Bad credit can back you into a corner, making loans and credit cards expensive or inaccessible. If your credit is holding you back, there may be something you can do about it. Here’s a list of the five best credit repair companies after a thorough analysis of 21 contenders based on pricing, services, and proven results.
The credit repair industry has a bad reputation, and some of it is deserved. Some companies are very sketchy, and some are outright scams. Still, there are companies out there that provide legitimate services, and they have been able to help many clients.
Bad credit closes doors. These credit repair companies can help!
Initial work fee | Monthly fee | Credit monitoring | Discount | Money back guarantee | Cancellation policy | BBB rating | Founded in | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Credit Saint | $99–$195 | $79.99–$119.99 | Yes | Family member discount (first work fee only) | 90-day money back guarantee | No pro-rated refunds | A | 2007 |
Sky Blue | $99 | $99 | No | Couple discount | 90-day guarantee | No cancellation charge | A+ | 1989 |
The Credit Pros | $119–$149 | $69–$149 | Yes | None | 90-day money back guarantee | Full refund within 5 days after signing | A+ | 2009 |
Ovation Credit | $89 | $79–$109 | Yes | Referral, couple, military, senior, upgrade | / | Cancel any time — no-risk refund policy | NR | 2004 |
Lexington Law | Credit report access fee plus first work fee | $59.95–$139.95 | Yes | Military, family | No money-back guarantee | Cancel anytime | C- | 2004 |
👉 Do you need a credit repair company? In most cases, it only makes sense to retain a credit repair company if you have a significant number of negative entries on your credit report. If a few accounts are doing the damage, a DIY approach might serve you better.
Our Top Rated Credit Repair Companies
We selected these companies as the best overall choices for credit repair. The detailed reviews should help you choose the one that best fits your situation.
Remember that credit repair is not magic. Credit repair companies will identify and challenge errors and problematic accounts. They may be able to get legitimate accounts removed from your record if the credit bureau is unable to verify the account information or the creditor does not provide it.
⚠️ No credit repair company can guarantee that legitimate accounts will be removed from your record or that they will give you a new credit identity. If you hear those promises, look for another service.
BEST OVERALL
Credit Saint
Competitive pricing, multiple plan options, transparent billing, a solid track record, and a 90-day money-back guarantee deliver the top spot for this veteran credit repair firm. Learn more
Initial Cost:
$99 or $195
Monthly Fee
Three Plans: $79.99, $99.99, and $119.99
Guarantee:
90-day money-back guarantee if no negative items are removed
BEST FOR SIMPLE PRICING
Sky Blue Credit Repair
If your credit repair needs are not complex and you don’t want to choose from a menu of different plans, Sky Blue could be right for you. One price, one plan, one service. Learn more
Initial Cost:
$99
Monthly Fee:
$99
Guarantee:
Must request a refund within 90 days.
BEST RANGE OF SERVICES
The Credit Pros
The Credit Pros go beyond credit repair, offering a range of services that includes identity theft monitoring, budgeting software, bill reminders, and even prescription drug discounts. Learn more
Initial Cost:
Three Plans: $119, $129, or $149
Monthly Fee:
Three Plans: $69,
$129, $149
Guarantee:
90-day limited money-back guarantee.
BEST FOR DISCOUNTS
Ovation Credit
Ovation’s prices are in the middle of the pack, but the Company offers discounts for senior citizens, couples, and military members. If you’re in one of those groups, this might be your top choice. Learn more
Initial Cost:
$89 (for both plans)
Monthly Fee:
Two plans, $79 and $109
Guarantee:
No-Risk Refund Policy
LEGAL EXPERTISE (BUT BE CAREFUL)
Lexington Law
We wanted to include Lexington Law because they are one of the most visible and prominent credit repair firms in the country. They have also faced a large judgment for illegal marketing and billing practices following a suit by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Learn more
Initial Cost:
$6.99
Monthly Fee:
Four Plans: $59.95, $95.95, $119.95, $139.95
Guarantee:
None
Do your homework. Talk to several companies and see who is the best fit for you. Then choose one and stick to the plan!
1. Credit Saint
Credit Saint offers three different plans, allowing you to select the one that best fits your credit repair needs. You’ll get a free consultation, where you can review your situation and discuss the pros and cons of the different plans.
They offer a 90-day money-back guarantee. If you haven’t seen results by then, they will refund your money.
You’ll get a private online account dashboard displaying a continuously updated record of progress and activity on your account.
How it Works
Credit Saint offers three monthly plans: Credit Polish, Credit Remodel, and Credit Premium. Here’s a breakdown of the differences.
Credit Polish | Credit Remodel | Credit Premium | |
---|---|---|---|
Disputes per billing cycle | 5 | 10 | Unlimited |
Hard inquiry disputes | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Credit monitoring | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Credit score analysis | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Credit score tracker | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Cease and desist letters | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Initial fee | $99 | $99 | $195 |
Monthly fee | $79.99 | $99.99 | $119.99 |
Cost for 90 days | $338.97 | $398.97 | $554.97 |
The main difference between these plans is the number of disputes that Credit Saint will file for you. You will have to determine how many disputable accounts you have on your credit record. If you only have five disputes to file you won’t gain much from paying for the more expensive plan!
These prices are relatively high, but Credit Saint makes up for that by delivering premium service.
➕ The Pros
- Established company with a proven performance record.
- Online dashboard for continuous account monitoring.
- 90-day money back guarantee.
- Choice of multiple plans.
- Credit monitoring through Credit Squad.
- Full credit report analysis and credit building advice.
➖ The Cons
- Relatively high pricing.
- Not available in South Carolina. May not be available in several other states.
- Limited disputes in lower tier plans
If you’re looking for a premium full-service credit repair company, Credit Saint will be on your shortlist.
Credit Saint Reviews
Online reviews are a mixed indicator. People with negative experiences are more likely to write reviews than those who have positive experiences. Many people who report negative experiences had unrealistic expectations or did not fully understand the service. Some customers are simply impossible to please.
On the other hand, some companies have been known to seed inauthentic positive reviews on popular review sites.
We’ll present a summary of review results, but please read them critically. They are a useful tool but may not always give an accurate impression.
Review Platform | Number of Reviews | Average Review |
---|---|---|
BBB (A Rating)* | 111 | 4.1 |
Best Company | 254 | 4.7 |
Google Reviews | 9,714 | 4.8 |
Consumer Affairs | 423 | 4.8 |
Trustpilot | 113 | 3.4 |
*Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings are based on responsiveness to complaints, not customer reviews.
Get Your FREE Credit Evaluation Today!
Want to learn more? Read our full Credit Saint review
2. Sky Blue Credit Repair
Sky Blue offers one of the simplest credit repair products in the industry. There’s only one plan. You’ll pay $99 to set your program up and $99 a month until your disputes are resolved.
Sky Blue clearly believes that their program will satisfy their clients. They offer a 90-day no-questions-asked money-back guarantee. If you’re not happy, they’ll give your money back.
How it Works
Sky Blue will dispute up to 15 records (five per credit bureau) each month. This is lower than some competitors, but the lower cost makes Sky Blue a great choice for people with a limited number of disputable records.
Sky Blue does not offer credit monitoring. They do provide advice on rebuilding your credit. If required, Sky Blue will provide debt validation, goodwill letters, cease and desist letters, and mortgage preparation at no extra cost.
You can schedule a free consultation by filling in the form on their website. You can also reach their sales team by phone at: (800) 790-0445 (9 AM – 7 PM, Monday-Friday, EST).
Here’s how Sky Blue pricing works:
- There is no initial cost for signing up for their service.
- The monthly fee is $99/month.
- For 90 days of service, your total cost will be $396.
- If you join as a couple the second account will have 50% off.
➕ The Pros
- Simple, single-package pricing is ideal for less complex cases.
- 90-Day, No-Hassle Guarantee.
- 50% couples discount.
- Pause or cancel membership over the phone or through your member portal.
➖ The Cons
- Limited disputes per month.
- No credit monitoring.
- No budgeting or other financial management tools.
If you’re looking for a simple package focused entirely on credit repair with a limited number of disputes, Sky Blue is a great option.
Sky Blue Reviews
Online reviews are a mixed indicator. People with negative experiences are more likely to write reviews than those who have positive experiences. Many people who report negative experiences had unrealistic expectations or did not fully understand the service. Some customers are simply impossible to please.
On the other hand, some companies have been known to seed inauthentic positive reviews on popular review sites.
We’ll present a summary of review results, but please read them critically. They are a useful tool but may not always give an accurate impression.
Review Platform | Number of Reviews | Average Review |
---|---|---|
BBB (A+ Rating)* | 16 | 3.2 |
Best Company | 59 | 4.5 |
Google Reviews | 478 | 4.4 |
Consumer Affairs | 234 | 4.8 |
Trustpilot | Not Reviewed | Not Reviewed |
*Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings are based on responsiveness to complaints, not customer reviews.
(Free Consultation, 90-Day Money-Back Guarantee)
Want to learn more? Read our full Sky Blue review
3. The Credit Pros
Most credit repair companies focus on disputing inaccurate records on your credit report or other records that they think could be removed. The Credit Pros provides this service, but they will take it a step further, helping you to rebuild your credit after you repair it.
The Credit Pros packages include identity theft monitoring, debt management tools, and financial planning services that will help you keep your credit out of trouble and add positive records to replace the negatives you’re leaving behind.
How it Works
The process starts with a free consultation. A representative of The Credit Pros will review your credit report, assess what the Company can do to help you, and discuss your options.
Services are divided into three packages.
- The Money Management package includes budgeting systems, bill reminders, and identity theft services. It does not include credit repair services.
- The Prosperity package includes all of the money management functions and adds credit repair services, including credit bureau disputes, creditor interventions, cease and desist letters, and more.
- The Success package includes all of the above functions plus credit reports and scores for all three bureaus and access to a credit-builder loan.
Here’s a full comparison of inclusions and prices.
Money Management | Prosperity Package | Success Package | |
---|---|---|---|
Budgeting System | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Bill Reminders | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Real-Time Account Sync | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
TransUnion Alerts | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
ID Cover Darkweb Monitoring | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
One-Bureau Credit Report and Scores | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Letters of Reference | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Cease & Desist Letters | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Creditor Interventions | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Credit Bureau Challenges (all three bureaus) | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Three-Bureau Credit Reports and Scores | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ |
Credit-Builder Loan | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ |
Initial fee | $119 | $119 | $149 |
Monthly fee | $69 | $129 | $149 |
Cost for 90 days | $326 | $506 | $596 |
The Money Management package includes some basic services but does not address credit repair. The Prosperity package moves up to actual credit repair, while the Success package, the most expensive, adds only a few features that may not be worth the added cost.
The credit Pros offer a 24/7 online client portal and a mobile app that lets you check your account status. All plans run month to month and you can cancel any time.
There’s a money-back guarantee: if they don’t assist in sending any disputes within the first 30 days or no items were removed within the first 90 days you get your money back.
➕ The Pros
- Includes credit monitoring and identity theft protection.
- Includes a range of budgeting and financial management tools.
- Unlimited credit disputes.
- Dispute, goodwill, cease and desist, and debt validation letters are included.
- Solid money-back guarantee and easy cancellation.
- Wide range of plans
- Services available in Spanish
➖ The Cons
- Relatively high prices on higher-end packages.
- Lack of significantly more useful services in the most expensive package..
- Some reviews indicate problems with claiming the guarantee.
If you want to combine credit repair with a full set of identity protection and credit improvement services, The Credit Pros could be your preferred option.
The Credit Pros Reviews
Online reviews are a mixed indicator. People with negative experiences are more likely to write reviews than those who have positive experiences. Many people who report negative experiences had unrealistic expectations or did not fully understand the service. Some customers are simply impossible to please.
On the other hand, some companies have been known to seed inauthentic positive reviews on popular review sites.
We’ll present a summary of review results, but please read them critically. They are a useful tool but may not always give an accurate impression.
Review Platform | Number of Reviews | Average Review |
---|---|---|
BBB (Not Accredited) | 72 | 3.68 |
Best Company | 435 | 4.6 |
Google Reviews | 3 | 2.3 |
Consumer Affairs | 58 | 4.8 |
Trustpilot | 357 | 4.7 |
(Free Consultation, Includes ID Theft)
Want to learn more? Read our full The Credit Pros review
4. Ovation Credit
Ovation offers a combination of credit repair, credit education, and credit monitoring services. You’ll get a dedicated case supervisor who will walk you through the entire process, helping you understand what they are doing and why.
Ovation offers two packages, so you have a clear, easy choice of which best fits your needs. Both packages give you access to financial planning, budgeting, and debt management tools
Ovation offers discounts of up to 20% for couples, members of the military, and senior citizens.
How it Works
Ovation offers a free consultation. A case manager will review your credit situation and explain what the Company can do to help you improve it. Once you select a plan Ovation will assign a case manager who will stay with you for the duration of the service, assuring that you’ll always be talking to someone who knows your case.
Ovation expects customers to be active participants in the credit relief process. This means you may be able to do more than you would with other companies. That could be a problem for some people, but remember that the process is designed to be educational and give you the tools to help yourself in the future.
Ovation claims that they have corrected 1 million credit profiles and that the average customer sees 19 improvements in their credit report.
Ovation offers two plans. The initial fee for both plans is $89.
- Essentials offers personalized dispute options: you’ll dispute items that ar inaccurate, complete, or unverifiable. You’ll have a dedicated case adviser and financial management tools. The monthly fee is $79, so for 90 days of service you’ll pay $326.
- Essentials Plus includes unlimited dispute, validation, and goodwill letters, along with TransUnion credit monitoring and financial management tools. The monthly fee is $109, weighing in at $416 for 90 days.
Essentials Plus | Essentials | |
---|---|---|
Personalized dispute options | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Expert team of case advisors | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Financial management tools | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Unlimited validation letters | ✔️ | ❌ |
Unlimited goodwill letters | ✔️ | ❌ |
Ovation recommendation letter | ✔️ | ❌ |
TransUnion credit monitoring | ✔️ | ❌ |
Initial fee | $89 | $89 |
Monthly fee | $109 | $79 |
Cost for 90 days | $416 | $326 |
The plan you choose will depend on your credit situation: if you have a relatively low number of negative entries on your credit report, the Essentials plan should be all you need… and remember those discounts!
If Ovation fails to provide the agreed-upon services in a given month, you won’t be charged for that month.
➕ The Pros
- Dedicated case manager.
- Discounts for couples, seniors, military.
- Extensive credit education.
- Two plans make choosing easy.
- Easy cancellation.
➖ The Cons
- Customers have to do some work under case manager guidance.
- No credit monitoring on Essentials plan.
- No app or chat-based customer service.
- Limited guarantee.
If you want to take an active role in credit repair and learning about the process is important to you, Ovation could be your top pick.
Ovation Reviews
Online reviews are a mixed indicator. People with negative experiences are more likely to write reviews than those who have positive experiences. Many people who report negative experiences had unrealistic expectations or did not fully understand the service. Some customers are simply impossible to please.
On the other hand, some companies have been known to seed inauthentic positive reviews on popular review sites.
We’ll present a summary of review results, but please read them critically. They are a useful tool but may not always give an accurate impression.
Review Platform | Number of Reviews | Average Review |
---|---|---|
BBB (Not Accredited) | 83 | 3.6 |
Best Company | 4 | 3.0 |
Google Reviews | 697 | 3.5 |
Consumer Affairs | 333 | 4.3 |
Trustpilot | 196 | 4.7 |
5. Lexington Law
We had some doubts about including Lexington Law in this roundup. The Company was sued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in 2019 for alleged illegal fees and sales practices. They also recently settled a class action suit over alleged illegal telemarketing practices.
Those legal issues make it difficult to recommend the Company.
On the other hand, Lexington Law is one of the best-known and most dominant credit repair companies in the country. It’s hard to discuss credit repair without at least mentioning them.
We’ll lay out the pros and cons so you can make your own decision.
Update
On August 28, 2023, the CFPB announced that it had entered into a proposed settlement with Lexington Law. The settlement will have to be approved by the court.
The settlement imposes a $2.7 billion judgment and over $64 million in civil penalties against Lexington Law and its partner companies. The group behind Lexington Law is also banned from any telemarketing activities for 10 years.
Lexington Law has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, laid off 900 employees, and shut down 80% of its operations. It is not clear how much of the fine will be paid or whether Lexington Law, CreditRepair.com, and their related companies will remain in business.
How it Works
Lexington Law has been in business for 18 years and is one of the largest credit repair companies in the country. That scale has allowed them to develop a sophisticated set of tools, including a highly rated credit repair app.
Lexington Law services follow a three-stage process.
- Setup and Discovery. The Company will review your credit report and determine what items are causing damage and which ones can be challenged.
- Challenge and dispute. Lexington Law will dispute these items and ask for verifications.
- Manage and monitor. The Company will continue to monitor your credit and adress new issues as they appear.
Initial services: Lexington Law does charge an initial start-up fee of $6.99 that is used to purchase a copy of your TransUnion credit report, with services beginning a few days later.
Lexington Law offers three service levels. You can see what Lexington Law plans include and what they cost in the table below.
Premier Plus | Concord Premier | Concord Standard | Lexington Essentials | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Equifax/TransUnion disputes per cycle | 8 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
Experian disputes per cycle | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Creditor interventions per month | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
InquiryAssist | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
ID Theft Insurance | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
DebtHandler | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
Report Watch Alerts | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ |
TransUnion FICO Score | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
Lost Wallet Protection | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
Personal Finance Manager | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
Junk Mail Reducer | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
TransUnion Credit Monitoring | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
MoneySmart Alerts | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
Monthly fee | $139.95 | $119.95 | $99.95 | $59.95 |
Cost for 90 days | $426.84 | $366.84 | $306.84 | $179.85 |
Lexington Law has a deep and detailed information section on its website. These resources are available to everyone, not just clients, and they are a great source of information for anyone considering credit repair.
➕ The Pros
- Extensive experience.
- Credit repair attorneys on staff.
- App gets high ratings from customers.
- Three plans to choose from.
- All plans include the basics: credit disputes, creditor interventions (like goodwill and validation letters), inquiry assists, ID Theft Insurance and DebtHandler.
➖ The Cons
- Legal issues: Lexington Law has faced lawsuits from regulators and customers.
- Significant numbers of complaints on the BBB and other online review sites.
- No money-back guarantee.
- Not available in Oregon.
- No plans with unlimited disputes.
You’ll have to decide whether the experience and the superior tools outweigh the recent history of legal problems.
Lexington Law Reviews
Online reviews are a mixed indicator. People with negative experiences are more likely to write reviews than those who have positive experiences. Many people who report negative experiences had unrealistic expectations or did not fully understand the service. Some customers are simply impossible to please.
On the other hand, some companies have been known to seed inauthentic positive reviews on popular review sites.
We’ll present a summary of review results, but please read them critically. They are a useful tool but may not always give an accurate impression.
Review Platform | Number of Reviews | Average Review |
---|---|---|
BBB (C-)* | 317 | 1.2 |
Best Company | 3576 | 4.1 |
Google Reviews | 4230 | 4.2 |
Consumer Affairs | 2142 | 3.0 |
Trustpilot | 585 | 3.0 |
*Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings are based on responsiveness to complaints, not customer reviews.
Want to learn more? Read our full Lexington Law review
How to Choose a Credit Repair Company
There are hundreds of credit repair companies out there. Many of them advertise heavily. You may have seen companies promising to remove legitimate entries from your credit report, or even offering a “new credit identity”. How do you know what to believe?
Understand Credit Repair
Before you start shopping for a credit repair service, you need to fully understand what credit repair is and what credit repair companies do. Our article introducing credit repair is a good place to start.
Know Your Rights
The credit repair industry is regulated by the Credit Repair Organizations Act. This law prohibits false or distorted claims and requires companies to provide you with information on their services. Companies cannot demand upfront payment. They must offer written agreements and you have the right to cancel an agreement under some circumstances.
You should know your rights before you contact any credit repair company.
Check the Price
Most credit repair companies charge a start-up fee that covers the time they spend analyzing your reports to see if they can help you.
If they determine you’re a good candidate for credit repair, you pay on a monthly basis while they work to clean up your report.
Obviously, you want to choose a company that prices its services fairly.
Check the Customer Service
You also want to choose a company you’re comfortable working with. Ask these questions:
- What’s their customer service like?
- How responsive are they?
- How many items will they dispute per month?
Ask questions before you sign up and make sure you understand the scope of the service.
Taking Action
There is no reason to have bad credit, all it takes is a bit of time and a bit of work. The fastest solution will be to go with a credit repair company and let them do their magic.
Whatever you choose, the first and most important step is to start!
🔎 Learn more about credit repair
FAQ:
A credit repair company will focus on removing errors or inaccurate entries from your credit report. They pull your reports from Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax, and review them meticulously, line by line, looking for negative information that’s dragging down your score.
When choosing a credit repair company, it’s important to select a company that:
– Does not make false or distorted claims about what they can do for you?
– Does not demand upfront payments?
– Uses written agreements?
– Gives you the right to cancel the agreement?
– Has fair pricing?
– Has helpful and responsive customer service?
The time it takes to see credit repair results varies depending on your credit situation. If your problems are caused by verifiable errors on your credit report, you may see a very quick increase in your credit score.
No credit repair service can guarantee a score increase as the outcome varies depending on your credit situation. However, some credit repair companies offer a 90-day money-back guarantee if no negative items are removed.
Slow credit repair service at which since billing is only done monthly expect only 1 item removed per month. Upon cancelling they will bill for an extra month when services haven’t been rendered. Definitely suggest not using this service. Also credit report updates are always late through the app. Customer service is below subpar. 0 star review