Published on Apr 30, 2025Updated on Aug 31, 2026
Understanding soft credit enquiry vs hard enquiry or a hard pull vs soft pull is crucial for managing your financial health effectively. Both credit enquiry types serve different purposes and have distinct impacts on your credit report and score.
A hard credit enquiry takes place when a lender formally requests access to your credit report during a loan or credit application process. This is done to evaluate your creditworthiness, using data such as your payment history, outstanding debts, and credit utilisation. Each hard enquiry is recorded on your credit report.
A hard credit check impact can last just as long as a soft enquiry. Hard enquiries can slightly lower your credit score and remain on your credit report for up to two years. However, most scoring models only consider hard enquiries from the past 12 months when calculating your score.
A soft credit check or a soft enquiry occurs when you or an authorised party, like a potential employer, reviews your credit report. A soft credit check can also happen when a credit card company or lender checks your credit to prequalify you for an offer. These checks do not indicate a formal credit application and therefore do not affect your credit score.
Soft enquiries remain on your credit report for up to two years . However, since they’re not linked to credit applications or loan decisions, they do not affect your credit score.
The difference between soft credit enquiry and hard enquiry lies primarily in their purpose, effect on your credit score, and whether they require consent.
A soft enquiry occurs when your credit report is checked for non-lending purposes, whereas a hard enquiry happens when a lender pulls your credit report to check your creditworthiness for a new loan, credit card, or line of credit.
Soft enquiries have no effect on your credit score, but hard enquiries can lower your score by a few points, especially if several are made in a short time.
Soft enquiries aren’t visible to lenders; hard enquiries are visible to lenders or any authorised party who checks your credit report.
Soft enquiries may occur without your direct consent – for example, pre-approved credit offers. On the other hand, hard enquiries require your explicit permission before your credit report is accessed.
Soft Enquiries:
Hard Enquiries:
Let’s look at how credit enquiries could affect loan approvals:
To avoid the negative effects of too many hard enquiries, consider the following tips:
Legitimate hard enquiries cannot be removed from your credit report. However, if you notice a suspicious or incorrect enquiry, you can take the following steps:
Understanding the difference between soft and hard credit enquiries is essential for maintaining a healthy credit profile. By applying for credit judiciously, checking your credit reports regularly, and disputing any unauthorised enquiries, you can safeguard your credit score.
At SMFG India Credit, a minimum credit score of 700 is essential to access personal loans of up to INR 10 Lakhs*. Check your eligibility and apply online to benefit from competitive interest rates starting at just 12.5%* per annum.
Important Note: This article is for general informational purposes only and may be subject to change from time to time. As product features, eligibility criteria, interest rates, charges, fees, tenures and other terms may be revised as per SMFG India Credit's policies, readers are advised to refer to the latest details from the respective product pages (please select from the top menu). For the latest loan charges, please visit Charges & Fees Link and for the latest Interest rates, please visit Interest Rate Rationale. Please note that final loan terms, disbursement process and eligibility criteria will depend on SMFG India Credit's policies at the time of loan application.
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