In early 2018, Experian introduced Experian Boost. This service allows consumers to include their utility accounts in their credit reports in addition to their credit history. The payment history of utility companies is usually not reported to credit bureaus. So, even if you pay your utility bills on time year after year, you will not have your credit report or credit score improved. Your credit score might drop if you fail to pay your bills. Credit bureaus do not report late payments, but if you miss your payments, the collection agency can take action. The opposite happens with Experian Boost. They will not report late payments, but if you pay your bills on time, they will include that on your credit report; which may enable you to build a much better credit history. In this review, we show you the overall perks you can get with the service and pricing.
Pros and Cons
- Pros: No cost, you can have late payments without any effect, reports good info
- Cons: Only helps with the Experian score, you have to already have a credit line, must pay your bills online
Features
Increase Your FICO
You can raise your FICO score by paying your bills on time, thanks to Experian Boost. Experian CreditWorks basic or premium packages include it as a free service. All you need to do is register and connect your payment account. Your credit history will be updated instantly as a result of your positive payment history. Since Experian Boost benefits you alone, it will not pull any negative information, such as late payments.
You Can Select Accounts
Boost will include all eligible accounts on your Experian credit report based on the information you provide. Boost will then provide you with all eligible accounts so that you can select which ones you would like to include on your credit report. Boost only includes positive payment history on your credit report, as there is no way for it to detect late payments or skipped payments.
This is beneficial to the consumer but harmful to the lender that requires complete and accurate information to make credit risk decisions. Some lenders may not recognize accounts that Boost adds because they consider the information incomplete.
You can include: Electric, water, gas, trash, cable or satellite TV, internet, mobile and landline phones, and even qualifying streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and HBO.
Credit Monitoring Alerts
When important changes are detected in your Experian report, the bureau will send you monitoring alerts. These notifications aim to prevent suspicious activity but address other issues as well, such as applying for a new loan, credit card, bank account, or if there is an address change.
You Can Delete Accounts
If you wish to remove an account from Boost, you must delete it from your Experian Boost profile. If you no longer want your credit report to be updated with your utility account information, Boost will stop collecting it. Experian Boost will no longer log into your online banking account if you delete the program from your Experian profile.
Customer Support
You can get in touch with Experian’s support team by phone or email if you have any questions or issues. Experian does not offer live chat at this time, but they answer emails very quickly. Their telephone line hours are Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. PT and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT. You do not have to speak with Experian customer support to terminate your account.
If you are having difficulty doing so online, you may also get in touch with customer service, where their agents will handle it for you for free.
Safety
Experian’s bank account linking system has received criticism from some consumers, but your information is safeguarded by 256-bit encryption and a limited-access system. In other words, you give Experian read-only access to your information—enough to confirm positive payments, but they cannot alter it, nor can your information be leaked to hackers.
Experian Boost Cost and Pricing Plans
Experian Boost is completely free to use. Experian IdentityWorks, which costs $14.99 per month, is one of several premium features, but you do not need to purchase this product to utilize Experian Boost.