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What is a Soft Credit Check?

4 min read

Published September 9, 2025

Table of contents

Key Takeaways

Soft credit checks happen when someone views your profile for any reason other than a new credit application.
Some reasons for a soft credit pull include a job application, credit card pre-qualification, and checking your own credit.
Unlike hard credit checks, soft credit checks don’t affect your credit score.

You may have noticed a few unfamiliar credit inquiries if you've recently checked your credit report. Maybe your current credit card company and a few others appear, but you haven’t applied for new credit in years. If those credit checks appear under “soft inquiries”, don’t panic. Soft credit inquiries are generally nothing to worry about.

What does soft credit check mean?

A soft credit check is a review of your credit file that’s not connected to any specific application for new credit.

When you apply for a personal loan, credit card, or other financing tool, you typically give permission for the lender to pull your credit file—that’s a hard credit check.

However, credit card companies, employers, lenders, and others don’t always need permission to run a soft credit check, which allows them to take a preliminary look at your credit background.

While a hard credit check usually occurs when you’ve applied for a personal loan, credit card, or mortgage, a soft credit check usually happens as part of a credit background screening, or when you view your own report.

Other names for a soft credit check

Soft credit checks are sometimes called “soft credit pulls” or “soft credit inquiries” (or a “soft check”, “soft pull” or “soft inquiry”). Each of these terms can be used interchangeably to describe a credit check that’s not connected to a new credit application.

Examples of soft credit checks

A soft credit inquiry can occur in many different circumstances; that’s why you may see so many soft inquiries on your credit report. Some reasons for soft credit checks include:

Checking your own credit. According to the Federal Trade Commission, you can view your credit report from each major credit bureau for free each week at AnnualCreditReport.com.
Applying for a job. Some employers may review your credit history as part of the application process.
Requesting utilities services. Utility companies may check your credit report when you open a new account to determine whether you need to make a deposit, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
Account reviews. Your existing creditors may review your credit file periodically to determine whether your rates or credit limit should change.
Pre-screened offers. Credit card issuers usually do a soft credit inquiry to determine whether you meet basic criteria for a card before sending you a pre-approved offer. If you decide to apply, you’ll typically undergo a hard credit check while the lender reviews your entire credit history.
Credit pre-qualification. When you’re interested in a loan, credit card, or line of credit, you may request pre-qualification for an idea of whether you’re likely to qualify as well as the rates and credit limit you might receive.

Did you know?

Applying for multiple credit cards in a short time frame may impact your credit score. Instead, you can see whether your card issuer offers credit card pre-qualification. See what Discover offers you could be pre-approved for with no impact to your credit score.¹

See If You’re Pre-Approved

Do soft credit checks impact your credit score?

Soft credit checks don’t affect your credit score.

Some soft checks are reported to a major credit bureau, which is why they may appear on your credit report. While soft inquiries may stick to your credit report for up to two years, they won’t do any damage.

Hard credit checks can bring down your score. A single hard credit inquiry doesn’t always have a lasting impact—you may see your score drop a few points after a new credit application, but not a drastic change. But applying for multiple new lines of credit in a short time frame may point to financial instability. So, several hard credit checks in a row may hurt your score more substantially.

On the other hand, whether you have one soft check or one hundred, your credit rating won’t be affected.

The bottom line

When credit card companies, potential employers, utility companies, an existing lender, or you take a look at your credit profile for any reason other than a credit application, that’s a soft credit check. Soft checks may appear on your report, but they don’t hurt your credit score. A soft pull may even help you avoid hurting your credit by helping prevent you from applying for credit you won’t qualify for.

When you’re ready to complete an application, remember that a hard credit check will likely occur, which may affect your score.

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