---
title: "What is Hard pull? | Benefit Systems"
description: "A hard pull is a check of a credit file made because a lending decision is pending. It is recorded, visible to other lenders and counts towards the score."
source: "aus dem gebauten HTML abgeleitet"
---
# What is Hard pull?

A hard pull is a check of a credit file made because a lending decision is pending. It is recorded, visible to other lenders and counts towards the score.

Also called: Hard inquiry.

## How it works #

A hard pull happens only with explicit consent given in an application. The record stays in the file whether or not the application was approved. Other lenders can see that a lending decision was pending, and read several records in a short period as raised borrowing need. Publications use hard pull far more often than hard inquiry, although both name the same thing.

## Not to be confused with #

A hard pull is not a soft pull: a soft pull happens without a pending lending decision, stays invisible to third parties and does not affect the score.

## In German #

The German term is Hard Pull. [German version of this term](/de/glossar/hard-pull)

## Related terms #

- [Soft pull](/en/glossary/soft-pull): A soft pull is a check of a credit file with no lending decision pending. Only the person concerned can see it, and it has no effect on the score.
- [Credit inquiry](/en/glossary/credit-inquiry): A credit inquiry is a lender’s check of a credit file; a hard inquiry is recorded and visible to others, while a soft inquiry is not.
- [Credit score](/en/glossary/credit-score): A credit score is a number a bureau uses to express how likely a person is to meet their payment obligations.

## Articles that use this term #

- [hard-pull-vs-soft-pull](/en/knowledge/hard-pull-vs-soft-pull)
- [Does applying for a credit card hurt your credit score?](/en/knowledge/credit-card-application-score)
- [how-us-credit-reports-work](/en/knowledge/how-us-credit-reports-work)
- [credit-utilization](/en/knowledge/credit-utilization)
- [chase-5-24](/en/knowledge/chase-5-24)
- [business-vs-personal-credit](/en/knowledge/business-vs-personal-credit)