Soft Pull vs Hard Pull: What Each Credit Check Does to Your Score
Updated November 2026
Quick answer: A soft pull (soft inquiry) happens when you check your own credit, get prequalified or a company reviews your file for a promotional offer. It never affects your credit score.
A hard pull (hard inquiry) happens when you apply for credit, like a credit card or loan. For most people, one hard inquiry takes fewer than five points off their FICO Score, according to myFICO.
Hard inquiries stay on your report for two years, but FICO only counts them for 12 months.
Worried that checking your options will hurt your credit? That’s one of the most common reasons people avoid looking for a better card or loan.
Here’s the truth: most credit checks don’t affect your score at all, and the ones that do have a small, temporary effect.
Here’s what you need to know.
What’s the difference between a soft pull and a hard pull?
A soft pull is a credit check that doesn’t affect your score. A hard pull is a credit check tied to a credit application, and it can lower your score slightly.
| Soft pull | Hard pull | |
|---|---|---|
| Affects your credit score? | No | Yes, usually a few points |
| Needs your permission? | Not always | Yes, you authorize it when you apply |
| Who can see it on your report? | Only you | You and lenders who check your credit |
| How long it stays on your report | Varies, visible only to you | Two years |
| How long FICO counts it | Never | 12 months |
What counts as a soft pull?
Soft pulls happen when credit is checked for reasons other than a new application. Common examples:
- Checking your own credit score or report
- Getting prequalified or preapproved for a card or loan
- Promotional “you’re preapproved” offers in your mail
- Your current card issuer reviewing your account
- Some employer background checks (with your permission)
- Some insurance quotes
Prequalification tools are a smart way to see your chances without risk. Try the Discover card match or the Wells Fargo card match.
What counts as a hard pull?
Hard pulls happen when you apply for new credit and a lender checks your file to make a decision. Common examples:
- Applying for a credit card
- Applying for a personal loan, auto loan, student loan or mortgage
- Asking for a credit limit increase (with some issuers)
- Some apartment rental applications
- Some phone, internet or utility accounts
If you’re not sure, ask before you apply: “Will this be a hard or soft inquiry?”
Is it a soft or hard pull? Common situations
| Situation | Type of pull | Affects your score? |
|---|---|---|
| Checking your score in a banking app | Soft | No |
| Using a card match or prequalification tool | Soft | No |
| Getting a “preapproved” offer in the mail | Soft | No |
| Applying for a new credit card | Hard | Yes, slightly |
| Applying for a car loan at a dealership | Hard | Yes, slightly |
| Shopping mortgage rates with several lenders | Hard (often counted as one) | Yes, slightly |
| Asking for a credit limit increase | Depends on the issuer | Only if it’s hard |
| Applying for an apartment | Depends on the landlord | Only if it’s hard |
| Starting a new job with a background check | Soft | No |
When in doubt, the rule is simple: if you’re asking someone for new credit, expect a hard pull.
How much does a hard pull lower your credit score?
For most people, a single hard inquiry takes fewer than five points off their FICO Score, according to myFICO.
New credit, which includes inquiries, makes up just 10% of your FICO Score. Payment history (35%) and amounts owed (30%) matter much more.
The effect is bigger when you have several hard inquiries close together or a short credit history.
That’s why spacing out applications matters. Curious about other score myths? Read 5 credit myths, fully explained.
Why do lenders care about hard inquiries?
Because a burst of applications can signal financial stress.
According to myFICO, people with six or more inquiries on their credit reports can be up to eight times more likely to declare bankruptcy than people with no inquiries.
That’s why one inquiry barely matters, while a cluster of them can make a lender hesitate even when your score still looks fine.
Lenders also read inquiries alongside the rest of your file. Someone with a long, clean history can absorb a few inquiries easily. Someone with a new or thin file will feel each one more.
Here’s how to build a stronger financial profile.
How long do hard inquiries stay on your credit report?
Hard inquiries stay on your credit report for two years, but FICO Scores only consider those from the past 12 months.
After a year, they stop affecting your FICO Score even though lenders can still see them.
Does a hard pull show up on all three credit bureaus?
Not necessarily. A hard inquiry only appears on the report of the bureau, or bureaus, the lender actually checks.
Some lenders pull from one bureau, others from two or all three.
That’s why your scores from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion can move differently after the same application.
Can I shop for a loan without hurting my credit?
Yes. For mortgages, auto loans and student loans, FICO counts multiple inquiries in a short window as one, according to myFICO. Newer FICO versions use a 45-day window, and older ones use 14 days.
So it’s smart to compare rates within about two weeks to be safe.
This doesn’t apply to credit cards. Each card application counts as its own hard inquiry.
Does checking my own credit hurt my score?
No. Checking your own credit is always a soft pull. You can check your reports from all three bureaus for free every week at AnnualCreditReport.com, and it will never affect your score.
What if there’s a hard inquiry I didn’t authorize?
Dispute it with the credit bureau that’s reporting it.
An inquiry you don’t recognize can be a sign that someone tried to open credit in your name.
Consider placing a free credit freeze at all three bureaus. Here are more credit card security tips.
How do I avoid unnecessary hard pulls?
- Get prequalified first. It uses a soft pull.
- Apply only for credit you need.
- Space out card applications by a few months.
- Rate-shop loans within a short window.
- Ask the issuer whether a credit limit increase request uses a hard or soft pull.
Already denied once? Learn why cards get denied and what issuers look at before you try again.
Frequently asked questions
No. Prequalification uses a soft pull.
For most people, fewer than five points on their FICO Score.
No. Only you can see soft inquiries on your credit report.
Not for FICO Scores. They stay on your report for two years but only count for 12 months.
It can be. Each card application is a separate hard inquiry, and several in a short time can lower your score and worry lenders.
It depends on the issuer. Some use a soft pull, others a hard pull. Ask before you request it.
Many BNPL plans use a soft check, but some longer financing plans may use a hard pull. Read the terms first, and learn about the BNPL credit score risks.
Check freely, apply wisely
Looking at your options doesn’t hurt. Applying for too much at once can. Start with soft-pull tools, then apply only for the card or loan that fits you best.
Your score will barely notice.
👉 Next step: Find the credit card that fits your profile
I have been a content producer for over 10 years, specializing in online writing across a wide range of topics—particularly finance, health, and human behavior. I’m an expert in SEO-driven writing and cultural research.
