Equifax vs Experian Australia: understanding the difference between the two credit bureaus has never mattered more. From 1 April 2026, illion merged with Experian and the two bureaus now operate as one. Australia effectively has two independent credit reporting bodies. This guide explains what each one holds, how they differ, which lenders use which, and exactly what the merger means for your credit file today.
Illion is now part of Experian. From 1 April 2026, Illion and Experian operate as a single credit reporting body. If you request an Experian credit report from that date, it includes all data previously held separately by Illion. You no longer need to request two reports from these two bureaus.
Key Takeaways
- Australia now has two independent credit reporting bodies: Equifax and Experian (which absorbed illion on 1 April 2026).
- The new Experian report includes all data previously held by both the old Experian and illion bureaus.
- checkyourcredit.com.au no longer issues a separate illion report. Access your combined report at experian.com.au.
- Your score may have changed after 1 April 2026 because the scoring calculation now draws on the merged dataset.
- Equifax remains the dominant bureau, used by most major banks and mortgage lenders.
- You should still check both bureaus. Not every lender reports to both, and the datasets are not identical.
- From June 2025, BNPL providers report to credit bureaus under the same framework as traditional lenders, with reporting to one or both bureaus depending on the provider.
Most Australians assumed there was one central credit database. There were three. Now there are two. The change is significant and most people have not been told about it clearly.
Understanding what each bureau now holds, who reports to it, and how it affects your borrowing position is more relevant than ever. For a full guide on how to get your free reports from each bureau, see our guide on how to get your free credit report in Australia.
How Credit Reporting Bodies Work in Australia
Credit Reporting Bodies (CRBs) are private companies licensed to collect, hold, and supply credit data on individuals. They do not make lending decisions. They collect data from lenders who choose to report to them, and supply that data to other lenders on request.
They operate under the Privacy Act 1988 (Part IIIA) and the Privacy (Credit Reporting) Code 2025, which commenced on 25 March 2025. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at oaic.gov.au regulates how CRBs handle personal data. The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) at afca.org.au handles consumer disputes involving CRBs.
Both remaining bureaus operate under Comprehensive Credit Reporting (CCR), which means your file shows up to 24 months of month-by-month repayment history across active accounts, not just negative events. For a full explanation of what CCR is and how it affects your credit file, we cover that separately.
Equifax
Equifax Australia
Equifax is the largest and most dominant Credit Reporting Body in Australia, previously known as Veda Advantage before being acquired by Equifax Inc. in 2016. It has not been affected by the Experian and illion merger and continues to operate independently.
The ACCC, when approving the Experian and illion merger, noted that most major credit providers use Equifax as their primary bureau. Experian and illion were considered to provide only a weak competitive constraint against Equifax’s entrenched market position. That position remains unchanged.
What Equifax Collects and From Whom
Major banks (including the big four: Commonwealth Bank, ANZ, Westpac, and NAB), credit unions, mortgage lenders, personal loan providers, car finance lenders, and most credit card issuers. Equifax holds the broadest and deepest dataset on formal bank lending in Australia. It also holds commercial credit data for businesses, which can appear on personal files for sole traders.
Score Scale and Rating Labels
Equifax scores run from 0 to 1,200, the only bureau in Australia using this extended scale. The bands are: below average (0 to 509), average (510 to 621), fair (622 to 660), good (661 to 734), very good (735 to 852), and excellent (853 to 1,200). For a full explanation of how credit scores are calculated and what each band means, we cover that in a dedicated guide.
Experian (Now Including illion Data)
Experian Australia
Experian is a global credit data company operating in over 30 countries. In Australia, its position changed materially on 1 April 2026 when the integration of illion was completed. The combined Experian report now includes all data previously held separately by both the old Experian and illion credit reporting bodies.
This means the telco defaults, utility payment data, and non-bank lending history that used to sit exclusively in the illion dataset are now part of your Experian file. If you were previously getting two separate reports from Experian and illion, you now get one combined report from Experian that covers both.
The acquisition of illion by Experian was completed on 30 September 2024 for A$820 million. The consumer credit reporting integration, meaning the point at which the two datasets merged into a single report, was completed on 1 April 2026. Any lender checking an “Experian” report from that date is seeing a combined file.
Your Experian score may have changed around this time. CreditSmart notes this is expected because the scoring calculation now draws on the merged, larger dataset. If your score shifted noticeably, request your new combined Experian report to check for accuracy.
Source: CreditSmart (ARCA) official guidance on the Experian and illion merger
What Experian Now Collects and From Whom
The combined Experian bureau now draws on what were previously two separate datasets. This includes banks, non-bank lenders, fintech lenders, telcos, utility providers, and debt collection agencies. The telco and utility coverage that was historically illion’s strongest area is now part of the Experian dataset. Some lenders that previously reported only to illion now effectively report to Experian by default.
Score Scale and Rating Labels
Experian scores run from 0 to 1,000. The bands are: below average (0 to 549), fair (550 to 624), good (625 to 699), very good (700 to 799), and excellent (800 and above). Note that because the scoring calculation changed with the merger, scores that were calculated before 1 April 2026 are not directly comparable to scores calculated after that date.
What Happened to checkyourcredit.com.au
checkyourcredit.com.au was the consumer portal for accessing your illion credit report. It still exists but no longer issues a separate illion report. From 1 April 2026, consumers should access their combined credit report directly at experian.com.au/consumer/order-credit-report. That single report now contains everything previously held across both bureaus.
Side-by-Side Comparison: The Two Bureaus Today
| Feature | Equifax | Experian (incl. illion) |
|---|---|---|
| Former name(s) | Veda Advantage | Experian + illion (formerly Dun and Bradstreet) |
| Score range | 0 to 1,200 | 0 to 1,000 |
| Market position | Dominant (primary bureau for most major lenders) | Second (now covers former illion data too) |
| Primary data strength | Major banks and formal lending | Broad mix: banks, fintechs, telcos, utilities, non-bank lenders |
| Free report URL | mycreditfile.com.au | experian.com.au/consumer/order-credit-report |
| BNPL reporting (from June 2025) | Yes | Yes |
| Regulated by | Privacy Act 1988, PCR Code 2025 | Privacy Act 1988, PCR Code 2025 |
Which Bureau Is Used for Which Type of Application
Lenders do not publicly disclose which bureau they use. The patterns below reflect general industry practice. Some lenders use both bureaus, particularly for significant applications like home loans.
| Application Type | Bureau Most Commonly Used |
|---|---|
| Mortgage or home loan | Equifax (primary), sometimes both |
| Personal loan | Equifax or Experian, sometimes both |
| Car finance | Equifax or Experian |
| Credit card (major bank) | Equifax (most common) |
| Telco (mobile, broadband) | Experian (which now holds former illion telco data) |
| Utility accounts | Experian (which now holds former illion utility data) |
| Fintech and online lenders | Experian, sometimes both |
| Buy Now Pay Later (from June 2025) | Varies by provider, reporting to one or both bureaus |
| Debt collection listings | Experian (which now holds former illion collections data) |
Worth knowing: Some lenders pull reports from both bureaus before making a decision, particularly for home loans and investment lending. Because lenders do not disclose which bureau they use, checking both before a major application is the only way to know what they will see.
Why Your Score Still Differs Between the Two Bureaus
Even with illion absorbed into Experian, your Equifax score and your Experian score will still look different. Three things cause this.
Different data sets. Not every lender reports to both bureaus. If your bank reports to Equifax but not Experian, Experian simply does not have that account in your file. Each bureau scores from what it holds, not from a shared database.
Different algorithms. Equifax and Experian each use their own proprietary scoring model with different weightings. The same payment history can produce meaningfully different scores across the two systems. Both scores are valid.
Different update timing. Lenders report data to bureaus on varying schedules. A payment made recently may have updated your Equifax file but not yet appeared on Experian, or vice versa.
If you believe a score looks off rather than just different from the other bureau, the answer is usually sitting somewhere in the underlying report data. Our guide on why your credit score might be wrong and what to do about it covers how to identify and address discrepancies.
Why You Should Still Check Both Reports
The merger reduced the number of free reports you need to request from three to two. But it did not eliminate the need to check both.
A default listed by a lender who only reports to Equifax will not appear on your Experian report. An enquiry from a lender who only uses Experian will not show on Equifax. The datasets are not identical and they never will be, because lenders independently choose which bureau they report to.
Checking your own reports is a soft enquiry at both bureaus. It has no impact on your score. There is no downside to checking both. There is a real downside to missing something a lender will see. Once you have both reports, our guide on how to read and understand what is in your credit report walks through each section in plain English.
BNPL Reporting Across Both Bureaus (From June 2025)
From June 2025, Buy Now Pay Later providers including Afterpay, Zip, Klarna, and humm report to credit bureaus under new low-cost credit regulations, broadly bringing them into line with traditional lenders.
Which bureau a BNPL provider reports to varies by provider. A missed payment might appear on your Experian file but not your Equifax file, or the other way around. This makes checking both reports more important, not less, for anyone with active BNPL accounts.
If you placed a credit file ban on your illion report before 1 April 2026, that ban was on the old illion CRB, which is no longer active. To protect your file going forward, you need to place a new ban directly with Experian and separately with Equifax if you have not already done so.
Official guidance from CreditSmart on bans following the merger
Not Sure What Is on Your Two Reports?
We review both bureau files, identify what is accurate, flag what warrants a dispute, and give you a plain-English summary of where you stand. Honest advice, no false promises, no pressure.
Kuldeep Singh founded Easy Credit Repair with over 17 years of experience in the Australian financial services landscape. His approach is grounded in Australian Credit Law, compliance, and genuine consumer advocacy. Easy Credit Repair operates as a transparent, expert-led service focused on long-term financial health and education, not shortcuts or unrealistic guarantees. Kuldeep supports clients across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, and Tasmania.