A soft credit check shows your credit information without affecting your FICO score. Used for prequalification, employment, and your own credit checks. A hard credit check pulls a full report and drops your score 5 to 10 points temporarily. Used for actual loan, mortgage, and credit card applications. Hard inquiries fall off after 24 months. RadCred performs only a soft credit check at prequalification.
If you have ever hesitated to check your loan options because you did not want to “hurt your score,” this article clears up the confusion. There is a real difference between soft and hard checks, and knowing it saves you points and anxiety.
How soft credit checks work
A soft credit check (soft pull, soft inquiry) accesses a summary version of your credit profile. It does not create a record visible to other lenders and does not affect your credit score in any way.
When soft checks happen:
- Prequalification for loans (RadCred, Credit Karma, most matching platforms)
- Prequalification for credit cards (most issuer “see if you qualify” tools)
- Your own credit check (AnnualCreditReport.com, Credit Karma, Experian free membership)
- Employer background checks (with your written consent)
- Insurance rate quotes (in most states)
- Account reviews by existing creditors (your current credit card issuer checking your credit periodically)
- Landlord screening in some cases (depends on the screening service)
What the lender sees: A summary credit profile including score range, number of accounts, payment history overview, utilisation, and public records. Enough to estimate your loan terms without a full underwriting review.
Score impact: Zero. Always. No exceptions.
How hard credit checks work
A hard credit check (hard pull, hard inquiry) accesses your full credit report and creates a record visible to other lenders. It drops your FICO score by 5 to 10 points and remains on your report for 24 months.
When hard checks happen:
- Formal loan application (personal loan, auto loan, mortgage) when you accept or submit a full application
- Credit card application (when you click “apply” on most issuers)
- Utility or telecom account setup (in some cases)
- Apartment rental application (many landlord screening services use hard pulls)
What the lender sees: Your complete credit report including every account, every payment, every collection, every inquiry, and every public record. This is the full picture used for final lending decisions.
Score impact: 5 to 10 points per inquiry. The impact is highest in the first 3 months, fades significantly after 12 months, and disappears entirely after 24 months.
Rate-shopping exception. FICO groups multiple hard inquiries for the same loan type (mortgage, auto, student loan) within a 14 to 45 day window as a single inquiry. This lets you shop rates with multiple lenders without compounding the score damage. The window is 14 days for older FICO versions and 45 days for FICO Score 8 and newer.
The two-stage lending process
Most modern online lenders use a two-stage process:
Stage 1. Prequalification (soft check). You fill out an initial form. The lender runs a soft check and shows you estimated loan terms (APR range, amount, term options). Your score is not affected. You can prequalify with multiple lenders to compare offers.
Stage 2. Formal application (hard check). You choose an offer and submit a full application. The lender runs a hard check, verifies your information, and makes a final lending decision. Your score drops 5 to 10 points.
RadCred operates at Stage 1 only. The soft credit check shows your real matched offers. A hard check happens only when you accept a specific lender’s offer and move to Stage 2 with that lender directly.
How to protect your score while rate-shopping
1. Use prequalification tools (soft check) to compare. RadCred, Credit Karma, NerdWallet, and most lender websites offer prequalification that shows estimated terms without a hard pull.
2. Limit formal applications. Only submit a full application (triggering a hard check) to the one or two lenders whose prequalified terms are best.
3. Bunch rate-shopping within 14 to 45 days. If you are shopping for a mortgage or auto loan and need to submit multiple formal applications, do them all within a 14 to 45 day window so FICO treats them as one inquiry.
4. Do not apply “just to see.” Each formal application creates a hard inquiry. Prequalification tools exist specifically so you do not have to apply formally to see your options.
Common mistakes to avoid
Thinking all credit checks hurt your score. Soft checks never hurt. Only hard checks do. Checking your own credit, using prequalification tools, and employer checks are all soft.
Avoiding prequalification because you are afraid it will hurt. Prequalification is specifically designed to be score-neutral. Not using it means you either apply blind (risking unnecessary hard pulls) or never check your options.
Applying to 5+ lenders formally instead of using prequalification. Five hard pulls in a month can drop your score 25 to 50 points. Use prequalification to narrow to 1 to 2, then formally apply.
Forgetting about the rate-shopping window. If you need to apply to multiple mortgage or auto lenders, do it within 14 to 45 days. Spreading them over 3 months creates separate inquiry hits.
The realistic timeline of hard inquiry impact
| Time after inquiry | Score impact |
|---|---|
| Day 1 to Month 3 | Full impact (5 to 10 points) |
| Month 3 to Month 12 | Diminishing impact (2 to 5 points) |
| Month 12 to Month 24 | Minimal impact (0 to 2 points) |
| After Month 24 | Zero impact (falls off report) |
Multiple inquiries compound: 3 hard inquiries in one month can drop a score by 15 to 30 points in the first 3 months, recovering to near-zero impact by month 18.
The RadCred credit builder service path
RadCred uses only a soft credit check at prequalification. You see your matched offers, APRs, and terms with zero score impact. A hard check happens only when you accept a specific offer and move to the lender’s formal application.
FAQ
Does RadCred do a hard or soft credit check?
Soft check only at the matching stage. No score impact. A hard check may occur when you accept a specific lender’s offer.
How many points does a hard check cost?
5 to 10 points per inquiry. Impact fades after 12 months and disappears after 24 months.
Can I see my loan options without a hard check?
Yes. Prequalification through RadCred, Credit Karma, NerdWallet, and most lender websites shows estimated terms with a soft check. This is the standard in 2026.
Does checking my own credit score count as a hard check?
No. Checking your own credit (reports or scores) is always a soft inquiry. It never affects your score.
Do landlords do hard or soft checks?
Varies. Some landlord screening services use hard pulls (RentPrep, some TransUnion SmartMove plans). Others use soft pulls. Ask the landlord or property manager which type before authorising the check.
How can I tell if a check was soft or hard?
Hard inquiries appear on your credit report under “inquiries” and are visible to other lenders. Soft inquiries may appear on your report under “soft inquiries” but are visible only to you, not to other lenders.
Sources referenced: FICO score inquiry impact data, FICO rate-shopping inquiry window (14 to 45 days), Experian soft vs hard inquiry definitions, TransUnion inquiry reporting standards, Equifax inquiry types, Federal Reserve regulation on employment credit checks, FTC credit report inquiry guidance, CFPB consumer guidance on credit shopping, AnnualCreditReport.com, RadCred prequalification process, NerdWallet prequalification methodology.
