Does Checking Your Credit Score Lower It?
No — checking your own credit score does not lower it. When you look at your own score through an app like CreditVana, your bank, or a credit bureau, it counts as a soft inquiry, which has zero effect on your credit. Only a hard inquiry — when a lender checks your credit because you applied for new credit — can lower your score, and usually by just a few points.
Soft inquiries vs. hard inquiries
Every time someone looks at your credit, it's recorded as one of two types of inquiry. The difference is everything:
- Soft inquiry (soft pull): Checking your own score, a lender pre-approving you for an offer, or an employer background check. Soft inquiries are visible only to you and never affect your score.
- Hard inquiry (hard pull): A lender checks your credit because you applied for a credit card, loan, or mortgage. A hard inquiry can lower your score by roughly 5 points and stays on your report for two years (though it stops affecting your score after about 12 months).
Why checking your own score is always safe
The myth that "checking hurts your credit" confuses these two. Federal rules and the scoring models (FICO and VantageScore) treat consumers reviewing their own credit as a soft inquiry on purpose — you're encouraged to monitor it. You can check your score every single day if you want, and it will never cost you a point.
CreditVana refreshes your scores from all three bureaus every 14 days as a soft pull, so monitoring your progress is completely safe.
When inquiries actually matter
Hard inquiries make up only about 10% of your FICO score, under "new credit." A single hard pull is minor. The risk is many hard inquiries in a short window, which can signal to lenders that you're taking on a lot of new debt. One exception: when you're rate-shopping for a single mortgage, auto, or student loan, multiple hard inquiries of the same type within a focused window (typically 14–45 days) are bundled and counted as one.
How to check your score the safe way
Use a service that performs a soft pull — which includes every legitimate free-score app and your own bank. You should never have to take a hard inquiry just to see your number. With CreditVana, you see your Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion scores free, with no credit card required and no impact on your credit.
Frequently asked questions
Does checking my credit score lower it?
No. Checking your own credit score is a soft inquiry, which never affects your score. Only a hard inquiry from applying for new credit can lower it, usually by a few points.
How many points does a hard inquiry take off?
A single hard inquiry typically lowers your score by about 5 points or less, and its effect fades within about 12 months even though it stays on your report for two years.
How often can I check my own credit score?
As often as you like. Checking your own score is a soft inquiry with no impact, so daily checks are completely safe. CreditVana refreshes your three-bureau scores every 14 days.