What Can You Get Approved For With a 678 Credit Score?

With a 678 credit score, you can likely get approved for rewards credit cards, personal loans, prime-rate auto loans, and most mortgages. You won't get the lowest rates yet, because your score sets your rate.

A 678 score is good credit, but only by 8 points. Very good credit starts at 740, which is 62 points away.

Is 678 a good credit score?

Yes. FICO's good range runs from 670 to 739, and 678 sits near the bottom of it.

A score just inside good credit usually means one or two of these factors are holding it back:

• Card balances. Using a large share of your available credit holds your score down, even if you pay in full each month. Your issuer reports the balance on your statement. Card balances are also the fastest factor to change.
• History length. A report with only a few years of accounts gives scoring models less to go on than one backed by a decade. Length of credit history only grows with time.
• An older late payment. A payment 30 days or more late stays on your report for seven years. Its effect fades as on-time payments build behind it.

Read more >> What Can You Get Approved For With a 700 Credit Score?

What can you get approved for with a 678 credit score?

At 678, most lenders will approve you for a range of financial products. What's left is the price you get.

Credit cards

Rewards cards with cash back, points, or welcome offers are realistic at 678. Some introductory 0% APR cards are within reach too, though premium travel cards may look for higher scores. Before applying, check whether the issuer offers prequalification, which uses a soft credit check that doesn't affect your score. A full application triggers a hard inquiry.

A good score doesn't make card interest cheap. Card accounts charging interest averaged 22.15%, according to the Federal Reserve. An intro 0% period helps only if you pay the balance off before it ends.

Personal loans

Most personal lenders will approve a 678 score if your income and debt-to-income ratio (DTI) check out. You may not get a lender's lowest advertised rate, but expect rates near the middle of a lender's range. For comparison, the Federal Reserve's average for a 24-month bank personal loan is 11.86%. Federal credit unions can't charge more than 18% on most loans, so include them when you compare options.

Auto loans

At 678, you're in Experian's prime tier (661 to 780), 17 points above the cutoff. Your credit score plays a major role in the interest rate you're offered on a car loan. On a $20,000, 60-month new car loan at average rates, a prime borrower would pay about $1,000 more in interest than a super prime borrower. Experian sorts these tiers by VantageScore 4.0, so your FICO score may place you a little differently.

Manufacturer promotions like 0% financing often require higher scores, so ask the dealer what score a specific promotion needs before you count on it.

Use an auto loan calculator to check payment amounts before you sign.

Mortgages

At a 678 credit score, most mortgage types are open to you. Your score mainly decides what you pay, depending on the type:

• Conventional loans. Fannie Mae no longer sets a minimum score for loans run through its automated system, but lenders still set their own minimums. Fannie Mae does charge lenders an upfront fee on the loans it buys, based on your score and down payment. With 20% down, the fee for scores of 660 to 679 is 1.875% of the loan amount, compared with 0.375% at 780+. On a $200,000 loan, that's $3,750 versus $750, paid through a higher rate or more cash at closing. At 680, just 2 points up, the fee drops to 1.75%. At 740 to 759, it's 0.875%.
• FHA loans. Borrowers with scores of 580 or higher can qualify with 3.5% down. On a $250,000 home, that's $8,750 up front. Each lender can set higher minimums. At 678, compare an FHA quote with a conventional one, because the cheaper choice depends on your down payment.
• Jumbo loans. These are for amounts above conventional loan limits. Each lender sets its own standards, usually stricter on score, income, and down payment, so 678 may fall short with some lenders.

Run the numbers >> Use Kikoff's mortgage calculator to estimate your monthly payment and plan your homebuying budget.

What interest rates can you expect with a 678 credit score?

Expect solid offers, but not a lender's best. The Federal Reserve's averages across all borrowers were 22.15% for card accounts charging interest and 11.86% for 24-month bank personal loans. At 678, your offers will likely land near those averages rather than well above them.

The next FICO range, very good, starts at 740. That's 62 points up. Closer in, reaching 680 moves you into Fannie Mae's next mortgage fee band.

5 ways to raise a 678 credit score

1. Check your credit reports for errors. You can get all three for free every week at AnnualCreditReport.com. If something is wrong, like an account that isn't yours, dispute it with the bureau. Disputing is free.
2. Pay down card balances before the statement closes. Your issuer usually reports the statement balance, so paying early lowers the balance that reaches your report, even if you already pay in full.
3. Pay every bill on time. Payment history is the biggest factor in your score, making up 35% of a FICO Score.
4. Shop for rates within a tight window. FICO counts multiple auto, mortgage, or student loan inquiries made within a period of 14 to 45 days as one, depending on the FICO version. Credit card and personal loan applications each count separately, and each hard inquiry can take a few points off for about a year.
5. Think twice before closing a card. Closing one removes its credit limit, which can raise your credit utilization if you carry balances on other cards.

If your report is thin on accounts, adding one helps. A Kikoff Credit Account reports your payments to all three bureaus.

Read more >> What Is a Good Credit Score in 2026?

Bottom line

A credit score of 678 gets you approved for most cards, loans, and mortgages. From here, your score decides how much you pay. In FICO's ranges, you're 62 points from very good credit at 740 and 8 points above the 670 cutoff for good credit, so low balances and on-time payments protect the ground you have.

Kikoff brings credit building, bill and rent reporting, AI-powered disputes, credit monitoring, and debt negotiation into one place. Sign up with no credit check. Plans start at $5 a month.