The simple way to understand and improve it

Many consumers are judged using a credit score, but most South Africans don’t understand how it works or how to use it to move forward.

Finance365 has made it quick, safe and completely free to check your credit score and understand it at the same time. We want to make sure that before you borrow, you can check your free credit score to make smarter money choices.

What’s a credit score all about?

At its core, your credit score is a simple number that reflects how you manage credit and how confidently you can be trusted to repay it. You could also think of it as your credit rating.

It’s one of the ways lenders, landlords, and service providers decide whether to approve applications. But having a good credit score does more than unlock approval; it opens access to better deals, lower interest rates, and greater financial flexibility.

How to Get Your Credit Score Online. Free and Fast.

You can check your free credit score in South Africa in just a few steps:

1. Click here to get my credit score.
2. Enter your South African ID number and follow a quick SMS verification process.
3. See your score instantly, displayed in a clear, colour-coded range.

If you’re new to Finance365, you’ll simply register a free profile using your ID number, name, cell number and email. Once set up, you can log in anytime to do your free credit check or download your personal credit report.

What impacts your credit score

Your credit score is influenced by a combination of behaviours that show how you manage credit over time. Understanding these factors helps you take control of your financial progress.

The five main factors that influence your online credit score are:

1. Payment history: On-time payments build trust.
2. Credit use: Using too much of your limit can lower your score.
3. Account age: Older, well-managed accounts help it.
4. New credit: Too many recent applications can hurt your score.
5. Credit mix: A few different account types strengthen your profile.

Finance365 turns this data into clear, actionable insights, helping you take small, practical steps toward better credit.

Want to see how the numbers are seen by lenders?

We have a simple guide on how the credit score scale works (300 – 950 explained) to help you interpret your range. Here’s a quick look at them:

• Excellent (800 – 950): You’ll likely be approved for credit quickly and on good terms.
• Good (670 – 799): You’re generally seen as being responsible when it comes to credit.
• Fair (580 – 669): You could face some limits or higher costs if you’re approved for finance.
• Room to improve (300 – 579): Lenders will see you as a high risk, making it difficult to get finance.

We recommend checking your credit score and report once a month. This helps you spot changes early, catch possible fraud and track your progress. Keeping a close check on your credit score counts a lot towards building a better financial future.