Two checks, two very different outcomes

If you've ever gotten nervous before checking your own credit score, here's some good news: looking up your own score almost never hurts it. The confusion is usually about the difference between two kinds of credit checks — soft pulls and hard pulls.

They sound similar, but only one of them can actually move your score.

What's a soft pull?

A soft pull, also called a soft inquiry, happens when someone checks your credit for a reason that isn't a formal credit application. A soft inquiry happens when a lender checks your credit for informational or account review purposes, not because you've submitted a formal application, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The important part: soft inquiries do not affect your credit score. You can rack up a bunch of them and it won't cost you anything.

Common examples of soft pulls:

  • Checking your own credit score through an app or AnnualCreditReport.com
  • A credit card company sending you a "pre-approved" offer in the mail
  • A potential employer running a background check (with your permission)
  • A landlord doing a preliminary screening
  • An insurance company pulling your credit for a quote

One thing worth knowing: soft inquiries are only visible to you when you view your own credit report. Lenders and other third parties cannot see them or use them in lending decisions. So a soft pull sitting on your report doesn't send any signal to the next lender who checks you out.

What's a hard pull?

A hard pull, or hard inquiry, is a different animal. A hard inquiry happens when you formally apply for a loan or credit card and authorize the lender to check your credit. Think auto loans, mortgages, credit card applications, and most personal loans.

Unlike soft pulls, hard inquiries actually show up as a line item on your credit report, and they're recorded on your credit report at Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, and they typically stay there for about two years.

Here's why it matters: "[Hard] inquiries will impact your credit score because most credit-scoring models look at how recently and how frequently you apply for credit," the CFPB says. The idea is that people who are suddenly applying for a lot of credit at once might be under financial stress, so scoring models treat a cluster of hard pulls as a small risk flag.

How much does a hard pull actually cost you?

Less than you'd probably guess. According to FICO, a hard inquiry from a lender will decrease your credit score five points or less, and if you have a strong credit history and no other credit issues, you may find that your scores drop even less than that. And that dip isn't permanent — the drop is temporary.

It also doesn't carry much weight overall. Hard inquiries factor into one of the five credit scoring factors — new credit — which accounts for 10% of your score. Payment history and how much of your available credit you're using matter a lot more.

The bigger risk isn't one hard pull — it's a pile of them in a short window. That kind of pattern is what actually raises eyebrows with lenders, since it can look like you're scrambling for credit from multiple places at once.

The good news if you're comparing loans

If you're shopping around for something like a car loan or a mortgage, you don't have to worry about every single application dinging your score separately. FICO scores recognize that multiple hard checks within a 14-45-day period likely signal rate shopping and are lumped into a single inquiry. So comparing offers from a few lenders in a short window is treated more gently than random, spread-out applications.

How to see who's checked your credit

You're entitled to see your own reports and confirm what's on there. You can currently request a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major bureaus — Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax — through AnnualCreditReport.com, and your report will show who pulled your credit. (Free weekly access has been extended repeatedly since 2020, so check AnnualCreditReport.com for the current frequency.)

If you spot a hard inquiry you don't recognize, that's worth a closer look — it could be a sign someone applied for credit in your name without your permission.

Why this matters for gig and hourly workers

If you're piecing together income from a few different apps or a mix of gig work and an hourly job, you might be more likely to shop around for things like a car loan, a new phone plan, or an apartment — all of which can involve credit checks. Knowing which ones are soft (harmless) and which are hard (small, temporary hit) can help you make sense of why your score moved, or didn't, after you applied for something.

The short version: checking your own score, getting pre-approval offers, and most background checks won't touch your credit. Formally applying for a loan or card will show up and can cause a small, short-lived dip — especially if you're doing it more than once in a short period without a good reason, like rate shopping.

Bottom line

A soft pull is a look under the hood with no consequences. A hard pull is what happens when you actually turn the key and apply — and while it's not something to be scared of, it's worth being a little intentional about how many you rack up at once.