Credit 101: Hard vs. soft credit check

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What happens when they pull your credit?

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Shopping for a loan? A lender may advise that you can get prequalified with a soft credit check. This inquiry provides general information about your credit history and won’t affect your credit score. But once you submit a formal credit application—even if it’s just for a branded credit card at your favorite retailer—you’ll be subject to a hard check, and that can hurt your credit score.

Understanding how a hard credit check differs from a soft one can help you decide when to apply for debt and how to avoid negatively affecting your credit when searching for the best loan or credit card deal.

Typically, lenders perform a hard credit check, also called a hard credit inquiry or “pull,” after you’ve submitted an official application for debt.

With a hard credit check, the bank or other lender looks at a version of your credit score that’s tailored to a specific situation. It differs from the consumer score you see when you check your own score. This hard credit inquiry provides information the lender can use to determine whether you qualify for a loan. It’s used to set your interest rate and other terms.

A soft credit check doesn’t usually affect your credit score. Many lenders do a soft credit pull to show you what you might qualify for and the rate you could reasonably expect to get.

When you’re shopping around for the best deal on a loan, keep these tips in mind:

A soft credit check can help you learn where you stand with specific lenders creditwise and what you might reasonably expect. This information can be especially useful if you’re in the beginning stages of getting a mortgage and want a ballpark figure of how much you can borrow and what your rate and payment might be.

But it’s not the final say, and you’ll need a hard credit check to get a mortgage preapproval or the final terms on a car loan, personal loan, or credit card.

The main difference between a hard and soft credit check is its effect on your credit score. A hard credit inquiry will affect your score, but depending on your situation, it’s unlikely to have a big impact. Many consumers find that a hard inquiry typically results in a drop of less than 5 points in their credit scores.

But multiple hard credit checks within a short time can significantly affect your credit score. Lenders view this activity as a signal that you may be taking on substantial debt, which makes having you as a customer riskier. For example, applying for several credit cards within a few months can negatively affect your credit score more than a single inquiry for a personal loan. 

A soft credit check, on the other hand, doesn’t affect your credit score. Again, read the fine print before getting a rate quote to determine whether you’re authorizing a hard or soft credit check.

If you maintain a good credit score, you shouldn’t have to worry about a couple of hard credit inquiries ruining your chances of a loan later. Your score will likely return to its previous level in a few months. With good credit, a ding caused by a credit inquiry won’t put you out of the running for other financial products and services.

Follow these tips to keep your score in tip-top shape:

When you’re applying for a loan or credit card, know the difference between a hard and soft credit check to avoid unintentionally decreasing your credit score.

A soft credit check is used for prequalification and allows lenders to review your eligibility without affecting your credit score. The information provided from a soft check can help you find the best loan terms. Submitting a formal loan application triggers a hard credit check; this provides the lender with a more detailed credit score to determine the loan terms it can offer you.

A hard check typically has little impact on your credit score, but several of them within a short period can lower your score significantly. To maintain a good credit score, pay your bills on time, keep your credit utilization low, and regularly check your credit report for errors. These practices help minimize the impact of hard inquiries on your credit.