Updated October 2026. General information for US readers, not personalized financial, tax, insurance or legal advice.
You don’t need to pay for a credit report or a credit freeze. All three national credit bureaus give free reports every week, and freezing your credit has been free for everyone in the US since 2018. Here’s how to use both.
Key takeaways
- Get free weekly reports from all three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com.
- Check for accounts you don’t recognize and dispute errors for free.
- A credit freeze is free and stops most new accounts being opened in your name.
- Freeze with each bureau separately, and lift it when you apply for credit.
Free Credit Reports Are Now Weekly
Equifax, Experian and TransUnion started offering free weekly reports in 2020 as a temporary pandemic program. In October 2023, they made it permanent (NH Banking Department). You get them at AnnualCreditReport.com, the official site.
Be careful with look-alike sites that use “free” in their name but sign you up for a paid subscription. You never need a credit card to get your official free reports.
How to Get Your Free Credit Reports
- Go to AnnualCreditReport.com and choose to request your reports.
- Enter your name, address, date of birth and Social Security number.
- Pick which bureaus you want. You can get all three at once.
- Answer the security questions each bureau asks to confirm it’s you.
- Download or save each report as a PDF so you can compare them later.
What to Look For
- Accounts you didn’t open. This can be a sign of identity theft.
- Late payments you made on time.
- Wrong balances or credit limits, which can affect your utilization.
- Old negative items that should have aged off your report.
- Personal details like addresses or employers you don’t recognize.
If something is wrong, file a dispute with the bureau that shows the error. You can do this online, and it’s free. Keep copies of everything you send.
How a Credit Freeze Works
A freeze means a credit bureau can’t release your credit report to a lender, which is meant to stop new accounts from being opened in your name (Identity Theft Resource Center). Before September 21, 2018, freezing could cost $2 to $10 per bureau. Now it’s free at all three.
A freeze doesn’t affect your credit score, your existing accounts or your ability to check your own reports.
How to freeze your credit
- Contact each bureau separately: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Each has an online freeze page and a phone line.
- Create an account or get a PIN, and store it somewhere safe.
- Confirm the freeze is active at all three.
When you need to apply for credit
Lift (“thaw”) the freeze temporarily with the bureau your lender uses, or with all three, then let it turn back on. Ask the lender which bureau it checks to save time.
Freeze vs. Lock vs. Fraud Alert
| Option | What it does | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Credit freeze | Blocks lenders from seeing your report until you lift it | Free by law |
| Credit lock | Similar to a freeze, offered by bureaus as a product | Sometimes bundled with paid monitoring |
| Fraud alert | Tells lenders to verify your identity before opening credit; placing it with one bureau notifies the others | Free |
For most people, a free freeze offers the strongest protection. Parents can also freeze credit for children, which helps prevent child identity theft.
If You Find Identity Theft
- Report it at IdentityTheft.gov, the Federal Trade Commission’s site, to get a recovery plan.
- Freeze your credit at all three bureaus.
- Contact the companies where fraudulent accounts were opened.
- Change passwords and turn on two-factor authentication for your email and bank accounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does checking my credit report lower my score?
No. Checking your own report is a soft inquiry and never affects your score.
Do free reports include my credit score?
Free reports from AnnualCreditReport.com show your credit history but usually not your score. Many banks and card issuers show a free score in their apps.
Will a freeze stop me from using my credit cards?
No. You can keep using your existing cards and loans normally.
Related Guides
Sources: New Hampshire Banking Department: free weekly credit reports made permanent; Identity Theft Resource Center: free credit freezes.