Boss XL Mag Breaks down the Best Credit Building Apps

Over the past couple of years, credit building apps grew with popularity as a low cost method for a consumer to build credit without having to spend a lot of money purchasing a tradeline or becoming an authorized user. Self Lender was one of the first and most popular app. Now, more credit building apps have been popping up making the market competitive.

With credit-building apps, borrowers typically get no money upfront. Instead, they pay a small fee to save money with them. The bank tracks their monthly “payments” or deposits and reports them to the credit reporting bureaus. Over several months, borrowers build savings and boost their credit score (assuming they make on-time payments). These apps can make a difference in boosting up a consumer's credit score.

Most of these apps are positioned as quick ways to build credit. The reason they're successful is that they require users to practice good credit behavior over an extended period. If you have terrible credit but have a stable income, a credit-building app can push you in the right direction.

We compiled a list of the top Credit Building apps and their benefits:

Self Lender

Self offer various levels of savings. Each loan runs two years, but you can choose from five monthly payment options: $25, $35, $48, or $150.

People who use the loans will pay effective rates ranging from 12.44%-15.91%APR for the two-year loans. There's also a one-time administration fee of $9 that's charged on every loan.

Start your Self account here

Kikoff

Kikoff issues a $500 line of credit to be used to buy consumer items in its store. The items cost as little as $10 and are repaid in five to ten months. Once you buy the item, you pay for it in installments. The loan itself is a 0% interest loan (though the price of the items is admittedly inflated). I don’t love the idea of buying things you don’t need at excessive prices to build credit. But the cost is much less than other loans. Plus, a $5 per month credit building membership can be just the thing you need to boost your credit score.

Ava Finance

Ava Finance is a credit-building app designed to help users boost their credit scores by reporting responsible financial behavior to the major credit bureaus — Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. Unlike traditional credit-building tools, Ava doesn’t rely on offering you more credit or pushing you into debt. Instead, it uses AI and automation to make the process smooth and stress-free.

The core of Ava is a Credit Builder Plan. Once you sign up and connect your bank account, Ava sets up a small installment line (not a real loan — more like a credit-building account) that you “repay” monthly. These on-time payments are then reported to the credit bureaus.

But that’s not all. Ava also gives users the option to report rent payments, utility bills, and even subscriptions like Netflix or Spotify. These alternative tradelines help bulk up your credit history and show consistency — something the credit bureaus love.

Everything is automatic. Once your account is linked, Ava uses AI to time your payments around your cash flow to avoid overdrafting or missed payments. No stress, no manual transfers.

Ava Finance works because it’s simple and hits the credit bureaus where it counts:

• Payment history makes up 35% of your credit score — and Ava helps you show a solid one.

• No hard inquiry means it won’t ding your credit just for signing up.

• Alternative tradelines like rent and bills help people with “thin files” get some real traction.

• Affordable monthly fee, usually less than a meal out, makes it accessible for most.

Sign up with Ave Finance here

Credit-building apps can offer value to people who have struggled with credit in the past. These apps can help you build a strong credit history over time. You must give it time and be consistent with the required payments for it to work and you will see results with a higher credit score.