Transparency

How the CanadaReady Score™ Works

Plain English. No jargon.

1. What is the CanadaReady Score™?

The CanadaReady Score™ is a financial health indicator built specifically for newcomers to Canada. Unlike a traditional credit score — which requires months or years of Canadian credit history — the CanadaReady Score measures your actual financial behaviour right now, based on your real banking data.

2. What does it measure?

Your score is calculated from six factors drawn from your recent banking activity:

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Income Stability How consistent and reliable your income has been over the past 90 days
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Cash Flow Whether money coming in exceeds money going out each month
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Savings Behaviour Whether you maintain a buffer in your accounts
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Bill Payment Patterns Whether you make regular recurring payments on time
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Overdraft Activity Whether you've experienced overdraft or NSF events
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Spending Discipline The ratio of discretionary to essential spending

3. What data does it use?

The CanadaReady Score is calculated using your bank transaction data, accessed securely through Plaid — a trusted financial data provider used by thousands of apps worldwide. We analyze 90 days of transaction history. We never see your banking username or password. Plaid handles authentication directly with your bank using bank-level encryption.

4. What it does NOT measure

5. What it is NOT

The CanadaReady Score™ is not a credit score as defined under Canadian law. It is not reported to, accessed by, or used by any lender or financial institution. It will not appear on your credit file. It is an educational tool designed to help you understand your financial health and take steps to improve it.

6. How often does it update?

Your score is recalculated every two weeks automatically, as long as your bank account remains connected. You'll receive an email notification when your score improves.

7. How is it calculated?

We use a weighted algorithm that combines the six factors above. Income consistency and bill payment patterns carry the most weight, as these are the strongest predictors of financial health. The score is generated with the help of AI (Claude, by Anthropic) using only anonymous aggregate metrics — your raw transaction data, merchant names, and account numbers are never sent to any AI system.

The CanadaReady Score™ is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a credit score, does not constitute financial advice, and is not used by any lender or financial institution. Rootly is not a licensed financial advisor, credit counsellor, or credit bureau.