The D&B PAYDEX Score Explained

Updated January 2025

What is the D&B PAYDEX Score?

The D&B PAYDEX® score is a business credit score generated by Dun & Bradstreet (D&B). It analyzes a business’ payment performance (i.e., if it pays its bills on time)from information it has collected and gives it a numerical score from 1 to 100, with 100 signifying the “highest” or “best” score a business can achieve.

A business’s D&B PAYDEX score is used in a similar way to an individual’s VantageScore or FICO score. It’s most commonly used to evaluate creditworthiness.  The higher the score, the more likely it is your business will pay future accounts on time.

To establish business credit with Dun & Bradstreet, your business will first need a D-U-N-S® Number, the identification number in Dun & Bradstreet’s system. You can request one for free from Dun & Bradstreet, or it may be generated by D&B when your first account is reported.

How is a D&B PAYDEX Score used?

A D&B PAYDEX score is often used by vendors and suppliers to evaluate your business when determining what terms to extend on trade credit (e.g., net 30, net 60, etc.) This is important because having more time to pay those invoices may help you better manage cash flow.

Lenders and creditors may also consider your D&B PAYDEX score before extending lines of credit or loans to your business. 

Business credit reports and credit scores in general may be reviewed by insurance companies, lenders, and potential business partners.

What is a good D&B PAYDEX Score?

The D&B PAYDEX score ranges from 1 to 100, with higher scores representing low risk of late payments, and low scores indicating more risk. 

There’s no specific number that’s “bad score”. Instead, each company that uses these scores decides for itself what scores are acceptable. But small business owners will often find that a D&B Paydex Score of 80 or higher is often considered a good score and can be helpful in obtaining better terms with banks, suppliers and other vendors. 

Scores of 50 to 79 indicate moderate risk and scores of 49 or below are usually considered high risk. 

Read on for more on how scores are calculated and what each score range indicates about your ability to make payments.

How is my D&B PAYDEX Score calculated?

First, keep in mind that your company’s PAYDEX Score is compiled from information D&B has collected about your business. As D&B explains it, “The PAYDEX® measures a business’s past payment performance based on information in the Dun & Bradstreet Data Cloud. The D&B PAYDEX Score reflects your businesses’ credit history and payment trends.”  

D&B sells a number of different business credit scores, and a D&B business credit report may be used along with one of its credit scores as part of a comprehensive credit evaluation. 

Each supplier or vendor that reports payment history is considered a business tradeline account, and the payments you make to that supplier or vendor is considered a payment experience. According to Dun & Bradstreet, two tradelines with at least three trade experiences are needed for a D&B PAYDEX Score.

Dun & Bradstreet analyzes the promptness of your payments against the terms of sale for each payment experience. That means that paying accounts that report to Dun & Bradstreet on time (or even early) can help your business establish good business credit. 

The D&B PAYDEX scoring is dollar-weighted, which means that each payment experience is weighted in terms of the number of transactions and the overall dollar value of those transactions. That means your transactions with your IT vendor, with whom you spend thousands of dollars monthly, may carry more weight than transactions with the carpet cleaner who steams your rugs annually for a few hundred dollars, for example.

Credit trends also matter. If your business has been paying more slowly and your D&B PAYDEX Score has decreased, your business may be considered higher risk.

What do different PAYDEX Scores mean?

A D&B PAYDEX Score of 100 indicates that a business has consistently paid suppliers early. Here’s a breakdown of what your Dun and Bradstreet number means:

How is my D&B PAYDEX Score used?

D&B PAYDEX is often used by certain vendors and suppliers to judge your business when determining payment terms on trade credit (e.g., net 30, net 60, etc.) This is important because having more time to pay your bills can help you better manage cash flow.

Lenders and creditors may also consider a businesses’ D&B PAYDEX Score before extending lines of credit or loans to your business. Aim to build and maintain a score of 80 or higher to help your business secure better opportunities.

How can I improve my D&B PAYDEX Score?

Since your D&B PAYDEX score is based on payment history with vendors and suppliers that report, the way to improve it is to make sure you pay those accounts on time. 

Remember: paying on time will typically earn your business a score of 80 or above. For a perfect D&B PAYDEX score of 100, you need to pay early.

You should also aim for at least three open trade references to generate a D&B PAYDEX score on your business.

Always pay by the due date, or early if possible. If your business credit report shows a delinquency (late payments), dispute it if it is not correct. Otherwise, focus on paying on time going forward so your most recent accounts show an on-time payment history, 

If you’re looking to establish or expand your current tradelines, Nav Prime can help. 

​How can I check my business’s PAYDEX Score?

You can check your D&B PAYDEX Score for free with D&B Credit Insights Free, or with a Credit Insights subscription. See plans here.

A free Nav membership provides credit summaries and grades, including a PAYDEX® score grade based upon D&B PAYDEX® score.

Nav Prime includes three business credit scores, including a D&B Paydex Score.  Learn more about Nav Prime here. 

How can I check another business’s PAYDEX Score?

Your business may want to check the financial health of other companies with which you do business. You can purchase a business credit report or scores with D&B Credit Intelligence. 

Frequently asked questions

To establish business credit, first make sure your business is properly set up and registered in your state. Next, obtain a D-U-N-S Number if your business doesn’t already have one. 

Once these steps are completed you’re ready to start building your credit profile. You’ll need accounts that will report payment history to your business credit file. (You’ll hear these called “tradelines” in the credit industry). Examples include net-30 vendors, credit builder accounts, small business loans or business credit cards. Again, those accounts must report to business credit bureaus to help establish business credit. 

 Not sure where to find suppliers that report? Nav’s Net-30 vendor list can help. 

Make early payments if possible. Remember: Payment history is the single most important factor for building business credit. On-time payments will strengthen your scores and give your business access to more favorable terms from suppliers or other companies, while late payments can hurt your credit scores. 

How do I check my business credit? 

The easiest way to track both business and personal credit scores at the same time is to use Nav Credit Health.

See where you stand for free, or get deeper details with a Nav Prime membership.

Do I need a D&B PAYDEX Score for my business in order to get a loan?

It will depend on the lender’s policy whether or not they review a business credit report and/or credit score from Dun & Bradstreet as part of the application process and underwriting. Not all do. 

Who can check business credit?

Unlike personal credit where access to credit reports is limited by the Fair Credit Reporting Act, anyone can check business credit. Business credit reports from Dun & Bradstreet, Equifax, or Experian are often used for business funding and small business loan applications. (For small business credit card applications most issuers check personal credit, rather than business credit.). 

Good business credit may help your business qualify for lower insurance premiums, better interest rates, higher credit limits and/or longer repayment terms.