Credit Repair vs. Tradelines [Infographic]

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Credit Repair vs. Tradelines [Infographic]

Credit Repair & Tradelines - Infographic

Perhaps the title “Credit Repair vs Tradelines” is not entirely accurate, but this is a common way that many consumers think of the two industries and even many credit repair companies as well. In truth, as our infographic illustrates, the two services really go hand-in-hand.

However, there are several differences that we will highlight in order to understand the full range of credit-related options. Be sure to check out our article below the infographic for all the details.

Credit Repair & Tradelines Infographic

What Is Credit Repair?

The term “credit repair” can have different definitions depending on who you ask. Generally, however, credit repair is considered to be the process of mending poor credit that is a result of errors in your credit report or identity theft. This is accomplished by disputing inaccurate information in your credit file with the credit bureaus, who will investigate the claim and take appropriate action.

For example, if you have collections on your credit report that are being reported with inaccurate information, you can dispute the collection account and have it updated or removed from your credit report.

Sometimes people also use the term credit repair to mean fixing bad credit in general, using traditional methods such as bringing all accounts current and paying down debts.

For those who are seeking credit repair services through a company, you are probably interested in the process of repairing bad credit by disputing inaccurate negative information in your credit file. If your credit score is lower than the average range, going to a credit repair business may seem like an appealing option.

However, keep in mind that credit repair has its limitations. Since credit repair services focus on removing information from your credit file, once that is accomplished, there may not be much left in your file to show that you have a credit history at all. This is especially true of questionable credit repair companies who use dishonest methods to aggressively “sweep” your credit file of legitimate information.

In order to truly improve your credit score, it is important not only to remove inaccurate negative information but to also work on rebuilding your credit.

Filled-in crossword puzzle repaired with white-out. Repair credit by removing errors from your credit report.

Credit repair focuses on removing inaccurate information from your credit report.

Tradelines vs. Credit Repair: What’s the Difference?

Addition and Subtraction

As we discussed above, credit repair can be thought of as the process of removing negative information from your credit report. In contrast, tradelines add information to your credit report.

A tradeline is simply any account in your credit file, so adding tradelines by definition bulks up your file. This can be helpful for people with short or thin credit histories, or those who are recovering from a period of bad credit and trying to rebuild their credit.

A short credit history means the age of your credit file is not very long, while a thin credit history means you have only a few accounts in your credit profile, if any. Credit scoring models factor in both the length of your credit history and your mix of credit, so having a thin or short credit file will likely result in a lower credit score rating.

Being added as an authorized user to tradelines that are in good standing and have a higher age (known as “seasoned” tradelines) could improve both of these factors by increasing your length of credit history and diversifying your mix of accounts.

In addition, seasoned tradelines for sale from a reputable company will have perfect payment histories and relatively low utilization ratios, which impact important components of your credit.

Alarm clock on desk showing tradelines can post quickly

Tradelines can post to your report quickly, while the credit repair process may take longer.

How Long Does Credit Repair Take to See Results?

The credit repair process typically takes 1-6 months or longer, depending on how many disputes you need to make. Once you submit your disputes to the credit bureaus, they have 30 days to research the dispute and 5 more days to respond once they have completed the investigation. Sometimes, additional information may be needed, which can add more time to the process.

If you have a lot of errors to dispute, you may have to submit them a few at a time, which is why getting results can take several months.

Tradelines, however, can post to your credit report in as few as 11 days, and sometimes even faster. It just depends on the reporting period of the tradeline you are adding.

How Much Does Credit Repair Cost?

The cost of credit repair services can vary widely depending on the company, which services you need, and how long the process takes. Many credit repair organizations charge a monthly fee for their work in addition to an initial fee for pulling your credit reports. Typically, the monthly fees range between $60 to about $100 per month for basic credit repair services. [Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links.]

Purchasing tradelines, on the other hand, usually involves paying a one-time fee (unless you choose to extend the tradeline for additional time).

Is Credit Repair Worth It?

If you have bad credit, paying for a credit repair service is an option that you may want to consider, especially if you have a lot of errors on your credit report or if you have been the victim of identity theft and you need some help disputing fraudulent accounts.

If you do decide to hire a credit repair service to help you clean up your credit, make sure you research each company thoroughly and choose a legit credit repair company. Unfortunately, the industry has not earned the best reputation. Be sure to know your rights laid out by the Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA) so you can protect yourself from being taken advantage of by shady credit repair companies.

Not everyone needs the help of a credit repair company to begin with. If you have one or two simple errors on your credit report, you may feel that you will be able to go through the credit repair process on your own and have those errors successfully removed or updated.

To answer the question of whether paying for credit repair is worth it, you’ll have to take a look at your credit report and decide whether the damage is extensive enough to warrant hiring a professional credit repair service or whether you want to try DIY credit repair.

How Credit Repair and Tradelines Work Together to Fix Your Credit

Credit repair and tradelines naturally go hand-in-hand. In one sense, tradelines pick up right where credit repair ends. Again, credit repair helps to “clean up” credit and tradelines help build or re-establish positive credit history.

One really should not exist without the other; the two techniques are most effective if done in tandem. Since credit repair removes information from your credit file, it may be necessary to add positive information to your file in the form of tradelines in order to truly rebuild your credit.

Boy and man building a house. Tradelines can help to build credit.

Tradelines can help to build or rebuild credit.

Buy Tradelines or Fix My Credit: Which Should I Do First?

It does not necessarily matter which one comes first. Both can exist at the same time.

However, if you have bad credit due to inaccurate derogatory information on your credit report, those variables will have an impact on your overall credit picture and could lead to tradelines having a diminished effect. In this case, the most effective course of action would be to repair your credit before adding tradelines.

On the other hand, it is never a bad time to have good things on your credit report. The timing of which strategy should come first ultimately depends on your individual situation and your own timeline.

For example, some credit repair programs take quite some time to accomplish. As we mentioned, is not uncommon for certain credit repair programs to take many months to complete. In these cases, tradelines may fit in at any given time during the credit repair process.

Woman looking at financial data on tablet screen. Tradelines and credit repair work best together.

Credit repair and tradelines work best when used together as part of your overall credit strategy.

Why Don’t All Credit Repair Companies Offer Tradelines?

Surprisingly, not all credit repair companies sell tradelines or even know about tradelines. Sometimes tradeline companies are seen as competition to credit repair businesses because clients may end up spending money on tradelines as opposed to credit repair services.

However, as we have seen, credit repair works best when paired with tradelines. The best credit repair companies will provide you with all of the information and options that you need to make an informed decision about your financial future.

Conclusion

While tradelines and credit repair can both be effective in improving your credit, they are not the same thing. Rather, they are complementary strategies that work best when used together.

Don’t mistake tradelines for credit repair—think of tradelines as a way to build or re-establish credit. The best course of action for your credit is to evaluate your own unique situation and ask how tradelines can complement your credit repair strategy.

Tradeline Supply Company, LLC
Tradeline Supply Company, LLC
House copywriter at Tradeline Supply Company with articles about personal finance, credit repair, credit cards, and credit score information.

31 Comments

  1. Cleveland says:

    My credit is very low. I’ve had credit since my early twenties. I’m turning 30 soon and would like to purchase a tradeline. I think it would work great with my current credit!

  2. jjewett812 says:

    I am in credit repair. I believe wholeheartedly that once the credit is repaired it then has to be Built in order to get to the next level in credit scores that’s why I became an affiliate.

  3. Crystal says:

    I just began credit repair and am estimated it will be 3 months to complete deletions at which point in this process should I look to add tradelines to give them a chance to process and me to have a a chance to apply for my own credit before tradelines fall off my credit report

    • Tradeline Supply Company, LLC says:

      We would recommend waiting until you finish the credit repair process before adding tradelines or applying for new credit.

  4. Vincent Donnell Smith says:

    Will hospital Bill’s affect. The efforts of what trade lines can do

  5. Imanfreitekh says:

    great team, great customer service, thank you TradeLine Supply

  6. Jacquelyn Griffin says:

    Do your company have credit repair service

  7. Allan Pena says:

    I would like to purchase a trade line but my question is how long do they last on my credit file ????

  8. andy says:

    hi im interested in a tradeline but im in the uk !

    • Tradeline Supply Company, LLC says:

      Hello and thank you for your interest! You must have a valid Social Security number issued by the U.S. government in order to use our tradelines.

  9. Gabby says:

    If I purchase a trade line and I want to extend it, can I extend it for 2 years ?

  10. Steve says:

    I have an 18 year old and a 19 year old…will adding tradelines be beneficial for them or is it not an need…credit scores are new and around 720 now…1 have a 24000 car loan and the other have a 5,000 credit card

  11. Is this tradeline for business credit or personal?

  12. Closing a tradeline after just 2 months of reporting can negatively impact the credit score. So do your services work primarily for a quick boost for someone that just wants to reflect a lower DTI for a closing or something similar? I need a credit boost to remain for at least 6 months in order to give me time to open my own lines with a similar balance.

  13. Trying to rebuild my credit

  14. tracy banks says:

    hi im looking to buy a tradeline as i need some extra credit on my account to show credit worth but not sure which one to buy

  15. Treneice Watson says:

    After purchasing the tradeline, and it’s reported and has boosted. How long does it stay on your credit?

  16. Zachary Tomlinson says:

    Thanks for helping me understand how you could use credit repair services to improve your credit score! I saw online ads that offer these services to individuals who are struggling to deal with their finances. I will share this with my friend so he can try this out someday.

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