Credit Scores & Bureaus

Know What Lenders and Vendors Actually See

Business credit scores aren’t “one number.” They’re bureau-based models built from trade payments, public records, and background data—often visible to vendors, lenders, and partners in the USA and Canada.

Educational, lender-neutral guidance. Excellence in every decision.

What Business Credit Bureaus Do

Business credit bureaus collect, organize, and analyze commercial risk data about your company. That information is used to create reports and scores that influence decisions such as:

Key difference vs personal credit:

Business credit is often treated as public-facing. Vendors, lenders, and partners may review your business credit profile without your direct authorization as part of routine risk evaluation.

The Major Bureaus to Know (USA + Canada)

USA — Commonly Referenced Business Credit Bureaus

Dun & Bradstreet (D&B)

Trade-payment focused bureau using vendor-reported experiences to generate scores like PAYDEX for business credit.

Experian Business

Provides commercial credit scores using trade data, public records, and firmographic business information.

Equifax Commercial

Provides business credit reports and risk assessment models commonly relied upon by lenders and financial institutions.

Canada — Major Commercial Credit Reporting Organizations

Dun & Bradstreet Canada

Tracks trade payments and commercial risk data used by vendors and lenders nationwide.

Equifax Canada

Provides business credit reports and risk scores for lending and supplier decisions.

TransUnion Canada

Offers business credit data supporting underwriting, risk assessment, and financing decisions.

Common Score Types and Ranges (Cheat Sheet)

Business credit scores vary by bureau and model. Below are widely referenced ranges:

Core Score Ranges You’ll Hear Most Often

PAYDEX (D&B): 1–100

Measures trade payment performance, emphasizing how early or on-time vendors are paid.

Intelliscore Plus (Experian): 1–100

Predicts business delinquency risk using trade data, public records, and firmographics factors.

Equifax Credit Risk Score: 101–992

Evaluates likelihood of severe delinquency or default based on credit risk factors.

FICO SBSS: 0–300

Used by some lenders to assess business loan eligibility, especially SBA programs.

How to use this information: Don’t chase a single “perfect” number. Focus on behaviors—on-time (ideally early) payments,
clean public records, consistent identity, and controlled utilization.

What Data Bureaus Commonly Track

While models differ, most business credit bureaus evaluate similar categories of information.

Trade & Credit Obligations

Public Records & Legal Filings

Company Background (“Firmographics”)

Why Scores Can Differ Across Bureaus

It’s normal for your business credit to look different at each bureau because:

This is why “no score” at one bureau doesn’t automatically mean poor credit.