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Glossary term

Soft Inquiry

What a soft inquiry is, why it does not affect your credit score, when soft inquiries occur, and how it differs from a hard inquiry.

What Is a Soft Inquiry?

A soft inquiry (also called a soft pull or soft credit check) is when someone accesses your credit report in a limited way that does not affect your credit score. Unlike a hard inquiry, a soft pull is not visible to other lenders and does not signal that you are actively seeking new credit.

When Soft Inquiries Occur

Soft inquiries happen in several common scenarios:

You check your own credit: Checking your own score or credit report through services like annualcreditreport.com, Experian, Credit Karma, or your bank's free score service is always a soft inquiry. It never affects your score.

Pre-qualification and pre-approval checks: When a credit card issuer evaluates whether to send you a pre-screened offer or when you submit a prequalification request on their website, they use a soft pull. These checks are why you receive targeted credit card offers in the mail.

Background checks by employers: Many employers run a soft credit check as part of a background check (with your permission). This does not affect your score.

Account monitoring by existing lenders: Your current card issuers and lenders regularly perform soft pulls to monitor your account and determine if your credit profile has changed. This is routine and has no score impact.

Rate shopping for insurance: Auto and home insurers often check credit as a factor in determining rates (in states that allow it). These are soft pulls.

Soft vs. Hard Inquiry: Key Comparison

| | Soft Inquiry | Hard Inquiry | |--|--|--| | Score impact | None | Small negative, 3 to 10 points | | Visible to other lenders | No | Yes, for 24 months | | Visible to you on your report | Yes | Yes | | When it occurs | Prequalification, self-checks, account monitoring | Formal credit applications |

Why the Distinction Matters

Because soft inquiries have no score impact, you can use prequalification tools as much as you want to explore card options without any risk. Run prequalification checks on Chase, Amex, Capital One, and Citi all in the same week and your score is unaffected.

Only when you formally apply does the hard inquiry occur. Use soft pull prequalification to narrow your choices, then apply only for the card you are most confident about.

See also: hard inquiry, prequalification.

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