Dun & Bradstreet vs Experian
Choose Dun & Bradstreet if you need to monitor your D&B business credit profile and PAYDEX score; choose Experian if you need to monitor your Experian business credit report or buy a lower-priced single report on another business. Both sell business credit information, but they maintain separate credit files and use different scores. This comparison focuses on their U.S. small-business credit products, not Experian’s consumer credit services.
Last updated November 1, 2026.
At a glance
| Dimension | Dun & Bradstreet | Experian |
|---|---|---|
| Credit file and score | D&B file; PAYDEX and other D&B scores | Experian file; Intelliscore Plus and risk ratings |
| Free self-monitoring | Credit Insights Free: risk ranges and alerts | Not published |
| Paid self-monitoring | Credit Insights Basic: $49/month or $499/year | Business Credit Advantage: $199/year for one business |
| Single report on another business | Business Information Report Snapshot: $139.99 | CreditScore: $59.95; ProfilePlus: $69.95 |
| Multiple-report options | Business Information Report packs of 5, 10, or 25 | Business CreditScore Pro: up to 30 businesses/month |
| Monitoring another business | Business Information Report On Demand: from $189.99 | Not published for single-report purchases |
| Self-monitoring report access | Basic: six actual scores and ratings | Business Credit Advantage: unlimited report refreshes |
| Integrations for self-monitoring | Plaid bank connection; QuickBooks accounting data | Not published |
| Delivery | Online dashboard; in-app and email alerts | Online reports; email monitoring alerts |
| Small-business product support | Phone contact for Credit Insights | Small Business Helpdesk by phone |
Scroll the table sideways to compare each row.
Which should you choose?
Choose Dun & Bradstreet if
- Businesses that need to monitor their D&B credit file
- Owners tracking their PAYDEX score
- Teams evaluating customers or suppliers with D&B Business Information Reports
- Businesses seeking a free starting point for D&B credit alerts
Choose Experian if
- Businesses that need to monitor their Experian credit file
- Owners who want unlimited refreshes of one business’s Experian report
- Buyers seeking a single Experian report on another company
- Credit teams needing a published plan for up to 30 business reports per month
The verdict
The deciding factor is which credit file you need to see. Dun & Bradstreet offers a free tier with high-level indicators for your D&B file, paid access to actual scores, and Business Information Reports on other companies. Experian offers a $199-per-year subscription for one business’s Experian report and sells individual reports on other businesses starting at $59.95. Check which provider’s file or score matters to your decision before comparing prices.
Dun & Bradstreet vs Experian: common questions
- Are Dun & Bradstreet and Experian direct alternatives?
- Yes, for business credit reports and monitoring. Dun & Bradstreet and Experian maintain separate business credit files, so choosing between them depends on which file or score you need.
- Which offers free business credit monitoring?
- Dun & Bradstreet publishes a free Credit Insights tier with risk-range indicators and alerts. Experian does not publish a comparable free self-monitoring plan on its small-business product pages.
- How much does it cost to monitor my own business credit?
- Dun & Bradstreet lists Credit Insights Basic at $49 per month or $499 per year. Experian lists Business Credit Advantage at $199 per year for one business. The plans provide access to different credit files and features.
- Which is cheaper for one report on another business?
- Experian lists a CreditScore report at $59.95 and a ProfilePlus report at $69.95. Dun & Bradstreet lists a Business Information Report Snapshot at $139.99. Report contents differ, so price alone does not establish an equivalent purchase.
- Can I see my PAYDEX score with Experian?
- PAYDEX is a Dun & Bradstreet score. Experian’s listed business reports use its Intelliscore Plus score and other Experian risk measures.
- Can either service monitor customers or suppliers?
- Dun & Bradstreet sells Business Information Report On Demand for ongoing monitoring of another company’s scores and ratings. Experian sells business reports and a multi-report plan; its published single-report comparison does not include monitoring.
- What are the limits on multi-company reports?
- Dun & Bradstreet sells Business Information Report packs of 5, 10, or 25. Experian lists Business CreditScore Pro at $1,995 per year for reports on up to 30 businesses per month.
- Do these products connect to accounting or banking data?
- Dun & Bradstreet publishes a Plaid bank connection and QuickBooks accounting-data connection for Credit Insights. Experian does not publish an equivalent integration for its Business Credit Advantage self-monitoring plan.
