Does checking your rate hurt your credit?
Updated November 7, 2026
Checking your rate does not hurt your credit when it runs as a soft inquiry. A hard inquiry is different: it usually happens when you go ahead with an application, and it can lower your score by a small amount. The name on the button matters less than which inquiry runs behind it.
On RiseKredit, checking your options does not affect your credit score. If you then go ahead with a lender, that lender may verify your information and obtain consumer reports as the law allows, which can include a credit check. Read the lender's own terms for details, because the moment of a hard inquiry is set by each lender and not by us.
What is the difference between a soft and a hard inquiry?
The CFPB says credit inquiries generally fall into two categories (read November 7, 2026).
| Soft inquiry | Hard inquiry | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical cause | Prescreening, reviews of existing accounts, employment screening, checking your own report | A lender checking after you apply for credit |
| Effect on your score | None, according to the CFPB | Can affect it, because most scoring models look at how recently and how often you apply |
| Who can see it | Only you, on your own report | Others who buy your report |
How much does a hard inquiry lower your score?
The CFPB describes the effect as typically a small negative one (read November 7, 2026). It gives no single number, because scoring models differ, and because the effect depends on what else is on your report. One inquiry is rarely the main thing a lender sees. A long run of new applications is another matter: the CFPB notes that applying for a lot of credit over a short time may look to lenders as if you are dealing with financial setbacks (read November 7, 2026).
How can you tell which one a site is running?
- Read the words near the button. Look for lines about a soft inquiry, or about whether checking affects your score.
- Read the authorization. If you are agreeing to let a lender obtain your credit report as part of an application, assume that a hard inquiry may follow.
- Ask. A real lender can tell you when a hard inquiry will happen. If nobody can answer, take that as useful information.
- Check afterward. You can see inquiries on your own reports. The CFPB says you can get free reports from each of the three major companies once a week at AnnualCreditReport.com (read November 7, 2026).
How does a personal loan affect your credit score after that?
The inquiry is only the start. Once you have a loan, a lender may report it, and how you repay can matter far more than the inquiry did. The CFPB says most scores treat repayment history as the number one factor (read November 7, 2026). So on time payments can help where a lender reports them, and missed payments can hurt. Not every small loan lender reports to the credit bureaus, so ask before you sign if building credit matters to you. Ask how late payments are handled as well, since that is where a small loan can do the most damage.
Is it safe to compare several offers?
Comparing is worth doing. Prefer ways to compare that use a soft inquiry, read offers side by side, and apply only to the one you intend to take. The CFPB's general rule is to apply for credit only when you need it.
When you compare, look at the APR and the total to repay rather than the payment alone. A lower payment over a longer time can cost much more in the end. For what goes into a decision besides these checks, read what lenders look at besides your score.
Does it matter if your credit is already low?
A soft inquiry still does nothing to your score, so checking your options costs you nothing there. With a low score, an extra hard inquiry may not change much on its own, but several in a short time can add to the picture lenders see. The bigger question is usually whether the offer's cost makes sense. Our guide on how much you can borrow with bad credit covers that.
See my optionsCommon questions
Does a personal loan affect your credit score?
Yes, in a few ways. A hard inquiry can lower it slightly, and if the lender reports the loan, your payments count for or against you. On time payments help most. Missed payments can do real damage.
Does checking my own credit report hurt my score?
No. The CFPB lists requests for your own credit reports as soft inquiries, which do not affect your scores. You can check as often as the free service allows.
Can other lenders see that I checked my rate?
Not when it was a soft inquiry. The CFPB says soft inquiries show only to you when you review your own report. Hard inquiries can be seen by others who buy your report.