The move comes amid mounting pressure from the FHFA to introduce more competition and transparency into the industry
Global data and technology company Experian has thrown down the gauntlet in the ongoing credit scoring wars, announcing it would offer VantageScore 4.0 to United States mortgage lenders at no cost.
The move, which Experian said would be indefinite, comes amid mounting pressure from the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and its director, Bill Pulte, to inject more competition and transparency into the credit scoring industry.
“Experian is dedicated to fostering a more competitive mortgage landscape, creating a safer and sounder market, and expanding access to homeownership for a wider range of consumers,” Brian Cassin, Experian’s CEO, said.
“Making VantageScore 4.0 more easily accessible and widely available for the mortgage market accelerates the adoption of VantageScore 4.0 among mortgage lenders.”
Experian bets on broader access and lower costs
Meanwhile, by offering its score for free, Experian is betting that lenders will be more willing to test and adopt the model, which claims to score millions more consumers than traditional methods.
If Experian does eventually charge for VantageScore 4.0, it pledged to keep the price at least 50% lower than what FICO currently charges.
Experian’s offer also includes access to its Ascend Analytical Sandbox, enabling lenders to model and test VantageScore 4.0 alongside legacy scores.
The company’s Score Choice Bundle will give lenders both VantageScore 4.0 and FICO 2 on every transaction, allowing for real-world comparison and compliance with evolving Government-Sponsored Enterprises (GSE) standards.
Competition heats up as FICO responds
For years, FICO has dominated the mortgage credit scoring space, but recent regulatory changes and industry calls for innovation have opened the door for alternatives like VantageScore.
In response, FICO recently introduced a direct license program, letting mortgage resellers buy credit scores straight from FICO instead of going through Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion.
The company has promoted the change as a way to increase transparency and cut costs, offering a new “performance model” with a $4.95 per-score royalty fee and a $33 per-funded-loan fee, or the option to stick with the existing $10 per-score rate, which the Consumer Data Industry Association (CDIA) has criticized.
Fair Isaac Corp (FICO) has announced it will license its credit scores directly to mortgage resellers, bypassing the traditional gatekeepers—Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.https://t.co/gQK6LY0COw
— Mortgage Professional America Magazine (@MPAMagazineUS) October 2, 2025
Industry faces new pressures and opportunities
The announcement comes as lenders face mounting pressure to serve a more diverse borrower base and adapt to new GSE guidelines.
As the industry weighs the benefits of greater choice and transparency, the real test will be whether these changes translate into broader homeownership opportunities without unintended consequences for lenders or borrowers.
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