Credit Aid Review

If you’ve been pricing credit repair services and don’t like the fee packages you’re seeing, you may be seriously considering going to do-it-yourself route of fixing your own credit. But even if you’re willing, you’re going to need some help.

Credit repair is a highly specialized business, which is why so many people are afraid to go it alone.

But Credit-Aid can provide you with inexpensive credit repair software that will give you all the tools you need to successfully repair your own credit.

The software uses a very simple point-and-click navigation system, in which all you need to do is enter your personal and credit information, select the letters you want to send out, then click to make it happen.

The software also comes with extensive credit-related educational materials. In addition to educating you on your legal rights in dealing with creditors, it also provides extensive instruction on the credit repair process, as well as how to better manage your credit going forward.

If you’ve been considering repairing your own credit, you don’t need to go it alone. Credit-Aid software will give you everything you need to be successful.

Table of Contents:

• About Credit Aid
• How Credit Aid Works
• Credit Aid Tools
• Plans
• Features & Benefits
• Pricing & Fees
• How To Sign Up
• Pros & Cons
• Is Credit Aid for You?

About Credit Aid

Credit Aid was launched in 2002 and is based in Culver City, California. They claim to be the world’s first credit repair software. They also claim their product has helped millions of people increase their credit scores.

The company states you can increase your credit score by up to 250 points or even more using the software.

The company provides credit repair software to assist those who prefer to go the do-it-yourself route in fixing their own credit.

While this can be a challenging task, it’s made much easier when you have the right tools. Credit-Aid provides all the tools you need to get the job done on your own.

One of the standout features of Credit-Aid is that they have a fairly detailed “About Us” page. While this would not be remarkable in most industries, it is at least somewhat unusual in the credit repair space.

Many credit repair companies give very little detailed information about their company and who runs it. Credit-Aid not only describes what the company’s about, but also the people who run it.

That should give Credit-Aid customers a strong measure of added confidence. There’s no indication that this company is trying to hide.

Like many competing credit repair software programs, Credit-Aid is available for both individuals to increase their credit scores, as well as professional credit repair services that can use the software to help their clients.

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How Credit-Aid Works

When you sign up for Credit-Aid software, you start by entering your user information. That’s basic information, like your name, email address, Social Security number, telephone number, email address, and other relevant information.

Once that information is provided, you’ll start using the Credit Wizard function.

It’s a three-step process:

1. Order credit history reports
2. Review credit history reports
3. Correct errors on reports

Order Credit History Reports

When you order your credit reports, you’ll have the choice to order free annual reports by mail or online. In either case, Credit-Aid will provide you with the letter requesting the reports.

There is no cost for this since by law you are entitled to receive each of your three credit reports (one from each of the three major credit bureaus, Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian) each year.

What makes this process so simple is that Credit-Aid has ready-made letter request templates, populated with your personal information as entered at the very beginning. All you need to do is select which credit bureaus you want to request your report from.

Review Credit History Reports

Once you receive your credit report, the software will take you through the review process. It will explain the credit items, as well as the types of errors you need to look for.

Correct Errors on Report

After you’ve listed all the credit errors on your reports, you move on to the third step, which is the correct errors on your reports. Once again, you can do that directly through the software.

You can select the credit item, the credit bureau you want to send a dispute letter to, and the reason for the dispute.

Credit-Aid Tools

The software offers the following credit repair tools:

• Credit Bureau Letters
• Creditor Letters
• Collection Agency Letters
• Organization and Planning
• Storeroom for all Letters
• Credit Tips
• A “My Credit Diary”
• My Saved Letters folder

You can dispute as many credit items as you want, and even include multiple disputes in the same letter to each credit bureau where the credit entry appears.

The “My Credit Diary ” is where you can record your activity for each credit dispute. That includes recording any phone contact, such as who you called and when, as well as what was discussed.

The software even offers calculators to help you determine how long it will take to pay off credit card balances. This is important because the second biggest factor in your credit score calculation is credit utilization.

That’s the amount of outstanding debt you owe on your credit cards, divided by your maximum credit limits. This number should generally be below 30%. The calculator can show you how long it will take to get there.

If you have a lot of outstanding credit card debt, this is one of the very best ways to improve your credit score.

The Storeroom is where you can find a list of dozens of credit repair form letters. At every step of the credit repair process, you can select an appropriate letter. For example, if a collection agency is calling you repeatedly, you can use the software to send a “cease and desist” letter.

The Credit Tips section is where you can find third-party credit repair resources. This includes links to the Federal Trade Commission, where you’ll get access to the laws that protect consumers from creditors.

Just knowing what your rights are under the law offers powerful leverage when dealing with uncooperative creditors.

Two Credit Aid Versions – Personal and Professional

Like other credit repair software companies, Credit-Aid offers editions for both individuals and professionals.

Personal Credit Aid Version

The individual software, Credit-Aid Deluxe 8.0 can be used to repair credit for up to three people. It lets each access free credit reports from each of the three credit bureaus. It helps consumers dispute information with collections, late payments, bankruptcy, divorce, foreclosure, and even identity theft.

The software was written by attorneys, so it incorporates your legal rights under federal law. It will teach you how to read and understand your credit report, how to negotiate with creditors, and legally remove derogatory information from your credit report.

Professional Credit Aid Version

The professional version, Credit Repair Cloud, is available for new and existing credit repair companies. It works similar to Credit-Aid Deluxe 8.0 for individuals, but it allows a credit repair service to work with a large number of clients.

Credit Repair Cloud even comes with free training to teach you how to get the best use out of the software. Since it provides all the tools needed for effective credit repair, it’s the only system you’ll need.

Credit-Aid Features and Benefits

• Free Demo Software. Available for download on both Windows and Mac. You’ll get an opportunity to test the software to see if you like it before paying for it.
• Credit-Aid is available in both English and Spanish. If you prefer Spanish, the software is available in that language.
• Customer Service. The company provides an 800 number for phone calls, but when you call in you will be required to leave a voicemail. A customer service representative will get back with you. Customer service hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Pacific time. The website does indicate a link for a Support Desk, but it appears that the page has been disabled.
• Technical Support. The company doesn’t indicate the terms of technical support, nor is there a way to access it from the website. However, you can call customer service to get the support you need.
• Credit Education Resources. The Credit-Aid website has several resource pages where you can get information related to credit and credit repair. This includes Credit Repair Tips, Credit Facts, ID Theft, and the Bad Credit Blog. Each has links to articles that will help you better understand how credit works, as well as how to successfully navigate the credit repair process.
• The Credit-Aid Guaranty. The company guarantees you’ll increase your credit score or they’ll refund the price of the software.

Pricing and Fees

Credit Repair Cloud, offers four different packages, ranging from $179 a month to $599 per month.

The price differences reflect both the number of team members in your organization, as well as the number of active clients you maintain.

How to Sign Up

You can download either the Credit-Aid Deluxe 8.0 version for individuals or the Credit Repair Cloud version for professionals directly from the Credit-Aid website, or arrange to do so by phone.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Credit-Aid Deluxe 8.0 is designed specifically to enable you to go the do-it-yourself credit repair route. This can save you hundreds of dollars on credit repair services.
• Credit-Aid provides everything you need to repair your own credit. That includes dozens of form letters, access to your credit reports, and plenty of information to help you learn the credit process as well as your legal rights.
• Very reasonably priced for individuals at under $30 upfront, and requires no monthly payments.
• The service is available with a 30-day free trial, enabling you to test out the software before making your payment.
• The software comes with a moneyback guarantee for a full refund if it fails to increase your credit score.
• Up to three people can repair their credit using the same software license. Additional individuals can be added for $10 per person.

Cons:

• This is a do-it-yourself credit repair software program, not a credit repair service. They provide all the tools, but you’ll need to make the effort to achieve success.
• Credit repair does involve a significant amount of direct contact with creditors, through both email and phone. You will need to be comfortable doing either.
• Customer support with this software is fairly limited.
• There may be particularly difficult credit situations where you will need to engage the services of a credit attorney.

Who Credit Aid will Work Best For

If you have the guts to repair your own credit, or you’ve worked with credit repair services in the past and haven’t been satisfied, you owe it to yourself to try going the do-it-yourself route. And if you do, Credit-Aid gives you everything you need to be successful in that endeavor.

You could go on the web and research various do-it-yourself credit repair websites. But that will ultimately mean you’ll need to write your own letters for each specific situation. You’ll also have to make the determination as to which letters to send and when.

Credit-Aid takes care of all that for you. All form letters are available, as well as instructions, for each credit situation you come up against. The user-friendly interface can save you hundreds of hours on research and letter writing.

One issue with Credit-Aid that’s not fully explained in connection with any credit repair software is that there will come a time in the credit repair process when you will need to get directly involved. That will include sending follow-up emails and also making telephone contact.

There’s a large amount of negotiation that goes on with credit repair, particularly with borderline situations. You’ll need to be able to handle those negotiations if you want the system to work for you.

Like most other credit repair software programs, Credit-Aid does not provide direct assistance in the credit repair process.

As much as we think Credit-Aid is a winning credit repair software, it’s not recommended for those who lack the confidence to go the do-it-yourself route. If that describes you, we strongly recommend you check out the many credit repair services we have reviewed on this website.

But if you’re ready to jump in and work to fix your own credit, Credit-Aid will be an invaluable resource.

If you’d like more information, or you’d like to order the software, check out the Credit-Aid website

Credit-Aid

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