A soft pull is a check of your credit that doesn't affect your credit score. A hard pull, on the other hand, usually happens after you apply for credit and can lower your credit score by a few points.
That's the core difference in a soft pull vs. hard pull. This guide explains it for you, whether you live in Puerto Rico or the mainland United States.
If you're about to apply for a loan, it's normal to wonder whether it will cost you points. Other times you open your credit report and see an inquiry you don't recognize.
In this guide, you'll learn how each type of inquiry works and how much a hard pull weighs according to FICO. You'll also see how to compare loans without piling up inquiries, and what to do if one shows up that you didn't authorize.
What is a soft pull, and what is a hard pull?
A credit inquiry is the record that someone asked to see your credit report. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a hard pull generally happens when a lender checks your credit after you apply. It counts because scoring models look at "how recently and how often you apply for credit."
Soft inquiries, according to the CFPB, are visible only to you and don't show up when others buy your report.
Examples of a soft pull
- You check your own credit report or your credit score.
- You get prescreened offers in the mail.
- Your bank reviews an account you already have.
- An employer looks at your report with your written consent.
Examples of a hard pull
- You apply for a new credit card.
- You apply for an auto loan or a mortgage.
- You fill out an application for a personal loan.
- According to myFICO, some landlords run a hard inquiry when you apply to rent.
For the full picture, check out our complete guide to credit history.
Soft pull vs. hard pull: key differences
You'll also see it described as a soft credit pull vs. a hard credit pull. The underlying question is just one: who started the check, and why?
Why does a hard pull count? Several recent applications signal that you're looking for new credit, and the model reads that as risk. According to FICO, "new credit" makes up about 10% of your score, and inquiries are only one part of that category.
How much does a hard pull lower your score?
According to FICO, for most people a single hard inquiry takes off fewer than 5 points. On another page, myFICO cites an average of 5 to 10 points, so the real effect depends on your history. FICO's September 2025 guide shows that 49% of consumers have no inquiries at all. Only 14% lose more than 10 points for this reason, and just 4% lose more than 20.
Why it weighs more if you're just starting your credit history
FICO explains that inquiries have a bigger impact if you have few accounts or a short credit history. If you apply that idea to someone who is just starting out, whether first generation in the US or in Puerto Rico, each inquiry tends to weigh more. Results vary depending on your history.
Ana has 2 accounts and 1 year of credit history; Luis has 8 accounts and 10 years. Each of them applies for 3 credit cards in 2 months, which means 3 separate inquiries.
- Ana goes from a hypothetical score of 690 to 678 (12 points lower).
- Luis drops from a hypothetical score of 740 to 736, just 4 points.
- After 12 months, FICO stops counting those inquiries for both of them.
Note: This is a fictional example for illustrative purposes. The amounts, APR, payments, and costs shown do not represent actual offers, rates, or terms from any lender or service provider.
How to compare loans without hurting your credit
According to FICO, several inquiries for the same type of mortgage, auto, or student loan within 45 days count as just one. In older versions of the model, that window is 14 days, according to myFICO. And in the 30 days before your score is calculated, FICO doesn't even take them into account.
That grouping has limits. According to FICO, an auto loan and a mortgage shopped for at the same time count separately. FICO describes this grouping for mortgages, auto loans, and student loans, but doesn't mention it for other applications, such as credit cards. That's why it's safer to space those out.
FICO's advice is to do your rate shopping "within a reasonably short period of time." In practice:
- Check your own report first: it's a soft pull.
- Ask whether it will be a soft pull or a hard pull, even for prequalification.
- Group applications for the same type of loan within a few days.
- Apply formally only when you're ready to decide.
- Space out your credit card applications, because each one adds up.
Understand the total cost, too, with our simple explanation of APR.
In a fictional case, Carmen is looking for a $12,000 auto loan in Puerto Rico and checks with 4 lenders.
- If she submits all 4 applications within 10 days, under FICO's logic they count as a single inquiry.
- Spread over 4 months, they fall outside the shopping window and can count as 4.
Note: This is a fictional example for illustrative purposes. The amounts, APR, payments, and costs shown do not represent actual offers, rates, or terms from any lender or service provider.
Your credit and your family: inquiries, permissions, and offers in the mail
In many Latino and Puerto Rican families, money decisions are made together. Helping your mom check her credit report, with her permission, is a soft pull.
Applying for credit in your name for someone else is different: the hard pull and the debt stay on your report. Learn how to check your credit step by step.
The law also protects your report: "No one should request your credit report without a legitimate purpose permitted by law," according to the CFPB.
Prescreened offers in the mail come from soft inquiries and, according to the FTC, don't affect your credit score. To stop receiving them for 5 years, visit optoutprescreen.com or call 1-888-5-OPT-OUT. The form asks for your Social Security number.
At AnnualCreditReport.com, you can check your free weekly credit report from the credit bureaus. According to myFICO, doing so doesn't affect your score. That's where you'll see a soft pull vs. hard pull in practice. Only you see the soft ones; lenders see the hard ones, too.
What to do if you see a hard pull you don't recognize
A hard inquiry you didn't ask for may be an error. It can also be identity theft. These steps can help:
- According to myFICO, start by identifying the company listed on your credit report.
- Contact it and ask why it checked your credit.
- If you didn't authorize it, myFICO advises disputing it with the credit bureau that shows it.
- If you suspect fraud, the FTC recommends reporting it at IdentityTheft.gov.
Another protection is a credit freeze. According to the FTC's guide to credit freezes, it's free and doesn't touch your score. While it's in place, no one can open accounts in your name.
Important: You'll need to lift the freeze before you apply for new credit.
How the credit check works at Kiwi
When you're facing a car repair or a medical bill, the same advice from this guide applies: find out what kind of inquiry there will be before you apply. To evaluate your application for a personal loan with Kiwi, Kiwi runs a soft pull with TransUnion and a hard inquiry with Clarity Services, a specialty consumer reporting agency. It also looks at your real bank transactions, along with your credit history. In Puerto Rico, Kiwi offers personal loans from $150 to $3,000, which can reach you instantly through ATH Móvil. It also operates in Florida, Texas, Utah, and Missouri; review the requirements for personal loans. As a bonus, it reports your payments to TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax. Paying on time can help your credit history, although a loan is still debt.
*Subject to credit approval. Loan amounts may vary by applicant's state of residence.
Apply for up to $3,000
Frequently asked questions
Does checking my own credit lower my score?
No. Checking your own credit report is a soft inquiry, so your credit score doesn't change. That inquiry is visible only to you, and lenders who buy your report don't see it.
How long does a hard pull stay on my credit report?
A hard inquiry can stay on your report for up to 2 years. FICO, however, only counts it for the first 12 months. After that year, a lender can still see it, even though it no longer weighs on your FICO score.
Is prequalification a soft pull or a hard pull?
It depends on the lender. According to the CFPB, each lender uses the terms in its own way and may check your credit in either case. If they confirm it will be a hard inquiry, decide whether you're truly ready to apply.
Can I remove a hard inquiry from my report?
Only if you didn't authorize it or if it's an error. In that case, dispute the inquiry with the credit bureau that shows it. If the application was yours, the inquiry is valid and stays, although FICO stops counting it after a year.
Do prescreened offers that arrive in the mail affect my credit?
No. Prescreening is a soft inquiry and doesn't affect your credit score. You can opt out for 5 years, or permanently with a signed form. According to the FTC, opting out doesn't stop every unsolicited offer you receive.
Can a landlord or an employer do a hard pull?
The CFPB recognizes a rental application as a permissible purpose; ask whether it will be a hard inquiry. With an employer, things are different: their check is a soft pull and requires your written consent. If it's a hard one, it shows up on your report like any other.
How many hard pulls are too many?
There's no fixed number. The effect adds up, but it's temporary and weighs more if your credit history is short. A lender takes notice when it sees many applications in a short time. If you're comparing where to apply for a personal loan or easy-approval credit cards, space out your applications.
- El tipo de consulta depende de una sola pregunta: ¿solicitaste crédito nuevo?
- Para la mayoría, un hard pull resta pocos puntos y FICO deja de contarlo a los 12 meses.
- Agrupar solicitudes de auto, hipoteca o estudios ayuda; con tarjetas, mejor espaciarlas.
- Ayudar a tu familia a revisar su crédito es seguro; pedir crédito a tu nombre deja la consulta en tu reporte.
- Ante un hard pull desconocido, disputa la consulta y considera congelar tu crédito sin costo.
