Credit Score Impact Calculator
Estimate how a payment, utilization change, or new card affects your FICO.
Projected score: Good
698
Estimate only. FICO weights: payment history (35%), utilization (30%), age (15%), mix (10%), new credit (10%).
This tool estimates how a specific change, paying down a balance, opening a new card, or taking a hard inquiry, might move your credit score. It is built around the FICO factor weights, so you can see which actions carry the most leverage.
Every estimate here is a rough directional figure, not a guarantee. FICO does not publish an exact points formula, scores depend on your full profile, and lenders may use different score versions. Treat the numbers as ranges, not promises.
Enter the change you are considering and your current balances and limits to see the likely direction and rough size of the effect.
How this calculator works
The estimate is anchored to FICO's factor weights: payment history about 35%, amounts owed / utilization about 30%, length of credit history about 15%, new credit about 10%, and credit mix about 10%. Utilization changes are modeled directly from balance / limit, since that ratio has no memory and updates each cycle, so cutting a card from 60% to 10% utilization tends to produce the largest, fastest gains. A new card is modeled as two competing effects: a hard inquiry, which typically dings a score by a few points and fades within about a year, and a new account that lowers your average age of accounts under the length-of-history factor, offset by the added available credit that lowers overall utilization. A missed payment sits in the heaviest category and can drop a score sharply, with the damage easing over time as the account stays current.
What affects the number
- Payment history (~35%): the heaviest factor; a single 30-day late payment can cost a lot of points and lingers for years.
- Utilization (~30%): the fastest to move; lowering reported balances can raise a score within a cycle or two.
- Length of history (~15%): a new account lowers your average account age, a small drag that eases as the account ages.
- New credit (~10%): a hard inquiry usually costs a few points and typically fades within about 12 months.
- Credit mix (~10%): a blend of revolving cards and installment loans helps slightly; not worth taking on debt just for the mix.
- It's an estimate: FICO's exact math is not public, results vary by profile and score version, so use these as ranges.
Frequently asked questions
How many points does a hard inquiry lower my score?
A single hard inquiry typically costs a few points, and the effect usually fades within about a year while the inquiry itself drops off after two years. The bigger drag from a new card is often the lower average account age, not the inquiry. Rate-shopping for one loan in a short window is usually grouped as a single inquiry.
How much will paying down my balance raise my score?
Because utilization is about 30% of a FICO score and has no memory, lowering a reported balance can lift your score within a cycle or two. Moving from a high ratio like 60% down toward 10% tends to produce the largest gains. The exact points depend on your full profile, so treat any estimate as a range.
Will opening a new credit card hurt my score?
Usually a little at first. A new card adds a hard inquiry and lowers your average account age, both small negatives. But the added credit limit lowers your overall utilization, which can offset or even outweigh those effects over time if you keep balances low.
Are these score estimates exact?
No. FICO does not publish a point-by-point formula, and your actual score depends on your entire credit file plus which score version a lender uses. This calculator shows the likely direction and rough magnitude of a change, not a precise number you can count on.
This calculator provides general estimates for educational purposes only and is not financial advice. Your actual costs and credit outcomes depend on your specific card terms, issuer, and situation.