Soft Inquiry Credit Report: Does Checking Loan Options Affect Your Credit?

A soft inquiry credit report check — also called a soft pull — lets a lender preview your credit without affecting your credit score. When you check your loan options through ZipFundToday, the initial match is a soft inquiry, so simply seeing what you qualify for never lowers your score.

Soft inquiry vs hard inquiry

Both are checks of your credit report, but only one affects your score. Here’s the difference at a glance:

	Soft inquiry (soft pull)	Hard inquiry (hard pull)
Affects your credit score?	No	Yes — a few points, temporarily
When it happens	Checking options, pre-qualification, viewing your own credit	A lender’s final decision after you formally apply
Visible to other lenders?	No (only you see most)	Yes — stays on your report ~2 years
Your authorization	Often no separate consent needed	You authorize it before the lender pulls it

Does checking loan options affect my credit score?

No. Submitting a request on ZipFundToday is a soft inquiry, so checking what you may qualify for does not affect your credit score. A lender that decides to make you a final offer may run a hard inquiry at that point — and you’ll be told before that happens.

When does a hard inquiry happen?

A hard inquiry happens later in the process, when you choose to move forward with a specific lender and they pull your full credit report to make a final lending decision. You authorize a hard inquiry before it occurs — it never happens just from comparing your options.

How long does a hard inquiry stay on my credit report?

A hard inquiry stays on your credit report for about two years, but its effect on your score usually fades within a few months. A single hard inquiry typically lowers a score by only a few points.

Frequently asked questions

What is a soft inquiry on a credit report?

A soft inquiry (soft pull) is a review of your credit that does not affect your score. It happens when you check your own credit, when a lender pre-qualifies you, or during a pre-screen. Most soft inquiries are visible only to you.

Can I see loan offers without hurting my credit?

Yes. Checking your options on ZipFundToday uses a soft inquiry, so you can see what lenders in the network may offer for $100 to $5,000 without a hard pull. Only if you accept and proceed with a lender might a hard inquiry occur.