A credit score of 644 falls at the higher side of the “fair” credit range. Consumers with this score may be able to see quick improvement by cleaning up their payment history, lowering their credit utilization, and paying off debts.
644 is usually considered a fair credit score. In general, credit scores within the range of 580 and 669 are considered to be in the “fair” range.
Here, you’ll learn all about fair credit scores, how they work, and what consumers with this type of credit can do to improve their scores and move up to the good or excellent range.
Key Takeaways for a 644 Credit Score
Overview of Your
Credit Rating
644 falls within the “fair” credit score range. Scores that fall within the range of 580 and 699 are considered to be fair credit scores.
Borrowing Options With a 644 Credit Score
Borrowers with credit scores in the fair range have access to most basic lending products, usually with slightly higher rates, lower loan amounts, and possibly stricter terms.
Improving a 644
Credit/FICO Score
Fair credit consumers can usually improve their scores by making timely payments, prioritizing debt repayment, and being mindful of their credit utilization.
Is a 644 Credit Score Good?
On most credit scoring models, 644 is on the higher side of the “fair” credit range. The next range up, including credit scores between 670 - 739, is considered good. After that are scores between 740 - 799, which are considered very good, and at the top are scores between 800 - 850 which is perfect or excellent credit. According to the credit bureau Experian, Gen Z (people born between the mid-1990s and the 2010s) comes out at the bottom when it comes to the average credit scores among the different generations, with an average credit score of 660. At the top are the Baby Boomers (people born between 1946 and 1964), who have an average credit score of 724.1
What Can You Get Approved for With a 644 Credit Score?
Need funding but don’t know where to start looking? First, think about why you are thinking about taking out a loan in the first place. Are you looking to pay for one large purchase or several minor expenses? Depending on your needs, you may find that one or more of the following products may work for you in your current financial situation.
Since 644 is on the higher side when it comes to credit scores in the “fair” range, lenders may be more willing to work with consumers who have this particular score. However, remember that the best interest rates and terms are usually reserved for good credit consumers. And so, consumers with fair credit scores should be prepared to deal with higher rates and lower loan amounts. But don’t worry, you’ll qualify for more cash and better rates as you continue to improve your credit score!
Personal Loans
A personal loan is perhaps one of the most versatile types of funding on the market. With a personal loan, consumers can utilize a variety of different products, including bad credit loans, no credit check loans, and traditional installment loans.
Personal loans can also come with high or low loan amounts, making them ideal for just about any expense. To make sure you find the best personal loan lender, be sure to consider the following when comparing loan deals:
- Interest rates
- Loan amounts
- Repayment terms
- Collateral requirements
- Additional fees
Bank Loans
Bank loans are a traditional type of installment loan available mostly to consumers with credit scores on the higher side. While it may be possible to get approval for a bank loan with a 644 credit score, it’s important to do your research and compare offers to make sure you find the best deal for you.
Auto Loans
If you are looking to purchase a vehicle, you will want to look into different auto loans. An auto loan, or a car loan, are loan designed specifically to help consumers purchase a car. Consumers can get auto loans directly from the dealership where they purchased their car, or from direct lenders like a bank or credit union.
However, keep in mind that auto loan rates are often heavily influenced by the borrower’s credit score. And so, with a score of 644, you may have to deal with paying high-interest rates. You may also consider working on credit improvement before you apply for your auto loan to have a better chance of securing lower rates.
Secured Credit Cards
A secured credit card can be a great tool to not only give consumers access to extra funding, but to help them improve their overall credit score as well! Unlike unsecured credit cards, account holders of secured credit cards pre-pay their credit limit at the beginning of their billing cycle. And, since secured cards are a credit product, account holders will also increase their amount of available credit, therefore improving their credit utilization!
When to Consider Balance Transfer Credit Cards
If getting rid of credit card debt is your ultimate goal, you may benefit from a balance transfer card. However, be aware that balance transfer cards often come with transfer fees and a short introductory rate period. Therefore, you’ll want to calculate your credit card debt carefully to make sure a balance card would be worth it for you.
Some different balance transfer credit products you may consider are:
- Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students
- U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card
- Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card
- Wells Fargo Reflect® Card
- State Farm Good Neighbor Visa® Card
- Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Citi Simplicity® Card
- Citi Double Cash® Card
- Discover it® Cash Back
- Chase Freedom Flex℠
Debt Consolidation Loans
If part of your goal is to decrease your debt, consolidation loans may be the best solution for you. Debt consolidation loans were designed to take multiple debts and combine them into one payment. These types of loans may work well for consumers dealing with several credit card balances, loans, or other outstanding balances.
Payday Loans
Cash advances, often called payday loans, may work well if you’re simply looking for a few hundred dollars while you are in between paychecks. While payday loans are usually available to consumers with any type of credit, they almost always come with extremely short terms, high rates, and low loan amounts. Given their design, consumers should only consider payday loans if they can fully repay their balance in about two weeks or less.
Products to Help Improve a 644 Credit Score
Check out the tips below for how you can protect your credit score and make sure it doesn’t drop while you work on improvement!
Limit New Credit Applications Unless Absolutely Necessary
Every time you apply for a financial product like a personal loan or a credit card, the lender is going to perform a hard credit check. A hard credit check is an official look into your credit history where lenders can view your credit report and credit score. Credit bureaus keep track of how often lenders request hard credit checks on consumers and may penalize the credit scores of consumers who have too many hard pulls on their profiles. And so, it may be in your best interest to hold off on applying for new loans until you’ve successfully improved your credit score.
Review Your Credit Reports Often
On your journey towards improving your credit score, make sure you are reviewing your credit reports often. That way, you can see how your spending habits and financial behavior are improving or impeding your progress! Checking your reports often will also make it easier to spot mistakes if they ever come up. According to CNBC, about 25% of Americans have at least one error on their credit reports.2
Credit Monitoring
In addition to reviewing your credit report often, you may want to also consider official credit monitoring services as well. Keep in mind there are both free and paid credit monitoring services. Below are a few options you may consider, and whether there is a free version available!
- PrivacyGuard (no free version)
- Identity Guard (no free version)
- Aura (free 14-day trial)
- Credit Sesame (free basic plan available)
- ID Watchdog from Equifax (no free version)
- IdentityForce (no free version)
- Experian IdentityWorks (free basic plan available)
- myFICO (free basic plan available)
- CreditWise by Capital One (free version available)
- Credit Karma (free version available)
- LifeLock (no free version)
Budgeting Apps
Keeping your finances organized is key to maintaining and ultimately improving your credit score. While it’s possible to keep a budget on your own, there are also convenient budgeting apps that allow you to manage your budget from your computer or smartphone. Check out a few options below:
- GoodBudget – Available for free
- YNAB (You Need a Budget) – No free version available
- Empower Personal Wealth – No free version available
- PocketGuard – Available for free
- EveryDollar – Available for free
- Honeydue – Available for free
Benefits of Improving Your 644 Credit Score
You Are On Your Way Towards Good Credit
Although 644 isn’t a perfect credit score, consumers with this score are well on their way to bumping up to the next credit tier. It’s less than 30 points away! With a few small changes, consumers with a 644 credit score may be able to improve their credit history and see their scores go up in just a few months or less.
After you see your score go up, you may start enjoying perks like:
- Approval for more loan types
- Lower interest rates
- Higher loan amounts
- More convenient repayment terms
How To Improve Your 644 Credit Score
Understand How Your Credit Score Works
The first step in making sure you can maintain and improve your credit is really understanding how credit reports work. A credit report is a comprehensive summary of your financial data compiled by the three major credit bureaus, Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax.
Below is a quick breakdown of the data consumers can find on their credit reports:
|
Component |
Description |
Impact on Credit |
|
Personal Information |
Your name, address, SSN, and employment information. Used for identification, not score calculation. |
None |
|
Credit Accounts |
List of current and past credit accounts, including type, date opened, credit limit, balance, and payment history. |
High |
|
Credit Inquiries |
Records of when a lender has requested your credit report due to a credit application. Hard inquiries can affect your score. |
Moderate |
|
Public Records |
Bankruptcies, foreclosures, liens, judgments, and other legal items that can significantly impact your credit. |
High |
|
Debt |
Total amount of debt, including credit cards, loans, and other debts. |
High |
|
Payment History |
Record of your payments on all accounts, showing any late or missed payments. |
Very High |
|
Credit Utilization |
Ratio of your current revolving credit debt (e.g., credit card balances) to your total available credit. |
Very High |
|
Length of Credit History |
The average age of your financial accounts, including the age of your oldest and newest account. |
Moderate |
|
Types of Credit in Use |
Variety of credit products you have, including credit cards, installment loans, mortgage loans, etc. |
Low |
|
Recent Credit Activity |
Any recently opened accounts and the number of hard inquiries in the past 12-24 months. |
Moderate |
Disclaimer: This table is a simplified overview and individual credit scores may be affected by additional factors not listed here.
In addition to understanding the inner workings of your credit report, it’s also important to make sure you are checking your recurring credit reports often. If your goal is to improve your credit, you may want to take a look at your reports every month to see how your behavior and habits are affecting your score in real time. You can pull a soft credit check as often as you like, or request a free credit report from one of the major credit reporting agencies.
Build a Positive Payment History
Now that you understand the ins and outs of your credit report, you know just how important it is to make timely payments on all your financial obligations. Building a positive payment history is the most impactful thing you can do to improve your credit. By making all your due payments on time, you are not only protecting your credit, you’re also showing credit bureaus and potential future lenders that you are a reliable and responsible consumer.
Catch Up on Any Missed or Late Payments
If you do happen to have any late or missed payments in your credit history, you’ll want to pay those out first. The sooner you get rid of delinquent payments the sooner you’ll see your credit score start to improve!
Lower Your Credit Utilization
Next, look at your spending habits and where your money is going. Do you tend to impulse shop and make purchases with your credit card often? If so, you may have a credit utilization rate on the higher side. Your credit utilization rate, or your credit utilization ratio, is a comparison of how much available credit you have compared to how much you are using. Most credit bureaus and financial experts suggest consumers keep their credit utilization at no higher than 30%.
Establish a Debt Repayment Plan
Once you have a handle on your recurring payments and spending habits, take a look at your total amount of debt. This amount will include all your credit card and loan balances, as well as any other outstanding balances in your name.
Next, think about how you want to knock that debt out. You may benefit from using a debt repayment strategy, like the snowball or avalanche methods. Or, you may be able to change a few spending habits, like spending well under your available credit limit each month, to free up extra room in your income you can allocate towards debt repayment.
FAQs About 644 Credit Scores
Can a credit repair company help improve 644 credit scores?
A credit repair company can assist in disputing inaccuracies on your credit report, which might improve your 644 credit score if errors are found and corrected. However, for lasting improvement, focus on managing your credit responsibly by paying debts on time and reducing balances.
How does a 644 credit score affect my car loan options?
A 644 credit score may result in higher interest rates for car loans compared to those with higher scores. To improve your loan terms, consider a larger down payment or a co-signer with better credit.
What steps can I take to responsibly improve my credit history?
To improve your credit history and credit score, regularly check your credit report for errors, pay all bills on time, reduce your credit utilization, and limit new credit applications.
What Interest Rate Can I Get With a 644 Credit Score?
Traditionally, the lowest interest rates are reserved for borrowers with good or excellent credit. However, that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to find a good deal on a loan with fair credit. There are lenders out there who cater specifically to bad and fair credit borrowers, just make sure you research your options and compare offers!
Can I Buy a House with a 644 Credit Score?
A mortgage is one of the largest loans most people will apply for in their lifetime. Therefore, lenders usually want to make sure they are making a good investment before they approve a borrower for a mortgage. However, there are a few things fair credit borrowers can do to increase their chances of receiving approval on a mortgage loan, including the following:
- Increase your available credit
- Diversify your credit mix
- Stay away from hard credit checks
- Use a co-signer
