Hard Pull VS Soft Pull

Credit Inquiries:-

When the terms comes Credit Inquiry that can be divided in to two parts e.g. "Soft Pull" & "Hard Pull". Both having large implication in credit inquiry. So what’s they are exactly and how they effect on Credit Inquiries. Both are having well defined terminology as their name appears.

How they Works:-

When we are talking about “Hard Pull” so it can be described as an initiative that could be taken by applicant and inquiry made by company. For example if you are applying for a loan or post paid connection , so lender will run a credit check or voluntarily check out your financial back ground. In another way this can be called as voluntary inquiry.

But it does not mean that every voluntary inquiry will be called as “Hard Pull”. For example if you apply for account opening in any financial institution they will not run any Hard Pull inquiry. They will conduct only “Soft Pull” inquiry that means creditors only check the pre-approved document. In case you only need to send the accurate document for verification. If you check your credit history that is also called “Soft Pull” Inquiry.

But with definition of credit bureaus they have slightly different terminology.

TransUnion lists credit inquiries in two categories:

• Regularly inquiries: These are equivalent to “hard pulls” and will remain on the credit report for two years;


• Account review inquiries: These are “soft pulls” and according to TransUnion, companies use “soft pulls”

For the purpose of an account review or other business transaction with you. These inquiries are not displayed to anyone but you and will not affect any creditor’s decision or any score.

Experian shows credit checks as:

• Requests viewed by others: These requests are usually “hard pulls” as they are Results of actions involving you, such as the completion of a credit application or the transfer of an account to a collection agency, application for insurance, mortgage or loan application, etc. Creditors may view these requests when evaluating your creditworthiness.


• Requests viewed only by you: These are “soft pulls” that are not available to creditors when they evaluate your credit.

Soft Pull Inquiry:-

A Soft Pull inquiry that does not have any effect on your credit score. Soft Pull inquiry eventually fast happened and you may not be aware of happening it. Each of the soft credit check does not show in your credit report. They are available only for your reference and not available in lender record. There are many examples which show the case of Soft Pull:-

1. Credit score and report check by you.


2. Credit background checked by curious employer.


3. Initial credit check by credit card Company that wants to solicit you pre-approved credit check.

How Do Soft and Hard Pulls Show Up On Your Credit Report

The three credit bureaus, TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax have different names for soft and hard credit pulls, but they operate in the same way. Soft credit pulls are recorded on your credit history file but have no effect on your credit score and are only available for you to see. Hard credit pulls on the other hand will negatively hurt your score and each hard inquiry can be viewed by lenders looking to extend you credit.

Rule Of Thumb:

At the last but not least there should be a “Rule of Thumb” that is if possible avoid the “Hard Pull” Inquiry that will effect your credit score and infect that drop 5-10 points in your credit score per year. Soft pull inquiry shows your rich attitude and financial strength. When lender run a credit check or inquiry, he goes to your credit score or report and people who is having more hard pull inquiry in his credit reports treated as poor debtor. In case lender will not give any preference such type of applicant. So if you are not sure which type of inquiry a bank or lender going to be run ask and then go for it. Eventually you must go for a “Soft Pull”. Because each hard pull hurts your credit history temporarily a bit (with some exceptions), people always very protective of their credit checks. I personally try to keep them down to about 4-5 within the last rolling six months. Because present scenario everybody is trying to reach out the mount and getting more and more credit. So lender is also interested to giving it at more interest rate that can be because your credit report shows that you have gone through more “Hard Pull.”