Does Checking Your Credit Score Lower It?
5 Min Read | Published: May 23, 2025
This article contains general information and is not intended to provide information that is specific to American Express products and services. Similar products and services offered by different companies will have different features and you should always read about product details before acquiring any financial product.
Learn whether checking your own credit score affects your credit and explore how various soft and hard credit inquiries can impact your score over time.
At-A-Glance
- Checking your own credit score does not lower it since it’s considered a soft credit check.
- Applying for credit, like submitting an application for a credit card or auto loan, triggers a hard credit check that could cause a temporary dip in your score.
- Checking your credit score at least once a year with each credit reporting bureau can have a positive impact on your ability to manage credit.
You may have heard that having too many credit checks in a short time can negatively impact your credit score. And while that may be true when it comes to applying for new credit, it’s not the case when you check your own score. In fact, checking your own credit score is a critical piece of building healthy financial habits.
Here’s what you need to know about checking your own credit and why it won’t lower your score.
Does Checking Your Credit Score Impact It?
Not only does checking your credit score not have a negative impact, but it’s actually part of being responsible with credit. Checking your own credit score is a great way to understand how you’re doing with managing credit.
A credit score is an indication of your ability to manage debt, so a score on the higher end of the credit score range could indicate that you’re a responsible borrower with a history of timely payments. A score that falls onto the lower end of the range could mean there’s room for improvement. Knowing your score may help you make changes before you need to apply for more credit.
Soft vs. Hard Credit Inquiries
There are two types of inquiries you or a lender can make into your credit report: soft inquiries and hard inquiries.
- Soft Credit Inquiry: When you check your own credit, it’s considered a soft inquiry, and soft inquiries do not impact your credit score. A soft credit check can also happen when a lender prequalifies or preapproves you for a credit card, or an employer runs a background check.
- Hard Credit Inquiry: When you formally apply for credit by submitting an application for a credit card or personal loan, the lender issues a hard credit check, which can have a slight, temporary negative impact on your credit score.
How Often Should You Check Your Credit Score?
The general recommendation is that you check your credit score and report once a year from each of the three credit reporting bureaus.1 There are plenty of tools online to help you check your score, like American Express® MyCredit Guide, which can help you check your score for free with no impact, no matter how often you check it.
It may also make sense to check your credit score before or after a big financial event, like paying off a significant debt (house, student loans) or taking on new debt (buying a car or home), to ensure everything was reported appropriately and you aren’t surprised by a sudden dramatic change.
There are several benefits of regularly checking your credit score, including the ability to:
- Quickly spot and correct errors that could negatively affect your score.
- Know where you stand and be able to take steps to improve your score before applying for new credit.
- Identify signs of identity theft or fraud.
How to Check Your Credit Score for Free
There are several ways to check your credit score for free without impacting it.
- Check Your Credit Card App
Many credit card issuers offer a free credit score within their app or on their website. The card issuer may work with a credit bureau to provide a particular score, for example, through Experian®, but not TransUnion®. Since different information can be reported to each of the three bureaus, it’s important to check your score at least once a year with each credit bureau to ensure accuracy. - Go to a Credit Bureau Website
The three credit reporting bureaus, Experian, Equifax®, and TransUnion allow you to check your credit score directly through their websites. To access your scores, you may need to provide basic personal data and create an account. You can also get a free credit report by going to annualcreditreport.com, which is a site authorized by the U.S. government to fill orders for the credit reports you’re entitled to.2 - Look in Your Banking App
If you don’t have a credit card but do have a bank account, you may be able to access information on your credit score from within your banking app. If you don’t see it, contact your bank to ask if they have somewhere you can check your credit score for free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Checking your own credit score does not cause your score to go down. Each time you check your score, it triggers a soft credit inquiry, which doesn’t impact your score in the way a hard inquiry may.
A soft credit check is not bad, as it has no impact on your credit score. Some people may consider hard credit inquiries bad since they can cause your score to dip a few points temporarily. However, hard credit inquiries are unavoidable when you apply for new credit.
A hard credit check could cause your score to drop a few points in the short term, but checking your own credit score is considered a soft credit check that has no impact on your score.3
The Takeaway
Checking your own credit score triggers a soft inquiry, which means the request may show up on your credit report, but it won’t affect your score. If you formally apply for new credit, that triggers a hard inquiry, which can cause a temporary dip in your score. Regularly checking your own credit score at least once a year with each credit bureau is a part of responsible credit management and can benefit your overall financial health in the long run.
1 “Why You Should Review Your Credit Report Regularly,” Experian
2 “Free Credit Reports,” Federal Trade Commission - Consumer Advice
3 “What Is a Soft Inquiry?,” Experian
Brooke Joly is a writer on a mission to unravel the mysteries of personal finance and make them accessible to the everyday reader. When she’s not behind the keyboard, you can find her enjoying the outdoors in Charleston, SC.
All Credit Intel content is written by freelance authors and commissioned and paid for by American Express.
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