American Express Launches Score Goals, A New Credit Score Tracker

The new tool guides users towards a target credit score and empowers them with advice and goals.

Need to Know

  • Score Goals is a digital tool that allows users to set a target credit score and then guides them on how to achieve it.
  • The new product is part of American Express’ MyCredit Guide suite of credit management tools.
  • Score Goals is free to use for U.S. residents, even if they do not hold an American Express credit card.

Analysis

American Express has launched a new tool aimed at helping consumers achieve their credit goals, in an effort to attract individuals who are looking for help with financial management—even those who do not hold Amex credit cards.

Score Goals, which is part of Amex’s MyCredit Guide suite of tools and is free for all U.S. residents, allows users to set a target credit score and then leverages existing personal financial data to set spending limits, based on how customers with similar credit scores and financial portfolios have managed their own money.

“We know that many consumers are especially focused on their financial health during this time,” Kunal Madhok, VP of U.S. consumer lending cards for American Express, said in a statement announcing Score Goals. “As we continue to innovate to provide consumers with new tools and resources that support their financial needs, we launched Score Goals to help consumers manage and accomplish their credit score goals — both big and small.”

The product’s functionality is straightforward: new users sign up using their personal information, including their social security number, or with an existing Amex account. MyCredit Guide then pulls a “soft” credit report (which does not affect a user’s credit score); after seeing this, users can then set a desired credit score. The tool with then analyze a user’s spending and earning habits and history, and compare their stated goal with users who have similar financial histories and goal scores to set budgeting and spending recommendations.

Score Goals will make recommendations in four categories: payment activity, percentage of credit used, debt/balances, and new/recent credit, and will offer suggested implementation of these recommendations across a time frame of 12, 18, or 24 months. Users can log into the tool at any time to track their progress.

Score Goals is available now for U.S. residents.