CreditStrong Review: Build Credit And Savings At The Same Time

For people with poor or no credit, trying to get a loan or open a credit card account can seem like mission impossible.

It's a classic "chicken and egg" problem. You need to make consistent on-time payments on a line of credit to build a strong credit score. But without a strong credit score, how will you ever get approved for such a credit line?

One solution is CreditStrong, which essentially allows you to make "payments" to yourself. And CreditStrong will report your loan payments to the three major credit bureaus to help you build credit. Plus, at the end of your repayment term, you'll have a nice nest egg of cash savings waiting for you! 

Interested? In this article, we’ll look at how it all works.

What Is CreditStrong?

CreditStrong is a secured-lending fintech that helps people build credit with Credit Builder loans. It is a division of Austin Capital Bank, which was founded in January 2006.

Since then, the company has expanded their product offerings so you can have multiple ways to build your credit based on your specific budget and timeline. 

CreditStrong accounts are available in most states in the United States except for Wisconsin and Vermont.

What Do They Offer?

CreditStrong helps people build credit through installment loans. But instead of giving the money to you upfront, it's deposited it into a savings account. Then you begin making fixed monthly payments. 

The loan incurs interest but so does the savings account which helps to offset your total cost. By making a series of payments on their loan, customers have a chance to increase their credit score. And CreditStrong will report the customer’s payments to all three credit bureaus.

For this review we'll be focusing on CreditStrong's personal credit-building plans, Instal, Revolv, and CS Max.

CreditStrong's Products

Check out the different offerings and prices to see what works best for you. 

Instal (Most Basic)

This is CreditStong's most basic installment loan. An Instal account can provide you with a loan that can help you build installment credit and make consistent on-time payments over the life of the loan. You choose the monthly payment, credit amount, and the length of time, or term, that best suits your needs. 

Revolv

Build your revolving credit with an installment credit called Revolv. An installment credit is similar to the type of credit you would get from a car loan, student loan, or mortgage. Revolv gives you a credit limit and lets you borrow repeatedly and repay it each month—similar to a credit card.

This particular product helps improve your credit utilization. Revolv is meant to give you a variety of a credit mix, which looks better on your credit profile and can ultimately help your score. But by itself, Revolv can improve your payment history, length of credit, amount of credit, and grow your savings. 

The subscription cost per year for Revolv is $99.

CS Max (Highest-Priced and Most Robust)

The point of CS Max is to demonstrate to lenders that you can responsibly take on a larger installment loan and pay it back. 

It offers larger credit obligation than the other two products and may come with higher fixed monthly payments. CS Max might be great for you if you want to buy a house and need to improve your debt-to-income ratio (the amount of debt you owe, relative to your income).

Or maybe you have a small business and need it for business purposes. This tier is meant for the people who have cash but not the credit they need.

Not A Credit Repair Service

CreditStrong’s service shouldn’t be confused with a credit repair service. Credit repair services help remove negative marks on a person’s credit report. CreditStrong doesn’t do any credit repair. It's only reporting a customer’s payment history to the three major credit bureaus.

If the customer has good credit management, its reporting can help increase the customer’s credit score. But if you miss payments on your CreditStrong loan, the system can work against you. 

CreditStrong will report delinquent payments to the same three credit bureaus that receive its reports on timely payments. This can actually result in decreasing your credit score. Just as it's important to maintain on-time payments with creditors, you also want to be sure to do the same with CreditStrong.

Loans Without Upfront Money

CreditStrong isn’t a traditional lending service. Not only do you not receive any money upfront, but you also pay fees that are higher than that of a comparable traditional loan. If all you need is a personal loan, you're better off getting an unsecured loan from a bank or credit union.

CreditStrong is specifically designed to help people increase their credit score and establish a positive payment history. 

Another really nice thing about CreditStrong is that you can cancel at any time without penalty. If you cancel before the end of your repayment term, you'll receive a refund for all the money you deposited minus the interest. And as long as your didn't have any late or missed payments before your account was closed, no negative marks will be added to your credit reports. Also, if you decide to pay off your CreditStrong loan early, there is no early payoff fee.

How Fast Will My Credit Score Increase?

There are currently two competing credit score systems - VantageScore and FICO Score. The FICO score is by far the most widely used and probably the one you’ll want to watch as you work to improve your credit. Here's how to monitor your FICO score.

With either credit scoring system, payment history is an influential scoring factor. If you've never used credit before, it will take at least 6 months for FICO to give you your first credit score. 

However, if you're just looking to slightly improve your score to qualify for a credit card or other form of financing, even just a few on-time payments with CreditStrong could push you across the finish line.

Related: How To Get A Free Credit Score Report

Are There Any Fees?

Yes, CreditStrong currently has seven plans. The fees and interest rates for each product are available on their website, but typically range from $28/mo to $449/mo.

How Does CreditStrong Compare?

When compared to Self Financial, CreditStrong's interest rates are favorable while Self's admin fees are a bit lower. But it should be noted that neither of these companies offer any immediate cash access. 

If that's something you're looking for, you may want to consider SeedFi instead, which can provide up to $4,000 of upfront cash through its Borrow & Grow plans. SeedFi's traditional Credit Builder plans are also very affordable at just $1 per month. 

Here's a closer look at how CreditStrong compares to the competition:

How Do I Open An Account?

You can visit the CreditStrong website to open an account. CreditStrong says that it takes about 5 minutes to complete the application. Your credit will not be affected by applying as CreditStrong will not check your credit. However, you will need to have a valid phone number, SSN or ITIN, checking account, debit card, or prepaid card in good standing in order to qualify.

Is My Money Safe?

Yes, CreditStrong accounts are held in Austin Capital Bank, which is FDIC-insured. FDIC insurance offers up to $250,000 of deposit protection per account. And since none of CreditStrong's loans come in amounts anywhere near that level, your entire account will be insured.

How Do I Contact CreditStrong?

You can contact CreditStrong customer support by phone at (833) 850-0850. Operating hours are Monday – Friday 7 AM to 7 PM (CT). You can also correspond with their team via Live Chat on their website.

As of writing, there are only three reviews of CreditStrong on Trustpilot, which pales in comparison to its competitor SeedFi which has over 1,000 reviews (nearly all of which are positive). CreditStrong has a B rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) but isn't currently BBB-accredited.

Is It Worth It?

For anyone wanting to build credit, CreditStrong could be a good solution. It's easy to get approved for a credit line without a credit check and a significant portion of your "loan" payments later become cool cash in your pocket.

Just make sure to compare CreditStrong's interest rates and fees with other companies that offer Credit Builder accounts like Self. For more a detailed comparison of the two companies, check out our review of Self.

As for the savings account earning interest, don’t expect to make any money. After the loan fees are taken into account, the net will be an overall expense. If interest is what you're after, consider one of our favorite high-yield savings accounts instead.

CreditStrong FAQs

Here are a few of the most common questions that people ask about CreditStrong:

Can you receive any money upfront from CreditStrong?

No, their plans are solely intended to build credit and savings, not to serve as emergency loans.

Does CreditStrong require a security deposit?

No, CreditStrong doesn't work like a secured credit card and doesn't require any upfront deposits.

How does CreditStrong appear on credit reports?

CreditStrong accounts are reported to the credit bureaus as installment loans.

Can you withdraw any built-up savings from your CreditStrong account?

No, withdrawals are not allowed until you reach the end of your payment term or you cancel your account.

CreditStrong Features