How to Get Preapproved for a Chase Credit Card
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Chase credit cards are some of the best credit cards available in terms of rewards, benefits and interest rates. However, there’s never a guarantee that you’ll be approved when you apply. Every time you apply for credit, your credit score temporarily drops a few points, which can be disheartening if you apply and aren’t approved for a credit card.
This is where credit card preapproval is helpful. It’s a way that credit card companies screen you and indicate that there’s a good chance they’ll approve your credit card application if you apply. Using the Chase online preapproval tool is the easiest way to get preapproved; however, there are other options that we’ll explain below.
Ways to prequalify for a Chase credit card
How to get preapproved for a Chase credit card
Chase offers a variety of ways in which they prequalify new credit card customers. To see if you are preapproved for a Chase credit card, you can:
Use the Chase preapproval tool
The Chase preapproval tool is a quick way to find out if you’re preapproved for Chase credit cards.
- Go to the Chase preapproval tool
- Fill out a short form with some personal information, including the last four digits of your Social Security Number
- Submit the form and find out within seconds if you are preapproved for any Chase credit cards
Unfortunately, this tool is not always available. If so, consider one of the following options to find out if you’re preapproved.
Check for offers in your Chase account
If you’re already a Chase customer, you can log in to your account online or in the mobile app to see if any preapproval offers are waiting for you.
- 1. Log in to your Chase account and go to the main menu
- 2. Go to the “Explore Products” tab and click on “Just for You” in the dropdown menu
- 3. Look at the offers, if any, to see which one would be best for your financial needs
Note that offers may change. If you’re considering applying for one, do it sooner than later.
Reply to an offer from Chase
Sometimes Chase sends out credit card offers via mail or email. You might typically send them to the trash can. The next time one arrives, open it up to view the offers — you might find a better offer than the public offers available online.
With a mail or email offer, you will usually be given a coupon code or offer code and a few options for responding including at Chase.com and in a local branch. Be sure to use your unique code when applying for your credit card since it is tied to the sign-up bonus.
Visit your local branch
For those with existing relationships with Chase, visiting a personal banker at your local branch may be able to increase your odds of preapproval. Even if you’re not a current client, going in to open a checking or savings account is a first step in getting to know the bankers.
Chase credit cards that you may be preapproved for
There’s no list of which cards Chase offers preapproval for, but possible cards include:
| Chase credit card | Choose if you want a | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® | Travel credit card | $550 |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | Travel credit card | $95 |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited® | Cash back credit card | $0 |
| Chase Slate Edge℠ | Balance transfer credit card | $0 |
| Chase Freedom Flex℠ | 0% Intro APR | $0 |
| Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card | Business credit card | $0 |
| Chase Freedom Rise℠ Credit Card | Beginner credit card | $0 |
Prequalified vs. preapproved: What’s the difference?
While these two words are often used synonymously, Chase has its own interpretation of their meanings.
Prequalified means that you have made the first step by reaching out to a credit card issuer to see whether or not you are likely to be approved for a certain credit card. The issuer then reviews your financial profile and offers credit cards for which you might qualify.
Preapproved means that specific information about you and your credit history has been prescreened against the lender’s criteria. Lenders get this information by requesting a soft inquiry, and if they feel you qualify, you are preapproved.
Being prequalified or preapproved is no guarantee that you will ultimately be approved for a credit card. It simply suggests that you have a good chance of being approved for a specific credit card.
What factors go into Chase credit card preapproval?
There are many factors that go into receiving preapproval for a Chase credit card including your:
Your three-digit FICO score is an important factor in determining your creditworthiness. It includes a variety of data on your ability to pay off credit cards, loans, mortgages and any other debt that you’ve taken on. Your payment history includes the types of credit you’ve had and whether or not your payments are on time.
Recently opened accounts: Credit card issuers don’t like to see that you’ve recently opened several new credit accounts. This raises red flags, as you may be taking on more debt than you can afford. Chase also has an unwritten 5/24 rule which is that if you’ve opened more than five credit accounts within the last 24 months, they won’t allow you to open a new Chase account.
Income and housing expenses: Credit card issuers ask how much you earn and about your housing costs so that they can set a reasonable credit limit. Typically they will set it low to avoid risk, but they also won’t give you a limit that, if reached, exceeds your potential to pay it off. Over time, if you’re a responsible cardholder, they may increase your credit limit.
How to boost your preapproval odds for a Chase credit card
There are ways to improve your odds of being approved for a Chase credit card, or any of the best credit cards. Try one, or all, of these tips to put your overall financial health in great shape.
- Sign up for LendingTree Spring. This free tool offers you a glimpse into your finances. You get personalized tips for improving your credit score and custom credit card offers.
- Don’t apply for other credit cards in the meantime. Too many inquiries hurt your credit score. If you really need a credit card, consider choosing one from our list of easiest credit cards to get.
- Pay your credit card bills early or on time. Payment history is an important part of your credit score. If you cannot pay your balance in full, be sure to make the minimum payment.
- Keep your credit card balances low. Pay off purchases soon after you make them to keep your credit utilization ratio low. This is a simple way that may easily improve your credit score.
- Open a bank account with Chase. Having an existing banking relationship may help you get approved for a Chase credit card sooner. Visit your local Chase branch to meet with a personal banker and open an account.
Prequalifying uses a soft credit check which won’t affect your credit, but once you hit the “apply” button, a hard pull occurs. A record of this will go on your credit report whether or not you are approved for the card.
Generally, these terms are interchangeable. However, according to Chase, being preapproved is when the credit card issuer reaches out to you with a credit card offer that they feel you will be approved for because they’ve already reviewed your information. Being prequalified is when you submit your information to them to compare against their criteria.
To have the best chance of approval for a Chase credit card, it’s best to have a good credit score (670-739) to excellent credit score (800-850).
No, receiving a Chase preapproval does not affect your credit because they use a soft credit check, which does not affect your credit score. Once you submit your credit card application, they do a hard credit check, which will minimally ding your credit score. As you use your card responsibly and handle your other finances well, you can expect for your credit score to recover over time.