You may have heard that checking your credit can lower your score, and also that you can check it freely without harm. Both can be true, because it depends on the type of credit check involved. Understanding the difference between a hard inquiry and a soft inquiry clears up one of the most common credit myths. This guide from The Finance Reveal explains hard versus soft inquiries, part of our Credit Score section. This is general education, not financial advice, and scoring models vary.

Two Kinds of Credit Checks

Whenever your credit is checked, it falls into one of two categories: a soft inquiry or a hard inquiry. A soft inquiry, sometimes called a soft pull, happens when your credit is checked for reasons that are not tied to a new credit application, such as when you check your own credit, when a lender pre-screens you for an offer, or in some background checks. Crucially, soft inquiries do not affect your credit score at all.

A hard inquiry, or hard pull, happens when you actively apply for new credit and a lender checks your report to make a lending decision, such as applying for a credit card, loan, or mortgage. Hard inquiries can affect your credit score, usually by a small amount, and they appear on your credit report for a period. The core distinction is that soft inquiries are informational and harmless to your score, while hard inquiries are tied to seeking new credit and can have a minor effect, one of the many pieces that make up the picture our guide to how credit scores are calculated describes.

Comparing the Two

The table below summarizes the key differences.

The practical upshot is important: checking your own credit score or report is a soft inquiry and will never hurt your score, so you can and should monitor your credit as often as you like. Pre-qualified or pre-approved offers, where a lender screens you without a full application, also typically involve soft inquiries. Hard inquiries, by contrast, come from applying for credit and can cause a small, usually temporary dip in your score, and they remain visible on your report for about two years, though they generally only influence your score for around one year. A single hard inquiry usually has a minor effect; the concern is many in a short time.

Managing Hard Inquiries

Because hard inquiries can nudge your score down, it is wise to apply for new credit only when you need it, rather than submitting many applications in a short span. A cluster of hard inquiries can signal risk to lenders and add up to a more noticeable effect, so being selective helps. When you do apply, applying for the specific product you are likely to qualify for, rather than many at once, keeps inquiries to a minimum.

There is a helpful exception for rate shopping. When you are comparing offers for a single type of loan, such as a mortgage or auto loan, multiple inquiries within a short shopping window are often treated as a single inquiry by scoring models, so you are not penalized for responsibly shopping around for the best rate. This means you can compare lenders without fear, as long as you do it within a focused period. The bottom line is that you should never hesitate to check your own credit, since that is a soft inquiry, and you should simply be thoughtful about when you apply for new credit, since those hard inquiries carry a small, manageable cost. For related basics, see our guide to improving your credit score, and explore the full Credit Score section.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a hard and soft inquiry?

A soft inquiry happens when your credit is checked outside of a new credit application, such as checking your own credit or a lender pre-screening you, and it does not affect your score. A hard inquiry happens when you apply for new credit and a lender reviews your report to decide, and it can cause a small, temporary dip. In short, soft inquiries are harmless; hard inquiries have a minor effect.

Does checking my own credit hurt my score?

No. Checking your own credit score or report is a soft inquiry, which has no effect on your score whatsoever. You can monitor your credit as often as you like without any harm, and doing so regularly is a good habit for catching errors or fraud early. Only hard inquiries, which come from applying for new credit, can affect your score.

How much does a hard inquiry lower my score?

A single hard inquiry usually lowers your score by only a small amount, and the effect is temporary. Hard inquiries appear on your report for about two years but generally influence your score for around one year. The bigger concern is many hard inquiries in a short period, which can add up and signal risk to lenders, so applying only when you need credit keeps the impact minimal.

Do multiple inquiries when rate shopping hurt me?

Usually not much. When you are shopping for a single type of loan, such as a mortgage or auto loan, scoring models often treat multiple inquiries within a short window as a single inquiry. This lets you compare lenders for the best rate without being penalized for each check. So responsible rate shopping within a focused period generally has little effect on your score.

The Bottom Line

The confusion about whether checking credit hurts your score comes down to two types of inquiries. A soft inquiry happens when your credit is checked outside of a new application, such as when you check your own credit or a lender pre-screens you for an offer, and it has no effect on your score at all, so you can monitor your own credit freely and often. A hard inquiry happens when you apply for new credit and a lender pulls your report to make a decision, and it can cause a small, usually temporary dip, remaining on your report for about two years while generally affecting your score for roughly one. A single hard inquiry is minor; the real concern is many in a short span, which can add up and signal risk, so it is wise to apply for new credit only when you need it. Helpfully, when rate shopping for a single loan like a mortgage or auto loan, multiple inquiries within a short window are often counted as one, so you can compare offers without penalty. The practical rules are simple: never hesitate to check your own credit, and be thoughtful about when you apply for new credit. For related guides, see our articles on how credit scores are calculated, improving your credit score, and what hurts your credit score, and explore the full Credit Score section. This article is general information, not personalized financial advice, and scoring models vary.