Adam has interviewed over 1,000 finance experts since joining the CardRates team in 2016. He spearheads industry news coverage related to helping consumers achieve greater financial literacy and improved credit. He has more than 12 years of storytelling, editing, and design experience in print and online journalism and is most knowledgeable in the areas of credit scores, financial products and services, and the banking industry.
Lillian Guevara-Castro brings more than 30 years of editing and journalism experience to the CardRates team. She has worked at The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, Gwinnett Daily News, Gainesville Sun, and The New York Times, where she covered demographics, consumer issues, and the business and financial sectors. Lillian has a degree in journalism and communications from Georgia State University and brings her fact-checking expertise to ensure Digital Brands content is accurate and engaging.
Ashley Fricker has more than a decade of experience as a finance contributor and editor, and has specialized in the credit card industry since 2015. Her credit card commentary is featured on national media outlets that include CNBC, MarketWatch, Investopedia, and Reader's Digest, among many others. She has worked closely with the world’s largest banks and financial institutions, up-and-coming fintech companies, and press and news outlets to curate comprehensive content and media. Ashley holds a bachelor's degree in multimedia journalism from Florida Atlantic University.
Credit cards generally will not be issued without a hard credit inquiry, but you can get preapproved for a credit card with only a soft credit pull.
Almost every time you apply for new credit, the lender credit check will usually result in a hard inquiry being noted on your reports, which may cause a small ding to your credit score. That’s because lenders see an application for new credit as a desire to take on more debt.
Doesn’t make sense? Think of it this way: if a married person were to sign up for an online dating site — whether or not they really intended to do anything wrong — their spouse would likely view the action as a major negative. Whether or not you intend to take on more debt, hard inquiries represent the ability to, and that’s enough to ding your score.
In most cases, you can’t obtain a credit card without a hard inquiry, though you may avoid some wasted inquiries by checking for prequalification offers before you apply. The only exception seems to be a popular “shopping cart trick,” though the trick seems to have mixed results.
Most Major Credit Cards Require a Hard Inquiry For Approval
While the idea of skirting the rules and avoiding a hard credit inquiry is appealing to many prospective applicants — particularly the churners who most readily accrue inquiries — the fact of the matter is that inquiries generally can’t be avoided if you want a new line of credit.
Most major open-loop credit card issuers will check your credit reports before approving your application, which automatically means a hard credit inquiry. Though we do know of two secured credit card options that don’t check credit at all.
You may be able to reduce the number of hard inquiries you have on your report by checking for prequalification offers before you fill out a full application. Credit card prequalification, also called preapproval, uses a soft credit inquiry (the non-damaging kind) to get a basic idea of your credit risk to estimate whether you would be approved for a given card.
Credit card preapproval can be especially helpful for those who have lower credit scores, as these consumers are overall most likely to be rejected for a credit card, but it can also be useful for those with good scores applying for a harder-to-get card. The issuers below make it easy to find prequalification offers, providing quick online applications that will only require your name, address, birthday, and the last four digits of your Social Security number.
The Discover preapproval process is simple and can be completed entirely online through the Discover website. Discover’s entire catalog of cards comes with generous rewards, and many Discover cards also include introductory APR offers.
Our in-house credit card experts rate Discover® cards based on:
Reward rates and redemptions
Regular and promotional APRs
Signup bonuses
Fees
Ease of approval
We also consider other cardholder needs and data points specific to the category. We then compare it to similar card offers and evaluate the terms before assigning a numerical value, in which 5.0 represents the best. Ratings are updated as issuer changes occur, and issuers have no influence on our ratings.
Our in-house credit card experts rate Discover® cards based on:
Reward rates and redemptions
Regular and promotional APRs
Signup bonuses
Fees
Ease of approval
We also consider other cardholder needs and data points specific to the category. We then compare it to similar card offers and evaluate the terms before assigning a numerical value, in which 5.0 represents the best. Ratings are updated as issuer changes occur, and issuers have no influence on our ratings.
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. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
Apply and you could get a decision in as little as 60 seconds. No annual fee.
Start shopping and earning rewards in minutes with our digital card, before your physical card arrives in the mail, if eligible.
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 a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 18.49% to 27.49% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
Our in-house credit card experts rate Discover® cards based on:
Reward rates and redemptions
Regular and promotional APRs
Signup bonuses
Fees
Ease of approval
We also consider other cardholder needs and data points specific to the category. We then compare it to similar card offers and evaluate the terms before assigning a numerical value, in which 5.0 represents the best. Ratings are updated as issuer changes occur, and issuers have no influence on our ratings.
Our in-house credit card experts rate Discover® cards based on:
Reward rates and redemptions
Regular and promotional APRs
Signup bonuses
Fees
Ease of approval
We also consider other cardholder needs and data points specific to the category. We then compare it to similar card offers and evaluate the terms before assigning a numerical value, in which 5.0 represents the best. Ratings are updated as issuer changes occur, and issuers have no influence on our ratings.
UNLIMITED BONUS: Unlimited Mile-for-Mile match for all new cardmembers—only from Discover. Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. You could turn 35,000 Miles to 70,000 Miles. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match.
Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase
No annual fee
Turn Miles into cash. Or redeem as a statement credit for your travel purchases like airfare, hotels, rideshares, gas stations, restaurants and more.
0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 18.49% - 27.49% Standard Variable Purchase APR will apply.
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.
Discover is accepted nationwide by 99% of the places that take credit cards.
Our in-house credit card experts rate Discover® cards based on:
Reward rates and redemptions
Regular and promotional APRs
Signup bonuses
Fees
Ease of approval
We also consider other cardholder needs and data points specific to the category. We then compare it to similar card offers and evaluate the terms before assigning a numerical value, in which 5.0 represents the best. Ratings are updated as issuer changes occur, and issuers have no influence on our ratings.
Our in-house credit card experts rate Discover® cards based on:
Reward rates and redemptions
Regular and promotional APRs
Signup bonuses
Fees
Ease of approval
We also consider other cardholder needs and data points specific to the category. We then compare it to similar card offers and evaluate the terms before assigning a numerical value, in which 5.0 represents the best. Ratings are updated as issuer changes occur, and issuers have no influence on our ratings.
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.
Capital One Credit Cards With Soft-Pull Preapproval
Getting preapproved for a Capital One card takes just a few minutes online through the Capital One website. In addition to its popular Venture® Rewards cards, Capital One also offers a range of other solid rewards cards, as well as a number of business credit card options.
Our in-house credit card experts rate Capital One® cards based on:
Reward rates and redemptions
Regular and promotional APRs
Signup bonuses
Annual and other fees
Travel insurance and credits
We also consider other cardholder needs and data points specific to the category. We then compare it to similar card offers and evaluate the terms before assigning a numerical value, in which 5.0 represents the best. Ratings are updated as issuer changes occur, and issuers have no influence on our ratings.
Our in-house credit card experts rate Capital One® cards based on:
Reward rates and redemptions
Regular and promotional APRs
Signup bonuses
Annual and other fees
Travel insurance and credits
We also consider other cardholder needs and data points specific to the category. We then compare it to similar card offers and evaluate the terms before assigning a numerical value, in which 5.0 represents the best. Ratings are updated as issuer changes occur, and issuers have no influence on our ratings.
Our in-house credit card experts rate Capital One® cards based on:
Reward rates and redemptions
Regular and promotional APRs
Signup bonuses
Annual and other fees
Travel insurance and credits
We also consider other cardholder needs and data points specific to the category. We then compare it to similar card offers and evaluate the terms before assigning a numerical value, in which 5.0 represents the best. Ratings are updated as issuer changes occur, and issuers have no influence on our ratings.
Our in-house credit card experts rate Capital One® cards based on:
Reward rates and redemptions
Regular and promotional APRs
Signup bonuses
Annual and other fees
Travel insurance and credits
We also consider other cardholder needs and data points specific to the category. We then compare it to similar card offers and evaluate the terms before assigning a numerical value, in which 5.0 represents the best. Ratings are updated as issuer changes occur, and issuers have no influence on our ratings.
Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
$0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus, cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.74% - 29.74% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
Our in-house credit card experts rate Capital One® cards based on:
Reward rates and redemptions
Regular and promotional APRs
Signup bonuses
Annual and other fees
Travel insurance and credits
We also consider other cardholder needs and data points specific to the category. We then compare it to similar card offers and evaluate the terms before assigning a numerical value, in which 5.0 represents the best. Ratings are updated as issuer changes occur, and issuers have no influence on our ratings.
Our in-house credit card experts rate Capital One® cards based on:
Reward rates and redemptions
Regular and promotional APRs
Signup bonuses
Annual and other fees
Travel insurance and credits
We also consider other cardholder needs and data points specific to the category. We then compare it to similar card offers and evaluate the terms before assigning a numerical value, in which 5.0 represents the best. Ratings are updated as issuer changes occur, and issuers have no influence on our ratings.
Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
Citibank’s prequalification form can be completed quickly online and you should get a response right away. Citi’s family of credit cards includes over a dozen options, including many co-branded cards for popular airlines and merchants.
Our in-house credit card experts rate Citi® offers based on:
Reward rates and redemptions
Regular and promotional APRs
Signup bonuses
Annual and other fees
Travel insurance and credits
We also consider other cardholder needs and data points specific to the category. We then compare it to similar card offers and evaluate the terms before assigning a numerical value, in which 5.0 represents the best. Ratings are updated as issuer changes occur, and issuers have no influence on our ratings.
Our in-house credit card experts rate Citi® offers based on:
Reward rates and redemptions
Regular and promotional APRs
Signup bonuses
Annual and other fees
Travel insurance and credits
We also consider other cardholder needs and data points specific to the category. We then compare it to similar card offers and evaluate the terms before assigning a numerical value, in which 5.0 represents the best. Ratings are updated as issuer changes occur, and issuers have no influence on our ratings.
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).
Our in-house credit card experts rate Citi® offers based on:
Reward rates and redemptions
Regular and promotional APRs
Signup bonuses
Annual and other fees
Travel insurance and credits
We also consider other cardholder needs and data points specific to the category. We then compare it to similar card offers and evaluate the terms before assigning a numerical value, in which 5.0 represents the best. Ratings are updated as issuer changes occur, and issuers have no influence on our ratings.
Our in-house credit card experts rate Citi® offers based on:
Reward rates and redemptions
Regular and promotional APRs
Signup bonuses
Annual and other fees
Travel insurance and credits
We also consider other cardholder needs and data points specific to the category. We then compare it to similar card offers and evaluate the terms before assigning a numerical value, in which 5.0 represents the best. Ratings are updated as issuer changes occur, and issuers have no influence on our ratings.
For a limited time, earn 75,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $750 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
Earn 10 points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
Earn 3 points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
$100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
Our in-house credit card experts rate Citi® offers based on:
Reward rates and redemptions
Regular and promotional APRs
Signup bonuses
Annual and other fees
Travel insurance and credits
We also consider other cardholder needs and data points specific to the category. We then compare it to similar card offers and evaluate the terms before assigning a numerical value, in which 5.0 represents the best. Ratings are updated as issuer changes occur, and issuers have no influence on our ratings.
Our in-house credit card experts rate Citi® offers based on:
Reward rates and redemptions
Regular and promotional APRs
Signup bonuses
Annual and other fees
Travel insurance and credits
We also consider other cardholder needs and data points specific to the category. We then compare it to similar card offers and evaluate the terms before assigning a numerical value, in which 5.0 represents the best. Ratings are updated as issuer changes occur, and issuers have no influence on our ratings.
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.
0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 18.49% - 28.49%, based on your creditworthiness.
Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2026.
No rotating bonus categories to sign up for – as your spending changes each billing cycle, your earn adjusts automatically when you spend in any of the eligible categories.
No Annual Fee
Citi will only issue one Citi Custom Cash® Card account per person.
Some People Have Success Using the Shopping Cart Trick
Though it may not be a law in the legal sense, one of the universal “laws” of the bureaucratic world of paperwork and fine print seems to be: Where there’s a will — there’s a loophole.
Enter the shopping cart trick. A hard-inquiry loophole supposedly exploited by some online shoppers, the trick involves taking advantage of store credit card offers that pop up during the online checkout process for a number of retailers.
Of course, you may need to take this trick with the proverbial grain of salt. According to consumer finance site, WalletHub, the shopping cart trick isn’t a way to get approved for a credit card without a hard inquiry. Instead, WalletHub says it’s only a way to get preapproved, which simply gives you an indication of how likely you are to be approved if you do apply.
Now, you may have heard a different story about the shopping cart trick from other sources. A lot of people misuse the term, saying it’s a way to actually get approved for store credit cards from Comenity Bank, Synchrony Bank, and Wells Fargo without a hard inquiry. But that’s just not true. WalletHub confirmed with all three issuers that you can’t get approved for one of their cards without a hard inquiry. — WalletHub.com
If you don’t believe the naysayers and want to give the trick a try, you can do so easily online. You’ll need to be opted in for credit card offers — this is automatically the case, unless you’ve purposefully opted out — and have your popup blockers disabled, since most offers appear in a popup.
You then go to an eligible retailer’s online store and place a few items in your shopping cart. Continue the checkout process as normal, being sure all the information you enter is the same as shown on your credit report, including your name and address.
Providing the trick has worked, at some point before the final checkout page, you should be presented with a store credit card offer. According to reports, accepting this offer should result in only a soft credit pull, rather than a hard pull.
However, some reports warn that if at any time you are asked for your full Social Security number (rather than only the last four digits), it may end up being a hard pull.
While this trick reportedly only works reliably with store cards offered by Comenity Bank, it may work with some cards from Synchrony and Wells Fargo. We’ve put together a few of the cards that have been reported to qualify for the shopping cart trick below, but remember that your own experience — and success rate — will likely vary.
13. Express Next Credit Card
The Express Next Credit Card can be a boon to frequent shoppers, providing an 8% rewards rate on Express purchases by giving cardholders a $10 rewards certificate for every 2,500 points (which means $125 in eligible purchases).
Earn 20X points per $1 spent on eligible Express purchases made with your card
Receive free shipping on online orders
Pay no annual fee
Keep in mind that the Express Next Credit Card comes with a pricey APR, so be sure to pay off your clothing purchases right away to avoid paying large interest fees.
14. Gamestop PowerUp Rewards Credit Card
While the Gamestop PowerUp Rewards Credit Card offers a hefty-seeming points bonus — 5,000 points for every $250 you spend — those 5,000 points are only worth a $5 coupon, which amounts to a pretty basic 2% rewards rate.
Earn 20X points per $1 spent on eligible Gamestop purchases made with your card
Receive exclusive cardholder offers
Pay no annual fee
You can boost your rewards into overdrive by being a PowerUp Rewards Pro or Elite member, but that membership will cost you at least $15.99 a year to obtain. Plus, the high APR means it will get very expensive if you carry those game purchases beyond your due date.
15. Victoria’s Secret Angel Card
The Victoria’s Secret Angel Card offers a decent 4% rewards rate, with every 250 points earning a $10 Angel Rewards certificate.
Earn 1X point per $1 spent on eligible Victoria’s Secret purchases made with your card
Receive exclusive offers & bonus buys
Pay no annual fee
Though competitive for a store card, the APR charged by the Victoria’s Secret Angel Card is anything but angelic. Always pay off your purchases before your due date to avoid being hit with large interest fees.
A soft pull is simply a preliminary glance at your credit history. Credit card companies perform soft pulls to prequalify applicants for their credit card offers.
You can authorize a soft pull by filling out a prequalification form to see whether you qualify for a specific credit card. Soft pulls can also be done without your authorization — this is why you may receive prescreened offers in the mail.
A hard credit check, however, cannot be done without your consent.
Can Credit Card Companies See Soft Pulls?
Soft inquiries do not appear on credit reports, so they are not visible to anyone — including credit card companies. A credit card company can only see a soft pull if they’re the one performing the soft pull for prescreening purposes.
A credit card company may also run a soft credit inquiry if you request a credit limit increase.
Does a Soft Pull Hurt Your Credit?
No. Because soft credit pulls are not included in your credit reports, they cannot hurt your credit. Your credit scores are calculated based on the information in your credit reports. Something that’s not there cannot be factored into your credit scores.
Hard Credit Inquiries Aren’t the End of the World
Sometimes, despite having the purest intentions, our actions can be misinterpreted in all the wrong ways. This can happen when curiosity pushes us to sign up for websites we maybe shouldn’t, and it can also happen when we sign up for new credit cards.
Depending on the disposition of your spouse, an innocent dating site experiment might be laughed off — or you may be looking at a few bad nights of sleep on the living room sofa. Your hard inquiries, on the other hand, will generally take a bit longer to disappear; most hard inquiries will stay on your credit report for up to two years.
But you aren’t doomed for those two years, particularly if you’re prudent about how many new applications you make. One or two hard inquiries generally won’t cause significant damage to your credit score, nor will a handful that are spread out over six months or so. Plus, a hard credit check will typically affect your credit score less over time, with the entire impact dissipating after the first year.
So, while it’s best to only apply for new credit in moderation, don’t let a hard credit inquiry stop you from applying for a new card you may actually need.
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.