What an 840 credit score gets you
Mortgage
Options available
Best score pricing, and credit will barely come up with the underwriter. Keep it that way by leaving your credit alone until the loan closes.
Car loan
Options available
Top tier in the published FICO reference tables; Experian's superprime average was 4.41% new and 6.29% used in Q2 2026. If a house and a car are both on this year's list, finance the car after the mortgage closes.
Credit cards
Options available
Any card is realistic. A sign-up bonus is not worth an inquiry and a new account in the months before a mortgage application; once the loan has closed, go ahead.
Renting
Options available
No issue at this score. Income and rental history are what a landlord will ask about.
These are broad credit-score categories, not approval odds. Lenders also assess income, debt, credit history and their own requirements.
What 840 costs you in interest
Both charts put 840 on the lowest bar. The only way the numbers on this page get worse is a fall, and the charts show where it would start to hurt: the first step below 780 is small, the mortgage then rises steadily, and the car loan jumps once you are under 720.
$350,000 mortgage, 30-year fixed
At 840: 7.29%, $2,397 a month, $512,963 in interest over the loan.
| Score band | Rate | Monthly | Total interest | vs. best |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 780–850 You | 7.29% | $2,397 | $512,963 | – |
| 760–779 | 7.39% | $2,421 | $521,539 | +$8,576 |
| 740–759 | 7.47% | $2,440 | $528,423 | +$15,460 |
| 720–739 | 7.58% | $2,466 | $537,923 | +$24,960 |
| 700–719 | 7.63% | $2,478 | $542,254 | +$29,290 |
| 680–699 | 7.75% | $2,507 | $552,679 | +$39,716 |
| 660–679 | 7.79% | $2,517 | $556,165 | +$43,201 |
| 640–659 | 7.9% | $2,544 | $565,775 | +$52,812 |
| 620–639 | 8.08% | $2,588 | $581,580 | +$68,617 |
$35,000 new car, 60 months
At 840: 6.2%, $680 a month, $5,794 in interest.
| Score band | Rate | Monthly | Total interest | vs. best |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 780–850 You | 6.2% | $680 | $5,794 | – |
| 760–779 | 6.24% | $681 | $5,834 | +$39 |
| 740–759 | 6.38% | $683 | $5,971 | +$177 |
| 720–739 | 6.4% | $683 | $5,991 | +$196 |
| 700–719 | 6.85% | $691 | $6,434 | +$640 |
| 680–699 | 7.5% | $701 | $7,080 | +$1,285 |
| 660–679 | 8.3% | $715 | $7,883 | +$2,088 |
| 640–659 | 9.19% | $730 | $8,786 | +$2,992 |
National averages by FICO band from myFICO (data: Curinos), as of October 29, 2026. The rate you are offered depends on the lender, your down payment, income and debts. Where these rates come from.
What would a different score cost?
Same loan. Two scores. See the difference.
At 840 compared with 840
| Score | Reference rate | Monthly payment | Total interest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 840 | 7.29% | $2,397.12 | $512,963.26 |
| 840 | 7.29% | $2,397.12 | $512,963.26 |
Both scores share the same published FICO band. The estimated payment difference is $0. This does not mean all lenders offer the same rate.
Reference rates: 30-year fixed mortgages, October 29, 2026, myFICO (Curinos). Changing the amount or term holds these rates constant. Methodology.
What this estimate includes
Estimates use national average bands, not an offer or approval prediction. Your lender may use a different score. Mortgage payments exclude taxes, insurance, mortgage insurance and fees. Full-term interest assumes no refinancing, early payoff or extra payments.
Keeping 840 intact before a big application
If no loan is coming, there is nothing to do here. If one is, the months before you apply are when an exceptional score gets dented for no good reason.
- Stop opening accounts. No new card, no store financing at the checkout. Each one adds an inquiry and a new account, and new credit is 10% of a FICO score.
- Pay balances before the statement closes. Many issuers report the statement balance, but reporting dates and practices vary. A month of heavy spending reported in full can dip the score just as the lender pulls it.
- Shop rates inside a short window. The FTC notes that several mortgage inquiries in a short period are often counted as one. Get your quotes within a couple of weeks, not spread over months.
- Check all three reports before the lender does. They are free at AnnualCreditReport.com. An error found after you apply means a delay; found before, it is a dispute you have time for.
- Keep autopay on everything. Moving house is when bills get lost, and a late payment then would cost more than everything else on this list combined.
After the loan closes, the score has done its job. That is the time to open the card with the bonus.
What an Exceptional score means (800 to 850)
The Exceptional label starts at 800; our top daily FICO reference band starts at 780. 22.8% of Americans with a FICO score are in this range, according to Experian's 2025 data. What the exceptional range means in practice.
Questions about an 840 score
Can an 840 credit score drop quickly?
Yes. A high statement balance or a new account can lower it within a month, and a late payment can lower it much further. 800 stays in the top published FICO reference band; below 780 the reference estimate changes. A lender may use other thresholds.
Sources (6)
- myFICO Loan Savings Calculator (rates by FICO band, data: Curinos), updated daily
- myFICO: What is a FICO Score? (score ranges and what goes into them)
- Experian: State of the Automotive Finance Market, Q2 2026, August 2026
- FTC: Credit scores
- AnnualCreditReport.com (free reports from all three bureaus)
- Experian: What is the average credit score in the U.S.? (share of consumers in each FICO range), 2025 data, published March 2026
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