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Soft Inquiry vs. Hard Inquiry

6 min read

Last Updated: February 4, 2026

Table of contents

Key Takeaways

Soft credit inquiries don’t impact your credit score.
Hard credit inquiries typically do affect your credit score. They occur only when you apply for new credit.
A single hard inquiry usually has a smaller effect than multiple inquiries within a short period.

If you’ve ever applied for a credit card, needed a background check for an apartment, or even checked your own credit report, your credit file has undergone a credit inquiry.

Every time someone accesses your credit information (even you!), a credit inquiry appears on your credit report. Credit inquiries fall into one of two categories: soft inquiries or hard inquiries. It’s important to understand both categories and their potential impact on your credit score.

What is a soft inquiry?

You may hear a soft inquiry referred to as a “soft credit pull” or “soft credit check”, but the meanings are the same.

A soft inquiry occurs when someone reviews your credit report for any reason other than an application for new credit. A soft pull might be part of a background check or pre-qualification for a credit card, for example.

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A soft pull allows a company or individual to access an overview of your credit file for information about your credit history. A potential lender may use the information from a soft credit check to determine whether you may be a good fit for a pre-approved or pre-qualified offer. If you’ve ever received a credit card offer in the mail or online without applying for one, the issuer has likely conducted a soft inquiry and determined that you meet the basic qualifications.

A prospective employer, property manager, or landlord may also conduct a soft credit inquiry as part of a background check. Your credit history might help a potential landlord determine whether you’re financially responsible enough to pay rent reliably. It may also serve as an additional step to confirm your identity.

Your existing lenders may also periodically conduct soft pulls.

When you check your own credit report, that’s also a soft inquiry. You may get one free credit report a week from each of the three major credit bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com.

Does a soft inquiry affect your credit score?

No, soft credit inquiries don’t affect your credit score.

How long does a soft pull stay on your credit report?

Soft pulls may appear on your credit report for up to two years. However, soft credit inquiries on your report are only visible to you.

What is a hard inquiry?

Hard credit inquiries occur when a creditor reviews your credit report in response to a new credit application. A hard credit inquiry may also be called a “hard credit check” or “hard credit pull”.

Your credit report contains information about the type of credit you have, when you opened the credit account, your credit limits, your payment history, your current balances, and previous hard inquiries. Relevant public records, including overdue debt that has gone to collections and any bankruptcies, may also show up on your credit file. Your detailed credit history gives potential lenders an idea of your borrowing habits so they can determine your eligibility, terms, and interest rate.

All applications for new credit usually trigger hard inquiries, including:

Credit cards
Mortgages
Personal loans
Student loans
Auto loans

If you’ve fallen victim to identity theft or your personal information has been compromised by a data breach, you may put a security freeze in place to restrict access to your credit report. Potential lenders can’t access a frozen credit report, so be sure to unfreeze it before you apply for a new loan or credit card.

If you suspect fraud on your credit card, you may want to restrict access to your account.

Did you know?

The on/off switch on our website and mobile app lets you prevent new purchases and cash advances in seconds if you misplace your card. And you can unfreeze just as easily.¹

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Sometimes, a hard credit pull might also show up on your report after you open a new cell phone plan, request a credit line increase, or apply for an apartment, depending on the creditor or landlord. They may opt for a soft inquiry instead.

How long does a hard pull stay on your credit report?

A single hard credit inquiry may stay on your report for up to two years. However, the impact of a hard credit inquiry often shrinks over that time. In fact, most credit scoring agencies no longer factor hard inquiries into your credit score calculations after a year.

Does a hard inquiry impact your credit score?

Yes, a hard inquiry may have a small negative effect on your credit score. New credit accounts for 10% of your FICO^® Score.²

Typically, a single hard credit check may drop your score by a few points. If you have a limited credit history, a hard pull may have a slightly larger impact. But as long as you stay on top of payments and keep your credit utilization low, your score may recover from a hard credit check within a few months.

How do multiple hard inquiries affect your credit score?

While a single hard credit inquiry may affect your credit score, multiple hard credit checks in a short amount of time often have a larger impact.

A hard inquiry on your credit report shows lenders that you’re looking for new credit. Multiple hard inquiries in a short time may point to financial instability or difficulty managing credit, which are both flags for most lenders.

How can you minimize soft and hard pulls?

Soft credit pulls don’t hurt your credit score, so you don’t have to worry about minimizing them. But it’s a good idea to avoid excessive hard credit checks.

If you’re shopping for a new private student loan, mortgage, or auto loan, try to apply for them within a short timeframe, like two weeks. Credit bureaus typically treat rate-shopping in these loan categories like a single hard inquiry as long as they occur within a small window.

Credit pre-qualification may also help you avoid unnecessary hard inquiries. While pre-qualification doesn’t guarantee approval, it may give you an idea of the offers you’re likely to qualify for. Typically, the prequalification process includes a soft credit check, which won’t damage your credit score.

Finally, try to limit your applications for new credit unless you need it. Before you apply for a new credit card, for example, ask yourself if it fits a financial need or fills a gap in your rewards.

The bottom line

Hard inquiries and soft inquiries affect your credit score differently because they serve different purposes. Because hard credit checks mean you’ve applied for new credit, they will affect your credit score, while soft checks will not.

It’s important to keep an eye out for new inquiries on your credit report. While you may see new soft inquiries all the time, an unauthorized hard credit inquiry may be a sign of fraud.

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