Does It Hurt Your Credit to Check Your Score Often? Here’s What You Need to Know

Monitoring your credit score is a crucial part of maintaining your financial health. But many people wonder, does it hurt your credit to check your score often? You might be surprised to learn that the answer isn’t as simple as yes or no.

In this blog post, we’ll break down how checking your credit score works, the difference between soft and hard inquiries, and offer tips on how to keep tabs on your score without damaging it.

Soft Inquiries vs. Hard Inquiries: What’s the Difference?

To understand whether checking your score hurts your credit, you first need to know the difference between a soft inquiry and a hard inquiry.

• Soft inquiries happen when you or a third party checks your credit report for reasons unrelated to borrowing money. Examples include when you check your own score through a credit monitoring service or when a lender pre-approves you for a loan. Soft inquiries do not affect your credit score.

• Hard inquiries, on the other hand, occur when a lender or financial institution checks your credit as part of a loan application process. Examples include applying for a mortgage, car loan, or new credit card. A hard inquiry can temporarily lower your score by a few points.

Does Checking Your Credit Score Hurt It?

If you’re simply checking your own credit score, it does not hurt your credit. When you use services like Credit Karma, Experian, or your credit card issuer’s free score report, these are classified as soft inquiries. Because soft inquiries don’t show up to lenders and don’t impact your score, you can check your credit as often as you like without any negative consequences.

How Hard Inquiries Affect Your Credit Score

Hard inquiries have a minimal but noticeable effect on your score. Each hard pull can lower your score by about 5-10 points. While this isn’t much, multiple hard inquiries within a short period—like applying for multiple credit cards or loans—can signal to lenders that you may be in financial trouble, which could hurt your creditworthiness.

The good news is that multiple hard inquiries for the same type of loan (like a mortgage or car loan) within a 14-45 day window are usually grouped together and count as a single inquiry. This is known as "rate shopping," and credit scoring models like FICO and VantageScore take this into account.

Why You Should Check Your Credit Regularly

While checking your own credit score doesn’t hurt it, monitoring it regularly is essential for a number of reasons:

1. Stay aware of your financial health: Keeping track of your score helps you know where you stand if you’re planning on applying for a loan or making a big purchase.

2. Catch identity theft early: Regularly checking your credit score and report can help you spot fraudulent activity, such as unauthorized accounts opened in your name.

3. Correct errors on your credit report: Mistakes happen. If you find an error in your credit report that’s bringing your score down, you can dispute it and get it corrected.

How Often Should You Check Your Credit Score?

It’s a good idea to check your credit score at least once a month. Many credit card companies now offer free monthly updates on your score, and there are plenty of free services available that make monitoring easy. Additionally, under U.S. law, you’re entitled to a free annual credit report from the three major credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax) through AnnualCreditReport.com.

Bottom Line: Does It Hurt Your Credit to Check Your Score Often?

The answer is no—checking your own credit score frequently does not hurt your credit. Soft inquiries, such as those from personal credit checks, don’t impact your score at all. However, hard inquiries from applying for new credit can temporarily lower your score, so it’s important to be mindful of how often you apply for loans or new credit cards.

By regularly monitoring your credit score through reputable services and limiting hard inquiries, you can maintain a healthy credit score and stay on top of your financial game.

Final Thoughts: Keep Your Credit in Check Without the Stress

Now that you know checking your credit score won’t hurt your credit, you can feel empowered to keep tabs on your financial health. Whether you're preparing for a big purchase or simply want to ensure everything is in order, regular credit monitoring is an easy and valuable habit to develop.