The best credit repair companies dispute inaccurate and negative items on your credit report in order to increase your credit score. The companies listed are registered with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and have high customer reviews. Memberships are usually charged on a monthly basis and range from $79 to $119.99 per month.
Top 5 Credit Repair Companies 2020
Credit Repair Services | Best For |
---|---|
(Best Overall) Debt negotiation and pay-to-delete service | |
Best discount for switching credit repair companies | |
Top-rated customer service | |
Condition-free 90-day money back guarantee | |
7-day trial period |
Alternatives to Credit Repair Companies
Credit repair companies file credit disputes to remove errors and incorrect information from your credit report, but they aren’t cheap. You can do everything a credit repair company does yourself—for free. Depending on your credit report, this process can be time-consuming and difficult to navigate. For those who would rather delegate this to a credit repair company, the costs may be worth it.
In any case, understanding your credit report is the first step to improving your credit score. You can view your credit report for free at AnnualCreditReport.com, although these credit reports don’t include your credit score. If you’re looking for access to your credit report along with your free credit score, you can do so on NAV.
Licensing and Registration of Credit Repair Services
Under the Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) created rules that credit repair companies must abide by. Companies are required to register with their state’s attorney general. The best credit repair companies are registered with the Better Business Bureau® (BBB) and bonded. Being licensed, registered, and bonded doesn’t guarantee great service, but it shows that the firm complies with governing laws.
Who Credit Repair Companies Are Right For
Credit repair services are a great tool for people who have more than three errors on their credit reports. Complex credit reports that include bankruptcies, judgments, and liens can be more challenging to dispute. Credit repair companies will review, dispute and advise you on the best way to move forward.
Credit repair typically takes four to six months to see results. Since credit repair companies charge monthly fees, the cost of credit repair services can get expensive quickly. Those that only have no more than two errors on their credit report will do better handling it themselves for free.
How We Evaluated Credit Repair Companies
Credit repair services aim to remove items from your credit report that negatively impact your credit score. Most companies contact the credit bureaus and debt collectors to have inaccurate items, like late payments and collections, removed from your credit. If you have valid debt, they may offer to negotiate the debt and settle with your creditors on your behalf. On average, your credit score will improve over three to six months, but you may see results sooner.
We used the following criteria to evaluate the best credit repair companies:
- Setup fee: Most companies require a one-time initial fee to start services. Initial fees on our list range from $19 to $195.
- Ongoing Fee: The monthly fee you’ll pay for services. Companies on our list have monthly fees ranging from $79 to $119.99.
- Additional features: Added perks and discounts the company offers as an incentive for membership.
- BBB registration: If the company is registered with the BBB the rating that the company has ranges from A+ (highest) to F (lowest).
- Customer Reviews: Online user reviews found on user websites including the BBB and consumer affairs.
- Licensed, registered, and bonded: Companies that are licensed with the state, registered with the BBB, and insured against litigation costs and losses.
Most credit repair services are under $100 a month and offer measurable results within the first three months. The best credit repair services have strong customer ratings with a solid business history and track record. We ranked My Credit Group as the best overall credit repair company because of its services above just credit repair. This company is the only service on our list to offer debt negotiation and pay for deletion services.
My Credit Group: Overall Best Credit Repair Company
My Credit Group credit repair services is best for consumers looking to repair their credit and negotiate valid debt. This company has been in business since 2000 and has an A+ BBB rating—the highest available. Consumers will be assigned a credit coach that works to remove negative information like collections that decrease your credit score. This company offers debt negotiation and pay-for-delete services—the only credit repair company on our list to do so.
Late payments and defaulted accounts still have a negative impact on your report long after you’ve paid them off. Settling debts listed as past due or defaulted on your credit report won’t immediately improve your credit score. With pay-for-delete services, this company will negotiate with creditors to have the negative reporting completely removed from your credit report in exchange for paying the debt.
My Credit Group Costs
My Credit Group offers a free consultation and credit analysis upfront. This is to determine the best strategy to address your unique credit issues. This is standard for most credit repair businesses who don’t charge you until after the first consultation. My Credit Group offers all of its services under one monthly fee of $89.
- One-time setup fee: $89
- Monthly fee: $89
This cost structure is fairly simple with only one plan and monthly fee to contend with. Other companies, like Credit Saint, break up services into multiple price plans. The setup fee for that company can be as high as $195.
My Credit Group Services
My Credit Group will review your credit report and strategize the best way to address your issue. In addition to having errors and incorrect listings removed from your report, My Credit Group will negotiate debt settlements with creditors on your behalf. If there are any negative items remaining after the dispute process, this company will contact creditors directly to reach a settlement or pay off the balance for deletion.
This company will dispute the following items:
- Late payments
- Collections
- Charge-Offs
- Bankruptcies
- Repossessions
- Foreclosures
- Liens
- Judgments
This company will file on an unlimited number of items on your credit report, but there’s no guarantee to the number of disputes that will be processed in a specific time period. If your credit report has a significant amount of items to dispute, My Credit Group may choose to space filings out over a certain amount of weeks or months. This also means that the process may take longer and you’ll pay more.
My Credit Group Additional Features
Unlike Sky Blue Credit Repair, My Credit Group doesn’t offer discounts. However, the company does offer credit monitoring and identity theft protection. Consumers can access their My Credit Group accounts online and can track their progress anytime.
What My Credit Group is Missing
Although My Credit Group allows consumers to cancel services at any time, it doesn’t offer a 90-day money-back guarantee. Sky Blue Credit Repair offers a 90-day 100% money-back guarantee for consumers who aren’t satisfied with their service. With that company, customers can cancel for any reason within that time-frame and receive a full refund. This company is also missing discounts that most other credit companies offer.
My Credit Group Reviews
We searched online for industry and user reviews for My Credit Group credit repair services. Most industry reviews were favorable while customer reviews were mixed. Overall this company rated above average for its industry.
Industry Reviews
My Credit Group has an A+ BBB rating, which is the highest rating available. This is no small feat, as companies in the credit repair industry average ratings of C+ or below. My Credit Group has been registered with the BBB since 2014 and has no customer complaints on file.
User Reviews
Although we weren’t able to locate reviews on the BBB and Consumer Affairs websites, several Yelp reviewers gave positive feedback on the company’s customer service. However, some users complained they didn’t get all the items they wanted removed from their credit report. These issues are common with credit repair companies since each case is different.
Ovation: Best Discount for Switching Credit Repair Companies
Ovation is best for consumers looking to switch credit repair companies. Ovation offers a $50 discount to anyone who used a competitor agency within the previous six months. This company also offers discounts to military clients and senior citizens. This company was established in 1976, the longest-running business on our list. The company holds the BBB’s top rating.
Ovation Costs
Ovation offers two service plans: Essentials and Essentials Plus. It also has a “first work” fee of $89, which serves as the one-time initial fee. Consumers who opt for the most expensive package will pay as much as $109 per month. People who are located in Oregon or Mississippi may have different pricing, and will need to contact the office directly.
- One-time Setup fee: $89
- Monthly fee: $79.99 for the Essential Plan; $109 for the Essential Plus Plan
Ovation has the second priciest plan on our list, but it also offers more discounts than any other credit repair company. Sky Blue Credit Repair offers its one-plan pricing at a lower cost than even the basic plan for this company. That company also offers a 90-day money-back guarantee that Ovation does not.
Ovation Credit Repair Services
Ovation disputes a wide range of credit report items. Unlike Credit Saint, Ovation’s highest service plan doesn’t include any more disputes than its basic plan. However, customers with more complex issues on their credit will likely benefit from the unlimited validation letters the Essential Plus Plan offers. These letters request collectors verify the source of the debt and provide proof of validity. Debt that can’t be proven may be removed from your credit report.
This company addresses the following credit report items:
- Late Payments
- Collections
- Charge-Offs
- Bankruptcies
- Repossessions
- Foreclosures
- Liens
- Identity fraud
- Judgments
Ovation provides a personal case manager who will handle your credit disputes and update you on your progress, which is fairly standard among companies in this industry. The Essential Plus Plan increases the aggressiveness at which the company responds to creditors. With that plan, consumers get additional services, including goodwill letters, unlimited validation letters, Ovation recommendation letters, and TransUnion credit monitoring and alerts.
Ovation Features
Ovation offers more discounts than most credit repair companies. Clients get a $50 credit if they used a competitor agency within the past six months. Just provide proof in the form of a billing statement or receipt. Clients 65 and older are eligible for 10% off their monthly fees after the initial fee is paid. Retired and active-duty military personnel also get a 10% discount after providing a valid military ID.
Ovation offers a unique couples discount called the “Pair-Up” discount. This 20% discount applies to any two or more people regardless of residence or nature of the relationship. This includes couples, friends, and family. Other companies like Sky Blue Credit require couples to live together in order to qualify. Clients who refer a friend can get a $30 credit toward one monthly bill and a $50 credit when they refer a couple.
What Ovation is Missing
Ovation doesn’t negotiate debt settlements or offer pay-for-deletes. This would be a huge benefit for consumers looking to make a bigger impact on their credit score more quickly. Ovation also doesn’t offer a 90-day money-back guarantee as Credit Saint does.
Ovation Reviews
We searched online for both industry and user reviews for Ovation and found that they were mostly positive. This company has a high rating with the BBB, which is difficult to maintain for any business in the credit industry for 43 years.
Industry Reviews
Ovation has an A+ BBB rating, which is the highest rating available. It’s also been accredited with the BBB since 2004. Since then, Ovation had 27 customer complaints. However, this company is very responsive to customer complaints and generally responds within a couple of days.
User Reviews
We reviewed customer feedback online for sites including the BBB and Consumer Affairs. Customer reviews for Ovation were mostly positive with the company earning 4 out of 5 stars on Consumer Affairs. Most users said they successfully removed negative items from their credit and liked the service. Some customers complained about not getting a refund for canceling services.
Credit Saint: Best for Customer Service
Credit Saint is best for consumers looking for a BBB-accredited company with one of the best customer service reviews in its industry. This company offers a 90-day money back guarantee with packages as low as $79.99 per month. Credit Saint also has a solid online platform that allows customers to track their progress. Established in 2007, this company boasts top ratings with the BBB and consumer affairs.
Credit Saint Costs
Like other credit repair companies, Credit Saint offers a free consultation before purchasing a membership. Unlike My Credit Group, this company has tiered pricing with three different service plans. Monthly package prices range from $79.99 to $119.00.
- One-time setup fee: $99 for Credit Polish or Credit Remodel, $195 for Clean Slate
- Monthly fee: $79.99 for Credit Polish; $99.99 for Credit Remodel; $119.99 for Clean Slate
Credit Saint’s maximum package is nearly $40 higher than its basic plan. Depending on which service package you choose, the fees could add up quickly. Consumers who aren’t satisfied with their services can cancel their membership within the first 90 days and get a full refund. Other companies, like Sky Blue Credit, also offer a 90-day money-back guarantee, but they don’t offer tiered pricing options.
Credit Saint Services
Credit Saint says that you’ll see results in 45 days or less, but the best improvements typically take three to six months. After consultation, Credit Saint will provide a credit report analysis and discuss a plan for credit repair. The Remodel plan offers standard filings, including challenges on charge-offs and late payments. If you have more complex items, like judgments and repossessions, you will need the Clean Slate package.
The Credit Saint packages include:
- Credit Polish: Credit Saint will dispute late payments, identity thefts, charge-offs, and collections
- Credit Remodel: Includes all of the Credit Polish services plus bankruptcies and repossessions
- Clean Slate: Includes all of the Credit Remodel services plus judgments
Consumers get a full analysis complete with progress reports and can view their case progress via their online account page. This company will also provide assistance in establishing new credit and help you rebuild your credit. For clients that opt for the most aggressive service package, Credit Saint will typically send out disputes and letters immediately. Other credit repair companies, like My Credit Group, provide all these services under one plan.
Credit Saint Additional Features
Credit Saint doesn’t offer any discounts, but it is one of the few companies that offers a 90-day cash back guarantee. Consumers have 90 days to use the service and can cancel and get a full refund. Clients are able to cancel services after 90 days and at any time, but won’t receive a refund of services.
What Credit Saint is Missing
Credit Saint has high rankings for its money-back guarantee, but it doesn’t offer pay-for-deletes or help negotiate settlements. My Credit Group offers these services along with the standard credit disputes. Credit Saint also doesn’t offer any discounts, while most other credit repair companies do.
Credit Saint User Reviews
We searched online through multiple sites to get reviews for Credit Saint. Reviews for this company were positive overall with and they have the highest BBB rating available.
Industry Reviews
Credit Saint has been registered with the BBB since 2007 and has the highest rating with the BBB-A+. The company held this rating while having 13 BBB customer complaints. One of the reasons this rating is so high is because of its BBB customer response time. The company typically responds to BBB reports in two days or less.
Credit Saint User Reviews
Credit Saint customer reviews were mostly positive. Credit Saint clients liked the money-back guarantee and appreciated the customer service. Most users stated that they saw improvement in their credit profile. However, some clients complained they didn’t get the negative items removed that they expected.
Sky Blue Credit: Condition-Free 90-Day Money-Back Guarantee
Sky Blue Credit is best for people that want a condition-free 90-day money back guarantee not offered by other credit repair companies. Unlike Credit Saint, Sky Blue doesn’t disqualify customers that had derogatory trade lines added to their reports while participating in the program from a refund. More so, Sky Blue Credit Repair sends disputes as early as the first week after signing up. It’s also registered with the BBB with a C+ rating.
Sky Blue Credit Costs
The costs for Sky Blue Credit’s only service plan is $79 per month for all services. There’s also an initial one-time fee of $79 billed after the first six days.
- One-time Setup fee: $79
- Monthly fee: $79
While some companies charge you an extra fee to pull credit reports, these fees are included in Sky Blue Credit’s monthly plan. Clients can cancel with a full refund within the first 90 days. Credit Saint also offers a monthly plan that’s $79, but it doesn’t include all its available services.
Sky Blue Credit Services
Sky Blue Credit focuses on challenging invalid, inaccurate information on your credit report, and it sends disputes to the three credit bureaus within the first week of account activation. The best credit repair companies dispute errors that include collections and charge-offs, but what sets this company apart is that it also disputes liens, loans, bankruptcies, and foreclosures, for no additional cost. This is something only one other company on our list, My Credit Group, offers.
Sky Blue Credit addresses the following:
- Late Payments
- Collections
- Charge-Offs
- Bankruptcies
- Repossessions
- Foreclosures
- Liens
- Judgments
Sky Blue Credit will also offer debt settlement consultation, where it will advise you on when it’s best to confirm the debt and work with the creditor regarding payment solutions. However, unlike with My Credit Group, it won’t negotiate it for you. The number of disputes filed is limited to 15 items (five items per bureau) every 35 days. Sky Blue Credit is generous with its services, but it doesn’t offer pay-for-deletion on legitimate items as My Credit Group does.
Sky Blue Credit Additional Features
Sky Blue Credit gives customers the unique ability to pause services whenever they want and restart whenever they’re ready. Couples who apply together get a 50% discount on the second person to sign up. Unlike with The Credit People, Sky Blue Credit doesn’t require clients to be married to receive the discount. Couples just need to live together and pay together to qualify.
What Sky Blue Credit is Missing
Sky Blue Credit Repair will advise you on the best approach regarding valid debt, but they don’t offer pay for deletion services like My Credit Group does. Paying off debt alone won’t impact your credit score. Consumers that can use the pay-for-deletion services will improve their credit score by having the negative items removed from their credit report.
Sky Blue Credit Reviews
We looked at online industry and customer reviews for Sky Blue Credit and found they were mostly positive. This company is the second on our list to have a BBB rating lower than an A+.
Industry Reviews
Sky Blue Credit has a C+ BBB rating, which is about average. This rating is still lower than most of the other companies on our list. The company has been on file with the BBB since 2007 and has a total of four customer complaints in the past three years. Most BBB issues were addressed within two days or less.
User Reviews
We reviewed customer online feedback for Sky Blue Credit including the BBB, and Consumer Affairs. Reviews for Sky Blue Credit repair services are mostly positive. Users stated that staff was professional and they received satisfactory results. A smaller number of users complained that they didn’t see a difference in their credit score.
The Credit People: Best for 7-Day Trial Period
The Credit People is best for consumers looking to try a credit repair company, but that aren’t ready to pay the setup fee. This is the only credit repair company that offers a seven-day trial period for $19. The Credit People will dispute items on your credit report, including judgments and bankruptcies, shortly after signing up. The Credit People has been in business for 15 years and currently holds a C+ BBB rating.
The Credit People Costs
Like most credit repair companies, The Credit People offers a month-to-month plan for $79 after the initial fee of $19. It also offers a flat-rate membership plan for $419 that covers six months of service. Clients that choose the flat-rate option get the same services as the monthly option, but they will save a total of $74 for paying upfront.
- One-time Setup fee: $19
- Monthly fee: $79
- Six month flat-rate fee: $419
The Credit People doesn’t charge extra fees for credit scores, which costs $7.95 per credit agency. This company also covers the cost of pulling credit reports, which could run up to $30 for all three credit bureaus. Other credit repair companies don’t include these in your membership plan. Like most companies on our list, consumers can cancel anytime, and won’t have to pay for the month that services were canceled in.
The Credit People Services
The Credit People offers unlimited disputes that cover a variety of categories, including collections and student loans. The items being disputed are common for credit repair companies, but unlike Credit Saint, they don’t charge extra for bankruptcy and judgments.
The Credit People addresses the following:
- Judgments
- Late payments
- Collections
- Charge-offs
- Bankruptcies
- Repossessions
- Foreclosure
- Tax liens
- Identity fraud
- Student loans
Customers are able to see their credit scores and credit reports within the first week of starting the program. Clients can expect to see results in the first 45 to 60 days, but most consumers will get the best results in four to six months. However, this company doesn’t offer debt negotiations as the top credit repair company does.
The Credit People Additional Features
The Credit People offers a $20 discount for married couples. Clients that sign up a spouse after they complete their order will receive $20 off both their first payments. If your spouse’s sign up isn’t completed at checkout, you can add them up to three days following your order. This discount isn’t available for flat-fee pricing.
What The Credit People is Missing
The Credit People doesn’t offer debt negotiation and pay-for-deletions like My Credit Group. Although it offers a trial period for only $19, it does not have the 90-day money-back guarantee like Credit Saint and Sky Blue Credit.
The Credit People Reviews
We searched online to find online reviews for The Credit People. Most reviews were positive with customers stating that they got their negative items removed from their credit. This business is registered with the BBB with an average rating.
Industry Reviews
This company has a BBB rating of C+. The BBB states the reason for this rating is industry related. However, the company had six customer complaints filed over the past three years, with one being resolved to the complainant’s satisfaction. The company’s BBB responding time is typically two days.
User Reviews
We reviewed customer feedback online for sites including the BBB and Consumer Affairs. Reviews for The Credit People are mostly positive, with most customers stating that they helped them improve their credit scores and remove bad credit items. However, some people complained that their credit reports weren’t cleared of all negative items.
Bottom Line
The best credit repair companies offer credit removal services for a variety of negative items. Consumers looking to improve their credit score can take advantage of the free consultation and credit analysis these companies offer to determine what services they’ll need ahead of time. Taking ownership of your credit profile is the first step in credit repair.
Donald
Great article, my score was really bad.
jessica lawrence
Finally someone is raising awareness for this, I work for a major credit reporting agency and I can’t believe how many Americans are affected by poor credit, and how simply they can help their own situation. Do you not watch the news? People think that the banks are on their side, but in fact they’re trying to keep credit scores low so they make more from interest payments – wake up people!
Ian Atkins
Hi Jessica, We appreciate you sharing your thoughts and insights. There’s no doubt about it, your credit score is an important factor in whether you’ll be approved for financing and at what rate. The higher your score, the better off you’ll be the next time you try and borrow. Best, Ian