What is a soft credit check?

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Summary

• A soft credit check (also referred to as a pull or a query) is a review of your credit that doesn’t affect your credit score.

• Common soft checks include checking your own score, getting pre-qualified for a loan, and account reviews by companies you already use.

• A hard credit check is different. A hard check happens when you apply for new credit and it can affect your score.

• Soft checks still show up on your credit reports, but they’re usually visible only to you.

• You can check your own credit as often as you want. It’s considered a soft check and won’t hurt your score.

• You can protect your credit by setting up alerts, reviewing your credit reports, and freezing your credit when needed.

The ins and outs of credit can feel confusing, but you don’t have to learn everything at once. Here’s a simple place to start: soft credit checks. A soft credit check lets you review your credit score safely—without affecting your score. You can use them to learn, plan, and make more confident choices before applying for new credit.

A soft credit check offers a quick preview of credit health. It helps consumers, lenders, and financial institutions see where credit stands, identify potential issues early, and review offers safely—without affecting anyone’s score. With that information, credit decisions can be made more confidently and responsibly.

What exactly is a soft credit check?

A soft credit check is a quick look at your credit that doesn’t change your credit score. A credit score is a number that reflects how likely a person is to make payments as agreed, based on their credit history.

This type of credit check can happen when you view your own score, when a company pre-qualifies you for an offer, or when a lender you already use reviews your account. Soft checks help both consumers and companies get information without the pressure of a score change.

How a soft check works

When a company runs a soft check, it requests limited details from a credit bureau. Credit bureaus—like Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—keep the records used to create your credit reports and scores. The bureau shares just enough information for that purpose. Soft checks don’t affect your score because they aren’t used to approve new credit. Instead, they’re for things like education, pre-screening, or maintaining an existing account.

When a soft credit check might be used

• You check your own credit score or pull your credit reports.

• A bank may show you a pre-qualification offer for a loan. Pre-qualification is an initial review that helps estimate your likelihood of approval based on basic information, but it isn’t a guarantee of approval or final terms.

• A credit card issuer you already use reviews your account to manage your limit or offer you an additional financial product.

• An insurance company or landlord may review your credit information for screening purposes. These checks are usually considered soft inquiries, but policies can vary by company and state, and you may be asked to give consent first.

Soft credit checks vs. hard credit checks

A hard credit check happens when you apply for a credit card, loan, or line of credit. Unlike a soft credit check that won’t affect your score, a hard credit check can affect it for a period of time. 

A hard check occurs when a lender reviews your full credit report as part of an application for new credit. A soft check, on the other hand, is simply an information request and doesn’t signal that you’re necessarily applying for new credit.

Common examples of when hard credit checks are performed include:

• New credit card applications

• Auto loans at a bank, credit union, online lender, or through a dealership

• Mortgages, home equity loans, and home equity lines of credit

• Personal loans and debt consolidation loans

• Private student loans and student loan refinancing

• Some store financing at checkout, like furniture or electronics payment plans

• Some buy now, pay later plans, especially ones with longer repayment terms that may look like installment loans

• Credit limit increase requests that require a full review of credit history

• Some postpaid wireless phone plans and device financing

• Some utility accounts when you’re opening new service

• Some landlord screenings, depending on the service they use

Where soft credit checks show up

Soft checks usually appear on your credit reports in a section for soft inquiries. You can see them when you request your reports through official sources like AnnualCreditReport.com, but they aren’t visible to lenders. Lenders and others don’t use soft inquiries when they review new applications. They typically see only hard inquiries for that purpose.

When you’ll see a soft credit check

You’ll see a soft check when you view your own credit score or pull your credit report. A credit report is the file that lists your accounts, limits, balances, and payment history. 

You’ll also typically see soft checks when a bank or card issuer shows you a pre-qualification offer. Pre-qualification is a quick look to estimate approval odds without a full application. These checks help you explore options without affecting your score.

You may also see soft checks when companies you already use review your account for service or marketing. That might be a credit card company checking your account for a limit increase, or a bank showing you offers you could qualify for. Some landlords and insurers also review information in ways that don’t trigger a hard check, but policies vary by company and by state. So it’s smart to ask what kind of check they’ll use and whether they need your permission.

Common myths and facts

• Myth: Checking my own score will hurt my credit. 

• Fact: Checking your own score is considered a soft check. It won’t affect your credit.

• Myth: All background checks are hard checks. 

• Fact: Most background checks are soft inquiries, which don’t affect your credit score. They often require your consent and use a version of your credit report made specifically for employment or tenant screening—not for lending decisions.

• Myth: Soft checks don’t show up anywhere. 

• Fact: Soft checks usually appear on your credit reports, but only you can see them. Lenders don’t use soft inquiries when reviewing new credit applications.

Smart ways to use soft credit checks

Since checking your own credit is a soft inquiry, you can use it as a simple way to stay informed about your credit health. You can start by reviewing your credit reports on a regular cadence. 

Confirm that your personal information, accounts, and payment history all look correct. If you spot something that doesn’t match your records, you can file a dispute with the credit bureau that issued the report and include any documentation that supports your claim.

Soft checks can also help you shop wisely. You can use pre-qualification, which is typically a soft inquiry, to compare cards or loans without adding hard inquiries. Before you apply for any financial product, read the offer details so you understand the rates, fees, and any conditions. If you’re close to applying, ask the lender whether the next step will be a soft check or a hard check. That way, you can anticipate when a hard inquiry might appear and avoid surprises.

Protecting your credit while you check

You can set up alerts with your bank and card issuers so you hear about due dates, large charges, and credit limit changes right away. Then, you can turn on autopay for at least the minimum to avoid late payments. Finally, keep your contact details current with your lenders and the credit bureaus. That simple step helps you get notices on time so you can fix issues faster.

You can also place a fraud alert on your credit report if you’re concerned someone may be using your information. A fraud alert tells lenders to take extra steps to verify your identity before opening new credit and typically stays on your report for one year.

Additionally, you can also consider a credit freeze if you’re worried about identity theft. A credit freeze blocks most new credit in your name until you lift it. You can lift it online when you want to apply, then reinstitute it when you’re ready. 

How many hard inquiries is too many?

Since soft inquiries don’t affect your credit, you don’t need to worry about the number of soft inquiries made. But when it comes to hard inquiries, there isn’t one magic number. 

There are many credit scoring models, and they all typically look at the pattern and timing of inquiries more than the total number. A few hard inquiries spread out over time are normal for many people. Several inquiries for different products in a short period can signal higher risk and may affect your score.

At the end of the day, context matters. Many scoring models group multiple inquiries for auto loans or mortgages made within a short shopping window, for example, as one event. Lenders also set their own policies. If you’re planning to apply for a major loan, try to avoid other new credit applications for a few months beforehand so your profile looks more stable. Hard inquiries usually stay on your credit reports for up to two years, but most credit scoring models only consider them for the first 12 months.

How to lessen the impact of a hard inquiry

You can’t remove a legitimate hard inquiry, but you can take steps to help reduce its impact on your credit score and protect your progress. While you’re already comparing terms, rates, and fees, you can also use pre-qualification tools to see potential offers without adding another hard inquiry.

As we mentioned above, pre-qualification is typically a soft check, so it won’t affect your score. Then, when you’re ready to apply for an auto loan or a mortgage, do your rate shopping within a short window so scoring models count them as one event. For credit limit increases, you can ask your card issuer if they can use a soft check instead of a hard one, although not all issuers offer this option or are required to do so.

At the end of the day, it’s important to keep healthy credit habits front and center. On-time payments and low credit utilization, which is how much of your total revolving credit limit you use, can outweigh the small, temporary effect of a hard inquiry. Space other applications by a few months when you can. If you see an inquiry you don’t recognize, contact the company listed and dispute it with the credit bureaus.