 TITLE: Prequalified vs. Preapproved: What’s the Difference? CONTENT: Do Preapproval and Prequalification Offers Impact Credit Score?\n---------------------------------------------------------------\nWith credit cards, neither prequalification nor preapproval offers will impact your credit scores because with either process, if there's a credit check, the credit check usually results in a soft inquiry. Auto loans and mortgages are different, however, and will typically result in a hard inquiry on your credit that may hurt your credit scores. Fortunately, if it does, it's often a small impact that only lasts for a few months.\nAlso keep in mind that if you're rate-shopping for an auto or home loan, credit scoring models will treat all hard inquiries as one if made in a 14-day period (some models allow up to 45 days). So assuming you shop your loans in a short period of time, your credit will suffer little, if any, damage. END