Checking your own credit score does not lower it. That is a soft inquiry, which includes personal checks and prequalification offers, and these never impact your score. A hard inquiry occurs when you apply for credit such as a loan, credit card, or mortgage, and it can temporarily reduce your score by a few points. I run one of the largest product comparison platforms online, where we evaluate U.S. credit and financial tools at scale. The most effective ways to improve a credit score are paying every bill on time, keeping credit utilization under 30 percent, limiting new applications, and allowing accounts to age. According to FICO, payment history and utilization together account for over 65 percent of a consumer's score. Albert Richer, Founder, WhatAreTheBest.com
So, checking your own credit score is fine. It's a soft pull, so it doesn't do anything. But when a lender pulls it for a mortgage, that's a hard inquiry and it can ding your score. My advice is to keep an eye on your credit, but hold off on opening new lines of credit before you start house hunting. It just complicates everything.
Good news, checking your own credit score doesn't lower it. The bureaus call that a soft inquiry, so you can look anytime. But when you apply for a new card or loan, that's a hard inquiry, which might dip your score a little for a short time. Honestly, just focus on paying on time and not maxing out your cards. That's what actually moves the needle.
Checking your own credit score is a soft inquiry, so it won't hurt your number. A hard inquiry, like when you apply for a loan, can knock it down a bit, especially if several happen close together. From what I've seen with clients, keeping your credit usage below 30 percent and making on-time payments is what actually improves your score over time.
Checking your credit score does not lower it—this is considered a soft credit inquiry, which has no impact on your score. Additionally, soft inquiries can only be seen by you on your credit report. Prequalification checks by lenders and background checks by employers are other examples of these kinds of queries. On the other hand, hard inquiries happen when your credit is checked by a lender as part of a loan or credit application. Hard inquiries are visible to people checking your credit score and can temporarily lower it. These inquiries stay on your report for two years, but only impact your credit score for one. One solid way to improve your credit score is by using a credit card to pay your mortgage. This helps you build and maintain solid credit, with the added bonus of earning points or cash back on these routine payments. However, if paid late, you will be subject to hefty interest charges on the particular amount, and your credit score could be negatively impacted, so always make sure you're on top of the payments.
Checking your own credit score will not lower your credit score; however, this is one of many confusing issues about how credit scores are affected. For example, I have found myself advising students considering major decisions such as applying to graduate school, moving to another state, or buying their first home. Credit anxiety usually stems from uncertainty about the factors that affect a credit score. Soft inquiries occur when you check your own credit, or if a lender wants to give you some preliminary information before extending an offer to you. In either case, these types of inquiries do not affect your credit score. Hard inquiries occur when you submit an application for credit ( a car loan, credit card) and could result in a slight drop in your credit score generally 5-10 points but this is short-lived. A second error I find students make is that they completely ignore reviewing their credit reports. Ignoring your credit report could lead to mistakes, and missed payments or past-due accounts may be reported as late and continue to bring down your credit score. Reviewing your credit score regularly allows you to identify potential issues early. Simple strategies for improving your credit score include: Pay all your bills on time, keep your debt-to-income ratio as low as possible, and do not open multiple new lines of credit at once. A student I worked with improved her credit score by over 38 points in 6 months by simply paying off her credit cards to under 30% utilization. In summary, knowing your credit score will help improve it. Avoiding your credit score will not help protect it. Understanding your credit score is the first step toward using it to your advantage.
You shouldn't worry about checking your own credit score. It won't hurt your credit. People often avoid checking their credit scores in payments and lending because they're worried that doing so will "hurt" their credit, which is the exact opposite of what will happen. The confusion between soft and hard inquiries is the source of this misconception. Soft inquiries occur whenever you check your own credit report (or through an application), receive a pre-approved offer, or sign up for a credit monitoring service. These types of inquiries are completely invisible to lenders. Hard inquiries occur whenever you apply for credit; when that happens, your credit score might drop a little bit typically no more than five points but should recover to its previous level within three to four months. More important than whether you've had a hard inquiry is your long-term behavior. Your payment history and how much of your available credit you're using have the greatest impact on your credit score. I've seen people who weren't approved for a loan or credit with absolutely no inquiries on their credit report, simply because the amount they owed was so high compared to the amount of credit they'd been extended. To improve your credit score, focus on things that lenders can see: Always pay bills and other debts on time, every time Keep your card balances below 30 percent of the total limit on each card Don't apply for multiple lines of credit at once Check your reports for errors at least twice a year One of my clients improved his ability to qualify for better terms on his credit approvals in less than 90 days by paying off two credit cards and challenging a closed account that was still listed as active. Your credit score isn't fragile. Credit scoring is based on the patterns you follow over time. Single checks don't matter.
You are not damaging your credit by checking your credit score; you may be damaging your credit by misunderstanding what credit means. I have learned that through many of the credit inquiries (pulls) I had to make for leases, cards, and finance on behalf of my business. The primary reason people are afraid to pull their credit is that they confuse pulling their credit with pulling an application. Pulling your credit will always result in a "soft inquiry," which is absolutely harmless. This occurs when you pull your own credit report or use a credit tool to view your credit report. Pulling your credit will always result in a "hard inquiry", but even a "hard inquiry" has little to no effect, and only temporarily affects your credit score. The biggest surprise for me was how critical timing was. For example, applying for two credit cards in the same month had a bigger impact on my credit score than checking my credit report every week would have. After learning this lesson, I began to think differently about making credit decisions. If you want to improve your credit, the first step is developing good habits versus relying on tricks/hacks: 1. Set all of your monthly payments to automatic so you can protect your credit history. 2. Reduce your balances to the lowest possible amount before applying for any new credit. 3. Do not close old accounts unless you have an issue with a fee. 4. Lenders look for trends in your credit history. I've seen scores go up after a credit inquiry was pulled because your balances went down and you continued to make timely payments. Your credit score is not something you should hide from or be afraid to view. Your credit score is a tool, and like all tools, it will only work if you use it.
Reviewing your own credit score will never lower it. Often times people confuse "soft" vs "hard" inquiries. The "soft" inquiries are when you check your credit score or when lenders pre-screen you for potential offers; neither type of inquiry will affect your score. A "hard" inquiry occurs when you submit an application for credit and may slightly lower your score (typically for a short period). At Advanced Professional Accounting Services, I assist my clients with planning their credit applications in order to limit the number of "hard" inquiries made against them. One example was that one of my clients raised his credit score by 42 points simply by paying off balances prior to submitting his loan application. My #1 tip is to keep your credit utilization ratio as low as possible and make timely payments. This will add up and positively reflect on your credit report over time.
Pulling your credit score will not affect it, except if you are applying for othercredit simultaneously. Where the confusion lies is in how a "soft" versus "hard" inquiry occurs. When you view your own credit score or if a creditor does a background investigation without your explicit permission, it has absolutely no bearing on your credit. When it happens because you are applying for a new credit card, loan, or home equity loan it impacts it slightly as it indicates that you are actively seeking credit. If you want to help boost your credit score, it's better to be predictable rather than complex. Pay on time, maintain low balances, and avoid opening multiple new lines of credit at once. Your credit score can be thought of as your trust rating.