See exactly how credit actions affect your score before you take them. Interactive 300-900 scale.
Before making a financial move, use this simulator to estimate how it will affect your Canadian credit score. Whether you're planning to apply for a mortgage, pay off a card, or add a new credit product, the impact varies significantly depending on your current score and file.
This tool uses established Canadian credit scoring principles to estimate point changes. It's an approximation — your actual change depends on your complete credit file — but it reflects the real directional impact of each action.
Estimated change:
New estimated score:
| Action | Typical Impact | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| Pay down utilization from 80% to 30% | +30 to +60 pts | 1-2 billing cycles |
| Dispute and remove major error | +20 to +50 pts | 30-90 days |
| 6 months on-time payments (no misses) | +15 to +40 pts | 6 months |
| Miss one payment (30+ days) | -50 to -100 pts | Immediate |
| Account to collections | -60 to -110 pts | Immediate |
| New hard inquiry | -5 to -10 pts | Immediate; fades in 12 months |
| Close oldest credit card | -10 to -20 pts | Next reporting cycle |
| KOHO Credit Building (12 months) | +25 to +60 pts | 12 months |
Your credit card balances relative to your limits update every single month. If you pay down a $3,000 balance this month, your score reflects that improvement next month. This is the fastest lever available to most Canadians — and it requires nothing more than money applied to the right place.
Every month you pay on time is another positive data point. The math is relentless: 12 months of perfect payments means 12 positive marks. For Canadians with thin files or past late payments, adding a credit-building product like KOHO ensures that every month adds to your record even if you have limited traditional credit.
Your score is only as good as the data underlying it. Errors are common. A single incorrect collection account or a payment marked late when it wasn't can suppress your score by 30-80 points for years. Check both your Equifax and TransUnion files annually via Borrowell and Credit Karma, and dispute anything that doesn't look right.
Some factors only improve with time and cannot be rushed:
KOHO's Credit Building feature reports your monthly payment to Equifax — helping you build a Canadian credit history without a credit card. Starting at $7/month or free with KOHO Extra.
Get KOHO & Build Credit — Code 45ET55JSYA