Business credit

Business Credit Scores Explained: Build the Profile That Unlocks Better Funding

Your company has a credit file. Here is how to read it, strengthen it and put it to work.

Alta Business Loans Editorial Team Updated October 24, 2026 2-minute read

Small business owner reviewing a business credit report

Your business credit score is a signal lenders, suppliers and insurers use to size you up, and unlike personal credit, there is no single number. Understand the three major models, and you can build a profile that earns larger limits and better terms.

0–300 is the FICO SBSS range; PAYDEX and Intelliscore Plus use 1–100 Source: Dun & Bradstreet, Experian and FICO

The three scores that matter

Model	Range	What it measures
D&B PAYDEX	1–100	How promptly you pay reporting suppliers, weighted by dollars
Experian Intelliscore Plus	1–100	Likelihood of serious delinquency from commercial credit data
FICO SBSS	0–300	Business and owner credit plus application data, used by many lenders

What moves your score

Payment history with vendors and creditors that report.
Balances and utilization compared with your limits.
File depth: how many accounts report, and for how long.
Public records such as liens, judgments and collections.
Accurate company information across every bureau.

Six moves to build business credit

Make sure your legal name, address and EIN match everywhere.
Pull your reports and dispute errors.
Open trade accounts with vendors that report payments.
Pay on time, or early, every time.
Keep balances well below your limits.
Run every business dollar through a business account.

Lenders look beyond the score

A strong score helps, but it does not replace cash flow. Lenders also weigh revenue, bank deposits, time in business, existing debt and, for most small businesses, the owner's personal credit. A thin business file can still get funded when the rest of the picture is strong. See our loan preparation checklist.

Your next move

Put your credit to work.

See what your business qualifies for today. Checking your options does not involve a hard credit pull.

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Business credit score FAQs

What is a business credit score?

A business credit score is a risk rating built from your company's credit file, including payment history, trade accounts, public records and company information. Each bureau uses its own model and range.

What is a good business credit score?

It depends on the model. Higher is better on PAYDEX and Intelliscore Plus (1–100) and on FICO SBSS (0–300). Read your score with the bureau's risk class and the report behind it.

Do lenders check personal credit for business loans?

Often, yes. For small and closely held businesses, lenders commonly review the owner's personal credit together with business credit.

Can I get funding with limited business credit history?

Possibly. Lenders also weigh revenue, bank activity, cash flow, time in business, collateral and owner credit. Approval and terms depend on each lender's underwriting.

Sources

Educational content only, not financial, legal, accounting or tax advice, and not a financing offer. Alta Business Loans is a business funding brokerage, not a direct lender. The lender funding a transaction independently determines eligibility, approval, rates, terms and funding availability. Data cited is current as of the publication date and may change.