Things to Know About a Soft Credit Check
8 Min Read
Reviewed by Latoria Williams Soft credit checks are a routine part of financial life, giving organizations a way to access limited credit information without affecting your borrowing ability. You may encounter them while checking your own financial report, browsing credit card options online, renting a car, or managing an existing account with a lender. Soft credit pulls are also commonly used during preapproval for certain loan products or mortgage offers.
Unlike hard inquiries, soft checks are largely behind-the-scenes, meaning they won’t appear on reports that lenders see when deciding on new credit. Being aware of their role can help you interpret your credit activity more clearly and avoid unnecessary concern when you notice these inquiries on your report.
Key Takeaways
- Soft credit checks are part of everyday financial activity and usually happen without you taking any action.
- They let companies verify information or make prequalified offers without treating it as a new credit request.
- These checks don’t influence lending decisions and aren’t factored into your credit score.
- Seeing soft inquiries on your report is normal and doesn’t signal a problem with your credit.
What Is a Soft Credit Check and Is It Bad?
A soft credit check, also called a soft inquiry or soft pull, is a review of your report that is not linked to a new credit application. In other words, it allows someone to look at your financial information without affecting your ability to borrow or triggering a lending decision.
Soft checks are typically used for informational or verification purposes, granting limited access to your credit file. Because they do not indicate new borrowing, soft inquiries are visible only to you on your financial report and generally do not appear to lenders.
How Do Soft Credit Checks Work?
When a company performs a soft inquiry, it can review certain parts of your credit profile without initiating a formal credit application. This could include credit history, account status, or other limited details. All inquiries are recorded by the major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) for transparency.
Soft checks allow organizations to access relevant credit information for purposes such as identity verification, reviewing an existing account, or determining eligibility for prequalified offers.Unlike hard inquiries, the primary goal is not to decide whether to approve new credit, so soft inquiries typically do not impact your FICO® Score.
Who Can Perform a Soft Inquiry?
Soft inquiries can be conducted by a variety of organizations as part of routine financial, identity, or account-related processes. Examples include:
- Checking your own credit report or score
- Lenders pre-screening you for credit offers
- Banks reviewing an existing account
- Employers conducting background checks
- Companies verifying your identity for online services
Some organizations, like lenders or banks, can perform certain soft inquiries without your explicit permission, especially for pre-screening or account reviews. Because these checks are part of everyday financial activity, their appearance on your report typically doesn’t mean anything negative.
Soft vs. Hard Credit Inquiry: Key Differences
The main difference between a soft inquiry vs hard inquiry is their impact on your credit score. A hard check occurs when you apply for new credit, such as a credit card, auto loan, mortgage, or personal loan. Because hard inquiries signal potential new debt, they can cause a small, temporary decrease in your credit score.
The table below provides a side-by-side comparison of the two types of credit pulls:
| Feature | Soft Pull | Hard Pull |
|---|---|---|
| Impact on credit score | Typically does not impact scores | May impact your score by a few points |
| Visibility | Visible to user only | Visible to lenders |
| Duration | Up to 24 months | Up to 24 months |
| Consent required | Sometimes | Always |
| Common examples | Prequalification, credit checks, background checks, account reviews | Credit cards, car loans, mortgages |
Do Soft Inquiries Affect Your Credit Score?
Typically, there is no impact on your credit score. Because they aren’t tied to new borrowing or financial risk, soft pulls aren’t factored into most credit scoring models.
That’s why activities like checking your own report, monitoring your score, or browsing prequalified offers usually don’t affect your profile.
Even so, checking your credit report regularly is a good financial habit that allows you to detect potential fraud early and understand how lenders view your credit profile overall.
How Long Do Inquiries Stay on Your Report?
Soft inquiries can remain on your credit report for up to 24 months, depending on the bureau. During that time, they:
- Are visible only to you
- Generally do not affect your credit score
- Do not influence lending decisions
Hard inquiries can stay on your credit report for up to 24 months, but they only affect your credit score for about 12 months. The impact is usually strongest in the first few months and fades as you continue to build a positive payment history.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to unfreeze my credit for a soft pull?
In most cases, there is no need to do that. Credit freezes are designed to block hard inquiries that could be used to open new accounts in your name. Since soft inquiries are purely informational, they usually still go through even when a freeze is in place.
However, some companies may require temporary access to your credit report to verify your identity or process certain requests. In those cases, you might be asked to temporarily lift the freeze.
Does checking AnnualCreditReport.com do a hard pull?
No, it does not. Accessing your financial report through AnnualCreditReport.com counts only as a soft inquiry. This site is the official source authorized by Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion to provide free credit reports.
Following guidance from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), consumers can currently access free credit reports weekly, a policy that began during the COVID-19 pandemic and remains in effect.
Can I dispute soft inquiries?
Yes, you can dispute a soft inquiry if it appears unfamiliar or if you suspect your financial information was accessed improperly. Since they generally don’t affect your credit score or lending outcomes, disputes are usually only necessary in cases of suspected identity misuse or unauthorized access.
How long does a soft inquiry last?
It usually stays on your report for up to 24 months, depending on the bureau. Keep in mind that it’s visible only to you and doesn’t influence your overall credit score.
What kind of credit inquiry has no effect on your credit score?
A soft credit check does not impact your score. It’s used for informational purposes and does not signal new borrowing risk, so it has no effect on your creditworthiness.
Does a soft pull show your credit score?
Most of the time, a soft pull does not show your actual credit score to companies. You may see your score when checking your own credit, but lenders typically only see the limited information needed for verification or prequalification purposes.
What information is on a soft pull credit report?
A soft check shows limited information, such as your name, address, account summaries, and sometimes your credit score. It does not include the full details lenders use for new credit decisions.
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