What a tradeline is
A tradeline is any account on your credit report. When someone adds you to their credit card as an authorized user, the card issuer usually reports that account on your report too, including its age, limit and payment history. You do not need to use the card, or even receive it.
There are two ways to get one. A relative or partner adds you for free, or you pay a company that arranges a spot on a stranger's card for a set period, often one or two statement cycles. The paid version is usually called buying a tradeline, or piggybacking.
Is it legal?
Adding an authorized user is an ordinary feature every major card offers, and selling authorized-user spots is generally treated as legal in the U.S. What is not legal is lying on a credit application, or a credit repair company charging you before the work is done. A reputable tradeline seller will not promise a specific score.
When it helps
- Thin files. A Federal Reserve study found piggybacking can materially raise scores, and the effect is largest for people with short or thin histories.
- Young files. An older account can raise the average age of your accounts.
- High utilization. A card with a large limit and a low balance can lower your overall utilization.
When it does not
- You already have late payments or collections. A good tradeline sits next to the damage; it does not erase it.
- The lender looks past it. For mortgages that Fannie Mae buys, manually underwritten loans generally cannot count a tradeline where you are only an authorized user, unless you show you were the sole person paying it for the last 12 months. Many lenders also review files by hand and discount accounts that are not yours.
- The scoring model discounts it. FICO counts authorized-user accounts but has said it guards against score-renting. It does not publish exactly how, so results vary.
- The primary cardholder slips. A late payment or a maxed-out balance on their card can land on your report too.
- It ends. When a paid spot ends and you are removed, that account's effect usually goes with it.
What paid tradelines cost
Prices depend mostly on the card's age and limit. A 10-year-old card with a large limit costs far more than a 2-year-old one. Before you pay, ask:
- Which bureaus does this card's issuer report authorized users to?
- When does the card's statement close, so you know when it should appear?
- What happens if it does not show up on your report: refund or replacement?
- Do they take payment before the account reports? Get the answer in writing.
Our view
Ask family first; it is free and lasts longer. If you pay for a tradeline, treat it as a short-term boost for one specific application, not as your credit plan. Build at least one account in your own name at the same time. A no-fee secured card costs nothing and keeps working after the tradeline ends.
General information only, not financial or legal advice. Terms change often; confirm the current terms on the provider's own site before you apply. Some links may pay us a commission. Disclosure.