How are they different?
See what is the same and what is not.
Read the full details
Compare access and purpose first
FCAC’s access guide links to both bureaus. TransUnion names its free report Consumer Disclosure. Do not compare a free report from one organization with a paid subscription from the other without listing the different features and costs. Use each company’s own support for login or identity-verification problems.
| Task | Equifax | TransUnion |
|---|---|---|
| Get the report | Official free-report route linked by FCAC | Official Consumer Disclosure route |
| Read an account | Check balance, date and status | Check the same details and date |
| Investigate an error | Use the process for the Equifax entry | Use the process for the TransUnion entry |
| Interpret a score | Identify the score source and model context | Identify the score source and model context |
How are they different?
See what is the same and what is not.
Read the full details
Start with a difference you can investigate
Suppose one report shows a card balance of $700 updated on the tenth, and the other shows $950 updated on the first. A payment between those dates could explain the difference. That is an investigation step, not proof of the cause. Compare your records and ask about the update before filing a dispute alleging that either bureau is wrong.
A correction needs a specific target
Read the key facts before you choose.
Read the full details
A correction needs a specific target
Name the bureau, account and exact information you believe is inaccurate. Keep the evidence and response for that issue. Do not assume a dispute with one organization automatically resolves every related entry elsewhere. Check both reports again where the issue affects both, using their official processes.
What is the bottom line?
Read the key facts before you choose.
Read the full details
Our take: do not choose a bureau by the higher score
The useful outcome is understanding the records a lender may encounter, not selecting the number you prefer. We have not tested paid monitoring plans or rated either company’s service. If your real concern is payment difficulty, that is a separate conversation from whether two reports agree.
What to have ready
- Reports with dates close enough to compare.
- The same account matched across both files.
- The last update date and your supporting records.
- A specific correction request, if the evidence shows an error.
You do not need account numbers, your SIN, bank passwords, or files to start.
Which bureau will my lender use?
Ask the actual lender. Do not infer its choice from the bureau used by a free app or comparison website, and do not assume every product at an institution uses an identical assessment.