credit score, once in a calendar year (January to December). The report is issued in electronic form after the bureau authenticates the person asking for it. Its contents must match the most detailed version of the report that the bureau supplies to lenders.
The entitlement applies separately at each bureau, so a borrower can obtain four free reports in a year: one each from TransUnion CIBIL, Experian, Equifax and CRIF High Mark. RBI requires each bureau to display the procedure for getting the free report on its own website.
Checking one's own score does not reduce it. TransUnion CIBIL treats a self-check as a soft enquiry, and the score is unaffected however many times the borrower checks it.
What is a credit score
A credit score is a three-digit number that a credit information company derives from a borrower's credit history. In India all four bureaus score consumers from 300 to 900, and a higher number signals lower credit risk to a lender.
The score is built from the loan and credit card data that lenders report to the bureau, such as whether repayments were made on time and how much of the available credit is in use. TransUnion CIBIL states that its current score is based on 24 months of credit history.
How often does CIBIL score update
A score changes when a lender reports new data to the bureau. From 1 July 2026, RBI's amended Credit Information Reporting Directions, issued on 4 December 2025, require lenders to report four times a month, with the 9th, 16th, 23rd and last day of the month as reference dates.
Incremental data for the 9th, 16th and 23rd must reach the bureau within four calendar days of each date. A full file covering all active accounts as of month-end is due by the 5th of the following month.
| Period | Reporting Frequency | Reference Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Before 1 January 2025 | Monthly | Month-end |
| 1 January 2025 to 30 June 2026 | Fortnightly | 15th and month-end |
| From 1 July 2026 | Weekly | 9th, 16th, 23rd and month-end |
A closed loan or a cleared overdue amount therefore shows up in the report after the lender's next reporting date, not on the day of payment. If the report carries an error, the lender and the bureau together have 30 days from receiving the complaint to resolve it. Under an RBI framework effective 26 April 2024, the complainant is entitled to compensation of ₹100 for each day of delay beyond those 30 days.
How much is a 750 credit score worth
No bureau publishes a rupee value or an interest rate attached to a score of 750. The score has no fixed price: each lender sets its own cut-offs and pricing, and RBI does not prescribe them.
What the bureaus publish is a general view of what counts as a good score, and these views are not identical.
| Credit Bureau | Score Range | Bureau's Published View of a Good Score |
|---|---|---|
| TransUnion CIBIL | 300 to 900 | Closer to 900 is viewed more favourably |
| Experian India | 300 to 900 | 750 and above |
| Equifax India | 300 to 900 | Higher is better |
| CRIF High Mark | 300 to 900 | Above 700 |
A score of 750 sits in the upper part of the range at every bureau and meets the "good" description that Experian India and CRIF High Mark publish. Whether it changes the rate or the loan amount on a home loan depends on the individual lender's credit policy and on the rest of the application.
Key Takeaways
- A CIBIL score is one type of credit score; Experian, Equifax and CRIF High Mark issue their own, all on a 300 to 900 scale.
- Lenders are members of all four bureaus and decide for themselves which report to pull.
- Each of the four bureaus must provide one free full credit report, with score, per calendar year.
- From 1 July 2026 lenders report borrower data to the bureaus four times a month.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the key difference between a credit score and a CIBIL score?
A credit score is the general term for a bureau's numerical rating of a borrower's credit history. A CIBIL score is the credit score issued by TransUnion CIBIL. All four RBI-registered bureaus generate scores from 300 to 900, so every CIBIL score is a credit score, but not every credit score is a CIBIL score.
Which credit bureaus are official and RBI-authorized in India?
Four companies hold an RBI certificate of registration under the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005: TransUnion CIBIL Limited, Experian Credit Information Company of India Private Limited, Equifax Credit Information Services Private Limited and CRIF High Mark Credit Information Services Private Limited.
What CIBIL score is required to get a home loan in 2026?
There is no single required score. TransUnion CIBIL states that the decision to lend rests solely with the lender and that it does not decide whether a loan is sanctioned. It adds that a score closer to 900 is viewed more favourably. Each lender sets its own minimum.
Is CIBIL score given more weight than Experian or Equifax by home loan lenders?
No regulation gives one bureau's score more weight than another's. All four bureaus are registered under the same Act, and RBI requires every credit institution to be a member of all four. Which bureau's report a lender relies on is a matter of that lender's own credit policy.
Why is my Experian or CRIF High Mark score different from my CIBIL score?
Each bureau calculates its score with its own proprietary model, so the same credit history produces different numbers. The date on which each bureau last processed a lender's data can also differ, which adds a further gap between reports pulled on the same day.
How often do banks update credit data with CIBIL and other bureaus?
From 1 July 2026, lenders report to the bureaus four times a month, using the 9th, 16th, 23rd and last day of the month as reference dates. Between 1 January 2025 and 30 June 2026 the requirement was fortnightly, and before that it was monthly. Disputes over incorrect data must be resolved within 30 days.
Can I get a home loan if my credit score shows -1 or NH?
TransUnion CIBIL shows "NA" or "NH" when a person has no credit history, has too little history to be scored, has had no credit activity in the last couple of years, or holds only add-on credit cards. CIBIL states that this is not a bad score. It also notes that some lenders' credit policies prevent them from lending to applicants with no credit track record, so the outcome depends on the lender.
