Can you get pre approved for a credit card without hurting your credit?
Or you could check whether you're pre-approved on your own, often through an online experience. Credit card pre-approval doesn't typically impact your credit scores because the process usually involves a soft inquiry.
A preapproval gives helps you gauge your likelihood of approval for new credit, and the interest rate you could receive. While a credit card preapproval doesn't affect your credit, a preapproval for a mortgage or car loan could cause a minor but temporary decrease in your credit score.
| Credit card | Annual fee |
|---|---|
| Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card | $0 |
| Capital One SavorOne Rewards Credit Card | $0 |
| Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express | $0 |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | $95 |
Once you submit an actual application though, you give the card issuer permission to check your credit, which is called a hard inquiry (or "hard pull"). This can sometimes result in a slight ding to your credit score, which is why it's recommended you only apply for a credit card every six months.
How long should I wait between applying for credit cards? According to Experian, you should try to avoid applying for new credit more than once every six months. Each credit card issuer may also have their own rules about how often you can open a new credit card account with them.
A mortgage pre-approval affects a home buyer's credit score. The pre-approval typically requires a hard credit inquiry, which decreases a buyer's credit score by five points or less. A pre-approval is the first big step towards purchasing your first home.
Credit One Platinum's maximum credit limit is around $2,000, according to customer reviews. Some people report being approved for this amount right away, while others have worked up to it over years of responsible card use. The minimum credit limit for Credit One Platinum is just $300.
- Best for students: Discover it® Student Cash Back.
- Best for no annual fee: Citi Double Cash® Card.
- Best secured credit card: Discover it® Secured Credit Card.
- Best for cash back: U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa® Secured Card.
- Best for no credit: Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card.
- Capital One.
- Chase.
- American Express.
- Citi Bank.
- Discover.
- Bank of America.
Owning more than two or three credit cards can become unmanageable for many people. However, your credit needs and financial situation are unique, so there's no hard and fast rule about how many credit cards are too many. The important thing is to make sure that you use your credit cards responsibly.
Why is my credit score going down when I pay on time?
Using more of your credit card balance than usual — even if you pay on time — can reduce your score until a new, lower balance is reported the following month. Closed accounts and lower credit limits can also result in lower scores even if your payment behavior has not changed.
Typically, the credit card pre-approval process doesn't affect a person's credit scores. For example, pre-approval at Capital One uses soft credit checks, which involve a simple review of credit and don't affect scores.
Although ranges vary depending on the credit scoring model, generally credit scores from 580 to 669 are considered fair; 670 to 739 are considered good; 740 to 799 are considered very good; and 800 and up are considered excellent.
It's important to keep your credit utilization ratio under 30% — this is a healthy balance of using your credit to a reasonable degree. However, never using your credit card could result in a lack of financial data for lenders/bureaus to collect to determine your credit score.
While not using your card can help your utilization, it may impact your account status. If you don't activate a credit card and thus don't use the card, your account may be closed. Card issuers typically close accounts that aren't used within a certain time period, usually over a year.
If you pay off all your credit card accounts (not just the one you're canceling) to $0 before canceling your card, you can avoid a decrease in your credit score. Typically, leaving your credit card accounts open is the best option, even if you're not using them.
Patience is key here! It may take anywhere from six months to a few years to help raise your score by 200 points depending on your financial habits. As long as you stick to your credit-rebuilding plan and stay patient, you'll be able to help increase your credit score before you know it.
Why did your new mortgage drop your credit score by 100 points? Your new mortgage can cause your score to drop because it's a new account and likely a significant debt added to your credit history. Once you establish a positive payment history, your score will likely increase.
- Lower your credit utilization rate.
- Ask for late payment forgiveness.
- Dispute inaccurate information on your credit reports.
- Add utility and phone payments to your credit report.
- Check and understand your credit score.
- The bottom line about building credit fast.
Average credit limits
Because many consumers apply for store cards as their first credit card, your first credit limit is generally going to be on the low end. Though Equifax notes these retail cards averaging between $2,000 to $2,500, credit limits can be much less than that — in some cases below $1,000.
What is a realistic credit limit?
If you're just starting out, a good credit limit for your first card might be around $1,000. If you have built up a solid credit history, a steady income and a good credit score, your credit limit may increase to $5,000 or $10,000 or more — plenty of credit to ensure you can purchase big ticket items.
There's no magic amount of credit that a person “should” have. Take as much credit as you're offered, try to keep your credit usage below 30 percent of your available credit and pay off your balances regularly. With responsible use and better credit card habits, you can maintain a good credit score.
The best credit card overall is the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card because it gives 2% cash rewards on all purchases and has a $0 annual fee. For comparison purposes, the average cash rewards card in 2024 gives about 1% back.
The easiest credit card to get approved for is the OpenSky® Plus Secured Visa® Credit Card because there's no credit check for new applicants. The card has a $0 annual fee and easy-to-satisfy approval requirements that allow you to start building credit history right away, even with bad credit or no credit at all.
| Card name | Credit score |
|---|---|
| Applied Bank® Secured Visa® Gold Preferred® Credit Card | Bad, None |
| OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card | Fair, Poor, Bad, No Credit |
| Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card | Limited, Bad |
| Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card | Limited, Bad |
