Soft Inquiry

Definition

A soft inquiry, also known as a 'soft pull,' is a type of credit check that does not impact an individual's credit score. These happen when you check your own credit, or when a company checks your credit for pre-approval offers without you applying for credit.

Example

Using a credit monitoring service to view your own credit score results in a soft inquiry. Similarly, when a credit card company sends you a pre-approved offer in the mail, they have likely performed a soft inquiry.