Pre-approved credit cards offer an opportunity for those with marginal credit scores to get an idea if they will be able to open a new line of credit without the ensuing credit score hit of a hard inquiry.
Of all the nonsensical concepts in the world of consumer credit, perhaps one of the least intuitive is that it can actually harm your credit score when creditors pull your credit. I mean, the very reason we have credit reports is for creditors to check them, right?
Right. But that’s not the whole story. In the eyes of future lenders, each one of those hard credit inquiries represents more than just a request for a new credit card or loan. To them, each hard credit pull is actually a potential attempt to take on more debt — debt that could keep you from repaying your new creditors.
This concept can be especially damaging when shopping for the perfect credit card. Not only will each card have its own credit qualifications, individual issuers may also have their own meticulous requirements (think Chase’s 5/24 rule) that can leave you rejected despite killer credit scores. You do have an option to avoid the sting of wasted credit inquiries, however: credit card pre-qualification.
Get Approved For: Air Miles | Cash Back | 0% Intro APR | 0% Balance Transfer | Business | Student | Fair Credit | Bad Credit
Air Miles Credit Cards: Pre-Qualify
The card of choice for anyone with a bit of wanderlust are credit cards offering airline miles. They can be a fantastic way to make your next trip more affordable — or downright free. Choosing between miles rewards programs will generally come down to how you like to earn your miles, and how you like to spend them. Each card will have its own earning rate, and some cards award bonus miles for travel-related purchases.
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Cash Back Credit Cards: Pre-Qualify
The simplest of rewards programs, cash back rewards offer a percentage of your purchases back to you. These rewards are typically redeemable as a statement credit, gift card, or check. As with other rewards programs, the rate at which you earn cash back will vary by card, with particular spending categories often used to decide earnings rates.
The two most common types of cash back programs are a flat-rate percentage on all purchases, or a bonus rate for purchases that fit specified categories. If most of your usual spending falls into the bonus categories, this type of card can be extremely beneficial. Our favorite cash back cards include both program types, as well as some juicy signup bonuses.
Additional Disclosure: Citi is a CardRates advertiser.4.8
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0% Intro APR Credit Cards: Pre-Qualify
If rewards credit cards can be said to have a particular drawback, it’s probably that the interest fees from carrying a balance can easily engulf any savings from your cash back or points card. This is where introductory 0% APR offers come in handy. These credit card offers can provide cardholders with a year or more of interest-free card use, allowing you to carry a balance without paying interest for the length of the introductory period.
Your interest rate will increase to the default rate at the end of the introductory term, so that rate should be one of the factors you investigate before applying. Some of the best 0% APR deals will be for cards that also offer rewards, as you can still earn those rewards while enjoying your interest-free term. Our top-rated cards include options that don’t charge an annual fee, increasing the savings potential.
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- $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
- Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice, automatic 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases) and unlimited 1% on all other purchases.
- Choose 3% cash back on gas and EV charging station, online shopping/cable/internet/phone plan/streaming, dining, travel, drug store/pharmacy or home improvement/furnishings purchases.
- If you’re a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more cash back on every purchase. That means you could earn 3.75%-5.25% cash back on purchases in your choice category.
- No annual fee and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.49% – 28.49% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
- Contactless Cards – The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
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Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
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Regular APR
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Annual Fee
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Credit Needed
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|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
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0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days (Balance Transfer Fee 3% for 60 days from account opening, then 4%)
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18.49% – 28.49% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
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$0
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Excellent/Good
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Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.
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- Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening – that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
- Use your card to book your trip how and where you want – you’re not limited to specific websites with blackout dates or restrictions.
- Redeem points for a statement credit to pay for travel or dining purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, car and vacation rentals, baggage fees, and also at restaurants including takeout.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.49% – 28.49% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
- If you’re a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means instead of earning an unlimited 1.5 points for every $1, you could earn 1.87-2.62 points for every $1 you spend on purchases.
- Contactless Cards – The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
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Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
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Regular APR
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Annual Fee
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Credit Needed
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|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
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0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days (Balance Transfer Fee 3% for 60 days from account opening, then 4%)
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18.49% – 28.49% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
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$0
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Excellent/Good
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Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.
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- $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
- If you’re a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more cash back on every purchase. That means you could earn 1.87%-2.62% cash back on every purchase with Preferred Rewards.
- No annual fee.
- No limit to the amount of cash back you can earn and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.49% – 28.49% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
- Contactless Cards – The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
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Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
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Regular APR
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Annual Fee
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Credit Needed
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|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
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0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days (Balance Transfer Fee 3% for 60 days from account opening, then 4%)
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18.49% – 28.49% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
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$0
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Excellent/Good
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Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.
+See More Cards for Intro 0% APR
Balance Transfer Credit Cards: Pre-Qualify
As awesome as 0% APR offers are for new purchases, what do you do if you already have a balance? Why, you find an awesome zero-interest balance transfer offer, of course. Providing the ability to transfer your balance to the new card and carry it for a year or more without being stuck paying interest fees, balance transfer card offers can save you a bundle on your balance.
Even better, you can still use your new card to make purchases, earn rewards, and enjoy the perks that come with credit card use. On the downside, the balance you transfer to your new card won’t earn you any rewards, and your interest rate will revert to the default rate at the end of your term. Our top picks offer 0% APR on both new purchases and balance transfers to really make the most of your card.
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- 0% Intro APR for 21 months on balance transfers from date of first transfer and 0% Intro APR for 12 months on purchases from date of account opening. After that the variable APR will be 17.49% – 28.24%, based on your creditworthiness. Balance transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening.
- There is a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
- Get free access to your FICO® Score online.
- With Citi Entertainment®, get special access to purchase tickets to thousands of events, including concerts, sporting events, dining experiences and more.
- No Annual Fee – our low intro rates and all the benefits don’t come with a yearly charge.
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Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
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Regular APR
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Annual Fee
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Credit Needed
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|---|---|---|---|---|
0% 12 months on Purchases
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0% 21 months on Balance Transfers
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17.49% – 28.24% (Variable)
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$0
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Good/Excellent
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Additional Disclosure: Citi is a CardRates advertiser.
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- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers–only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
- Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Plus earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Get a 0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers. Then 18.49% to 27.49% Standard Variable APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
- Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
- Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
- No annual fee.
- Terms and conditions apply.
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Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
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Regular APR
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Annual Fee
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Credit Needed
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|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 6 months
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0% Intro APR for 18 months
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18.49% – 27.49% Variable APR
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$0
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Excellent/Good
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4.8
- Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, a special travel offer, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/25.
- Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 18.49% – 28.49%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
- There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
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Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
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Regular APR
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Annual Fee
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Credit Needed
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|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
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0% 18 months on Balance Transfers
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18.49% – 28.49% (Variable)
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$0
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Excellent/Good/Fair
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Additional Disclosure: Citi is a CardRates advertiser.
+See More Cards for Balance Transfers
Business Credit Cards: Pre-Qualify
Between the need for constant attention and the seemingly endless expenses, owning a business can be an awful lot like raising a child. Unlike an infant, however, your new business can take advantage of a rewards credit card to help extend your bottom line. Many business cards will even provide a lucrative signup bonus to sweeten the pot.
Checking for pre-qualified credit card offers can be particularly useful when shopping for a business card. This can be especially important if your business is young, as it likely has yet to establish its own business credit. In this case, your personal credit will be used by credit card issuers to determine the credit risk of your business. Our favorite business cards include options to earn cash back rewards on your business buys.
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+See More Cards for Businesses
Student Credit Cards: Pre-Qualify
For all that many adults would happily go back to their college days, being a student does have a number of drawbacks, including lacking the credit history and income that make it possible to get a credit card. Luckily, many card issuers understand the unique credit position many students find themselves in, and they have designed a variety of credit cards specifically for student applicants.
In addition to having more relaxed credit requirements, many student cards come complete with student-centric perks, such as a statement credit for maintaining good grades. You can also get access to important credit tracking tools to make sure you start your credit journey on the right foot. Our top picks for student cards won’t charge you an annual fee, making them ideal starter cards.
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Fair Credit Credit Cards: Pre-Qualify
Typically referring to credit scores in the mid-600s to about 700, fair credit generally indicates someone who is building — or rebuilding — their credit. While fair credit won’t earn you the pick of the litter that having excellent credit would win, you’ll still have a fair number of options (pun intended) from which to choose.
If you’re unsure of your approval chances due to a middling credit score, remember to check for pre-qualification offers. Perhaps the best thing about having fair credit is that it’s not bad credit, and you won’t be relegated to the subprime card market. Instead, those with fair credit can usually enjoy entry-level cards from major issuers, including options for earning cash back rewards as offered by some of our favorite fair-credit picks.
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+See More Cards for Fair Credit
Bad Credit Credit Cards: Pre-Qualify
Whether due to missed payments, a defaulted account, or even bankruptcy, when your credit score has fallen to the low-600s or below, most issuers will consider you to have bad credit. This means you represent a high credit risk and will likely need to select either a secured credit card — one that requires an initial security deposit — or an unsecured subprime credit card.
Although they don’t require a deposit, subprime cards will likely charge higher interest rates than other cards charge, and will often come with additional fees. Make sure your new card reports your credit behavior to all three credit bureaus, as our top picks do, so your new credit card can be used to build your credit.
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- Up to $1,000 Initial Credit Limit
- See if you Pre-Qualify with No Impact to your Credit Score
- Less than perfect credit? We understand. The Reflex Mastercard is ideal for people looking to rebuild their credit.
- Unsecured credit card requires No Security Deposit
- Perfect card for everyday purchases and unexpected expenses
- Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
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Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
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Regular APR
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Annual Fee
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Credit Needed
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|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
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N/A
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35.90% Fixed
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$75 - $125
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Bad, Fair, or No Credit
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- Up to $1,000 Initial Credit Limit
- See if you Pre-Qualify with No Impact to your Credit Score
- Less than perfect credit? We understand. The Surge Mastercard is ideal for people looking to rebuild their credit.
- Unsecured credit card requires No Security Deposit
- Perfect card for everyday purchases and unexpected expenses
- Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
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Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
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Regular APR
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Annual Fee
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Credit Needed
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|---|---|---|---|---|
See website for Details
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See website for Details
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35.90% Fixed
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$75 - $125
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See website for Details*
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- No credit score required to apply. No Annual Fee.
- Your secured credit card requires a refundable security deposit, and your credit line will equal your deposit amount, starting at $200. Bank information must be provided when submitting your deposit.
- Raise your credit score by 30+ points.
- Automatic reviews starting at 7 months to see if we can transition you to an unsecured line of credit and return your deposit.
- Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Plus earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
- Get an alert if we find your Social Security number on any of thousands of Dark Web sites. Activate for free.
- Terms and conditions apply.
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Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
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Regular APR
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Annual Fee
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Credit Needed
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|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
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10.99% Intro APR for 6 months
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27.49% Variable APR
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$0
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New/Rebuilding
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+See More Cards for Bad Credit
How Do I Find Credit Card Pre-Qualification Offers?
Credit card pre-qualification, also called pre-approval, is a great way to get a feel for your chances of being approved by a particular issuer. Rather than filling out a complete credit application for a specific card, which will automatically result in a hard credit pull, credit card pre-qualification involves a less formal look at your credit.
In fact, the key to credit card pre-qualification lies in the fact that there are actually two types of credit inquiries: hard inquiries and soft inquiries.
Hard inquiries are the ones that do the damage, visible to anyone who checks your credit report and nipping at your score like biting flies. Hard credit inquiries are generally initiated by the consumer when applying for a credit line, such as credit card or charge account.
Soft credit inquiries, on the other hand, can be initiated by the consumer — such as checking your own credit or applying for insurance — but they don’t have to be. Any business with a legitimate need to review your credit can access it without your authorization. While soft inquiries are typically recorded on your credit report, they are only visible to you, and they won’t impact your credit score.
Credit card issuers use soft credit pulls to get a general idea of your creditworthiness, sort of like an estimate. They then use that estimate to match you with the credit cards for which you are most likely to qualify. Pre-qualifying for a particular card doesn’t guarantee you’ll be approved for that card if you apply, but it does mean the odds are in your favor.
Most major issuers provide a means of checking for pre-qualification offers online. The process typically requires your name, address, and the last four digits of your Social Security number. While some third-party sites will automatically check for pre-qualification offers from multiple issuers, you’ll need to check with each issuer individually if doing it yourself.
In addition to checking online for credit card pre-approval offers, consumers over the age of 21 are likely to find the occasional unsolicited credit card offer in the mail. These offers can be particularly lucrative, as they often contain exclusive signup bonuses or low-interest deals. You can respond directly to a mailed pre-qualification offer, or head online with your offer code to apply online.
Another common way of discovering credit card pre-qualification offers is to head into your local bank branch and requesting a search for offers from the friendly teller behind the counter. The vast majority of big banks provide credit cards, and they’re typically extremely interested in offering those credit cards to existing members.
In most cases, you’ll be asked to select which type of credit card (cash back, student, bad credit, etc.) for which you are most interested in pre-qualifying. Consumers with good credit will often be pre-approved for more than one credit card, so you’ll likely need to make some choices about which card you’d like to formally apply for out of your options. Remember, each application can result in a hard credit pull, so only apply to one card at a time.
How Do I Opt-Out of Pre-Approval Offers?
However nonsensical it can be, each credit card application you send out can shave several points off of your ever-important credit score. Credit card pre-qualification can be the best way to estimate your approval odd and may help save you — and your credit score — from the sting of credit card rejection.
As helpful as pre-approval can be, of course, you may get tired of receiving a new offer in the mail every month once you’ve found your new card. If you’re not interested in getting the latest unsolicited credit card deals and offers, you can opt-out of pre-screened offers in several ways, depending on the duration for which you plan to opt-out.
To opt-out of pre-screened offers for a period of five years, you can either call the toll-free opt-out phone number: 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688), or go online to the official Consumer Credit Industry opt-out page. To opt-out permanently, you’ll need to return the signed Permanent Opt-Out Election form, which can be obtained through the official opt-out website.
Advertiser Disclosure
CardRates.com is a free online resource that offers valuable content and comparison services to users. To keep this resource 100% free, we receive compensation for referrals for many of the offers listed on the site. Along with key review factors, this compensation may impact how and where products appear across CardRates.com (including, for example, the order in which they appear). CardRates.com does not include the entire universe of available offers. Editorial opinions expressed on the site are strictly our own and are not provided, endorsed, or approved by advertisers.
Editorial Note: Our site content is not provided or commissioned by any credit card issuer(s). Opinions expressed on CardRates.com are the author's alone, not those of any credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by credit card issuers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information; however, all credit card offer details, including information about rewards, signup bonuses, introductory offers, and other terms and conditions, is presented without warranty. Clicking on any offer on CardRates.com will direct you to the issuer's website, where you can review the current terms and conditions of the offer.
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