What Actually Moves Your Credit Score
The five factors that make up your score and where to focus your energy for the biggest gains.
Your credit score is built from five weighted factors. Knowing the weights tells you where to focus.
1. PAYMENT HISTORY (~35%)
The single biggest factor. Even one late payment hurts. Going forward, pay on time, every time.
2. CREDIT UTILIZATION (~30%)
The percentage of your available revolving credit you are using. Keep it under 30%, ideally under 10%. Paying down balances is often the fastest legitimate way to raise a score.
3. LENGTH OF CREDIT HISTORY (~15%)
Older accounts help. Avoid closing your oldest cards.
4. CREDIT MIX (~10%)
A healthy blend of revolving (cards) and installment (loans) can help modestly.
5. NEW CREDIT / INQUIRIES (~10%)
Many hard inquiries in a short window can ding your score. Apply only when needed.
WHERE TO START
If you want the fastest legitimate gains: fix reporting errors, lower your utilization, and never miss a payment. Track your score monthly in Credit Comando to see the trend.
This guide is educational and not legal advice. Credit Comando is not a law firm or credit repair organization. You can dispute items on your own credit report for free.