Why FICO® Score 4
The score lenders see. Not the one an app shows.
There are dozens of credit scores out there. We give you the one that matters when someone applies for a mortgage.
What it is
FICO® Score 4 is TransUnion’s mortgage score.
When someone applies for a mortgage, the lender usually pulls one Classic FICO® Score from each of the three credit bureaus. From TransUnion, that score is FICO® Score 4.
- Built by FICO, the company behind the scores in most U.S. lending decisions
- Calculated from TransUnion credit data
- Used in mortgage underwriting as part of the Classic FICO® set
- Scored 300 to 850, the scale lenders know
Side by side
Us vs. Credit Karma.
Credit Karma is a great free app for checking your own credit. It just doesn’t show the score a mortgage lender uses.
| Phone Number Credit Score | Credit Karma | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | FICO® Score 4 | VantageScore® 3.0 |
| Used for mortgages | Yes | No |
| Credit bureau | TransUnion | TransUnion and Equifax |
| What you need | Just a phone number | Your own account |
| Whose credit | Anyone’s, with a valid reason | Only yours |
| Name, address, caller ID and fraud score | Included | Not applicable |
| Price | As low as $9.99 | Free, supported by product offers |
Based on publicly available information as of October 2026. Credit Karma is a registered trademark of Credit Karma, LLC. VantageScore is a registered trademark of VantageScore Solutions, LLC. We aren’t affiliated with or endorsed by either.
The scale
What the numbers mean.
Different models weigh the same history differently, so a VantageScore® and a FICO® Score for the same person can be dozens of points apart.
What drives it
Five things make up a FICO® Score.
These are FICO’s published general weights. Every lookup shows the top reasons behind that person’s score.
Payment history
Paying on time, and how late the late ones were
Amounts owed
Balances and how much credit they’re using
Length of history
How long their accounts have been open
New credit
Recently opened accounts and inquiries
Credit mix
Cards, loans and mortgages together
See the score that counts.
Their name, address and real FICO® Score 4, from just a phone number.