Fair Isaac

FICO has demonstrated significant pricing power over time, highlighted by recent price architecture changes and the October 2025 direct-license model that reduces per-score royalties by disintermediating bureau markups and introduces a funded-loan fee to match downstream utility.

Equifax’s counter-move to cut VantageScore 4.0 pricing underscores both the value of the FICO standard and competitive pushback. Political and regulatory scrutiny of mortgage credit-pull costs is the key check on pricing freedom and introduces headline volatility.

Still, the small absolute cost of a score relative to a mortgage confers long-term pricing headroom.