StellarFi review

Who is StellarFi best for?

StellarFi is for someone who wants to build a better credit history with their regular, unreported bills. Many rent reporting services are available, but they often only let you report your rent and require your landlord to set up the service — StellarFi doesn’t have any of those limits. You can report subscription services, rent, phone bills and much more with the app by linking your bank account. There is a monthly fee starting at $4.99 per month, but we’ve found that to be much more affordable than most rent reporting services.

How StellarFi works

StellarFi offers a credit-building virtual card that pays your regular bills. If approved, you’re offered the StellarFi virtual card, and you’ll download the StellarFi app. You’ll link the checking account you use to pay your bills and then add the bills you want to use to build a credit history, such as rent, utilities or subscription services.

Once set up, StellarFi will pay your bills for you on their due dates and then automatically debit the amount from your linked bank account. You also have the option of manually paying your bills as well. At least once per month, StellarFi will do batch reports to Experian and Equifax of your “StellarFi Limit,” which is the dollar amount of bills you’ve paid through the app.

One thing to note: StellarFi isn’t a credit card you can use for buy-now-pay-later purchases. It’s a virtual card that pays your bills and automatically debits that amount from your linked account. In short, it’s not a traditional line of credit you can use for in-person purchases or non-bill payments.

StellarFi plans and cost

Two plans are available, with a new plan set to launch soon. Neither plan requires a credit check nor charges APR.

Plan	Cost	Features
Lite	$4.99 per month	Up to $500/mo bills reported to the credit bureaus Credit education Bill monitoring and status Bill payment notifications and autopay Create custom credit goals and monitoring
Prime	$9.99 per month / $0.99 trial for first 30 days	Everything with Lite, plus: Up to $25,000/mo bills reported to the credit bureaus Personalized perks and exclusive offers Bill pay rewards 1-on-1 live credit coaching
Premium (coming soon)	$29.99 per month	Everything with Prime, plus: Pay bills with ACH transfers Flexible bill payment dates Identity protection

What we like about StellarFi

Instead of getting a loan or opening a credit card to establish your credit history, StellarFi offers a different way. This app helps you gain credit history with bills you already pay, such as rent, utilities or phone bills.

The Lite plan is only $4.99 per month, whereas many other credit reporting services cost anywhere from $10 to $20 per month on average. Also, the Prime plan offers a $0.99 month trial, so you can try it out before you commit.

No credit check or APR

Unlike a credit card, there are no credit checks or interest charges with StellarFi — tempting perks when considering a credit-building card. StellarFi reports to two of the three major credit bureaus: Experian and Equifax. While it’s not all three credit bureaus, many credit reporting services report to only one bureau, let alone more.

Where it falls short

StellarFi doesn’t work for bills that require a bank account number and routing number. However, StellarFi is working to resolve this barrier with its new upcoming plan called Premium, which will allow bill pay with ACH transfers.

And, of course, a big downside with StellarFi is the monthly cost, which will run you nearly $60 per year with the cheapest plan. But compared to other bill and rent reporting services, StellarFi’s Lite plan is considered less expensive.

If you really want a credit reporting service that reports everywhere with no monthly fee, consider a debit-credit card such as Step.

StellarFi’s fees and access

Type of fee	Fee details
Monthly fee	Lite: $4.99 per month Prime: $9.99 per month
Minimum deposit	$0
Credit score	Not required
APR	0%
ATMs	Not available, virtual card
Foreign transaction fee	Not available, virtual card

Compare StellarFi to other services that build credit

How to open the StellarFi

No credit score is required, but you’ll need a bank account, and you must verify your identity during StellarFi’s account setup.

1. Download the StellarFi app and create an account.
2. Select your account in the app, then tap Account Settings.
3. Tap Linked Account and then Update bank account to link the bank account that typically pays the bills you want reporting action for.

With your bank account linked, you can choose the bills you want to earn reporting action for. Keep in mind that with the Lite plan for $4.99 per month, you are limited to up to $500 in monthly bill payments and can’t report bills that require ACH transfers.

Eligibility and required info

Eligibility is simple and clear: StellarFi requires users to be at least 18, have a bank account, be a US resident and have a valid Social Security number. You may also need to verify your identity with a state-issued ID, such as a driver’s license or a utility bill.

Customer experience

StellarFi is a relatively new app, so there isn’t much customer feedback to date. But among the few reviews, most customers are pleased and happy with the app.

It has a C+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, with just a handful of complaints and reviews. Many report issues contacting customer service, but that isn’t uncommon among fintechs. A few state their accounts were canceled out of the blue, which harmed their credit scores.

The most common complaint on Reddit is how you can’t report payments that are paid via ACH transfer, but StellarFi is set to launch a new Premium plan that offers users a way to report those. However, it’ll cost a steep $29.99 per month.

On Trustpilot, StellarFi really shines, holding a strong 4.4-star rating out of around 100 reviews. Customers frequently praise the app for seeing a real increase in their credit scores in a short time, the ease of setup and linking bills, the educational resources and no hidden fees.