Does Checking Your Credit Score Lower It?

 

Checking your own credit score is safe, but applying for new credit can temporarily lower it.

This is one of the most common credit myths.

Soft vs. Hard Credit Checks

There are two types of inquiries:

Soft inquiries:

• checking your own score

• credit monitoring tools

• pre-approval checks

👉 Do NOT affect your score

Hard inquiries:

• applying for loans

• credit card applications

👉 May lower score temporarily

How Much Does a Hard Inquiry Affect a Score?

Typically:

• 3 to 10 points

• impact fades within a few months

Multiple applications in a short period can increase the effect.

Why Checking Your Own Score Is Safe

Credit bureaus treat self-checks as informational, not risk behavior.

Example

Checking your credit weekly through a monitoring app does not reduce your score.

FAQ

Should I avoid checking my score?
No. Monitoring helps prevent fraud and mistakes.