Wondering what your business credit score actually is and who builds it? A business credit score is a number that bureaus such as Dun & Bradstreet, Experian and Equifax calculate from how your company pays its bills.
This explainer is one part of the wider topic of business finance, which looks at how small companies manage and fund their operations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Dun & Bradstreet PAYDEX score range | 1 to 100 points |
| Experian Intelliscore Plus range | 1 to 100 points |
| Equifax Business Credit Risk Score range | 101-992 points |
| PayNet MasterScore range | 500 to 800 points |
| PAYDEX score that indicates on-time payments | 80 points |
| Price of a single Equifax business credit report (CreditStrong, September 2024) | $99.95 |
The ranges come from CreditStrong’s guide to business credit reports (last updated September 25, 2024) and Ramp’s explainer on business credit bureaus (updated September 29, 2026). Scores, ranges and prices can change, so check the source before you rely on them.
What a business credit score measures
A business credit score is a risk number attached to a company rather than to a person. CreditStrong describes the business credit report behind it as a risk assessment tool, and says its audience is other companies rather than the business itself.
According to CreditStrong’s September 2024 guide, a lender, vendor, financial institution or credit card issuer may review the report to assess the risk of providing financing or services. The same guide says higher scores indicate a lower credit risk, and lower scores indicate the opposite.
CreditStrong lists several situations where a business credit report might play a role:
- A business loan
- A business credit card
- Trade credit, also called vendor credit
- Business insurance
Terms, scoring models and rules vary by provider and country. The sources used here describe the United States.
Who reports and scores business credit?
Ramp’s September 2026 update names three major bureaus in the United States: Dun & Bradstreet, Experian Business and Equifax Business. Each one collects financial data about companies and uses its own scoring model.
- Dun & Bradstreet: best known for the PAYDEX score, which runs from 1 to 100. CreditStrong says the company traces its roots back to 1841.
- Experian Business: its main score, Intelliscore Plus, also runs from 1 to 100.
- Equifax Business: uses several scores rather than one headline number. Ramp says its Business Credit Risk Score predicts severe delinquency on a 101-992 scale.
Other names appear in the market too. CreditStrong says PayNet, which develops the PayNet MasterScore on a 500 to 800 range, was acquired by Equifax in 2019 and now runs as an independent division.
The Small Business Financial Exchange, or SBFE, works differently. CreditStrong says only members of the trade association can use its reports, and members must agree to share information about their customers in return.
How are scores read?
The scales are not interchangeable, so a number only means something inside its own model. A score on a 1-to-100 scale says nothing on its own about a score on Equifax’s 101-992 scale.
Ramp’s September 2026 explainer says a PAYDEX score of 80 indicates on-time payments, while higher scores reflect early payments. It also says PAYDEX is dollar-weighted, so larger invoices have a greater impact on the score.
Business.org, in a March 17, 2023 article, notes that you probably have more than one business credit score. It adds that each bureau uses its own criteria and its own scoring system, which is why it prefers the phrase business credit profile.
How is business credit different from personal credit?
The two systems use different identifiers and different rules. Ramp’s September 2026 comparison sets them side by side:
- Identification: personal credit uses a Social Security number, while business credit uses an Employer Identification Number or a D-U-N-S Number.
- Privacy: personal credit is regulated under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, while business credit is generally public and minimally regulated.
- Free reports: annual free reports are required by law for personal credit, with no such requirement for business credit.
- Access: Ramp says any company or individual can purchase a business credit report without the owner’s permission.
The two files can still touch. CreditStrong says information from an Experian consumer report does not cross over to its small business reports, and the reverse is also true. Ramp adds that for newer businesses without a credit history, Experian may incorporate personal credit data from the owners to create a blended risk assessment.
The separate topic of an owner backing a debt personally is covered in the guide to a personal guarantee business loan.
How can you see your business credit report?
Getting a copy is not as simple as pulling a consumer report. CreditStrong says there is no federal mandate to provide free commercial credit reports, though there are still ways to access the information.
The sources give these examples, with prices as dated by each source:
- Experian: CreditStrong (September 2024) says products and monitoring range from a one-time fee of $39.95 up to $1,495 per year.
- Equifax: CreditStrong (September 2024) lists a single business credit report at $99.95.
- Dun & Bradstreet: CreditStrong says its CreditSignal service provides free alerts when certain changes take place on a business credit profile.
Business.org’s March 17, 2023 article says that, whichever bureau you use, you have to pay to check your business credit. It also says a D-U-N-S number, which Dun & Bradstreet needs before a file exists, can be applied for free. Ramp describes that number as a unique nine-digit identifier.
Prices in these pages are snapshots from their publication dates, and each provider sets its own.
Why can the data in your file differ?
Bureaus do not draw from a single central source. Ramp’s September 2026 explainer says they compile data from private companies, financial institutions and public records.
Ramp also says creditors and vendors report some information automatically, while other data appears only when they choose to share it. As a result, two companies with similar habits can have quite different reports, depending on which vendors and lenders report their activity.
The same source notes that owners can confirm with each vendor and lender whether they report to the bureaus that matter for their goals.
Payment history sits at the centre of several scores. CreditStrong lists on-time payment history, low credit card utilization and avoiding derogatory items such as collections, liens or judgments as factors tied to Intelliscore. Steady cash availability supports paying on time, which is why cash flow management for small business is a closely related subject.
Frequently asked questions
Is a business credit score the same as a personal credit score?
Show answer
No. Ramp’s September 2026 explainer says personal credit uses a Social Security number and standardized FICO scores, while business credit uses an EIN or D-U-N-S Number and proprietary scoring models that vary by bureau.
Do business owners get a free report each year?
Show answer
Not by law. CreditStrong (September 2024) says there is no federal mandate to provide free commercial credit reports, and Ramp (September 2026) lists no requirement for free access. Some providers offer limited free tools, such as Dun & Bradstreet’s CreditSignal alerts.
Which bureau’s score do lenders look at?
Show answer
It varies by lender and by provider. Ramp’s table pairs PAYDEX with trade credit and vendor terms, and Intelliscore Plus with bank loans and revolving credit, but a given lender may use a different score.
Can anyone see a company’s business credit report?
Show answer
Ramp says business credit is generally public and minimally regulated, so any company or individual can purchase a report without the owner’s permission. That is why the same source stresses accuracy and monitoring.
This page is for general information and education only and is not financial, investment, tax or legal advice.
