Do Monthly Subscriptions Build Credit? How to Boost Your Credit Score

If you're like most Americans, you really love your music and TV streaming apps. And while that's great news for Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and Spotify, the costs add up. With convenient payment options and recurring charges, it's easy to set it and forget it, but consumers are paying an estimated $219 per month in subscription fees.

So, if you've been wondering if your monthly subscriptions build credit, the answer is yes. Many of your monthly subscriptions can help you build credit and here's how.

Want to boost your credit score while you Netflix and chill? Just sign up for Experian Boost — it's the easiest way to raise your credit score simply by making your monthly subscription payments.

It takes about 10 minutes to complete the sign-up process, and then you can sit back and chill as you watch your credit score begin to rise. And once you've established a pattern of on-time payments, you'll really see the increase.

While anyone can sign up for Experian Boost, consumers with little to no credit or very poor credit scores tend to benefit the most.

So, you've decided to give it a try! Here's how to boost your credit score with monthly payments to Netflix.

• Sign up: It's free! Just enter your name, address, Social Security number, and email.
• Link your bank account: Link the bank account or credit card you use to pay your bills.
• Add your Netflix and/or Hulu accounts: Now, you can add any monthly payments to your Experian credit file which includes Netflix, utility bills, Amazon, phone bills, and others with recurring charges.

• Strategize automatic payments: Credit card bills are reported to major credit bureaus, so you should pay using a credit card. If you use a debit card, you may not build credit unless you sign up to a credit reporting service.
• Set credit card to autopay: To reduce the risk of a late payment, set up autopay.
• Check your credit score: Wait a few days and check your score. As long as you keep making your monthly payments on time, your score should keep increasing within a matter of months.

Once your payment activity is reported to the credit bureaus, your monthly subscription services payments will show up on your credit report which can either have a positive or negative impact on your credit. If you miss a payment, your score could drop, whereas on-time payments could see a rise.

So, if you're wondering does Netlfix boost your credit score, the answer is yes and no ... depending on your payment history. But remember, there are a few ways to build credit using the subscription services you are already paying for every month.