Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Self vs Experian®

Self 4.9★ · Free to download 75
Winner Tie
Experian® 4.8★ · Free to download 75

Self is better for users actively building credit with its credit builder loan and secured card, while Experian® is better for monitoring and understanding an existing credit profile.

Full reviews: Self · Experian®

Self excels at providing tools like credit builder loans and secured credit cards to help users establish or improve credit, though some users report issues with payment processing and customer service. Experian® is strong for credit monitoring and detailed insights, but faces criticism for aggressive upselling, technical glitches, and poor customer support.

Head to head

Credit Building Tools edge: SelfR5R8R14R32
Self Self is highly praised for its credit builder loan and secured credit card, which many users found effective for improving their credit scores and building credit history, especially for those new to credit R5R8R14R32. The savings account feature linked to credit building is also appreciated R5.
Experian® Experian® offers features like Experian Boost, which some users find helpful for improving their scores . However, some users report that Boost doesn't work or causes issues .
Credit Score Accuracy and Reporting edge: Experian®R7R12R47R65
Self Some Self users report significant discrepancies between the score shown in the app and actual credit bureau scores, sometimes by 30-40 points R7. Others mention that their credit improvement was slower than expected R12 or that payments weren't reported accurately or on time R47.
Experian® Experian® is generally seen as providing accurate credit scores and detailed information R65R75. However, some users note that negative updates are quick, while positive updates are slow , and some question the accuracy of scores . There are also complaints about the app not showing specific details of accounts or late payments .
Ease of Use & Reliability tieR1R5R6R10
Self Self is described as user-friendly and organized by some R5. However, many users experience significant technical issues, including inability to see their credit score R1R10, difficulty adding payments , delayed payment processing R6, and problems connecting bank accounts .
Experian® Experian® is generally considered easy to use . However, it is plagued by technical glitches, such as login issues R63, problems connecting accounts , and errors with features like Experian Boost .
Customer Service & Support edge: SelfR2R4R7R27
Self Self receives mixed reviews for customer service. Some users report excellent help R2, while others describe it as non-existent, unhelpful, or relying on AI chatbots R4R7R27. Issues include difficulty replacing cards and being forced to speak to agents when not desired R27.
Experian® Experian® is widely criticized for its poor customer service, with many users reporting difficulty reaching a human, reliance on unhelpful AI agents, and being hung up on R64R67R75.
Price & Value tieR3R13R17R18
Self Self is perceived as expensive by some users, citing high interest rates on their credit card R3, excessive late fees R17R18, and other fees . Some feel misled about the cost or the return on their investment R13R19. There are also complaints about being charged for services after cancellation or for cards not received .
Experian® Experian® is criticized for its premium subscription model, with users feeling that essential features are paywalled R63R66R81R82. Many find the $25/month ($300/year) subscription not worth the cost, especially when free alternatives like Credit Karma exist R82. There are also complaints about aggressive marketing and upsells within the app, even for paying users .
Pick Self if

You are actively looking to build or rebuild your credit through structured programs like credit builder loans and secured credit cards, and you are willing to navigate potential customer service and payment processing issues.

Pick Experian® if

You primarily need to monitor your credit score, understand your credit profile, and receive alerts, and you are comfortable with potential upsells and navigating a glitchy app with limited human support.

Evidence note: Both apps are free to download, but Experian® has a significant free-vs-paid asymmetry, with many negative reviews stemming from dissatisfaction with paywalled features and aggressive marketing within the 'free' app. Self's negative reviews often relate to the cost of its credit-building products and operational issues.

Frequently asked

Does Self help improve credit scores?
Yes, many users report that Self has helped them improve their credit scores, often significantly and relatively quickly, through its credit builder loans and secured credit cards R5R8R32R38.
Is Experian® customer service helpful?
Experian® customer service is widely reported as unhelpful, with users frequently complaining about the inability to reach a human agent, reliance on ineffective AI chatbots, and being disconnected R64R67R75R87.
Are there hidden fees with Self?
Some Self users report feeling misled by fees, citing high interest rates on credit cards, exorbitant late fees, and other charges that they believe keep them in debt rather than helping R3R17R18R19.
Does Experian® offer a truly free service?
While Experian® is free to download, many users find the free version to be very basic and are constantly prompted to pay for a premium subscription, which costs around $25 per month ($300 per year), to access more detailed information and features R63R66R81R82.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R5] Self 5/5 · US A tremendous help: I definitely had credit anxiety. I didn’t have much of a credit history but Self’s organized guidance and user friendly app really helped me improve my credit score and overall knowledge about how to continue to build better credit. The savings account that helped show credit bureaus on time and early payments while saving money was exactly what I needed and has helped me save m
  2. [R8] Self 5/5 · US Kevin Monroy: Recomiendo!! Ya voy a terminar mi contrato y tengo muy buen puntaje.
  3. [R14] Self 5/5 · US Great credit builder: Great app
  4. [R32] Self 5/5 · US Credit booster: Improved my credit very fast cool app cool credit card
  5. [R7] Self 1/5 · US The worst app: The company isn’t horrible. Inflated credit scores are super unhelpful…like a 30-40 point difference on avg from what they say it is and what the credit bureau says it is. That just leads to frustration when applying for things that you “qualify” for, only to find out you’re way off. Support is almost nonexistent but that’s every company that uses these wildly annoying AI chat bots.
  6. [R12] Self 3/5 · US My Self Review: I was under the impression that self worked in a way to improve my credit at a faster rate/pace than it’s been. Regardless, I have seen an improvement and at the moment I’m simply respecting the process.
  7. [R47] Self 1/5 · US Do not report the four months of payments on time: This is my second time with them. They do not report the whole months that you’re paying on time with them accurately.
  8. [R65] Experian® 5/5 · US Love the app: Very detailed
  9. [R1] Self 1/5 · US Not happy: Can’t see my credit score which makes me want to end my contract
  10. [R6] Self 3/5 · US Failure to take money when you pay: The only bad thing about this app is THEY TAKE THEY PAYMENTS out of your account literally a whole 5 days to a week after you submit the payment. Sometimes I think the money is processed and it’s not and I get a failed payment fee EVERY MONTH 🤦🏿‍♂️
  11. [R10] Self 2/5 · US Credit Score?: There seems to be a glitch in the platform and I cannot access my credit score as mentioned.
  12. [R2] Self 5/5 · US Top notch crew: Iv always received the best help when I have questions or there is a problem.
  13. [R4] Self 1/5 · US If I could give 0 stars, i WOULD!!!: Rashan from customer service sucks. He didn’t help at all and doesn’t understand his own company. A complete scam, never get involved with these losers.
  14. [R27] Self 2/5 · US Lost card: Been trying for months to get a new card, customer service is non existent! If you lose a card your self account is done, just give up and close it asap!
  15. [R3] Self 3/5 · US Keep looking: They are great for building credit. They will harass you to get their overly high interest rate credit card. You get raped to use your own money. The cash advance is nice, however, don’t get used to being able to borrow the same amount. You can have the same pay every month, the same bills every month, and the same spending every month. They will still lower the amount that you can b
  16. [R13] Self 1/5 · US Misleading: Misleading
  17. [R17] Self 1/5 · US Fees: They overcharge on late fees.
  18. [R18] Self 4/5 · US Pretty cool app, credit card/ late fees should be decreased though: Can help build credit but can become expensive for someone that doesn’t have consistent income to make payments on time. If it’s tailored to people rebuilding, there’s a good chance finances aren’t consistent yet so you shouldn’t be punished so severely. and if it’s tailored for new to credit people, there are cheaper and better a
  19. [R38] Self 5/5 · US The Best: A big help when it comes to improving my credit score. It also helps save a little bit of money.
  20. [R64] Experian® 1/5 · US Terrible Service, No Humans, any error on their end never gets fixed.: They use an AI agent and have no way of contacting an actual human being. If the issue is on their end it will never be fixed. This has made the app completely useless.
  21. [R67] Experian® 1/5 · US Horrible experience: Customer support is virtually non-existent
  22. [R75] Experian® 3/5 · US Experian Review: Experian is a good product very accurate and assists me to keep up with all my Obligations credit wise . The customer care service is awful outsourced to another country where they don’t understand what you are trying to ask condescending and not helpful. Also Experian doesn’t make it easy to locate a phone number .. Dissatisfied with voice mail and customer support
  23. [R87] Experian® 1/5 · US All glitches, zero support: The app doesn’t even allow me to sign in. And good luck trying to get an actual person in customer service to help. All they have is AI helpers that will hang up on you if they can’t help.
  24. [R19] Self 1/5 · US Scam: They will eventually (probably never) get sued. The credit builder charges you interest for a loan that you pay… I still have not gotten back my secured card deposit… someone reading this should class action Im super in
  25. [R63] Experian® 3/5 · US Okay: The app is OK. I just don’t like the fact that I can’t log into my account. If I decide I don’t wanna continue to pay for the membership anymore. It won’t allow me to login without paying which is ridiculous to me.
  26. [R66] Experian® 3/5 · US Do read: The app has potential to give you all the information you need but, they sneak in a monthly premium you pay, and dont tell you about it until you notice if on your bank statements.
  27. [R81] Experian® 3/5 · US Works but always more if you pay the premium: I think it’s a good app not sure how accurate. If you want more details and information you will be told to pay for that so use as a standard guide if not interested in paying.
  28. [R82] Experian® 1/5 · US Unusable if not paid: I used the free version since 2019. I decided to try out the subscription, and its not worth the $25 a month ($300 a year mind you) there’s no features added. Now, the problem is I went to cancel it, and I cannot open the app without paying $25. There’s no option to cancel. No human support. So I deleted it. And your emails are spam now. Thanks for nothing.

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store