Business Credit5 min read
PAYDEX vs. FICO SBSS: Which Score Matters?
Two very different scores decide your fundability. Here's what each one measures and who uses it.
By MMT Editorial
PAYDEX (Dun & Bradstreet)
A 1–100 score based almost entirely on payment timeliness. It's what suppliers and trade creditors check.
- 80 = you pay on the due date.
- 100 = you pay ~30 days early.
FICO SBSS (Small Business Scoring Service)
A 0–300 score that blends business and personal credit plus business financials. The SBA uses it to pre-screen 7(a) loans — most lenders want 160+, and the SBA's cutoff sits around 155.
The takeaway
PAYDEX gets you vendor terms and early-stage tradelines. FICO SBSS gets you bank and SBA funding. Building strong PAYDEX and personal credit together is what pushes your SBSS into fundable territory.
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