What is the difference between a soft pull and a hard pull on your credit?

Soft pulls: what they are and when they happen

A soft inquiry — also called a soft pull — occurs when your credit is reviewed for a reason other than a new credit application. Soft pulls do not affect your credit score and are only visible to you on your own credit report; lenders cannot see them. Common examples include checking your own credit score, employer background checks, and pre-approval screening by credit card issuers.

• Checking your own credit score — always a soft pull, never hurts your score
• Pre-qualification offers — when a lender checks your file before you apply
• Employer background checks — with your permission; not visible to creditors
• Existing account reviews — when your current lender periodically reviews your file

Hard pulls: what they are and when they happen

A hard inquiry occurs when a lender formally reviews your credit as part of an application decision. According to the CFPB, you must typically authorize a hard pull. Hard inquiries appear on your credit report, are visible to lenders, and can lower your score by a small number of points. They remain on your report for two years but generally stop affecting scores after 12 months.

• Credit card applications — each application triggers a hard pull
• Auto loan, mortgage, or personal loan applications — lender reviews your report to make a credit decision
• Apartment rental applications — landlords often run a hard pull with your permission
• Rate shopping — FICO treats multiple mortgage, auto, or student loan inquiries within 14–45 days as a single inquiry

Does checking your own credit score lower it?

No. Checking your own credit score — through AnnualCreditReport.com, your bank, or a credit monitoring service — is always classified as a soft inquiry. It has zero impact on your score. This is one of the most persistent credit myths; the CFPB explicitly addresses it.