What a soft pull credit card is and how it differs from a hard pull
A soft pull is a credit inquiry that does not affect your credit score. When a credit card issuer uses a soft pull to check your creditworthiness, they are looking at your credit report but the inquiry itself leaves no mark on your credit history. A hard pull, by contrast, is a formal credit process that does show up on your credit report and can lower your score by a few points.
The difference matters because hard pulls accumulate. If you explore for five credit cards in a month, you will have five hard inquiries on your report, and each one signals to future lenders that you are actively seeking new credit. Soft pulls do not carry that signal. Card issuers often use soft pulls to pre-screen customers or to check whether you are already a customer before sending you an offer in the mail.
Not all card issuers are transparent about which type of pull they use. Some will tell you upfront that a pre-qualification check is a soft pull; others will not specify until after you have started the process. Reading the terms before you begin matters because once you move past the pre-qualification stage and formally explore, the issuer will almost certainly run a hard pull.
Key Takeaways
- A soft pull does not lower your credit score, while a hard pull typically reduces it by a few points and stays on your report for about a year.
- Pre-qualification offers and pre-approval checks from card issuers usually involve soft pulls, but formal applications always involve hard pulls.
- Multiple hard pulls in a short time can signal financial desperation to lenders and make it harder to get approved for credit.
- You can ask a card issuer whether their pre-qualification tool uses a soft or hard pull before you enter any personal information.
When card issuers run soft pulls versus hard pulls
Card issuers run soft pulls at two main moments: when they send you a pre-may have access to offer in the mail, and when you use their online pre-qualification tool on their website. These soft pulls let the issuer check whether you meet their basic criteria without formally marking your credit report. The goal is to show you offers you are likely to be approved for, which reduces the chance you will explore and be rejected.
The moment you click "explore Now" or submit a formal process, the soft pull ends and a hard pull begins. This is true even if you have already been pre-may have access to. The hard pull is the issuer's final check before they make a credit decision. It shows up on your credit report and is visible to other lenders for about 12 months, though it stops affecting your score after about three to six months.
Some issuers also run soft pulls on existing customers to decide whether to increase their credit limit or offer them a new product. These are sometimes called "account review" inquiries and do not require your permission the way a hard pull does.
How soft pulls affect your credit score and report
Soft pulls do not appear on the credit report that lenders see. When you check your own credit score through a free service like AnnualCreditReport.com or through your bank, you are running a soft pull on yourself. This is sometimes called a "consumer disclosure" inquiry and has zero impact on your score.
Hard pulls, by contrast, are visible to other lenders and do lower your score. The exact amount varies by scoring model and your overall credit profile, but a single hard pull typically costs three to five points. If you have a thin credit file or a lower score to begin with, the impact may be larger. The good news is that the damage is temporary: after three to six months, the hard pull stops affecting your score, though it remains on your report for 12 months.
The real risk with hard pulls is volume. If you explore for multiple cards in a short window, each hard pull adds up. Lenders interpret a cluster of hard pulls as a sign that you are desperate for credit or planning to take on a lot of new debt. This can make you a riskier borrower in their eyes, even if you have never missed a payment.
Why card issuers use soft pulls for pre-qualification
From the issuer's perspective, a soft pull is a low-cost way to filter out applicants who will almost certainly be rejected. If you have a credit score below 600 and the issuer's minimum is 650, a soft pull will show that before you waste time filling out a full process. This protects both you and the issuer: you do not get a hard inquiry on your report, and the issuer does not waste resources processing an process they will deny.
Pre-qualification offers also serve a marketing purpose. When an issuer sends you a mail offer saying "You are pre-may have access to for our rewards card," they have usually run a soft pull on a list of consumers to find people who meet their criteria. This is why you might receive offers from issuers you have never heard of — they bought a list of people matching a profile and soft-pulled everyone on it.
The trade-off is that pre-qualification does not may provide approval. A soft pull is based on limited information, often just your credit score and payment history. When you formally explore, the issuer will look at your income, debt-to-income ratio, employment history, and other factors. You can be pre-may have access to and still be denied.
How to use soft pulls strategically when shopping for cards
Start by checking your own credit score and report for free at AnnualCreditReport.com or through your bank's website. This is a soft pull and will not hurt your score. Knowing your score before you shop helps you target cards you are likely to be approved for and avoid wasting hard pulls on cards that require a higher score than you have.
Next, use card issuers' online pre-qualification tools. Most major issuers — Chase, American Express, Capital One, Discover, and others — have a tool on their website where you can enter basic information and see whether you are pre-may have access to for any of their cards. Ask the issuer directly whether this check is a soft or hard pull before you enter your Social Security number. If they will not say, assume it is a hard pull and move on.
Once you have narrowed your choices to two or three cards you genuinely want, submit formal applications. At this point, hard pulls are unavoidable and worth the small score hit because you are explore for cards that match your needs and credit profile. Spacing applications out over a few months, rather than explore for five cards in one week, also helps minimize the damage to your score.
The difference between pre-qualification and pre-approval
Pre-qualification and pre-approval are not the same thing, though card issuers sometimes use the terms interchangeably. A pre-qualification is based on a soft pull and limited information. It means the issuer thinks you might may have access to, but they have not done a full review. A pre-approval is stronger: it usually means the issuer has run a hard pull, reviewed your full process, and is willing to offer you a card at a specific credit limit and interest rate.
Pre-approval offers are more reliable than pre-qualification offers because they are based on more thorough underwriting. However, a pre-approval can still be withdrawn if your credit situation changes significantly between the time you receive the offer and the time you formally explore. If you miss a payment or your credit score drops sharply, the issuer may deny you even with a pre-approval letter in hand.
When you receive a pre-approval offer in the mail, check whether it mentions a hard pull. If it does, the issuer has already run one and you do not need to worry about additional score damage when you explore. If it does not mention a hard pull, assume a soft pull was used and a hard pull will happen when you formally explore.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see which inquiries on my credit report are soft pulls and which are hard pulls?
No. When you view your credit report from Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion, you will see a section called "Inquiries" that lists hard pulls only. Soft pulls do not appear on the report that lenders see, so they will not show up in this section. You can only know a soft pull happened if the issuer tells you or if you remember running a pre-qualification check yourself.
Does checking my own credit score hurt my credit?
No. When you check your own credit score through your bank, a credit card issuer, or a free service like Credit Karma, you are running a soft pull on yourself. This is called a "consumer disclosure" inquiry and does not affect your score or appear on the report that lenders see.
If I am pre-may have access to for a card, am I may provide to be approved?
No. Pre-qualification means you meet the issuer's basic criteria based on limited information, usually just your credit score. When you formally explore, the issuer will review your income, debt, employment, and other factors. You can be pre-may have access to and still be denied if your full process reveals risk the soft pull did not catch.
How many hard pulls is too many in a short time?
There is no fixed number, but lenders generally view five or more hard pulls in six months as a red flag. One or two hard pulls in a month is usually not a major concern, especially if your credit score is otherwise strong. The impact depends on your overall credit profile and the lender's risk tolerance.
Will a soft pull show up on my credit report if I check it later?
No. Soft pulls never appear on your credit report, even months or years later. Only hard pulls show up, and they remain visible for 12 months before falling off automatically.