Credit assessment by Schufa becomes accessible to consumers starting from 2026
The Schufa, Germany's leading credit bureau, has unveiled a revised credit score calculation method, aiming to address long-standing criticisms of opacity. The new scoring system, which has already been delivered over 70,000 times, is based on twelve criteria and ranges from 100 to 999.
The twelve criteria used in the new Schufa score calculation are diverse, encompassing various aspects of a consumer's financial history. These factors include the age of the oldest credit card, the age of the current address, the number of inquiries and openings for checking accounts and credit cards in the past 12 months, the loan with the longest remaining term, the number of inquiries in telecommunications and online trade in the past 12 months, the age of the oldest bank contract, the presence of a mortgage or guarantee, installment loans taken in the past 12 months, the credit status, the existence of an identity check, the newest revolving credit, and payment defaults.
The new calculation also takes into account factors such as the length of credit card or checking account usage and late bill payments. This means that consumers who consistently pay their bills on time and have a long history of using credit responsibly will likely receive a higher score.
In a bid to make the new score accessible to all, the Schufa has promised that even laypeople can calculate the new score without much effort. From the first quarter of 2026, consumers will be able to view their personal data related to creditworthiness via the Schufa app or online for free. An explanatory tool for consumers will also be activated at this time.
The Schufa's CEO, Tanja Birkholz, announced that the new Schufa score is already in production. The promise of transparency in the calculation of the new score aims to address past criticisms. From the first quarter of 2026, the Schufa will provide full insight into their assessments.
The Schufa's assessments are currently used as a benchmark by banks, mail-order companies, and mobile phone providers. These businesses use the Schufa's assessments to gauge the payment morale of their customers before contracts are concluded and goods are delivered. The revised Schufa score is expected to account for about ten percent of creditworthiness inquiries by the end of this year's fourth quarter.
The Schufa has agreed on migration plans with two-thirds of its largest customers. The previous Basisscore is expected to be phased out by the end of the first quarter of 2026.
The higher the total score in the new Schufa score, the higher the estimated creditworthiness of the consumer. This change is expected to have a significant impact on consumers' ability to access credit and other services. The Schufa's new score calculation takes into account whether bills were not paid even after repeated reminders, which should lead to a more accurate assessment of a consumer's creditworthiness.
