Updated
The misconception
“Checking your own credit score will lower it.”
The explanation
Checking your own score is considered a "soft inquiry" and has no impact on your credit score whatsoever. You can check it as often as you like without any negative effect. Only "hard inquiries" — initiated when you formally apply for credit — may have a small, temporary impact.
Two different kinds of inquiry
Checking your own credit score is different from submitting an application for new credit. Understanding that distinction makes it easier to interpret the inquiries you see in a credit report.
Read the context
When reviewing your credit, pay attention to what the number represents: the model, the bureau information, and the time it was calculated. Different scores do not necessarily mean that checking your own credit changed anything.
Explore the factors behind a credit score or return to our resource library.
General educational information only. Read the General Disclaimer.