What is a FICO score, and how is it different from a credit score?

A FICO score is the specific credit-scoring model built by the Fair Isaac Corporation — the score most U.S. lenders actually use. 'Credit score' is the umbrella term for any score built from your credit-report data, including FICO and VantageScore. So every FICO score is a credit score, but not every credit score is a FICO.

FICO vs. 'credit score'

'Credit score' is a general term — any three-digit number lenders use to gauge credit risk. FICO is the most widely used brand of that score; the CFPB notes most lenders rely on FICO. Both FICO and its main competitor, VantageScore, run on the same 300–850 scale and pull from the same credit-report data — they just weight it slightly differently.

What goes into a FICO score

Payment history — 35%. Whether you pay on time. The biggest factor.
Amounts owed — 30%. Especially credit utilization (balances vs. limits).
Length of credit history — 15%. How long your accounts have been open.
Credit mix — 10%. The variety of credit types you manage.
New credit — 10%. Recent applications and newly opened accounts.

Why your scores can differ

You have many FICO scores, not one — each bureau (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) holds slightly different data, and FICO publishes industry-specific versions (auto, bankcard). A lender's pull may differ from the free score in your banking app, which is often a VantageScore. Small differences are normal.

The numbers

Payment history (35%) and amounts owed (30%) are the two largest FICO factors. — myFICO
Most lenders use a FICO score to make credit decisions. — CFPB
FICO and VantageScore both use the 300–850 scale but weight factors differently. — CFPB

Key takeaways

FICO is a specific scoring model; 'credit score' is the umbrella term.
Most U.S. lenders use FICO; VantageScore is the main alternative.
Both use 300–850; payment history (35%) and amounts owed (30%) dominate.
You have many FICO scores — differences across bureaus/versions are normal.