How accurate are soft credit checks?

Asked by: Drew Wuckert DDS  |  Last update: November 10, 2025
Score: 4.1/5 (61 votes)

Soft pulls can be as accurate as a hard credit pull and provide much of the same information. However, they won't affect your credit score like a hard pull would.

What do lenders see on a soft credit check?

A soft pull on your credit shows basic personal information, a summary of your credit history, recent inquiries, any public records related to your credit, and sometimes a summary of your credit scores. It does not reveal detailed account-specific information and doesn't affect your credit score.

How many points does a soft credit check drop your score?

Soft inquiries do not affect credit scores and are not visible to potential lenders that may review your credit reports. They are visible to you and will stay on your credit reports for 12 to 24 months, depending on the type. The other type of inquiry is a “hard” inquiry.

Can you fail a soft credit check?

Can I 'fail' a soft credit check? Don't worry, you can't 'fail' a soft credit check. With a soft search, you're not actually applying for anything – so it won't result in a lender's decision.

Do soft checks show up on credit report?

Reasons for this type of soft hit include meeting regulatory requirements and assessing you for a new product or service offer. Soft credit checks will show up on your credit report when you request your own copy and for the company who did them.

How Accurate Is a Soft Credit Check? - CreditGuide360.com

16 related questions found

How accurate is a soft credit score?

Soft pulls can be as accurate as a hard credit pull and provide much of the same information. However, they won't affect your credit score like a hard pull would.

Is 700 a good credit score?

A 700 credit score is considered a good score on the most common credit score range, which runs from 300 to 850. How does your score compare with others? You're within the good credit score range, which runs from 690 to 719.

How many soft inquiries are bad?

To sum things up, soft inquiries have no effect on your credit score. They happen all the time without your knowledge, so don't worry about them.

Does a soft credit check show defaults?

However, it's crucial to note that soft credit checks do not show defaults, missed payments, or County Court Judgments (CCJs). This makes them a useful tool for individuals and lenders to gauge creditworthiness without affecting the credit score.

Can a bank do a soft credit check without permission?

But that doesn't mean your permission is always needed before a credit check — if someone is performing a hard credit check, they have to ask for permission, but if someone is performing a soft credit check, they don't have to ask for permission.

How long does a soft credit check stay on your record?

How long do soft inquiries stay on your credit report? Promotional inquiries can stay on your credit report for one year, while other soft inquiries may stay on your credit report for two years. Only you can see all the soft inquiries on your credit report.

What drops your credit score fast?

Quick Answer

Reasons why your credit score could have dropped include a missing or late payment, a recent application for new credit, running up a large credit card balance or closing a credit card.

How accurate is credit karma?

But, just how accurate are Credit Karma scores? They may differ by 20 to 25 points, and in some cases even more. When Credit Karma users see their credit score details, they are viewing a VantageScore, not the FICO score that the majority of lenders use.

What does a soft credit check reveal?

Everything you can see on a soft credit check. A lot more personal information, such as past addresses and your employment history. A complete history of credit accounts – details on every credit card, loan, mortgage, utility account, etc you have held in the past six years.

How to stop soft credit pulls?

If you'd like to limit soft inquiries, you can use the website OptOutPrescreen.com to opt out of the prescreening process that companies use to send you offers for items like credit cards, mortgage refinancing and insurance.

Does a soft credit check show your income?

Income is not part of your credit report. And while lenders often factor your income into their lending decisions, they'll typically get that information directly from you during the credit application process.

How many points do you lose on a soft credit check?

A soft inquiry can occur even if you didn't apply for credit. It is primarily used to screen for preapproval offers or for a background check. Credit scores are not impacted by soft credit checks. A hard credit check can temporarily affect your credit score.

How to pass a rental credit check?

Here are some things you can do:
  1. Offer Advanced Payments. Landlords are usually only concerned by bad credit scores, which could result in late payments. ...
  2. Get a Co-signer. ...
  3. Provide Strong Proof of Income. ...
  4. Offer a Good Explanation. ...
  5. Live With a Roommate. ...
  6. Get References From Past Landlords. ...
  7. Rent an Apartment Month-to-Month.

Are soft credit scores accurate?

Although credit reports and credit scores can vary slightly from one credit bureau to the next based on the factors previously mentioned, the information found on a soft pull credit check can be considered accurate. If you are considering using soft pull reports to enhance your business, Soft Pull Solutions can help.

Do I need to unfreeze credit for soft pull?

Even a soft credit pull requires that your credit be unfrozen. A soft credit check is when a creditor checks your score without lowering it, and a hard check is when your score can be affected. Good news: It's free and easy to unfreeze your credit before applying for a new credit card or loan.

Is it bad to check credit karma every day?

Look anytime

Check your credit as much as you want without hurting your scores.

What information is needed for a soft credit check?

Personal details like your name, home address and date of birth. A list of any types of credit you currently have, including any bank accounts, loans and credit card accounts, and any outstanding debts. Details of your repayment history, including any missed or late payments.

Is a 900 credit score possible?

What is the highest credit score possible? To start off: No, it's not possible to have a 900 credit score in the United States. In some countries that use other models, like Canada, people could have a score of 900. The current scoring models in the U.S. have a maximum of 850.

Can I buy a house with a 704 credit score?

The minimum credit score needed to buy a house can range from 500 to 700, but will ultimately depend on the type of mortgage loan you're applying for and your lender. While it's possible to get a mortgage with bad credit, you typically need good or exceptional credit to qualify for the best terms.

Can I get 50000 with 700 credit score?

A 700 credit score can help you in securing a Rs 50,000 Personal Loan with many benefits, such as: Lower interest rates. Higher loan amounts. Faster approval process.