# Soft vs hard credit searches — what each one does to your file > Credit cards & loans · Last updated 6 April 2026 Canonical HTML: https://moneyguide.org.uk/credit/soft-vs-hard-credit-search/ Markdown mirror: https://moneyguide.org.uk/credit/soft-vs-hard-credit-search.md ## Quick answer Soft credit searches are visible only to you and do not affect your score; hard searches are recorded when you formally apply for credit and can lower your score if you make many in a short period. A soft credit search is invisible to other lenders and does not affect your score. A hard search is recorded for two years and a flurry of them in a short period can knock your score temporarily. Knowing which is which protects your application. ## Key facts - Soft search: visible only to you. No effect on credit score. Used by eligibility checkers and most price-comparison sites. - Hard search: visible to other lenders for 12 months and on your file for 24. Recorded each time you formally apply. - Several hard searches in a short period can flag you as 'credit hungry' and dip your score. - Some products (most personal loans, credit cards via eligibility checkers, car finance pre-approval) can be checked with a soft search before applying. ## What counts as a soft search Checking your own report. Using an eligibility checker through authorised free credit services or comparison tools. Most insurance quotes and identity-verification checks. Pre-employment or rental-affordability checks. A soft search leaves an entry on your file visible only to you, never to other lenders. It has no effect on your score, no matter how many you do. ## What counts as a hard search Any formal application for credit: a mortgage, personal loan, credit card application (not a card eligibility check), car finance, overdraft, mobile contract or buy-now-pay-later facility. A hard search is recorded on your file. Other lenders can see it for 12 months from the date of the search. A single hard search has a tiny effect; many in a short period look like distress and can dip your score by 20–50 points. ## How to apply without damaging your score Always use an eligibility checker first. A soft search tells you the likely rate and approval odds without leaving a hard footprint. Cluster mortgage searches. The credit bureaus typically treat multiple mortgage searches within a 30-day window as a single rate-shopping event for scoring purposes. Avoid opening new accounts in the 3–6 months before a mortgage application. Lenders see fresh searches and new debt as red flags. Spread credit applications out — a rough guide is no more than 1–2 hard searches in any 6-month period if you are about to apply for a major loan. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does checking my own score hurt it? No. Checking your own credit report through any of the UK bureaus is a soft search and has no effect at all on your score, however many times you do it. ### How long do hard searches last? They stay visible to other lenders for 12 months and remain on your credit file for 24 months. After that they drop off. ### What if I am declined? A declined application leaves a hard search but does not record the decline itself. Other lenders see the search, not the outcome. Wait at least 3 months before re-applying, and use a soft-search eligibility checker first. ## Primary source https://www.experian.co.uk/consumer/guides/hard-soft-credit-check.html ## Related - [Credit guide](https://moneyguide.org.uk/credit/) - [Credit card payoff calculator](https://moneyguide.org.uk/tools/credit-card-payoff-calculator/) --- Independent UK money guidance from [Money Guide](https://moneyguide.org.uk). Money Guide is not a financial adviser and does not currently earn commission on credit cards. This guide is educational information only — always check the issuer's own terms, eligibility checkers and fees before applying. 18+, subject to status. Credit is a commitment: only borrow what you can repay in full each month, because interest charges erase every reward on this page.