Business Credit Scores Explained: Paydex, Intelliscore and Equifax
A plain English guide to the main business credit scores: Dun & Bradstreet Paydex, Experian Intelliscore and Equifax business scores. Learn what each measures and how lenders use them.
Personal credit has one name most people know. Business credit is different. There are several business credit scores, from different bureaus, each with its own scale and its own way of looking at your company. That is confusing, and it is why many owners do not know where they really stand.
This guide explains the main business credit scores in plain English, what each one measures and how lenders use them.
The three main business credit bureaus
| Bureau | Main scores | What it focuses on |
|---|---|---|
| Dun & Bradstreet | Paydex, plus other risk ratings | How promptly you pay vendors |
| Experian Business | Intelliscore Plus, financial stability scores | Overall risk based on payments, public records and more |
| Equifax Business | Business credit risk and failure scores | Likelihood of late payment or business failure |
Each bureau collects data from different vendors and lenders. A supplier might report to one bureau but not the others. So it is normal for your scores to look different at each one.
Paydex (Dun & Bradstreet)
Paydex is the score most owners hear about first. It runs from 1 to 100 and is based on how promptly you pay the vendors who report to Dun & Bradstreet. Paying on the due date generally lands around 80. Paying early can push it higher. Paying late pulls it lower.
| Paydex range | What it generally signals |
|---|---|
| 80 to 100 | Pays on time or early |
| 50 to 79 | Some slow payments |
| 1 to 49 | Frequently late |
Paydex needs a minimum number of payment experiences before it appears. Read what is a Paydex score and how to raise your Paydex score.
Intelliscore Plus (Experian)
Intelliscore Plus is Experian's main business score. It runs from 1 to 100, and higher means lower risk. It looks at more than payment timing, including:
- Payment history and trends
- Balances and how much credit is used
- Public records like liens and judgments
- Collections
- How long the business has had a file
- Business details like industry and size
Because it looks at many factors, Intelliscore can be pulled down by things like a tax lien even if you pay vendors on time. Read tax liens and judgments.
Equifax business scores
Equifax offers business scores that predict how likely a business is to pay late or to fail. They look at payment history, credit use, public records, company size and age. Some Equifax scores use a scale where higher is better, and others use a risk class. Lenders who use Equifax often look at both the score and the details behind it.
Other numbers you may see
- Risk classes or ratings that group businesses into risk bands
- Financial stress or failure scores that estimate the chance a business closes
- Personal credit scores of the owner, which many lenders still check for small businesses
- Industry specific scores some lenders build on their own
How lenders use business credit scores
Lenders rarely use one score alone. They combine your business scores with your personal credit, your bank statements, your time in business, your revenue and their own rules. Business scores help them answer questions like:
- Does this business pay its bills on time?
- Is there enough history to judge?
- Are there liens, judgments or collections?
- Are the company details current and consistent?
Read why lenders check business credit.
Why your scores might be missing or low
| Problem | What it causes |
|---|---|
| Few reporting accounts | No score or a weak score, read thin file |
| Payments on a duplicate file | Your good history does not count |
| Wrong company details | Records fail to match, read mismatches |
| Late payments | Lower Paydex and risk scores |
| Liens or judgments | Lower risk scores, read UCC liens |
| Old, inactive file | Scores may fade or disappear |
How to see your business credit scores
You can buy reports directly from each bureau, or use a business credit monitoring service. Read how to check your business credit report and business credit monitoring.
How to improve your business credit scores
- Correct your company details so everything matches your state filing, website and Google Business Profile.
- Make sure your payments land on the right file.
- Add reporting accounts if your file is thin.
- Pay on time or early.
- Resolve public records like liens and judgments where you can.
- Monitor regularly so you catch drops quickly.
Business credit scores checklist
- I know which bureaus have a file on my business
- I have seen my Paydex, Intelliscore and Equifax scores, or know which are missing
- My company details match on every file
- My payments report to the right file
- I have enough reporting accounts for a score to appear
- I am monitoring for changes
A real world example
A restaurant owner was told by one lender that her business credit was "great" and by another that it was "thin." Both were right. Her Paydex score was strong because her food suppliers reported to Dun & Bradstreet. But none of her vendors reported to Experian, and an old tax lien showed up there, so her Intelliscore was weak. Once she saw all three bureaus side by side, the plan was clear.
How Credit Desk makes sense of your scores
Most owners have never seen all of their business credit in one place. In your free business credit review, we pull your files, compare them against your state filing, your website and your Google Business Profile, and show you what is helping and what is hurting. Your private review page translates it all into one simple Bankable Score, so you can see where you stand today and where you can be after the fixes.
Then we fix what is wrong, help you build what is missing and monitor your files so you always know where your scores are heading.
The bottom line
Business credit has several scores, not one. Knowing what each measures is the first step to improving them. Get your free business credit review and we will show you your full picture in plain words.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main business credit scores?
The most common are Dun & Bradstreet's Paydex score, Experian's Intelliscore Plus and Equifax's business credit risk scores. Each bureau uses its own data and its own scale.
What is a good business credit score?
Each score has its own scale, so good depends on the score. For Paydex, scores of 80 and above generally mean the business pays on time. For other scores, higher numbers usually mean lower risk.
Why are my business credit scores different at each bureau?
Each bureau collects different data from different vendors and lenders, and each uses its own formula. It is common to have a strong score at one bureau and no score at another.
Does checking my own business credit hurt my score?
Checking your own business credit reports does not hurt your business credit scores.
Get a free business credit review. We compare your bureau file against your state filing, website and Google Business Profile, and show you every fix on a private review page.
This guide is general education, not legal, tax or financial advice. Bureau names and scores are trademarks of their owners. Credit Desk is not affiliated with any credit bureau. Results vary by business.