Fast Credit Repair
Did you know you can repair credit "quickly"? You can with the fastest credit repair companies. One bonus option is free.
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The best and fastest credit repair companies include:
- Sky Blue Credit: best overall
- Credit Saint: comes with a credit score tracker
- The Credit People: longest satisfaction guarantee
- Lexington Law: most aggressive credit repair
- The Credit Pros: offers a credit builder loan
On average, it takes up to six months to see changes in your credit. That's because credit bureaus have 30 to 45 days to resolve disputes for a single item.
It takes longer if the item is complex, needing more time to correspond with the three credit bureaus. Credit bureaus have up to five business days to update you on the results.
That said, some options may work more quickly than others. Keep reading to learn about them.
Top 5 Fast Credit Repair Companies
Credit repair companies offer various "aggressiveness" in disputing your negative items. This typically affects the price of your package.
Sky Blue Credit: Best Overall
Sky Blue Credit has been in the industry since 1989. It follows a 45-day cycle, aligning with the usual speed of the three credit bureaus.
Mortgage Preparation is Sky Blue Credit's specialty. Sky Blue Credit can help you optimize your credit reports ahead of time for big purchases like your first home or refinancing your mortgage.
You can choose your package depending on whether you're applying on your own or with a partner.[1]
| PREMIUM | FULL SERVICE | BASIC SERVICE | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (monthly) | Individual: $119.00 Couples: $179.00 | Individual: $99.00 Couples: $149.00 | Individual: $79.00 Couples: $119.00 |
| Initial working fee/first work fee | Same as monthly price | ||
| 3-bureau credit reports and scores | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Credit bureau disputes | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Score tracker | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Credit updates | Every 45 days | Every 45 days | Every 60 days |
| Creditor interventions | ✔ | ✔ | — |
| Credit builder tool | ✔ | ✔ | — |
| Monthly inquiry disputes | ✔ | — | — |
| Debt validation letters | ✔ | — | — |
| Cease and desist letters | ✔ | — | — |
| Personal Information Correction letters | ✔ | — | — |
If you plan to buy a home or refinance your mortgage, inform Sky Blue Credit 90 days before your application. That way, Sky Blue Credit can pause your disputes and strategize for your application. The company addresses every aspect of your credit that can affect your ability to qualify for a mortgage.
Pros + Cons:
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Get Started on Your Credit Repair
- No charges for the first 6 days
- 90-day guarantee
- 45-day dispute cycle
- Cancel service anytime
If you prefer to monitor your credit during the process, then go for Credit Saint instead.
Credit Saint: Credit Score Tracker
Credit Saint is another company that offers fast credit repair solutions. It has been in the industry since 2004 and has helped over 200,000 clients improve their credit.
It offers a 90-day money-back guarantee. So, you can request a refund if the company fails to remove questionable items from your credit report.
Plus, you can keep track of changes in real-time, thanks to Credit Saint's score tracker. This way, you don't need to pay for a different credit monitoring service.
Below are Credit Saint's packages:[2]
| CLEAN SLATE | CREDIT REMODEL | CREDIT POLISH | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aggressiveness | Very High | High | Medium |
| Price (monthly) | $139.99 | $109.99 | $79.99 |
Initial working fee/first work fee | $195.00 | $99.00 | $99.00 |
| Challenges to the 3 credit bureaus | Unlimited disputes | ✔ | ✔ |
Creditor intervention letters | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Score tracker and analysis | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Inquiry targeting | ✔ | ✔ | — |
| Personalized guide to credit building | ✔ | ✔ | — |
Pros + Cons:
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A first work fee, also known as an initial working fee or setup fee, is a fee that covers the initial work for credit repair. This can be billed from 5 to 15 days from the start of the service. It typically covers setting up your online accounts, pulling credit reports, initial analysis, etc.
If you're doubtful of credit repair in general, then you may want to opt for this next option. The guarantee may help ease your mind.
The Credit People: Longest Satisfaction Guarantee
The Credit People has been in business since 2001. It has removed over 1.5 million negative items, with several clients gaining 50–100 points increase in their credit scores.[3]
The Premium Flat Rate package offers the longest guarantee, which covers 6 months of service. Its $599 flat fee also results in lower monthly fees than most packages.
| PREMIUM FLAT RATE | PREMIUM | STANDARD | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $599 for 6 months | $119/month | $99/month |
| Setup fee | $19 | ||
| 3-credit bureau | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Unlimited challenges | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Before & After credit scores | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Monthly credit scores | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Creditor interventions | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Escalated disputes & validations | ✓ | ✓ | — |
You need to pay the one-time setup fee of $19 to get started. It's for setting up your account and pulling your credit report and credit scores. If you want to continue the program after seven days, you will be charged the price of your package.[4]
Pros + Cons:
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If your priority is the intensity of the credit repair service, check out Lexington Law instead.
Lexington Law: Most Aggressive Credit Repair
Lexington Law is a law firm that focuses on credit repair and credit laws. It has been in business since 2004. And it has a team of experienced lawyers and paralegals that can dispute for you.
Lexington Law uses an aggressive approach to handle the negative items on your credit report. Around 77% of its clients saw an average increase of 40 points to their credit score in six months.[6]
Lexington Law offers a single premium package priced at $139.95/month. They charge an initial work fee five days after the start date, with subsequent monthly fees billed thereafter.
Aside from a premium package, the company offers Focus Tracks which are focused credit repair solutions for unexpected life events, such as divorce, medical emergency, or active military duty.
Through these tracks, Lexington Law prioritizes specific items since these big events can deter your credit quickly. And legal professionals will leverage certain laws that protect your rights in your situation.
Pros + Cons:
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Free Online Credit Assessment
- Free Credit Score
- Free Credit Report Summary
- Free Credit Recommendation
- 5 Minutes to Check Your Credit
Aside from disputing negative items, why not add positive transactions at the same time? The Credit Pros can help you out.
The Credit Pros: Credit Builder Loan Option
The Credit Pros has helped over 1 million customers boost their credit scores since 2009.[9]
The Repair + Build Credit plan comes with a $5,000 tradeline for NationalCreditDirect.com, so you can add more positive transactions to your credit. And you can do this while The Credit Pros disputes your negative items on your behalf.
With the same plan, you can also monitor your credit report and credit score. It comes at no extra cost, unlike other companies.
Lastly, you're protected with a satisfaction guarantee: "If, after 60 days, you are not satisfied with our service, we will extend your service up to the number of paid months at no additional cost."
| REPAIR + BUILD CREDIT | REPAIR CREDIT | BUILD CREDIT | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (monthly) | $149.00 | $129.00 | $69.00 |
| First work fee | $149.00 | $129.00 | $119.00 |
| Unlimited disputes to the credit bureaus | ✔ | ✔ | — |
| Creditor interventions | ✔ | ✔ | — |
| Cease and Desist letters | ✔ | ✔ | — |
| Positive payment reporting | ✔ | — | ✔ |
| Credit Building Tradeline | ✔ | — | — |
| ID Cover Darkweb Monitoring | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| TransUnion fraud alerts | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Debt Payoff & Budgeting System | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Pros + Cons:
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NACSO stands for National Association of Credit Services Organization. It is a nonprofit organization that focuses on implementing industry standards for credit repair. NACSO advocates for ethical practices in the industry and provides certifications for professionals.
Get a Free Consultation Today
- Plans start at $69/month and $119 first work fee
- 60 day money back guarantee
- Cancel service anytime
- Free Credit Monitoring
Credit repair companies can offer really expensive services. If you're here for the free option, read on.
DIY: Fastest and Free Credit Repair
The last option is not an app, software, or a company that can fix your credit fast. It's you. A Do-It-Yourself approach can be your quickest way to fix your credit.
With a DIY credit repair, you'll be the one writing dispute letters, sending mail, and corresponding with credit bureaus. This means you know exactly where you are in your dispute cycles.
There is a caveat, though. You need to be knowledgeable about credit laws and dispute strategies to be effective.
Pros:
- You get to understand your own credit
- You get to learn more about credit laws
- No need to worry about service fees
Cons:
- Risky to your credit since there are no experts guiding you
- Requires focus, time, and energy
- No guarantees
There is no guaranteed quick fix to improve your credit history. You need to add on-time payments and positive transactions to your credit history before you see substantial improvement. It is more realistic to allot as much as 6 months to see changes if you want to rebuild your credit history and improve your credit score.
What Is Credit Repair?
Credit repair is the process of improving your credit by disputing and removing negative, outdated, and inaccurate items from your credit reports.
There are several ways to do this. You can hire credit repair companies, use credit repair apps, or perform DIY credit repair.
One single negative item can set back your credit score to more than a hundred points. So be sure to watch out for the following:
- Late payments
- Missed payments
- Charge-offs
- Collection accounts
- Foreclosures
- Repossessions
- Hard inquiries
Yes, you can pay someone (a company) to fix your credit fast. There are several credit repair companies that offer fast credit repair services. They use aggressive methods to dispute your negative items urgently.
However, it's not guaranteed that your credit will improve immediately. This is because your credit depends on many things, like your recent payments and new credit card applications.
How Fast Can You Repair Your Credit Score?
There is no definite timeline or speed to increase your credit score. Each person's credit profile is different. Realistically, you need to allot 6–12 months to see significant changes to your credit score.
To maximize your efforts in improving your credit, focus on building stronger financial habits, like decreasing your credit utilization ratio, paying off your personal loans, or signing up with credit counseling agencies to help restructure your debts.
Credit repair isn't one-size-fits-all, but it doesn't have to be complicated either. Scroll down for ways to boost your credit fast.
How To Improve Credit Immediately
If you're looking for more urgent ways to improve your credit, here's how:
- Pay your debts on time
The single most significant factor in credit is payment history (35%). Your ability to pay/not pay on time has the biggest effect on your credit. - Become an authorized user
If you know somebody, like your spouse or family, who has a credit card, try asking to be an authorized user. Being an authorized user means you can benefit from their card's age, credit utilization ratio, and payment history. - Request a higher credit card limit
Try to contact your bank and request a higher credit limit. If you've established yourself as a good payer, your bank may grant you higher limits, decreasing your credit utilization. - Try Experian Boost
Experian Boost is an app by Experian you can use to report utility, telecom, streaming, and rent payments. If you keep your payments on time for these bills, you can use Experian to boost your credit. - Try credit builder apps
Credit builder apps like Kovo can help you rebuild your credit. Choose an app you can commit to and keep the payments on time to slowly build a better payment history.
There is no specific way to bring your credit score up to 700, but there are several things you can try to boost your credit score fast.
- Pay your current dues and balances on time
- Limit your credit card and loan applications
- Minimize your credit utilization
- Send disputes for negative items
- Keep your old accounts open
Why You Need Fast Credit Repair
Credit repair is not an option. It's a necessity. Your credit ties you to almost every financial decision you'll ever make. It can even affect your relationships, like your marriage.
That said, you need credit repair for three reasons:
- To improve your current credit standing
If you have bad credit score now, it can follow you around for several years. Credit repair can help you mitigate potential loss and damages from negative items on your report. - To get the best deals
Better credit equals better deals. When you apply for a loan, for example, good credit is your gateway to lower interest rates and better terms. - To prepare for the future
Your credit follows you through your job applications, career, and even family life. The sooner you can fix your credit, the better the financial foundation you will build.
How to Choose Fast Credit Repair Services
Apart from the speed of your service, there are other things you need to consider. Weigh out your options by doing the following:
- Compare fees and services
Credit repair can be expensive. Compare the first work fees and monthly fees of the companies you're eyeing. That way, you can weigh the estimated credit repair costs versus the features and services you're getting.Look out for companies that charge other fees. Some of them charge late fees and fees for pulling your credit reports, which drive up total costs. - Read customer reviews
Platforms like BBB, Trustpilot, or Google Reviews give you valuable insight on the experience of previous customers. Look through recent reviews and ratings before taking the plunge. - Review your contract
First work fees don't get charged immediately. Use this time to read through your written contract as it should include your service, fees, and cancellation rights.
The credit repair industry is home to many scams. Beware of companies that overpromise guarantees. It's illegal to misrepresent services and promise things like, "we will increase your credit score by XX pts" or "we can remove ALL your negative items!"
Another thing, never sign up with companies that demand fees before doing any work. The Credit Repair Organizations Act prohibits demanding upfront payments from customers.
Methodology
There are thousands of credit repair companies in the U.S. alone. Here's how we chose the best and the fastest among them:
- Years in the business
The companies on the list have been in the industry for more than a decade. Experienced companies may have more aggressive tactics and strategies, resulting in faster disputes. - Dispute cycles
Dispute cycles are around 30–45 days, depending on the complexity of your negative item. Note that in case the dispute does not result into a removal and you choose to dispute again, it may take another cycle to resolve your case. - Guarantee and refund
We look for satisfaction guarantees or money-back guarantee because it demonstrates capability. You will most likely be assured of removals when there's a possibility for refunds. - Rate of success
Some companies, like Lexington Law, can quantify their overall rate of improvement. We look for quantifying statements, such as the number of removals or increases in credit scores for the past months. - Credit repair packages
We look for offerings and prices that clearly state inclusions and features. Well-known companies should be able to clearly state what they can and cannot do for you.
Bottom Line
Fast credit repair never meant fixing your credit in the blink of an eye. Realistically, you need to allot 6 months to 1 year to see changes in your credit.
That said, the companies on this list can help you get started. Features like credit monitoring, satisfaction guarantee, and credit builder loans can add to your confidence that these companies can get the job done.
References
- ^ Sky Blue Credit. Member Pricing, Retrieved 12/21/2024
- ^ Credit Saint. Packages, Retrieved 12/21/2024
- ^ The Credit People. Plans & Pricing, Retrieved 12/21/2024
- ^ The Credit People. FAQ: How much does your service cost?, Retrieved 12/21/2024
- ^ The Credit People. FAQ: Is there a discount for couples?, Retrieved 12/21/2024
- ^ Lexington Law. FAQ: How long does Lexington Law take to work?, Retrieved 12/6/2024
- ^ Lexington Law. FAQ: Does Lexington Law offer a family or household discount?, Retrieved 12/21/2024
- ^ Lexington Law. FAQ: Does Lexington Law offer a military discount?, Retrieved 12/21/2024
- ^ The Credit Pros. About Us, Retrieved 12/6/2024
Write to Alex Mambaje at feedback@creditdonkey.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for our latest posts.
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