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Best Soft Pull Credit Cards in 2024

Updated on:

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If you have poor credit, or no credit at all, it can be scary to have a credit card company look at your credit score to determine if you’ll be approved for a card. Or, you may be afraid that applying for a credit card will result in a credit score drop. These are reasons to consider a soft pull credit card that doesn’t require a credit check to open an account.

Unlike a hard pull — which can cause your credit score to drop by up to five points and stay on your credit report for two years (though the impact lessens over time) — a soft pull has no impact on your credit.

That said, while there are many credit cards that allow you to get preapproved with a soft pull, there are very few that offer actual approval with just a soft pull.

5 Best soft pull credit cards in 2024

Winner for best soft pull credit card: OpenSky^® Secured Visa^® Credit Card
Best soft pull credit card for cash back rewards: First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard^® Secured Credit Card
Best soft pull credit card for flexible credit limit: Secured Self Visa^® Credit Card
Best soft pull credit card for low APR: Applied Bank^® Secured Visa^® Gold Preferred^® Credit Card
Best soft pull business credit card: Brex For Startups

Best Soft Pull Credit Cards

Credit Cards	Our Ratings	Annual Fee	Regular APR	Recommended Credit Credit scores ranges may vary. Your individual chance at approval may vary due to factors such as creditors using a particular variation at their discretion
OpenSky^® Secured Visa^® Credit Card Apply Now on Capital Bank, N.A.'s secure site	2.3 Winner	$35	24.89% (variable)	Poor	Apply Now on Capital Bank, N.A.'s secure site
First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard^® Secured Credit Card Apply Now on First Progress's secure site Rates & Fees	2.7 Cash back	$49	14.49% (V)	Limited / Poor	Apply Now on First Progress's secure site Rates & Fees
Secured Self Visa^® Credit Card Apply Now on Self's secure site Rates & Fees	2.3 Flexible credit limit	$25	29.24% Variable.	Poor	Apply Now on Self's secure site Rates & Fees
Applied Bank^® Secured Visa^® Gold Preferred^® Credit Card* Learn More	2.0 Low APR	$48	9.99% (Fixed)	Limited / Poor	Learn More
Brex For Startups* Learn More on Emigrant Bank's secure site	Business	$0	N/A	Good / Excellent	Learn More on Emigrant Bank's secure site

*The information for the Applied Bank^® Secured Visa^® Gold Preferred^® Credit Card and Brex For Startups has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms Apply.

Find your perfect card in 30 seconds. Check your approval odds so you can shop smarter.

Winner: Best soft pull credit card

OpenSky^® Secured Visa^® Credit Card

LendingTree's Review

2.3

OpenSky<sup>®</sup> Secured Visa<sup>®</sup> Credit Card

LendingTree's Review

2.3

Apply Now

on Capital Bank, N.A.'s secure site

Automatic credit line increase: In as little as six months

No credit check
Reports to the three major credit bureaus
Chance to graduate to an unsecured card
Credit limit increases available

Requires a security deposit
$35 annual fee
Foreign transaction fee

The OpenSky^® Secured Visa^® Credit Card stands out among soft pull credit cards, as you won’t have to worry about any confusing terms or fees. There’s a $35 annual fee and fairly low APR of 24.89% (variable). And in order to be approved for the card, you’ll need to provide your annual income, monthly housing payment and housing payment type.

This card requires a $200 minimum deposit that’ll act as your line of credit, and you’ll be eligible for a credit line increase automatically in as little as six months. Plus, if you use your card responsibly and make on-time payments, you’ll be eligible to transition to the unsecured version of the card.

New feature! Earn up to 10% cash back* on everyday purchases
No credit check to apply. Zero credit risk to apply!
Looking to build or rebuild your credit? 2 out of 3 OpenSky cardholders increase their credit score by an average of 41 points in just 3 months
Get free monthly access to your FICO score in our mobile application
Build your credit history across 3 major credit reporting agencies: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion
Add to your mobile wallet and make purchases using Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay
Fund your card with a low $200 refundable security deposit to get a $200 credit line
Apply in less than 5 minutes with our mobile first application
Choose the due date that fits your schedule with flexible payment dates
Fund your security deposit over 60 days with the option to make partial payments
Over 1.4 Million Cardholders Have Used OpenSky Secured Credit Card To Improve Their Credit
*See Rewards Terms and Conditions for more information

Best soft pull credit card for cash back rewards

First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard^® Secured Credit Card

LendingTree's Review

2.7

First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard<sup>®</sup> Secured Credit Card

LendingTree's Review

2.7

Apply Now

on First Progress's secure site

Rates & Fees

Cash back rewards: Earn 1% Cash Back rewards

No credit history or minimum credit score required
Low APR
Reports to the three major credit bureaus
Earns cash back on purchases

$49 annual fee
Security deposit must come from a checking account
No opportunity to graduate to an unsecured card
Can take up to 10 days to process payments

The First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard^® Secured Credit Card is the only secured soft pull credit card in our list that allows you to earn cash back rewards — you’ll earn 1% Cash Back rewards.

You are required to provide a checking account to apply for this card, since your security deposit will be withdrawn from this account. In addition, there’s no opportunity to graduate to an unsecured version of this card and no automatic reviews for a credit line increase. Still, this card does come with a low 14.49% (V) APR.

Earn 1% Cash Back Rewards with First Progress Prestige!
Apply now and fund your security deposit over 90 days with the option to make partial payments.
You Can’t Rebuild credit with a Debit Card. Try First Progress Today! ¹
Build your credit history across 3 major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.¹
All credit types welcome to apply!
¹Cardholders who keep their balance low and pay their credit card bill on time every month typically do see an increase in their credit score.

Best soft pull credit card for flexible credit limit

Secured Self Visa^® Credit Card

LendingTree's Review

2.3

Secured Self Visa<sup>®</sup> Credit Card

LendingTree's Review

2.3

Apply Now

on Self's secure site

Rates & Fees

Flexible credit limit: $100 to $3,000

No hard credit check
Reports to the three major credit bureaus
Ability to control your credit limit

$25 annual fee
Late payment fee, returned payment fee and expedited payment fee
Must have a Self Credit Builder Account
No rewards

The Secured Self Visa^® Credit Card offers the unique opportunity to control your own credit limit with your Self Credit Builder Account. There is a $100 minimum credit limit — but as you make each monthly payment and keep your account in good standing, you may be eligible to increase it in multiples of $25 (up to a maximum of $3,000). To apply for the card, you’ll need to make three monthly payments on time, contribute $100 or more to your Self Credit Builder Account savings and have your Credit Builder Account in good standing.

Open a path to a secured credit card
No hard credit pull. No credit score required.
Start with a Credit Builder Account* that reports to all 3 credit bureaus. Each on-time monthly payment builds credit history and savings.
Backed by savings you’ve already built. Your savings progress from your Credit Builder Account secures your credit card and sets your limit. Have an active Credit Builder Account in good standing, make at least 3 monthly payments, have $100 or more in savings progress and satisfy income requirements. Then, you’ll be eligible for the Self Visa Credit Card*, without a hard credit check.
Stay on track with credit utilization monitoring, autopay, account reminders, an app, and dedicated customer support
No additional money upfront**
Micro-pay your way to the deposit***
*Credit Builder Account — proceeds are held in a deposit account until maturity.
**Your Credit Builder Account savings progress secures your card and sets your limit.
***Credit Builder Accounts & Certificates of Deposit made/held by Lead Bank, Sunrise Banks, N.A., SouthState Bank, N.A., First Century Bank, N.A., each Member FDIC. Subject to credit approval.
The secured Self Visa® Credit Card issued by Lead Bank, First Century Bank, N.A., or SouthState Bank, N.A., each Member FDIC. See Self.inc for details.
The secured Self Visa® Credit Card requires an active Self Credit Builder Account and qualification based on other eligibility criteria including income & expense requirements. Criteria subject to change.

Best soft pull credit card for low APR

Applied Bank^® Secured Visa^® Gold Preferred^® Credit Card*

LendingTree's Review

Applied Bank<sup>®</sup> Secured Visa<sup>®</sup> Gold Preferred<sup>®</sup> Credit Card

LendingTree's Review

Learn More

Low APR: 9.99% (Fixed) APR

No credit check
Reports to the three major credit bureaus
Extremely low APR
No penalty APR

$48 annual fee that’s deducted from your security deposit
No grace period for interest
Foreign transaction fee
No rewards

The Applied Bank^® Secured Visa^® Gold Preferred^® Credit Card offers an extremely low APR of just 9.99% (Fixed). However, there’s no grace period, meaning you’ll be charged interest from the transaction date of purchase. In contrast, most cards give you at least a 21-day grace period before you start to owe interest.

Better than Prepaid...Go with a Secured Card! Load One Time - Keep On Using
Absolutely No Credit Check or Minimum Credit Score Required
Automatic Reporting to All Three National Credit Bureaus
9.99% Low Fixed APR - Your Rate Won’t Go Up Even if You Are Late
Activate Today with a $200 Minimum Deposit - Maximum $1,000.
Increase Your Credit Limit up to $5,000 by Adding Additional Deposits Anytime

*The information related to the Applied Bank^® Secured Visa^® Gold Preferred^® Credit Card has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.

Best soft pull business credit card

Brex For Startups*

Learn More

on Emigrant Bank's secure site

Security Deposit: None

No credit check
Several rewards categories
No fees or interest

Not ideal for small business owners
Hard to qualify for
Top rewards categories require you to pay daily from your Brex account

Unlike most business credit cards, Brex For Startups doesn’t require a personal credit check to be approved. Instead, your business will need to meet strict eligibility requirements related to finances, including revenue, cash reserves and the number of employees you have.

This card also offers the ability to earn rewards on popular business spending categories.

No personal guarantee needed - we do not ask for a personal credit check or security deposit during the application.
Credit limits 10-20x higher than traditional small business corporate cards.
$50,000 bank balance required to qualify for Brex.
Exclusive signup offers from the best products and tools for your business (e.g. AWS, Apple, QuickBooks, UPS) worth over $180,000 in value.
Earn points on every dollar spent with industry-leading multipliers: 7x on rideshare, 4x on Brex travel, 3x on restaurants, 2x on software subscriptions and 1x on all other transactions.
Miles transfer program to top airline loyalty programs.
30-day charge card running on the Mastercard network. Enjoy global acceptance with no foreign transaction fees.
Make employee expenses seamless - automated receipt-capture and expense matching and reconciliation via text and email. Instantly add new users and set spending limits.

*The information related to the Brex For Startups has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.

Does a soft pull affect your credit?

Soft credit pulls don’t affect your credit. You can have as many soft pulls on your credit report as you want, because they’re only visible to you. Soft credit pulls are typically only used in low risk situations, like checking your own credit or getting preapproved for a credit card. In a few circumstances, you can apply for a credit card without a hard pull on your credit.

Hard pulls can impact your credit score and will remain on your credit report for up to two years. However, it’s usually only a small impact and your score will bounce back within a few months. If you’re planning to apply for a card with a hard pull, you should check to see if you’re prequalified for the card first to prevent having too many hard pulls on your credit.

Soft pull vs hard pull

Soft credit pulls	Hard credit pulls
Performed by creditors to provide preapproved credit offers	Performed by creditors when you apply for a form of credit
Previous soft pulls are visible on your credit report to only you	Previous hard pulls may stay on your credit report for any creditor to see for up to two years
May be done without your prior approval	Must have your written approval
No impact to your credit score	Can cause your FICO Score to drop by up to five points

If you want to check your credit score without negatively impacting your credit, you can sign up for a free credit score through LendingTree Spring.

Can you get a credit limit increase with a soft pull?

Whether a credit limit increase requires a soft pull or a hard pull will depend on your credit card issuer. It may perform a hard pull on your credit to see if you’re eligible for a credit limit increase. But if your credit card issuer offers automatic credit limit increases, it may result in a soft inquiry — which doesn’t affect your credit. For example, Bank of America uses a soft pull before increasing your credit limit.

A credit limit increase could be good for your credit score long term, even if it results in a hard credit pull. Having a higher credit limit will lower your credit utilization ratio, the percentage of current debt you have in relation to your available credit. Your credit utilization ratio makes up 30% of your FICO Score, and it’s best to keep this percentage below 30% to maintain a good credit score.

Soft pull credit cards vs. preapproved credit cards

There are very few credit card options that do a soft pull for approval, but most cards will let you get preapproved with a soft pull. This means that you can have the issuer check your credit report to determine whether you’ll be approved before you apply. While getting preapproved doesn’t guarantee approval, it’s still a good way to see if you’re eligible. (When you actually apply for the card, a hard inquiry will occur.)

Which issuers offer credit card preapproval with a soft pull?

Issuer	Preapproval offererd	Required information
American Express credit card preapproval	Yes	Name, address, Social Security number and income
Bank of America credit card approval	Yes	Name, birth date, Social Security number, address and type of credit card you’re interested in
Chase credit card preapproval	Yes (online tool is not always available)	Name, address and Social Security number
Citi credit card preapproval	Yes	Name, Social Security number and address
Discover credit card preapproval	Yes	Name, address, birth date, student status, monthly housing expense, income and type of card benefit you’re interested in
Navy Federal credit card preapproval	Yes (only available to Navy Federal members)	Active duty status, income, monthly housing expense
U.S. Bank credit card approval	Yes (only available to existing customers via mail offers)	Confirmation code that came with offer and ZIP code
Wells Fargo credit card preapproval	Yes	Wells Fargo customer status, name, address and Social Security number

Learn more about how to check if you’re prequalified for a credit card.

Are soft pull credit cards worth it?

Soft pull credit cards can be useful if you have a limited or poor credit history. They can help you build credit, and eventually apply for a card with more perks and better terms. But while you can get a card with a soft pull, there are very few options and they’re almost all secured cards. So if you’re looking for more options, you may want to look at cards with a hard pull that are geared towards limited credit histories.

Alternatives to soft pull credit cards

If you’re worried about getting approved for a credit card because of your credit history and are looking for more options, here are a few other choices to consider:

Preapproved credit cards

Preapproved credit cards let you see if you’re eligible before applying for the card with a soft pull. Just know that when you apply for the card, a hard pull will apply.

The Chase Freedom Unlimited^® card is an excellent $0 annual fee card that allows you to get preapproved before you apply.
Secured credit cards

While the majority of our picks for the best soft pull credit cards are secured cards, there are other secured credit cards that require a hard pull but offer more perks.

The Discover it^® Secured Credit Card is the best secured card option because it lets you earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically. There’s also a path to graduate to an unsecured card after having the card for seven months.
Credit cards for bad credit

If you’re struggling with your credit score and are worried that you won’t get approved for a credit card, check out credit card options geared specifically towards those with bad credit. Many of these options are also secured cards, but there are a few unsecured choices available.

The Discover it^® Secured Credit Card is a great credit card for individuals with limited / poor credit. Your security deposit acts as your line of credit. After seven months of card ownership, Discover does monthly reviews to see if you are eligible to have your deposit refunded and graduate to an unsecured card. It has a $0 annual fee and offers cash back on all purchases.
Beginner credit cards

If you’re new to credit cards and haven’t established any credit yet, there are credit cards tailored toward beginners.

The Chase Freedom Rise℠ Credit Card is the best beginner credit card — it’s specifically for people who are new to credit, has a $0 annual fee and earns cash back rewards. You can improve your approval odds by opening a Chase bank account and funding it with $250 or more before you apply for the credit card.
Become an authorized user

If you aren’t quite ready to have your own credit card, you can become an authorized user on someone else’s card. This allows you to build credit and use a card and its benefits without actually owning the card.

Frequently asked questions

A soft pull credit card makes it easier to get approved for a card because there’s no credit check when you apply. Once you’ve decided which soft pull card you’d like to apply for, you can typically apply online, over the phone, at a bank branch or through the mail.

In a soft credit pull, your credit card issuer will look at how you manage your debt and credit history. This may include late payments, collection activity or other credit pulls.

You can see a soft pull on your credit report, but lenders can’t. However, hard credit pulls can be seen on your credit report by lenders for up to two years.

Methodology: How we chose the best soft pull credit cards

To bring you this list of soft pull credit cards, we use an objective rating and ranking system that compares features across a large set of credit cards (over 200 of them from over 50 issuers). We use calculations to estimate the value of each card for the average cardholder, based on LendingTree and U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics.

To select the best card for each of these categories, our credit card experts compared cards designed for individuals with poor, limited or nonexistent credit that don’t require a soft pull on both LendingTree.com and issuer sites. While there are only a select few cards that fit that criteria, we chose our top picks based on factors like interest rates on purchases, the required security deposits, annual fees and any additional fees.

The information related to the Applied Bank^® Secured Visa^® Gold Preferred^® Credit Card, Brex For Startups, Discover it^® Secured Credit Card, Chase Freedom Rise℠ Credit Card and Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.

The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.

Sammi Scharf

Sammi Scharf is a staff writer at LendingTree, where she compares and reviews credit cards. She loves to help consumers make the best financial decisions and find products that match their lifestyle. Sammi entered the personal finance space in 2022, when she joined LendingTree as a web content coordinator.

Through her work, Sammi has fostered a profound knowledge of credit card products. She enjoys deep-diving into card benefits that people may not know about and helping readers see how they can leverage all the features on their credit cards to save money.

Before joining the personal finance world, Sammi worked in the home appliances and real estate spaces. She wrote product information about appliances and new homes coming to market. Her passion for explaining products to consumers and helping them tackle major financial decisions led her to personal finance writing. When Sammi is not researching and reviewing credit cards, she’s training for her next race or hitting the beach.

Specialties

Credit card reviews
Credit card comparisons
Rewards programs
Travel and travel loyalty programs

Achievements

2 years of credit card reporting experience
Nearly 50 articles written for LendingTree
Helped develop LendingTree’s process for updating credit card details.

Education

Bachelor of Arts, Appalachian State University

Sammi’s favorite credit cards

“I’m all about cash back credit cards. I love the Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card because it’s an easy way to earn 2% cash back on everything I purchase. We’re a big Amazon household so I also love the Prime Visa. I’ve been able to use my cash back earnings to purchase furniture from Amazon for my home. Finally, the Chase Freedom Unlimited^® is my favorite go-to credit card for dining out at restaurants.”

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