Advertising Disclosure The offers that appear on this site are from third party advertisers from which Acorn Finance receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). Acorn Finance strives to present a wide array of offers, but the offers shown do not represent all financial services companies or products that may be available to you.

Credit Building Tools

Get personalized rates in 60 seconds for credit building tools, without affecting your credit score.

Our customers say Excellent Trustpilot stars 4.7 out of 5 based on 1241 reviews
Our customers say Excellent Trustpilot stars
4.7 out of 5 based on 1241 reviews

Solutions & Tools to Help Build Your Credit Score

Think of credit building tools like the map to get you started on your credit building journey. These different tools are designed to help you navigate the system and improve your score fast. From credit building loans to secured credit cards, these lending products provide borrowers with guardrails to build their credit with specific parameters. It’s essentially a small way to show lenders that you’re a responsible borrower.

Get Started

Shop Personalized Tools to Help Build Credit

About LightStream

Coming Soon…

Pros

Coming Soon…

Cons

Coming Soon…

About Sofi

Coming Soon…

Pros

Coming Soon…

Cons

Coming Soon…

About Upgrade

Coming Soon…

Pros

Coming Soon…

Cons

Coming Soon…

About Bestegg

Coming Soon…

Pros

Coming Soon…

Cons

Coming Soon…

Helping You Find Credit Building Tools

Why build credit?

There’s more to building credit than an impressive score — building credit can help unlock different financial opportunities you wouldn’t get without credit. Your credit score is a major indicator in how you handle your finances and can illustrate to lenders that you’re a responsible borrower that they can trust. This can impact your life when it comes time to apply for a lease, get an auto loan or other major financial milestones. 

With a better score and a history of building your credit, you can unlock better interest rates which can save you money in the long run. 

Building credit is all about playing the long game and setting yourself up for financial success in the future. 

How do you build credit?

Building credit can seem like a maze, but the most important thing is consistency. For starters you should know there are three major credit bureaus, and each can calculate a credit score a bit differently. 

To build credit, you’ll need to use your credit. To continue building credit, you’ll need to refine how it’s used. Some may leverage credit builder loans or secured credit cards to get started. Once you have your feet off the ground, take note that your FICO score is calculated based on five main factors:

  • Payment history (35%)
  • Amount owed (30%)
  • New credit (15%)
  • Length of credit history (10%)
  • Credit mix (10%)

Credit Building Tools: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you find the best credit building tools?

Everyone has different wants and needs when it comes to building their credit score. So, what’s best for one person might not be the best for someone else. That being said, you should consider your specific needs and understand what you need to start building your credit. Understanding the various options available is a good starting point. With options available you can relate them to your current financial position and future goals, and work toward achieving them. For borrowers with some established credit, a personal loan may be a viable option. To check personalized offers with no impact to your credit score take advantage of our platform. Our network of top national lenders can help a variety of borrowers achieve their financial goals. 

Are credit building tools worth it?

There are a variety of credit building tools from credit monitoring applications to credit builder loans. Any action you can take toward establishing your creditworthiness is worth it. Just be sure you are partnering with reputable sources and processing the right information. Paying attention to your credit score on a regular basis can not only help you build credit but also help you detect fraud faster. There is everything to gain by keeping a close pulse on your credit score and really nothing to lose.

Loan Payment Calculator

Find the loan you're looking for

Table comparing monthly payments, APRs for approved personal loans.
1
See your options
Take a few minute to answer few questions, and we'll match you with the right range of lenders to consider
2
Choose your loan
Find your favorite marketplace of offers and apply directly with the lender you prefer
3
Do your project
If you're approved, use your funds to cover all your costs now, and pay the lender back month by month

We’ve helped over a million customers, and we’re just getting started

Trustpilot stars Verified badge verified
Very quick and many options.
Very quick and many options.
Trustpilot stars Verified badge verified
Quick and easy.
Quick and easy.
Trustpilot stars Verified badge verified
This was so nice
This was so nice . We got financed for our storm shelter in one day ! And all from home !!
Trustpilot stars Verified badge verified
Quick and easy process!
Quick and easy process!
Trustpilot stars Verified badge verified
Easy & Simple!
It was very easy to navigate from the beginning to the end!
Trustpilot stars Verified badge verified
The application was easy and quick
The application was easy and quick. Had a little bit of difficulty submitting my final steps of the loan but once I called the person was very helpful and kind and we got it figured out quickly
Trustpilot stars Verified badge verified
It was quick and easy to use.
It was quick and easy to use.
Trustpilot stars Verified badge verified
easy simple straight forward app…
easy simple straight forward app process from origination to final approval! excellent
Trustpilot stars Verified badge verified
The application process was very easy
The application process was very easy. Multiple choices of offers were given for me to dchoose from.
Trustpilot stars Verified badge verified
Quite a few reasonable options to pick…
Quite a few reasonable options to pick from, side by side comparisons detailed out were very helpful in making the best personal budgeting decision. Funding and communication were right on point and as stated. Would use again for a household project.
Trustpilot stars Verified badge verified
Quickly sent the cash.
Quickly sent the cash.
Trustpilot stars Verified badge verified
From the beginning to the end the…
From the beginning to the end the process was easy and smooth.
Trustpilot stars Verified badge verified
Smooth application process
Smooth application process, quick approvals and funding
Trustpilot stars Verified badge verified
Very
Very. Experienced.
Trustpilot stars Verified badge verified
Was quick and easy
It was easy application was simple and straightforward
Trustpilot stars Verified badge verified
The application process was quick and…
The application process was quick and easy. Communication was excellent. They kept me informed at every step of the process.
Trustpilot stars Verified badge verified
I needed money fast for a project loan…
I needed money fast for a project loan and had my money in two business days. The process was quick and easy and I will use this again for any future projects!
Trustpilot stars Verified badge verified
Quick
Quick, professional response
Trustpilot stars Verified badge verified
It was quick and easy to apply
It was quick and easy to apply. It first estimated the whole project amount but easily let me change it as I wanted to put a bigger deposit down with my contractor. I heard back quickly and had the funds in about 2 days or so.
Trustpilot stars Verified badge verified
It was an easy process and the payment…
It was an easy process and the payment was timely. The process was no lengthy at all very easy process!! And loved it.
Rated 4.7 / 5 based on 1241 reviews.
Trustpilot star Trustpilot

What can I do with a $8,000 personal loan?

A $8,000 personal loan has a number of uses, including (but not limited to):
Home improvement Buying a car Wedding costs
Debt consolidation Medical bills Startup business costs

Still have questions?

Compare & Shop Credit Building Tools at Acorn Finance

Maybe you’re just starting out on your credit journey. Or maybe you’re trying to bounce back from a low credit score. Whatever the reason, building credit requires financial knowledge and a bit of patience to get your score where you want it to be. That’s where credit building tools can help you. 

Finding the right credit building tools can help you improve your credit score faster and give you the insights you need to take actionable steps to improve it. Here’s what you should know about credit building tools.

There are a lot of ways to build credit, so it will depend on your personal financial history and record  to determine what is the most effective way. That being said, applying for a secured credit card or student credit card can help you get started and give you a small way to start building your credit. With regular on-time payments, you can start building your credit in as little as six months. Personal loans can also be used to build credit. 

One of the fastest ways to build credit is to be added as an authorized user to someone else’s credit card. Most credit card companies will report authorized users to the credit bureaus, and it’s a fast way to start building credit. 

Another way to ensure you’re consistently building credit is to pay all your bills on time. Whether it’s a credit card bill or utility payment, any late or missed payments can quickly undo the hard work you’ve done to build your credit. 

There are a few financial tools available to help you build your credit. The two most popular are secured credit cards or credit building loans. Both of these are essentially savings accounts that help you build your credit. Secured credit cards and credit building loans are similar in that you’ll deposit some money into an account, and in return, a lender or bank will provide you a small line of credit that you’ll make payments toward. 

Alternatively if you need to borrow money while building credit, you may want to consider a traditional credit card or personal loan. 

At Acorn Finance, we know everyone is on a different credit building financial journey. Our goal is to provide you with the knowledge you need to make the right financial decision for you. With a simple-to-use and straightforward platform, you can receive personalized loan offers without impacting your credit score. Our network of financial partners is committed to helping consumers achieve their financial goals. 

Acquiring knowledge about your credit score is a step in the right direction toward a bright financial future. For more information or to check personalized loan offers with no credit impact, visit Acorn Finance today.

One home, endless possibilities

MORE HOME IMPROVEMENT FINANCING OPTIONS

Personal Loan Information