“There’s an app for that” - This phrase has become our new reality today. There’s a phone or mobile application available for anything and everything, often for free. If you’re using apps to shop, share photos and connect with friends, why not also use one to monitor your credit score?

Not only can you use apps to check credit scores, but also make changes that will improve your credit report and score.

Here are 7 must-have free apps for credit score checking and management:

1. Credit Karma - This app monitors credit reports from two reporting bureaus (TransUnion and Equifax). Along with providing your credit score, it gives you a breakdown of factors affecting it. This helps you understand how spending patterns and recent actions increase or reduce your score, and plan improvements accordingly.

2. IndiaLends - This was the first app launched in India to help users get credit score free of charge. Compatible with both iOS and Android mobile devices, this credit score and analytics app can help you monitor multiple credit lines as well as track and manage your credit score on the go.

3. Mint - Available for iOS, Android and Windows, this personal finance app is a great tool for debt management, budgeting and investment. It also gives you credit score checks and analysis, based on the Equifax Credit Score model. This information is compiled into an easy-to-read summary, with tips for improvement.

4. Credit.com - This user-friendly app gives you a credit score as well as a grade between A+ and F, based on five main factors (debt usage, credit age, payment history, account mix and credit inquiries). It shows you how this credit grade was calculated, along with credit mistakes and areas of improvement.

5. TrustScore - This Android app combines traditional credit score checking models with social media presence, e-commerce purchases, employment history, education and digital finance transactions. This helps people with little to no credit history find out whether they’re creditworthy before applying for loans or credit cards.

6. Credit Sesame - This app provides free credit score checks based on Experian credit reports. Through a partnership with a third-party app known as Lending Club, it also offers refinancing options for high-interest debt. You don’t have to use this feature if all you want is to track your credit score, current debt and interest rates.

7. CreditWise - Developed by Capital One, this free credit monitoring app can be used even if you don’t have a Capital One account. It provides credit scores through TransUnion, with weekly updates. The credit simulator feature, where you can simulate the effects of various actions on your credit score, sets this app apart.

Bad credit history and low credit scores can affect loan approval, credit card limits and interest rates, so keeping track of it is essential. The first step towards improving your credit score is knowing what it is, and you can easily do that with free apps on your phone!