How Can You Apply for a Credit Card Without Affecting Your Credit Score?

If you want to look for an unsecured credit card without affecting your credit score, the safest approach is to use a pre-qualification or pre-approval tool before submitting an actual application. These preliminary checks generally use a soft credit inquiry, which does not affect your credit score. However, pre-qualification is not actually applying for the credit card. Once you decide to proceed with a regular application, the issuer will generally perform a hard credit inquiry that can affect your score.

There is another way to avoid a credit inquiry altogether. Some secured credit cards do not require a credit check when you apply. For example, the opensky^® Plus Secured Visa^® Credit Card does not require a credit check. The tradeoff is that you have to put down a refundable security deposit to establish the credit line. This makes a no-credit-check secured card very different from using a pre-qualification tool to shop for an unsecured card.

So, if your goal is to find an unsecured credit card without initially affecting your credit, look for pre-qualified offers. If your goal is to actually get a credit card without a credit check, look at secured cards that don't require one. Those are two different solutions to what sounds like the same question.

Affiliate Disclosure: We are a professional review site that receives compensation from the companies whose products we review and recommend. If you click on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened, we may earn a commission. We are independently owned, and the opinions expressed here are our own.

Can You Check for a Credit Card Without Affecting Your Credit Score?

Yes. You can check whether you may qualify for certain credit card offers without affecting your credit score when the issuer uses a soft inquiry for its pre-qualification or pre-approval process.

This can be especially useful if you're trying to avoid unnecessary hard inquiries. Instead of applying for several cards and having each issuer potentially pull your credit, you can first see whether you have offers available and then decide which one, if any, you want to pursue.

The important thing to understand is that you're checking for an offer, not opening the account. The preliminary result does not guarantee that the issuer will approve your formal application.

Does Pre-Qualification Mean You Have Actually Applied for the Credit Card?

No. Pre-qualification is a way to see whether you may qualify for an offer before submitting a regular credit card application.

That's an important distinction when you're trying to protect your credit score. A pre-qualification check can generally be performed with a soft inquiry, but a formal application can result in a hard inquiry.

In other words, pre-qualification lets you shop without making the credit-card application itself. If you find an offer you want, you can then decide whether you're willing to proceed with the formal application and the potential hard inquiry.

Can You Actually Apply for a Credit Card Without a Credit Check?

Yes, in some cases. Certain secured credit cards do not require a credit check when you apply. These cards aren't simply using a soft inquiry to pre-qualify you. They may allow you to submit an actual application without a credit inquiry.

The catch is that secured credit cards require a security deposit. The deposit generally establishes or supports the credit line, so you have to provide money to secure the account.

For example, some OpenSky^® secured cards do not require a credit check. If avoiding a credit inquiry is more important to you than getting an unsecured card, that can provide a completely different route.

What Is the Catch With a Secured Credit Card That Doesn't Require a Credit Check?

You have to provide a security deposit. That's the fundamental difference between this option and pre-qualifying for an unsecured credit card.

If a secured card requires a $500 deposit for a $500 credit line, you have to provide that $500 before you can use the credit line. The deposit is generally refundable according to the card's terms, but it is still your money being committed to secure the account.

So if you don't want to put down a deposit, a no-credit-check secured card may not be what you're looking for. In that situation, pre-qualification for an unsecured card is the more appropriate way to shop without initially affecting your credit score.

Which Credit Card Issuers Let You Pre-Qualify Without Affecting Your Credit?

Several major credit card issuers offer ways to check for potential credit card offers before submitting a formal application. These may be called pre-qualification, pre-approval, or personalized offers, depending on the issuer.

American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Credit One Bank, and Wells Fargo are examples of issuers that have offered online ways to check for potential offers. The information required to begin the process varies by issuer, and an issuer may not show an offer to every person who checks.

The advantage is that you can investigate your potential options before deciding whether to submit a formal application. That can be particularly useful if you're trying to limit the number of hard inquiries on your credit report.

Does Pre-Qualification Guarantee That You Will Get the Credit Card?

No. A pre-qualified or pre-approved offer does not guarantee that your application will ultimately be approved.

The issuer can still require you to complete a formal application and verify the information you provided. The final credit decision and account terms are determined during the application process.

That's why you should think of pre-qualification as a screening step, rather than an approval for a new credit card.

Can You Apply for an American Express Card Without an Immediate Hard Inquiry?

Yes. American Express has an application process that allows applicants to receive an approval decision before deciding whether to accept the card.

With American Express Apply With Confidence, you can submit an application and receive an approval decision before accepting the card. American Express says that if you accept the card, a hard inquiry will then be made, which may affect your credit score.

This is different from ordinary pre-qualification because you're actually going through an application process. However, the timing of the hard inquiry gives applicants an opportunity to receive the decision before accepting the account.

What Happens to Your Credit When You Formally Apply for a Credit Card?

A hard inquiry may be added to your credit report. Unlike a soft inquiry used for many pre-qualification checks, a hard inquiry can affect your credit score.

That doesn't mean you should never apply for a credit card. It simply means that if you're specifically trying to avoid an impact to your credit score, you should understand whether you're performing a preliminary offer check or submitting a formal application.

How Do You Look for a Credit Card Without Affecting Your Credit?

Start with pre-qualification if you want an unsecured credit card. It allows you to look for potential offers without initially affecting your credit score when the issuer uses a soft inquiry.

If you don't want a credit inquiry at all, look at secured cards that don't require a credit check. Just remember that you'll generally need to provide a refundable security deposit.

The most important thing is to understand the difference between checking for an offer and actually applying. Pre-qualification can help you shop for an unsecured card without initially affecting your score, while a no-credit-check secured card can allow you to apply without a credit inquiry at the cost of requiring a security deposit.