Business Credit Score Ranges: What Is a Good Score?

Why business credit has no single score

Each bureau builds its own model from different data, so the same company can look strong on one and weak on another. Compare scores only within the same system.

Personal credit mostly relies on FICO and VantageScore. Business credit is more fragmented. Dun & Bradstreet, Experian and Equifax each gather data from trade references, public records and payment histories, and each uses its own formula and scale. Some scores measure payment behavior. Others predict risk of failure or serious delinquency.

That means a 75 on one scale and a 600 on another cannot be compared. Ask any lender or vendor which score and which bureau it uses. For how business and personal files interact, read personal credit score vs. business credit score.

Scale details can change when bureaus update models, so confirm current ranges on each bureau's own site.

Dun & Bradstreet PAYDEX: 0 to 100

PAYDEX measures how promptly you pay vendors. A score of 80 generally indicates payment on terms, higher means early payment, and lower means late payment.

D&B's PAYDEX is built from trade payment experiences reported to D&B. A DUNS number is the starting point. Learn how it helps in how a DUNS number helps a business.

• 80 and above is broadly considered a payment-on-time level, with scores higher than that showing earlier payment.
• Below 80 shows average payment slower than terms, with lower scores meaning later payments.

PAYDEX needs vendors who report to D&B. A company that pays well but whose vendors do not report may have no score at all. Ask suppliers whether they report, and consider vendors that do.

Experian and Equifax business scores

Experian's Intelliscore Plus ranges 1 to 100, with higher numbers indicating lower risk. Equifax's business credit risk score ranges 101 to 992.

These models blend payment history, credit utilization, public records such as liens and judgments, company age, size and industry. Higher scores mean lower predicted risk of serious delinquency.

Bureaus publish their own score bands for low, medium and high risk, so check them rather than relying on a general rule.

FICO SBSS: the score behind small SBA loans

The FICO Small Business Scoring Service ranges 0 to 300 and combines the owner's personal credit with business data. Lenders may use it to screen small SBA loan applications.

SBSS is used by many lenders for smaller loans, and the SBA has set minimum SBSS thresholds for some of its pre-screening processes. Those thresholds have changed over time, so verify the current number with the SBA or the lender. Never assume an old figure still applies.

Because SBSS includes the owner's personal credit, a strong personal profile can help a young company, and a poor one can hold back a strong company. See SBA loan credit score requirements for how lenders view this.

If you are considering an SBA loan, read SBA loans to understand the trade-off: lowest cost, but slower and more documentation.

What moves your business credit score

Paying vendors on time, keeping balances low, avoiding liens and judgments, and having a long, active history are the main drivers.

Focus on actions you control:

1. Pay every vendor and lender on time, or early if you can.
2. Keep credit utilization low on lines and cards.
3. Open trade accounts with suppliers that report to the bureaus.
4. Keep your business name, address and phone consistent across records.
5. Resolve disputes, liens and judgments quickly.
6. Check your reports and correct errors.

Build the habit early. Our guide to how to build business credit goes step by step, and what to know about trade credit explains vendor accounts. Improvement takes months of consistent behavior, not days.

How funders actually weigh credit

Many small business funders look first at revenue and bank statements, and at the owner's personal credit, more than at a business score. Requirements vary by product.

For many working capital and revenue-based products, the business's deposits and cash flow carry the most weight. For SBA loans and bank term loans, credit, collateral and years in business matter more. A thin business credit file is common and not a barrier on its own.

ROI Funder considers 500+ FICO, 6+ months in business and $20,000+ monthly revenue. A complete file is the application plus 3 months of business bank statements. Applying uses a soft credit pull, so there is no impact on your credit score to apply, and no obligation to accept an offer.

Illustratively, a business with $35,000 in monthly deposits and a limited business credit file may still be a fit for working capital, while it might not meet a bank's score threshold. Better credit generally means better offers, so keep building it. If credit is a concern, read 7 ways to boost your credit score.