Updated October 17, 2023

Kovo Credit Builder Review

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Kovo is a low-cost way to build credit and learn more skills online. Learn Kovo's features, value, and if it's the best credit builder for you.

5-point scale (the higher, the better)

Pros and Cons

  • $10/month only
  • Easy to apply
  • Earn rewards
  • 24 months lock-in
  • Courses may have little value to you

Bottom Line

Simple credit builder that gives you access to digital courses

Are you struggling to build good credit standing? A good credit score is crucial in getting the best financial products. Your credit score dictates your accessibility to housing loans, car loans, and credit cards.

Fortunately, setting aside as little as $10 monthly can help build your credit. Kovo helps you build credit through monthly installments of just $10.

In this Kovo Credit Builder Review, let's find out how Kovo works to help you build better credit. Plus, how it compares with other online credit builders.

What Is Kovo?

Kovo offers a credit builder that costs $10 monthly for 24 months. You get access to digital courses that teach useful life skills, like how to ace job interviews and start a business.

Kovo reports these installment payments to credit bureaus to help you build credit. Essentially, you're buying courses on credit and paying them off over 24 months. Plus, you get 24 months of ID monitoring at no extra cost.

In addition, Kovo offers loans and credit cards from partner lenders and card issuers. You can earn gift card rewards from issued cards and approved loans.

How does Kovo Credit Builder Work?

This is how you build your credit with Kovo:

  1. Pay $10 monthly for the Kovo Installment Plan to purchase Kovo Courses and get personal growth tools plus 24 months of ID monitoring to protect against data breaches..

  2. Kovo keeps track of all your monthly payments and reports them to credit bureaus every month. It reports to TransUnion, Equifax, Experian, and Innovis.

  3. Pay the monthly installments ON TIME to build a better payment history, which can improve your credit score.

Kovo sets your payment method into auto-pay. The payments will be over 24 months.

What happens when you miss a payment?
Kovo will reach out to remind you of any past due balance. Kovo does not charge any late fees for missed payments. However, it's best if you pay your monthly installments or any past due balance within 30 days. Kovo is still required to report your payment performance to credit reporting agencies every month.

Can Kovo Guarantee Improvements In Your Credit Score?

Your credit score is unique, and it depends on many things. The Kovo credit builder does not guarantee that your credit score will increase.

Ultimately, improving your credit score comes from you. Kovo only offers a simple way of making these improvements through their credit builder program.

You build a positive payment history as you continue to make timely payments. On average, customers see a change in their credit score in a few months (if you pay on time).

Read: How to Increase Your Credit Score: The Definitive Guide

What's your credit score?

What are Kovo Courses?

Kovo Courses are online resources developed by instructors to help you improve and sharpen specific skills. You get access to all the courses through your Kovo Installment Plan for $10 a month.

Here are some things you can learn from Kovo Courses:

  • Job interview skills and strategies
  • Building self-confidence and self-esteem
  • How to start a business
  • Creating your personal brand
  • Stress management and time management
  • Intro to programming

The entire collection of Kovo Courses is valued at $400, but by purchasing them with the Kovo Installment Plan, they only cost you $240 in total.

What are Kovo Rewards?

Kovo Rewards lets you earn gift cards when you open a credit card or loan with their partner issuers and lenders. You get the chance to earn 1% back on the loan amount in gift card rewards.

You're eligible for Kovo Rewards when you make 4 on-time monthly statements for your Kovo Installment Plan. You'll see Rewards Unlocked in your account and can see the available offers from their partners.

You can earn gift cards from successful loan approval or issued credit cards. Here's what you can get: [1]

  • Personal Loan - up to $500 gift card
  • Student Loan - up to $250 gift card
  • Student Loan refinance - up to $250 gift card
  • Auto Loan refinance - up to $150 gift card
  • Credit Card - $75 gift card

Earn as much as five times the entire value of the Kovo Installment Plan, or around $1,225 in value. If you do need a loan or credit card, the rewards can bring a lot more value for you.

But note that getting another loan or credit card adds to your financial responsibility. You have to make the payments on time to continue building positive credit. Otherwise, it's easy to slide back into bad credit territory.

Kovo Rewards is available in all 50 states.

Kovo Pros

All credit builders promise to help users improve their credit scores. If you are on the fence about considering Kovo, here are pros of using Kovo credit builder:

  • No credit check
    Kovo believes in fairness and accessibility to improving credit. Kovo will not pull your credit when you apply for the Kovo Installment Plan.

  • No hidden fees
    Sometimes, using credit builders does more harm than good when you pay unexpected fees. Good news: Kovo does not charge any hidden fees!

    Focus on building your credit, and do not worry about any of the following:

    • Setup fees for opening a Kovo account
    • Membership fees
    • Annual fees
    • Late fees from any missed payments
    • Prepayment fees

    Kovo will remind you of any missed payments or due balances for your Kovo Installment Plan. It's best to settle these payments as soon as you can. Kovo reports monthly payment history to the credit bureaus and a late or missed payment will affect your credit.

  • 30-day refund policy
    Kovo offers a refund policy within 30 days of purchase. If you change your mind about Kovo, contact their customer support for a refund.

    Reach out and contact support@kovocredit.com for your refund.

  • 24 Months ID Monitoring
    In addition to personal growth tools, you'll get 24 months of identity monitoring if you have an active installment account. This ensures your credit is protected and helps safeguard against data breaches.

  • Credit Boost
    With 4 on-time payments, eligible customers unlock credit boosts and gain access to a single-purpose credit line with a $500 limit to use at Kovo. This revolving credit builder account is also reported to all 4 credit bureaus.

Kovo Cons

There are downsides to Kovo too. Consider these carefully before signing up:

  • 24-month lock-in period
    The Kovo Installment Plan lasts for 24 months. It's a two-year commitment of $10 monthly payments for interactive courses online. Any cancelation and missed payments in Kovo will reflect on your credit score.

    Is Kovo a contract?
    Yes, Kovo is an installment contract. You promise to pay $10 monthly for the next 24 months, and in exchange, Kovo gives you access to interactive courses.[2]

  • Courses may not be valuable for you
    You're paying $240 overall for courses. But if you don't really take the time to sit down and go through the courses, that'll be like wasting money.

    In that case, you may want to consider another type of credit builder, like Self. Self saves your monthly payments for you, and you get it all back at the end (minus interest and fees).

Kovo Customer Reviews

Kovo has a strong record of user feedback and ratings posted on reviews.io. Currently, the credit builder has 240 reviews and garnered an average of 4.94 out of 5-star ratings from its users. Moreover, 99% of users recommend Kovo.

Some of the most common feedback about Kovo is as follows:

  • It's easy to use
  • It's effective in rebuilding credit score
  • It's an affordable way to improve your credit score

"Kovo is one of the best credit building programs out there. For a low price, you have an opportunity to raise your credit score to help better yourself. I personally recommend Kovo to anyone and everyone." - Christopher G. (2022)

How To Open A Kovo Account

Opening a Kovo credit builder account is simple. Kovo does not perform a credit check. Instead, Kovo performs instant background verification and income qualification for new sign-ups.

Here's how to open an account:

  1. Go here to open an account.
  2. Create an account with your email and password.
  3. Enter your name, address, Social Security Number, date of birth, and monthly income.
  4. Kovo will run a background check.
  5. In most cases, approval is instant.

Make sure you meet Kovo's requirements:[3]
  • You are 18 years old or older
  • You have a valid Social Security number
  • All provided information is true, accurate, current, and complete
  • You are registering a new account for yourself

How To Get In Touch With Kovo

You can reach Kovo for any inquiry, concern, or issue using the following channels below.

  • Email: support@kovocredit.com
  • Phone: (855) 965-5686
  • Address: 9450 SW Gemini Dr, Suite 87907, Beaverton, OR 97008-7105

Kovo Alternatives

Is Kovo the best credit builder for you? There's never a one-size-fits-all solution to improve your credit score. Let's compare Kovo credit builder with other online credit builders.

Kovo vs. Kikoff

Unlike Kovo, which offers digital courses for $10 a month for 24 months, Kikoff works differently.

You pay $5 every month as a credit service to use the Kikoff platform.[4] This gives you a $750 revolving credit line to buy items from the Kikoff Store. If you pay your monthly dues on time, you can also access the Kikoff Credit Builder Loan, which is a one-year savings plan for $10/month.[5]

Kikoff offers cash cards which you can use to build credit too! Send a direct deposit to your Kikoff cash card and use it for purchases. It acts as a debit card and a checking account, and Kikoff reports it to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

Want to explore more options for your first checking account? Find the Best Free Checking Accounts that don't charge high fees.

Kovo vs. Self

With Self, you're literally giving yourself a loan. You can choose the monthly payment and term that fits your budget, starting from as low as $25 monthly[6]. Your payments go into a CD, and in the end, you will get your savings back (minus interest and fees). Unlike Kovo, where you don't get your $240 back.

Self offers four credit builder loan payment plans. Starts at $25/month.
Sample loans: $25/mo, 24 mos, 15.92% APR; $35/mo, 24 mos, 15.69% APR; $48/mo, 24 mos, 15.51% APR; $150/mo, 24 mos, 15.82% APR. See self.inc/pricing

Self also offers a Visa® credit card. The secured Self Visa® Credit Card reports regularly to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, helping you build credit. This is something Kovo does not offer.

One thing to note is that Self has a lot of miscellaneous fees you need to consider. For example, you need to pay a closing fee if you close your credit builder account.

Self is not the only credit builder account in the market. Check out the best credit builder loans that can help improve your credit.

Kovo Vs. CreditStrong

CreditStrong offers both revolving credit and a credit builder loan. Revolv. is a revolving credit line starting at $500 for a $99 annual subscription fee.[7] CreditStrong reports this account to Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.

CreditStrong's Instal. is significantly more expensive than Kovo's installments. However, it is more beneficial for people who save. Starting at $28 per month for 48 months, you get $1,010 in the end.[8] This product works best if you want to save AND build credit simultaneously.

A word of caution: CreditStrong has other fees you need to look out for. Ensure you never miss a payment, or else you will incur a late fee. It also charges fees for returned or failed payments.

Bottom line: Is Kovo Worth Trying?

Kovo is worth it if you want to improve credit while learning new skills and bettering yourself.

With a $10 monthly commitment, you can learn with Kovo Courses and build better payment history with timely payments. Kovo is an attractive option if you're looking for inexpensive ways to build credit.

It's also good if you're in the market for a credit card or student loan or auto refinance. You can earn gift card rewards that give you more bang for your buck. However, be responsible when taking on new credit obligations.

References

  1. ^ Kovo. Rewards, Retreived 6/15/23
  2. ^ Kovo. Is it a contract?, Retrieved 5/24/2023
  3. ^ Kovo. Kovo Terms of Use, Retrieved 5/6/2023
  4. ^ Kikoff. Pricing, Retrieved 5/6/2023
  5. ^ Kikoff. FAQ: How does Kikoff work?, Retrieved 5/6/2023
  6. ^ Self. Pricing, Retrieved 5/6/2023
  7. ^ Credit Strong. Revolv., Retrieved 5/6/2023
  8. ^ Credit Strong. Instal, Retrieved 5/6/2023
Kovo

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Note: This website is made possible through financial relationships with some of the products and services mentioned on this site. We may receive compensation if you shop through links in our content. You do not have to use our links, but you help support CreditDonkey if you do.

Credit Builder Accounts & Certificates of Deposit made/held by Lead Bank, Sunrise Banks, N.A., First Century Bank, N.A., each Member FDIC. Subject to credit approval. The secured Self Visa® Credit Card is issued by Lead Bank or First Century Bank, N.A., each Member FDIC.

Compare:

What's your credit score?
5% Excellent (800-850)
8% Very good (740-799)
16% Good (670-739)
40% Fair (580-669)
31% Poor (300-579)
Source: CreditDonkey poll of 1,447 respondents
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