Buyer's Guide

Start With Your Own Report

The smartest tradeline buyers start with their credit report. It takes five minutes and tells you exactly what to shop for. Pull free reports from all three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com, or check TransUnion and Equifax on a free Credit Karma account.

Look for four things:

• Your oldest account and your average account age. Young file? Age is your opportunity.
• Your balances against your combined limits. That's your utilization, and more available credit can bring it down.
• How many open credit cards you have. On a thin file, one great account does a lot of work.
• Any freeze or fraud alert. Lift it before you buy so your tradeline can post.

Match the Tradeline to Your Goal

Building a young file? Go for age. A seasoned tradeline adds a long-standing account to your average account age. The older the account, the more it can lift that average.

Carrying balances? Go for limit. Utilization is measured across all your revolving accounts together, so a high-limit tradeline adds serious available credit to the total. Our credit sponsors keep their own balance at 15% or less of the limit while you're on the account.

Want both? Choose an older account with a strong limit, or pair two tradelines that each do one job brilliantly.

Read a Listing Like a Pro

Bank

The card issuer. Once you're added, this is the name you'll spot on your credit report.

Credit Limit

Every dollar of limit adds to your total available revolving credit, the number utilization is measured against.

Account Age

How long the card has been open. It reports with its original open date, so you get the account's full history from day one.

Reporting Period

The days the bank is expected to report the account after you're added. Pick one that lands before your big application.

Price

Exactly what you pay. No fees are added at checkout.

One Tradeline or Several?

Each tradeline you add is one more strong account in your averages. On a thin file, a single well-chosen tradeline can carry a lot of weight. On a fuller file, adding two or three lets you move your averages further.

Take the guesswork out: enter your real accounts in our free tradeline simulator and add tradelines one at a time. You'll see exactly how each one changes your average account age and utilization before you spend a dollar.

Time It to Your Big Moment

Planning to apply for a car, an apartment or a new card? Work backwards. Pick a tradeline whose Reporting Period ends before you apply, and leave a few days for the bureaus to update your file.

You stay on the account for two billing cycles, so it reports twice. Want longer? Ask about an extension before the second cycle closes; it depends on the sponsor and the cost varies by tradeline.

Your Before-You-Buy Checklist

• Lift any credit freeze or fraud alert at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. It's free and takes minutes.
• Make sure your name, address, date of birth and SSN match what the bureaus already have.
• Know your gap: account age, credit limit, or both.
• Choose a Reporting Period that ends before you plan to apply.
• Skim the Tradeline User Agreement so you know exactly what you're getting.
• Have your ID ready to upload after checkout. It's the step that gets you added.

Buy With Your Eyes Open

A tradeline adds history to your file. It doesn't remove late payments or collections, it can't guarantee a particular score or approval, and some lenders look past authorized-user accounts when they underwrite by hand. We're upfront about that because the right buyers are the ones who stay happy. More in What a Tradeline Can't Do for Your Credit.

Backed by Our Posting Guarantee

We stand behind every order. If your tradeline doesn't post to two credit bureaus by the end of its Reporting Period, you choose: a full refund, or an exchange for another tradeline. Just email us proof within 21 days. See how the guarantee works.