What Is a Tradeline?
A “tradeline” is simply how the credit industry refers to the list of accounts on your credit report. Every time you open a new credit card, take out a mortgage, or finance a car with an auto loan, this adds a new tradeline to your report.
People with good credit have tradelines that reflect their good credit habits. Their tradelines show that they pay their bills on time and use credit wisely.
On the other hand, someone with bad credit will invariably have negative tradelines on their credit report. For example, their tradelines might show several 30-day late payments or a credit card in default.
When you have bad credit, you can repair it by working to improve the quality of your tradelines. This means consistently making your monthly payments on time, paying down debts, and maybe even opening a secured credit card to increase your credit limit and improve your payment history.
But what if you need a better score right away? If you don’t have time to wait, you might want to buy a tradeline.
When you buy a tradeline, what you’re actually buying is the right to have your name added as an authorized user to another individual’s account for a short period of time. In essence, you’re temporarily purchasing someone else’s good credit in the hope of leveraging their credit history.
What is a Tradeline Company?
Sometimes you can’t work fast enough to raise your credit score. Bringing late payments current and paying your balance down takes a lot of dedication and time.
It also takes time for the credit bureaus to build your score up again. What if you need something to happen now?
You can buy a tradeline from a tradeline company. It sounds weird, but you can buy your way into someone else’s credit, essentially. With a tradeline, you ‘buy’ your way onto someone else’s credit.
Tradeline companies sell the right to be an authorized user on someone else’s account. While you could do this for free with a family member or close friend, it’s not always an option, which is why tradeline companies exist.
While you don’t get the same charging capabilities, you might get if you become an authorized user for a friend or family member, you get the advantage of good credit, which will hopefully improve your credit score. Remember, there’s never a guarantee that it will work.
What Is a Tradeline on a Credit Report?
A tradeline on a credit report is a credit account.1 Credit agencies build credit reports on individuals based on these tradelines. Each tradeline includes information reported by the creditor, including:
- Creditor or lender’s name
- Partial account number
- Type of account
- Date the account was opened
- Date of last activity
- Current balance
- Credit limit or loan amount
- Amount of the last payment
- Date the account was last updated
- Payment history
- Current account status
There are two kinds of tradelines: revolving and installment. A revolving tradeline is a line of credit or a credit card account—these accounts let the borrower use credit as needed (up to their credit limit) over an extended timeframe. An installment tradeline, such as a student loan, mortgage, or auto loan, is a loan for a set amount that is paid back in installments.
How Does a Tradeline on a Credit Report Work?
Your credit score, the three-digit number that measures your creditworthiness, is calculated using tradeline information from your credit report. If you’ve made your payments on time, kept your balances low, and otherwise been responsible with your credit obligations, then your tradelines will contain positive information, and you’ll have a high credit score to show for your efforts.
Without a tradeline, you can’t have a credit score. For the credit scoring calculation to work, your credit report must have at least one tradeline that’s been open and active in the past six months.
The number of tradelines you have open at a time can affect your credit score. Having too many can make you look overextended and having too few shows you lack experience with credit.
Unfortunately, credit scoring companies haven’t disclosed the specific number of tradelines you need to achieve excellent credit. To build the best credit score, you should ideally open and close accounts only as you need, keep your existing accounts in good standing, and keep your debt balances low.
4 Best Tradeline Companies
1. Tradeline Supply Company
Tradeline Supply Company was one of the first companies to offer a 100% online tradeline buying service. They do this to keep prices down, as buying tradelines gets costly.
Tradeline Supply focuses on empowering consumers with proper financial education to help you build better financial habits, while temporarily helping you boost your credit score with purchased tradelines.
Tradeline Supply takes the top spot because they are affordable, reputable, and subject matter experts.
Pros
- Offers some of the lowest prices in the tradeline industry
- Offers’ deals,’ like buy two tradelines, get 10% off the second
- Provides many details about the tradelines available, including the price
- You stay on the account for two reporting cycles
- Tradeline Supply guarantees they will report to at least two of the three credit bureaus
Cons
- Tradeline Supply offers no guarantees on how the purchased tradeline will affect your credit score (it may even go down)
- You must buy the tradeline by the published ‘purchase by’ date or Tradeline Supply won’t guarantee that it will post during the next credit reporting cycle
It is time to hit refresh on your credit. Increase your credit score today with Tradeline Supply the premiere company for buying and selling tradelines.
2. BoostCredit101
BoostCredit101 guarantees to post your tradeline within 60 days of purchase. They claim it usually takes an average of 2 weeks, though.
BoostCredit101 offers a full refund or replacement if the tradeline does not report to two credit bureaus.
Pros
- Offers full transparency, allowing you to sort tradelines by price, lender, limit, age, and statement day
- Guarantees to post the tradeline to two of the three credit reporting bureaus
- Uses encrypted servers to keep your information safe and they eliminate all customer data after 90 days
- Thoroughly verifies all parties, buyers, and sellers to reduce the risk of fraud
- Provides ample education on their blog and over the phone with a financial professional
Cons
- The Better Business Bureau does not accredit BoostCredit
- You must talk to a consultant to buy a tradeline rather than completing the entire process online
3. CreditPro
Around since 2007, CreditPro has extensive experience compared to other tradeline companies today. They claim to offer the lowest prices in the industry, saving consumers as much as 40% – 60% on purchased tradelines as they are a wholesaler selling to advisors.
Pros
- Posts tradelines in as little as 5 – 7 days from the date of purchase
- Offers tradelines with utilization rates 15% or lower
- You stay on the tradeline for 60 – 90 days
- Has over 2,000 cards to choose from with varying ages (some are up to 30 years old)
Cons
- Has a C+ rating with the Better Business Bureau
- There is no transparency as you can’t see the available wholesale tradelines on their website
4. Superior Tradelines
Tradeline from Superior Tradelines; the trusted source leading the industry.
Pros
- Free Strategy Session
- Authorized User Tradelines
- Improved Credit Scores
Cons
- Their is no guarantees on how the purchased tradeline will affect your credit score
Tradeline Companies: How to Buy a Tradeline
Buying a tradeline is not as overwhelming as it seems. The hardest part of your job is finding the right tradeline.
Do you want a high quality (more expensive) tradeline or a few lower quality (less expensive) tradelines?
Once you choose, take the following steps:
- Add the tradeline(s) to your cart (if you’re buying it online).
- Read the contract carefully. This is like a rental agreement. Know what you’re agreeing to and ask questions if you aren’t sure about something.
- Make your payment. Most companies allow online payments. If not, you’ll make a payment over the phone with your credit card.
- Provide the necessary documents. The tradeline company must verify your identity before they can upload the information to the credit bureaus. They may ask for your driver’s license or Social Security card. Most companies have online upload options.
- Check your credit report. Don’t rely on the tradeline company to provide you with updates, check your credit report yourself. It may take 30 days or longer depending on the company you choose, but always verify that the tradeline reports.
Benefits of Buying a Tradeline
Buying a tradeline offers a number of benefits. Here are five pros of purchasing a tradeline.
1. Improve your odds of getting approved for a loan
If you want to buy a home or a new car, the first thing potential creditors will do is pull your credit report. When your score is low, you might find it impossible to get approved for a loan.
By purchasing tradelines, you can add to your credit history enough to qualify for a loan. This can make it possible for you to buy your first home or get the upgraded car you need.
2. Score a lower interest rate
When you’re taking out a large loan, such as a mortgage, you want your interest rate to be as low as possible. If your credit score is poor, however, you can expect to pay a much higher rate.
Adding a tradeline to your credit report can potentially help boost your credit history enough to qualify for a more favorable interest rate. This can save you thousands of dollars or more over the life of your loan.
3. Enhance your job prospects
Believe it or not, many potential employers screen candidates by looking at their credit score. This is particularly true in jobs where an employee is entrusted with money or management responsibilities.
To put it another way, companies want to know that you’re reliable and trustworthy. If your credit history is thin, a tradeline might raise it enough to land you that new job you’ve been after.
4. Rent an apartment
Landlords often review a potential tenant’s credit score to determine if they’re a low or high rental risk. In this way, a bad credit score can make it tough to get approved for a new lease agreement.
You might be able to improve your chances by adding a tradeline to your credit report. For example, a tradeline with a long positive payment history might be all it takes to convince a landlord that you pay your bills on time.
5. Qualify for more favorable car insurance rates
Did you know your credit score has an impact on your car insurance rates? According to the Insurance Information Institute, data shows that people with poor credit scores tend to file more claims.
Car insurers know this, and they charge higher rates as a result. If you’ve been saddled with high car insurance premiums, buying a tradeline might improve your credit history enough to help you qualify for more favorable rates.
What Makes A Good Tradeline Company?
Like all financial products, consumers need to be wary of tradeline scams. Here are some common characteristics of the best tradeline companies.
1. Industry Reputation
First and foremost, you want to buy a tradeline from a company that commands industry experience. Do your due diligence and make sure the tradeline company has been in business for a couple of years.
If you can, ask the tradeline company to provide some statistics. Statistics to ask for and review (if you can):
- Years in Service
- Success Rate
- Average Credit Score Increase
- How Often They Report
- Location of Headquarters
- Number of Employees
- Credit Consultation Services, are there any?
These are just a few metrics you should try to uncover before you purchase a tradeline.
Fortunately, reputable tradeline companies will publish this information on their website for public review. Do a little bit of digging and find this information.
2. Affordable
Let me be clear. Affordable does not mean cheap. Only buy a quality tradeline. It is not worth the risk buying a cheap tradeline.
You want a tradeline with a long account history and is established. This is what will move your credit score in the right direction.
Make sure to buy a tradeline that aligns with your financial goals and will not break the bank. Account for it in your monthly budget, and see if you can actually afford to purchase a ‘quality’ tradeline.
3. Transparent & Honest
The best tradeline companies will be honest and transparent about their operations. They will be upfront about their prices, often listing them on their website for public consumption.
Additionally, they will publish data about previous customer experiences. They will highlight their strengths, but will also reveal their weaknesses. Buying a tradeline is not an ‘immediate fix’ for everyone, and they know that.
4. Supportive Staff
Reputable tradeline companies will have a supportive staff. They will take the time to get to know your needs and will help you find the perfect tradeline that aligns with your financial goals.
Tradeline companies recognize that this is a big decision. They will do whatever they can to help ease the stress.
Furthermore, make sure the tradeline company has dedicated customer support representatives. This is important in case you run into any account troubles or administrative errors.
5. Mailing Address
The easiest way to tell the difference between a real tradeline company and a scam is whether or not they list their physical mailing address.
They best tradeline companies will list their mailing address, phone number, hours of operations, and more.
6. Quality Tradelines Are Offered
As a consumer, you only want to buy quality tradelines – more commonly known as ‘seasoned tradelines.’ These are established tradelines with a demonstrated track record of on-time payments and are in good standing.
Established tradelines will cost you a bit more, but this quality is what makes buying a tradeline worth it.
Buying Tradelines: Common Mistakes People Make
Buying tradelines can be an effective way to help your credit history, but it’s important to avoid common pitfalls. Here are five mistakes to avoid.
1. Not understanding what buying a tradeline means
A critical mistake people make is thinking that buying a tradeline means ownership rather than renting. When you buy a tradeline, you rent someone else’s good credit for a set period of time.
2. Working with a disreputable company
In many cases, people who need credit repair are in a vulnerable financial position. Unfortunately, there are unsavory companies in the credit repair industry willing to prey on this vulnerability.
Buying a tradeline can be a good strategy for adding to your credit history, but it’s important to take your time and find a reputable company before you buy.
3. Not reading and understanding their credit report
Research shows that 4 out of 10 Americans don’t know their credit score and have no idea how their score is calculated. You can buy dozens of tradelines, but they probably won’t do you much good if you never bother to look at your credit report.
4. Going for quantity over quality
Good tradelines can be pricey, which can prompt many people to go with a cheaper choice. However, a less expensive tradeline might not do all that much to add years to your credit history, making it a waste of money.
Instead, it’s usually better to invest in fewer tradelines that are priced higher due to their long history.
5. Substituting tradelines for credit repair
Tradeline companies will tell you outright that buying tradelines is not a substitute for repairing your credit. Rather, tradelines are an effective way to temporarily boost your history.
To raise your score and make it stick, you need to practice good credit strategies over the long-term. This takes hard work and a real commitment to changing your money management habits.
Tradeline Alternatives
Buying a tradeline isn’t the only way to improve your credit history. If you don’t have money to spend on a tradeline or you’re looking for a long-term solution to improving your credit score, there are several alternatives to purchasing a tradeline.
1. Pay Off Your Credit Card Debt
The average American has $6,354 in credit card debt. If you carry a lot of debt, paying off your credit cards can drastically improve your credit score.
In addition to saving you money in interest, reducing your credit card debt will improve your credit utilization, which is how much credit you have compared to how much you’re using. Ideally, your credit utilization should be below 30 percent.
Paying off your credit card debt is one of the main steps toward lowering your credit utilization. Keeping your utilization rate below 30 percent can make a big difference in your credit score.
2. Dispute Errors on Your Credit Report
According to a report by the Federal Trade Commission, 1 in 5 Americans has at least one error on their credit report. If you don’t review your credit report on a regular basis, you could be missing mistakes that are bringing down your score.
Under federal law, you’re entitled to receive one credit report every 12 months. You can get your free report by visiting annualcreditreport.com.
Once you have your report, you should look over it carefully to make sure the information listed is accurate. If you spot an error, you should dispute it with the credit bureaus.
3. Open a Secured Credit Card
A really low credit score can make it impossible to buy a car, rent an apartment, or even get interviewed for jobs. If your score is extremely low or you’re completely new to the world of credit, you can build credit with a secured credit card.
With a secured credit card, you make a small deposit up front. The card issuer hangs onto this money as a sort of security deposit in case you default.
In most cases, your security deposit is the same as your card limit. Once you have your card, you can charge purchases to it and then pay them off.
As you make your payments on time, the card issuer reports your positive payment history to the credit bureaus. Many card issuers give you an option to upgrade to a regular credit card after a certain period of time.
4. Take Out a Credit Builder Loan
Another non-tradeline option for repairing your credit is a credit builder loan. With a credit builder loan, you essentially borrow money from yourself.
These loans work in a bit of a reverse way compared to a regular loan. When you take out a credit builder loan, you don’t receive the loan right away.
Instead, you pay money into a savings account each month. At the end of the loan term, you receive the balance in the account plus any interest you accumulated.
Tradelines Companies FAQs
What is the best tradeling company on craigslist?
First of all, craigslist is next to the worst place to search for tradeline companies. About 30 to 40% of our customers come to us after being ripped off by other companies. About 90% of those customers were ripped off by a “company” they found on craigslist. If all the contact information you have for the company consists of a first name and a magic jack number, you are just asking for trouble. Make sure your company of choice is actually a company (check their state department business records), see if they are bonded, check for reviews, etc.
How to find best Tradeline Companies?
We believe Superior Tradelines, LLC is the best tradeline company, that “Superior” is not just part of the name, but also a part of our company philosophy. We are bonded with a $10,000.00 surety bond, comply with 817.7005, Florida Statutes, the Credit Repair Organization Act, etc. If you want to work with a bonded tradelines company, then Superior Tradelines, LLC is the only tradeline company you will find with a surety bond.
What are the best Tradelines to Imporve Credit Score?
There are many types of credit you could add to your credit report. You could add auto tradelines, seasoned revolving tradelines, mortgage tradelines, etc. However, you should note that seasoned revolving accounts make up 40% of your FICO score (all other tradelines are much, much less). We specialize in revolving credit and find no reason to add lessor tradelines that do not have such a large impact on your credit score. Revolving tradelines are the best tradelines to add to your credit report.
What is the best company offering and/or selling Tradelines?
Many companies offer tradelines. Some see tradelines as an add-on item to credit repair or other illegitimate practices like CPNs, etc. The best way to identify the companies worth working with is to ensure that they are an actual company. Make sure they are bonded and comply with crucial laws such as the Credit Repair Organization Act, etc. Question the company and if they are unwilling to answer your questions or take time with you, then move on.
Where or what is the best place to buy Tradelines?
Tradeline companies have an instant national reach, so good companies and bad companies are likely to end up on your computer screen when you search “the best place to buy tradelines”. The location of the company is irrelevant.
