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The main difference is the credit bureau: Borrowell shows your Equifax credit score and report, while Credit Karma Canada shows your TransUnion score and report. Both are free, both update weekly, and checking your own score with either one doesn't lower it. Canada has two main credit bureaus and lenders may check either, so the most useful approach is often to use both and get a free view of each file.
Key takeaways
- Borrowell: Equifax score (Equifax Risk Score 2.0) and report, updated weekly. No SIN or credit card needed to sign up.
- Credit Karma: TransUnion score (CreditVision Risk Score) and report, updated weekly, with monitoring alerts.
- Both are free, use a 300 to 900 scale and make money from product recommendations.
- Scores differ between the two because the bureaus hold different data. That's normal.
Side-by-side
| Borrowell | Credit Karma Canada | |
|---|---|---|
| Bureau | Equifax | TransUnion |
| Score model | Equifax Risk Score 2.0 | TransUnion CreditVision Risk Score |
| Score range | 300 to 900 | 300 to 900 |
| Updates | Weekly | Weekly score updates, plus report-change alerts |
| Cost | Free (optional paid credit-building products) | Free |
| Sign-up | No SIN or credit card required, per Borrowell | Identity details to match your TransUnion file |
| How it's free | Referral fees from partner products | Referral fees from partner products |
Why your two scores don't match
Lenders don't always report to both bureaus, they report on different days, and Equifax and TransUnion use different scoring models. A gap of a few dozen points is common and isn't a sign that either app is wrong. Our Equifax vs TransUnion in Canada guide explains this in detail. What matters more is the trend and anything unexpected on the report itself.
Borrowell's extras
Besides the free Equifax score, Borrowell sells optional credit-building products: Credit Builder, which reports regular payments to Equifax, and Rent Advantage, which reports your rent payments. They cost money, so only consider them if you understand the fees and they suit your situation. See our Borrowell review.
Credit Karma's extras
Credit Karma says it monitors your TransUnion report and alerts you to important changes, which can help you catch accounts you don't recognize. Like Borrowell, it shows recommended cards and loans; a "pre-qualified" label isn't an approval, and applying can lead to a hard inquiry.
Which should you use?
- Use both if you want the full picture before a big application, such as a mortgage or car loan.
- Use Borrowell if a lender you're applying to checks Equifax, or you'd rather not give your SIN.
- Use Credit Karma if you want TransUnion monitoring and change alerts.
You can also get your reports straight from the bureaus. The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada explains how to order them free from Equifax and TransUnion, and confirms that checking your own report doesn't affect your score.
Found an error?
If either report shows an account or late payment that isn't yours, dispute it with that bureau. See how to dispute a credit report error in Canada. To improve your scores over time, start with how to improve your credit score and what counts as a good score.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Borrowell and Credit Karma?
Borrowell shows your Equifax credit score and report; Credit Karma Canada shows your TransUnion score and report. Both are free and update weekly.
Why is my Borrowell score different from Credit Karma?
They use different bureaus and scoring models, and lenders don't always report the same data to both bureaus at the same time. Some difference is normal.
Does checking Borrowell or Credit Karma hurt my score?
No. Checking your own score or report is a soft check and doesn't affect your credit score.
Should I use both Borrowell and Credit Karma?
Using both is a free way to see your Equifax and TransUnion files, which is helpful because Canadian lenders may check either bureau.
Sources
Official sources this article relies on, checked October 17, 2026. Rules and prices change, so confirm details at the source.
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