Pre-qualification and pre-approval are 2 ways to check the likelihood of being approved for a loan or credit card.
When it comes to credit cards, issuers might use the terms pre-qualification and pre-approval interchangeably. But, depending on the lender, pre-approval may be a slightly more rigorous process and require more information.
Let’s dig deeper into pre-qualification and pre-approval, including how they differ, whether they impact credit and how to find out if you pre-qualify or are pre-approved for a credit card.
What does pre-qualified mean?
Pre-qualifying for a credit card means the card issuer has done a preliminary review of your credit and decided that you may be eligible for a particular card.
To pre-qualify, you may need to provide basic financial information like:
- First and last name
- Mailing address
- The last four digits of your Social Security number (SSN)
When you submit a request to pre-qualify for a credit card, the issuer performs a soft credit inquiry, which won’t impact your credit score.
Getting pre-qualified doesn’t guarantee you’ll be approved if you apply.
What does pre-approved mean?
Like pre-qualification, pre-approval means a card issuer has reviewed your credit and decided you may qualify for a particular card.
Card issuers may send a notice of pre-approval in the mail or via email to consumers who they believe may meet a card’s eligibility requirements. If you receive a pre-approval offer, you can respond to the card issuer by formally applying for the credit card. If you’re approved, the issuer is required to give you the same terms that accompanied their mailed pre-approval offer.
A pre-approval is not a guarantee you’ll be approved for a credit card. It shows the credit card issuer’s commitment to lend based on the financial information it obtained. Like pre-qualification, the pre-approval process triggers a soft inquiry on your credit report, meaning there won’t be any impact on your credit score until you officially apply.
Keep in mind that pre-approval and pre-qualification can mean different things for other products. For example, mortgage pre-approval generally refers to a conditional loan offer that’s based on a complex review process, while pre-qualification is typically a first step that can help prospective homeowners understand how much they may be able to borrow.
Credit card pre-qualification vs. pre-approval
Pre-qualification and pre-approval can mean different things, depending on the lender or credit card issuer.
In general, there aren’t many differences between pre-qualification and pre-approval when it comes to credit cards. For some issuers, pre-approval may involve a more rigorous process than pre-qualification, leading to more accurate results, though it may take longer to go through the process. Regardless, neither is a guarantee of approval.
In some cases, the card issuer initiates pre-approval, in which case you’ll receive outreach via physical mail or email. On the other hand, the consumer can initiate pre-qualification via a pre-screening form.
