Is Borrowell Safe? How To Get Your Free Credit Score In 2023 

Borrowell is a reputable and legitimate Canadian financial technology company based in Toronto, Ontario. It was founded in 2014 by Andrew Graham and Eva Wong. Borrowell has established partnerships with Equifax, one of the major credit bureaus, to provide Canadians with free access to their credit scores. It has also partnered with several prominent financial institutions, including American Express, BMO, Capital One, EQ Bank, National Bank, and Scotiabank. Additionally, Borro-well is accredited by the Better Business Bureau.

In terms of safety, Borro-well takes security seriously and employs advanced 256-bit SSL data encryption, a highly secure method that is virtually impossible to crack. This level of security is on par with what banks and financial institutions use to safeguard customer data.

Here are some key details about Borrowell:

What is Borrowell?

Borro-well is a Toronto-based fintech company that operates as a financial product and services marketplace. It is composed of a diverse group of financial and technology professionals and is widely recognized as a leading Canadian fintech company. Borro-well was the first company in Canada to offer free credit scores in partnership with Equifax Canada. It also recommends personalized financial products, including personal loans, mortgages, and credit cards, based on members’ credit profiles and financial goals.

Is Borrowell Free?

Yes, Borrowell is free for Canadians who sign up for an account. By signing up, you can access your credit score and credit report from Equifax. Borrowell also provides free educational resources, digital tools, weekly credit monitoring, and personalized product recommendations to help users improve their financial well-being.

How to Get a Borrowell Credit Report:

To obtain your free Borro-well credit report, follow these steps:

  1. Sign up for an account on the Borro-well website.
  2. Complete the online form, providing your email address and password.
  3. Confirm that you are not a robot and click “Create Account.”
  4. Continue with the application process, providing the required information such as your name, Canadian address, birth date, phone number, annual salary, and financial goals.
  5. Once the application is complete, wait to receive a code from Borrowell.
  6. Enter the code to access your free credit score.
  7. Using your desktop, you can view and download your free credit report from the Borro-well platform.
The credit report will include personal information, credit information, public records, collections, and credit inquiries. Borro-well typically provides credit scores within the range of 600 to 750 for most Canadians.

Is Borrowell Accurate?

Borrowell collaborates directly with Equifax to provide verified credit scores and reports weekly. The credit score you receive through Borrowell is generated by Equifax and referred to as your Equifax Risk Score 2.0. Any discrepancies between your Borrowell credit score and your Equifax credit report can be attributed to the timing of when Equifax updates your information and when Borrowell pulls your credit score.

Does Borrowell Affect Your Credit Score?

No, signing up for Borrowell and downloading your credit report through the platform does not hurt your credit score. It is considered a soft inquiry and does not affect your credit profile. Hard inquiries, on the other hand, can impact your credit score and are typically conducted by lenders when evaluating loan applications.

Paying Rent through Chexy:

To settle your rent via Chexy, adhere to these steps:

  1. Create an account at Chexy.co.
  2. Upload your lease and provide essential rent details, including the amount and due date.
  3. Connect your preferred Canadian Visa, Mastercard, Amex, or debit card.
  4. Set up your Credit Builder subscription.
  5. Upon completing the requisite steps and linking your chosen supported Canadian card, Chexy will bill your card monthly and initiate the e-transfer to your landlord.
Chexy typically charges your card four days before the rent’s due date and processes the payment to your landlord on rent day, usually around 12 PM EST. While occasional delays may occur, the transaction will be concluded by 5 PM EST. If your landlord does not have auto-deposit, you can either provide your own security question and answer or allow Chexy to generate one for you. Chexy supports rent payments up to $10,000 per month.

Pros and Cons of Borrowell Canada:

Pros:

  • Free weekly credit score and credit report from Equifax Canada.
  • Access to the credit builder program for select members.
  • Loan and mortgage offers.
  • Free credit monitoring via the Borrowell app.
  • Easy access to personal loans.
  • Features designed to help improve your credit score and financial profile.
  • Utilizes highly secure encryption technology.

Cons:

  • Limited to providing credit scores and reports from only one credit bureau (Equifax).
  • Some features are available to select members only.
  • Interest rates for loans can be high.
  • The app may suggest third-party financial products excessively.
  • Borro-well has no physical branches.
  • No live phone support is available.

Borrowell Alternatives:

If you’re looking for alternatives to Borrowell, here are some options to consider:

Borrowell vs. Equifax:

Borrowell provides credit scores and reports generated directly from Equifax Canada. The specific credit score model used by Borrowell is the Equifax Risk Score 2.0, which is commonly used by lenders and financial institutions for lending decisions. While Borrowell relies on Equifax data, differences in credit scores may arise due to timing disparities in data updates.

Borrowell vs. TransUnion:

Unlike Borrowell, TransUnion is a distinct credit bureau with its credit scoring model and factors that differ from Equifax. TransUnion uses the CreditVision risk scoring model, which evaluates credit elements differently from Equifax. This can result in variations in credit scores between the two bureaus.

Borrowell vs. ClearScore:

Clear Score and Borro-well both offer free access to credit scores and reports, but they obtain this information from different credit bureaus. Clear Score uses TransUnion data, while Borro-well relies on Equifax. Both platforms offer bank-level security with 256-bit encryption, financial education resources, and access to credit cards, loans, and mortgages. Clear Score also offers cash-back and credit card rewards, which is a distinguishing feature.

Borrowell vs. Loans Canada:

Loans Canada operates as a loan comparison platform that assists Canadians in finding the most suitable lending products for their needs. Like Borrowell, Loans Canada offers financial education facilitates connections between lenders and borrowers, and provides access to personal loans and credit score checks. Loans Canada also partners with various banks to offer a range of financial products, including loans, mortgages, and credit cards.

Borrowell Customer Service:

Borrowell does not have a customer service hotline and does not offer live phone support. For inquiries, you can explore the following options:

  • Visit the Credit Monitoring Help Centre for frequently asked questions (FAQs) related to credit monitoring.
  • If you have questions about the Credit Builder program, visit the Borrower Credit Builder FAQ page.
  • If your concern is not addressed in the provided articles, you can email Borrowell.
  • Utilize the Contact Form on the website to submit a request for information. A customer service representative typically responds within 1-2 business days.

FAQs:

Does Borrowell hurt your credit score?

No, checking and downloading your credit score through Borrowell is considered a soft credit inquiry and does not impact your credit score. Borrowell allows you to check your credit score and download your credit report every month without affecting your credit profile.

Why is Borrowell free?

Borrowell, as an online lender that offers loans to Canadians with good credit, provides free credit scores as a cost-effective marketing strategy. By using your credit score, along with other information, Borrowell determines the interest rate you would receive if you applied for a loan through their platform. If you choose not to apply for a Borrowell loan, they may recommend other loans from different banks and receive a referral fee if you apply for them.

Is Borrowell or Credit Karma more accurate?

Credit Karma offers free access to credit scores and reports from Trans Union, while Borro-well obtains information from Equifax. The accuracy of either platform depends on the specific credit scoring model and methods used by each credit

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