What does a soft credit check show?
Definition
A soft credit check is a look at your credit file that doesn't affect your credit score and isn't a response to you applying for credit. Examples include checking your own report or a lender reviewing an existing account.
- Category
- Identity
- Also called
- soft credit search, soft inquiry, soft pull
- Last updated
A soft credit check (also called a soft search or soft inquiry) is a review of your credit file that leaves your score alone. The US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau lists the common cases: you checking your own report, a lender reviewing an account you already have, prescreened offers and employment screening. None of them affect your credit scores.
What it shows and who sees it
The check itself pulls from your credit report, the same file a lender would see: accounts, payment history and balances. The difference is in the record it leaves. Soft checks appear only to you when you review your own report. Lenders who later pull your file don't see them.
A hard check is the opposite. It happens when you apply for credit, can affect your score, and is visible to other lenders. In the UK, hard searches can stay on your report for up to two years.
Where you meet soft checks
Many lenders offer an eligibility checker that runs a soft search first, so you can see your likely odds before you formally apply. That's the main reason to look for one.
Why it matters for your identity
Your credit file is a target for identity thieves. A soft check from a company you recognize is routine. A soft check you never triggered is worth a look at your report: if you see searches from companies you've never dealt with, someone may be using your details.
Soft check vs. hard check
- Soft: your own report, existing-account reviews, prescreened offers, eligibility checkers. No score impact.
- Hard: a credit application. Can lower your score a little and is seen by other lenders.
How to protect yourself
- 1
Check your own report regularly
Checking your own report is a soft check and costs nothing in score. In the US you can get reports from the three bureaus through the official site run for that purpose. In the UK, MoneyHelper explains how to check your report for free.
- 2
Use eligibility checkers before applying
If a lender offers a soft-search eligibility check, run it first so a refusal never reaches your file as a hard search.
- 3
Look for searches you don't recognize
Read the list of searches and applications. Any company you never dealt with is a reason to contact the bureau and the lender.
- 4
Consider a freeze or alert if you spot misuse
If your details are being used without you, a credit freeze or fraud alert limits new accounts. Serus finds where your address and phone number are listed publicly and removes them, which makes your details harder to reuse.
See where your personal data is exposed
Serus finds it on data brokers and people-search sites and removes it.
Frequently asked
Does a soft credit check affect my credit score?
No. Soft checks don't affect your score. A hard check, made when you apply for credit, can.
Can lenders see a soft credit check?
No. Soft checks are shown only to you when you review your own report.
How long does a hard search stay on my report?
In the UK, hard searches can stay on your report for up to two years. The length differs by country and bureau.
Sources
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