A soft pull does not impact the consumer's credit score in any way. It does not appear as an inquiry on the consumer's credit report and has no effect on their score, regardless of how many soft pulls are run. A hard pull, by contrast, is recorded as a formal inquiry on the consumer's credit report and can temporarily lower their score — typically by a few points. Multiple hard pull inquiries in a short period can compound this effect, which is why many lenders and brokers prefer to use soft pulls during early prequalification stages before committing to a hard pull.

A soft pull does not require a Social Security Number. Only the consumer's name and current address are needed to run a full soft pull credit report. This makes it significantly easier to initiate early-stage credit screening — particularly in situations where a consumer may be reluctant to provide sensitive personal information before a formal application. A hard pull requires the consumer's full Social Security Number as part of the identity verification process required by the credit bureaus.

A soft pull does not require a Date of Birth. Only the consumer's name and address are needed. A hard pull requires the consumer's Date of Birth as part of the bureau's identity verification requirements. The lower data requirements of a soft pull make it easier to prequalify consumers earlier in the sales or application process, with fewer barriers to getting started.

A soft pull does not create trigger leads. Trigger leads occur when a hard pull inquiry is recorded on a consumer's credit report — the hard inquiry can then trigger the information to be sold to lenders, who then use it to market directly to the consumer, often within hours of the inquiry. Because a soft pull is not recorded as a formal inquiry on the consumer's report, it does not generate trigger leads. This is a significant advantage for mortgage brokers, loan officers, dealerships, and other businesses that do not want competitors contacting their prospects during the prequalification process.

A Risk-Based Pricing Notification is not required after running a soft pull credit report. This requirement applies to hard pull inquiries that are used as the basis for a credit decision — lenders must notify consumers when they receive less favorable credit terms as a result of information in their credit report. Because soft pulls are used for prequalification rather than final credit decisions, this compliance obligation does not apply, reducing administrative burden during early-stage screening.

Yes. A soft pull is a full credit report. It contains the same tradeline data, account history, payment history, public records, and credit inquiries as a hard pull credit report. The only difference is how the inquiry is classified — soft pulls are not recorded as hard inquiries and do not impact the consumer's credit score. The completeness of the data makes soft pulls a reliable tool for accurate prequalification, not just a surface-level credit check.

Yes. A FICO Score is included with both soft pull and hard pull credit reports through Soft Pull Solutions. Reports can be configured to use the same FICO scoring model required by your lender or underwriting guidelines — including mortgage-specific, auto-specific, and general consumer FICO models from Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. If the same bureau and scoring model are used for both a soft pull and a hard pull, the resulting FICO Score will be identical.

Yes. A soft pull credit report is sufficient for tenant screening. Because it is a full credit report containing complete account history, payment history, and public records, landlords and property managers have access to the same data they would receive from a hard pull — without affecting the applicant's credit score. Soft pulls are widely used in tenant screening for this reason, and can be combined with additional services such as eviction history searches and criminal background checks for a comprehensive applicant review.

Yes. Consent for both soft pull and hard pull credit reports can be obtained over the phone. There is no requirement for written or in-person authorization, though it is best practice to document the consent obtained. For soft pulls in particular, the ability to gain phone consent — combined with the minimal data required (name and address only) — makes it fast and easy to initiate credit screening during an initial sales call or inquiry, without requiring the consumer to complete a formal application first.