Written by Amanda Push | Edited by Jessica Sain-Baird | Reviewed February 24, 2023
| Credit repair company | Best for | Monthly fee | One-time set-up fee |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Working with all three credit bureaus | $69.95-$119.95 | $69.95-$119.95 |
 | Credit score tracking | $79.99-$119.99 | $99.00-$195.00 |
 | Legal expertise | $59.95-$139.95 | $59.95-$139.95 |
 | Affordable pricing | $79.00-$109.00 | $89.00 |
 | Quick processing | $79.00-$119.00 | $79.00-$119.00 |
 | Unlimited disputes | $79.00 per month or a $419 (flat rate) | $19.00 |
 | Credit builder loan access | $69.00-$149.00 | $119.00-$149.00 |
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Consumers can choose from three different plans Offers credit monitoring tools Free access to credit score and summary of negative items on credit report | Involved in CFPB lawsuit Monthly fees can be costly (as high as $119.95) Charges a set-up fee that can get as high as $119.95 |
Why we picked it: This company works with all three credit bureaus and provides access to your credit score, credit monitoring tools and a negative item summary of the details on your credit report. CreditRepair.com claims that, generally, it can take anywhere from three to six months for consumers to see the needle move on their credit score.
In 2019, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) filed a lawsuit against CreditRepair.com — a subsidiary of PGX Holdings, Inc. — for allegedly violating the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) by requiring upfront payments. It is illegal for credit repair companies to charge fees unless they can provide documentation showing promises. The CFPB also alleges the company violated the TSR and the Consumer Financial Protection Act by “making deceptive representations in its marketing.”
In August 2022, the CFPB amended its claim and is seeking damages as well as civil money penalties.
| Direct | Standard | Advanced | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | $69.95 | $99.95 | $119.95 |
| Set-up fee | $69.95 | $99.95 | $119.95 |
| Features |
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
90-day money back guarantee Offers three different plans to choose from Provides free consultations | Large set-up fee for premium plan ($195) Not available in all 50 states Charges initial set-up fees |
Why we picked it: While you legally have the right to cancel your credit repair contract within three days without paying any fees, Credit Saint takes this a step further and offers a 90-day money back guarantee.
However, Credit Saint’s set-up fees are a bit higher than what other credit repair companies charge, particularly for the Credit Premium plan which costs customers nearly $200 for the services. This is the largest set-up fee on our list.
| Credit Polish | Credit Remodel | Credit Premium | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | $79.99 | $99.99 | $119.99 |
| Set-up fee | $99.00 | $99.00 | $195.00 |
| Features |
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Offers free credit report consultation Four credit repair plans to choose from Offers access to a personal finance manager | Involved in CFPB lawsuit Charges set-up fees (up to $139.95) Only eight credit disputes per cycle with Premier plan |
Why we picked it: Lexington Law is a credit repair company run by legal experts, meaning lawyers and paralegals work the cases. This company offers the widest variety of plans consumers can select from. One unique aspect of Lexington Law’s credit repair services is access to a personal finance manager in both the Essential and Premier plans.
Lexington Law also offers programs such as DebtHandler (debt assessment tool) and Inquiry Assist (provides pre-written credit dispute letters). However, while some credit repair companies offer unlimited disputes with credit bureaus, this company only offers up to eight.
Along with CreditRepair.com, Lexington Law was named in a 2019 CFPB lawsuit. In the lawsuit, the CFPB alleged that Lexington Law charged upfront fees for services not yet performed (which is illegal) and for deceptive marketing practices. In August 2022, the CFPB amended its complaint and is seeking damages and to compensate affected consumers.
| Lexington Essential | Concord Standard | Concord Premier | Premier Plus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | $59.95 | $99.95 | $119.95 | $139.95 |
| Set-up fee | $59.95 | $99.95 | $119.95 | $139.95 |
| Features |
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Set-up fee is the same with both plans Provides free credit consultations Essentials Pro plan is more affordable than some other premier plans | Credit report monitoring only available with Essentials Pro Charges set-up fees Only offers two credit repair plans to choose from |
Why we picked it: Ovation falls under the umbrella of parent company LendingTree. The pricing for this company is more affordable than some competitors, particularly with its Essentials Pro plan which comes out to just $109 per month.
However, unlike some other credit repair companies, Ovation only offers two programs to choose from while most other competitors offer at least three. Customers can also only access Ovation’s credit monitoring services if they purchase the Essentials Pro plan.
| Essentials | Essentials Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | $79.00 | $109.00 |
| Set-up fee | $89.00 | $89.00 |
| Features |
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Offers 90-day money back guarantee Adding a second person to your plan only costs $40 35-day dispute cycle | Only offers an individual or couples plan Doesn't offer monthly credit monitoring Charges set-up fees |
Why we picked it: Founded in 1989, Sky Blue Credit is a credit repair company that strives to settle its customers disputes within 35 days, which it claims is 10 days faster than other competitors. On top of that, if you want to add someone else to your plan, it’s only an extra $40 as opposed to the full $79.
Unfortunately, if you’re looking for flexibility when it comes to choosing a credit repair plan, Sky Blue Credit only offers individual plans or plans for couples. Both have the same set of features, so there are no tiered plans to choose from.
| Individuals | Couples | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | $79.00 | $119.00 |
| Set-up fee | $79.00 | $119.00 |
| Features | Same as individual plan |
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Standard Flat Rate plan doesn’t come with start-up fees No cap on number of challenges to credit bureaus Small start-up fee of just $19 | Expensive charge of $419 with Standard Flat Rate plan Only offers two types of plans No access to credit report monitoring |
Why we picked it: While The Credit People only offers two types of plans, they’re distinct when it comes to payment plans and features. The Standard Monthly plan operates similarly to other types of competitor plans with a start-up fee as well as a monthly fee. The other plan — the Standard Flat Rate — charges a fee of $419 but no start-up fees. Both plans come with unlimited disputes.
However, if you are looking for flexibility as to the types of plan you can choose from, this may not be the company for you. The Credit People also does not offer credit reporting monitoring.
| Standard Monthly | Standard Flat Rate | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | $79.00 per month | $419 (flat rate) |
| Start-up fee | $19.00 | None |
| Features |
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Success Plus plan offers credit builder loans TransUnion credit monitoring offered with all three plans Credit builder loan reports to all three credit bureaus | Three credit bureau disputes not included in basic plan Set-up fee higher than other competitors Not offered in all 50 states |
Why we picked it: Unlike some credit repair companies, The Credit Pros offers TransUnion credit report monitoring with all three of its plans. This company also offers the unique perk of offering credit builder loans to Success Plus customers. These types of loans are specifically designed to help you build credit, though you won’t receive your loan funds until after it is repaid.
However, this company charges a much higher set-up fee than some other credit repair companies, so it may be worth shopping around to compare prices and features. You also do not have access to disputes with all three credit bureau disputes through The Credit Pros if you go with the basic plan, though you can do this on your own for free.
| Money Management | Prosper | Success Plus | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | $69.00 | $119.00 | $149.00 |
| Set-up fee | $119.00 | $119.00 | $149.00 |
| Features |
Unfortunately, there are numerous credit repair scams. In these cases, you could damage your credit score even more, dig yourself into a financial hole or even find yourself in legal hot water.
Asks for upfront fees: If a company is asking for money before it performs any services, that may be a red flag. According to the Credit Repair Organizations Act, a credit repair company can’t require payment until it has fulfilled its end of the bargain, though some companies instead use monthly payment plans.
Guarantees it can remove negative accurate information: As long as the information on your credit report is accurate and up to date, a credit repair company will not be able to remove information from it, even if it’s negative. If a company advises you to dispute the information on your credit report regardless of its accuracy, it may be a scam.
Doesn’t explain your rights: According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, consumers can dispute information on their credit reports themselves. You don’t need a credit repair company for that. If a company doesn’t make this clear to you, you may want to go in a different direction.
Instructs you not to contact credit bureaus: As a consumer, you can contact the credit bureaus and advocate for yourself. A credit repair company that tells you otherwise may be worth avoiding.
Promises new credit identity: Any time a company promises you a “new credit identity” or asks you to give false information, run the other way. According to the FTC, this activity is illegal.
Credit repair can help consumers boost their credit scores and move on from credit problems from their past. In that respect, credit repair can work for anyone if you give it enough time.
For the process to work, however, you need to work in collaboration with your credit repair agency to make needed changes, such as paying down debt and paying your bills on time.
How long it takes to repair your credit depends on a wide range of factors, including your current credit score, the severity of your credit issues and the amount of debt you have to pay off.
If you want to get a general idea of how long it will take for credit repair to work, your best bet is to speak with a knowledgeable credit repair agency or credit counselor to see what steps they need to take and a general timeline for their services.
While credit repair agencies may not be able to tell you exactly how long it will take to repair your score, their experience in this field may put them in a position to give you a general idea.
Since the Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA) oversees credit repair agencies and sets rules to govern what they can and can’t do, you have rights when it comes to credit repair.
According to the CROA, credit repair companies must explain your legal rights in a written contract along with details of the services they’ll perform. They must also inform you of your three-day right to cancel without charge, and let you know approximately how long their services will take.
Last but not least, credit repair agencies must inform you of the total cost of their services in writing. If a credit repair agency doesn’t offer this information, you should steer clear of them altogether.
Yes. While credit repair companies can take care of the bulk of your credit repair for you, they can’t do anything you can’t do yourself.
The FTC offers a multi-step process to repair your credit on your own. Not only do they suggest ordering a copy of your credit report for free, but they also suggest disputing errors on your reports directly with the credit reporting agencies.
Other steps you can take to improve your credit include paying all your bills on time (perhaps setting up payment reminders to expedite this) and lowering the total amount of debt you have. Paying off any late or delinquent debts will also help boost your score.
Checking your credit score won’t have a negative impact. The only time your credit score may be impacted by a credit check is if a lender (with your permission) runs a hard-credit pull if you apply for a form of credit. Even then, the impact is typically small with your credit score only going down by five points or less.
Negative information — such as debt settlement, late payments or Chapter 13 bankruptcy — can remain on your report for up to seven years.
However, other types of negative information — such as Chapter 7 bankruptcy or tax liens — can stay on your credit report for up to 10 years.
If you suspect a credit repair scam, you can report it on the FTC website, contact your state attorney general or reach out to your local consumer affairs office. You can also call the FTC help line at 1-877-FTC-HELP.
If you’re struggling with debt and the effects of poor credit, working with a credit counseling agency can help.
These agencies, which are normally nonprofit and low cost, work with you to manage your debts and stick to a monthly budget. They also discuss your entire financial situation with you in an effort to pinpoint the personal struggles you have with money along with potential solutions.
To find a reputable credit counseling agency, you can find a list on the Department of Justice website.
Your credit score is calculated using several factors, most importantly your payment history and how much money you owe.
In fact, your payment history makes up 35 percent of your FICO Score and your credit utilization (amount of debt you owe compared to your credit limits) makes up another 30 percent.
Other factors impacting your credit score include the length of your credit history, the amount of new credit you have and the mix of different types of credit you carry.