Having strong business credit is an integral factor in operating a sustainable company. Lenders need to feel comfortable that a business has a track record of on-time payments as well as responsible use of credit accounts before they will offer new financing at a reasonable cost.
In addition to following the steps to build and maintain good business credit, businesses should take the time to review their credit history report and score regularly.
The three main credit bureaus for both small and large businesses are Equifax, Experian, and Dun & Bradstreet (also known as D&B or DnB). Unlike personal credit, anyone can request information on a company’s credit profile. This makes it incredibly important for an organization to understand what is listed in its business credit report and how that information is used to develop business credit scores.
Here’s an overview of what each business credit bureau compiles, how they assess a company’s financial information and generate a score.
1. Equifax – Business Credit Bureau
Equifax is well-known for its consumer-focused credit reporting, as it has been one of the major credit reporting agencies for people for many years. For businesses, however, Equifax provides a similar profile that allows both business owners and potential lenders to gain an understanding of the financial standing and firmographics of a specific company.
Equifax business credit reports include the following information:
- Company overview which provides the name, address, and phone number of the business
- Summary of credit which offers a brief overview of credit accounts current and past, such as bank credit lines, supplier accounts, and other service providers
- Public records which include state business registration and any judgments, bankruptcies, or liens associated with the company
- Risk scores and payment trends
- Alternate firm names, owners(s), and any comments from the owner of the business
Here’s a basic Equifax small business credit report sample.
Equifax offers business credit reports to anyone who requests to view the information in exchange for a fee. There are various credit reporting products offered by Equifax, but the pricing is not listed online. You will need to contact the company and discuss your needs to get the cost of a single business credit report and score, or other related services.
How to Contact Equifax for Business Credit Reporting Services
You can contact Equifax business sales and support for data insights, furnishing and reselling, by phone at 1-888-407-0359, by email at [email protected], and through a form on the website.
2. Experian – Business Credit Bureau
Experian is also a well-known name in the consumer credit reporting industry. The agency also offers detailed business information, financial track records, and monitoring and alerts to those who ask and are willing to pay.
With Experian business credit reporting, there are several versions of a credit profile that can be viewed, but each Experian business credit report generally includes the following basic information on a company:
- Business type: sole-proprietor, corporation, partnership, cooperative (co-op), non-profit, or limited liability company (LLC)
- Background which identifies the owner, any parent companies, and subsidiaries
- Financial stability risk rating for the organization which offers an assessment of its credit risk
- Credit score and other risk factors including the company’s ability to repay debts and likelihood to adjust credit terms
- Banking, collections, and trade history to provide a track record of payments
- Liens, judgments, and bankruptcies associated with the firm
Here’s a basic Experian small business CreditScore℠ report sample.
Experian also charges a fee for viewing a business credit report and Intelliscore Plus score, starting at a $39.95 one-time pay-per-report charge, and up to $1,495 for a yearly subscription-based service for the viewing and monitoring of multiple businesses monthly.
How to Contact Experian for Business Credit Reporting Services
You can buy a single company report and subscribe to ongoing services directly on the website or contact Experian for commercial credit services by phone at 1-800-520 1221, by email at [email protected], and through the web form online.
3. Dun & Bradstreet – Business Credit Bureau
Unlike Equifax and Experian, Dun & Bradstreet is only in the business of commercial credit reporting, not individual consumer data collection or sharing. Dun & Bradstreet’s business credit reporting encompasses a significant amount of information on companies, including the following:
- Verification of the existence, size, and scope of a business
- Background review of firm owners and key employees
- In-depth review of company payment trends
- Financial data from company statements
- Public record filings
- Recommendations for credit limits
- Industry comparisons
- Dun & Bradstreet business credit rating (PAYDEX score)
Here’s a look at one of Dun & Bradstreet’s comprehensive credit report samples.
There are numerous business credit reporting products available to individuals, lenders, and business owners through Dun & Bradstreet for a fee. You can sign up for basic and advanced monthly monitoring of your own business or request one-time simple and comprehensive reports on other businesses.
Compare Third-Party Credit Reports from D&B
The basic DnB business credit report on other companies through its credit bureaus starts as low as $61, with more detailed reports available for $139 or $189 per inquiry. You can obtain 5 third-party business credit reports for $799.
Compare DnB Business Credit Products for Your Business
You can monitor your own company’s credit profile and risk factors published on the D&B starting at $15/mo for basic monitoring and up to $199/mo for its advanced credit builder program. There is also a free 14-day trial offering to take advantage of that allows you to evaluate the product further before committing to paying money.
How to Contact DnB for Business Credit Reporting Services
You can contact Dun & Bradstreet for business sales and support by calling 1-844-239-9736, emailing the company using its contact form, or through its Internet chat service found on nearly every web page on its site.
✅ Monitor Report & Score from All 3 Business Credit Bureaus
If you’re only interested in monitoring your own businesses’ credit report and score, you can start with a free account on Nav that allows you to monitor your business and personal credit (VantageScore 3.0), access credit report summaries with grades, and receive actionable cash flow insights and alerts.
With Nav credit monitoring for businesses, you’ll get access to reports from all three business credit bureaus, with tips and tools for helping you improve your credit, apply for credit cards and loans based on your credit health, and access other recommended services.
Follow up to five businesses’ credit reports and scores for as low as $49.99 per month with its Business Boost plan, or $59.99 per month to include its FICO® small business scoring service (SBSS) under Nav’s Business Loan Builder plan.
Final Thoughts on the 3 Major Business Credit Bureaus
Business credit reporting is similar to that offered with consumer credit reports, but it often provides more detailed information on the financial track record of small companies and larger organizations.
Equifax, Experian, and Dun & Bradstreet offer comprehensive business credit reports on any company registered to do business, allowing viewers to gain insight into how much of a credit risk a business poses to new creditors, or monitor the history and grade of their own business.
