Credit card preapproval isn’t a guarantee that you’ll be approved for a credit card when you apply, but it indicates that the odds are in your favor.
Getting preapproved involves a “soft pull” on your credit (versus a hard pull) and won’t hurt your credit. Some credit cards offer the convenience of online preapproval so you can figure out if it’s worth completing the full application. Applying in full for any credit card entails a real credit check (a hard pull) and a ding to your credit score.
Alternatively, some credit card issuers actively solicit potential new cardholders via preapproved offers through the mail. The picks below offer some form of preapproval if you’re hesitant to apply for a new card or worried about affecting your credit score.
The Discover it® Cash Back* credit card offers an Unlimited Cashback Match™ as the welcome bonus. Discover will essentially double your cash back earned over your first year at its conclusion. Remember, you have to activate the rotating rewards category manually from your account each quarter.
Check out our full review of the Discover it Cash Back for more details.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% for 15 months
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% for 15 months
- Regular APR
- 18.24% – 28.24% Variable APR
- Balance Transfer Fee
- 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*
The Discover it® Cash Back* credit card offers an Unlimited Cashback Match™ as the welcome bonus. Discover will essentially double your cash back earned over your first year at its conclusion. Remember, you have to activate the rotating rewards category manually from your account each quarter.
Check out our full review of the Discover it Cash Back for more details.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% for 15 months
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% for 15 months
- Regular APR
- 18.24% – 28.24% Variable APR
- Balance Transfer Fee
- 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*
With the Discover it® Miles* card, you earn 1.5x miles per dollar on all of your purchases. Miles can be redeemed for cash or a statement credit against travel purchases. This is a solid flat rewards rate particularly when paired with the Discover Match® welcome bonus. At the end of your first anniversary year, Discover will match your miles earned and deposit them into your account. This means you’ll effectively earn 3x miles per dollar on all of your purchases in the first year.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months
- Regular APR
- 18.24% – 28.24% Variable APR
- Balance Transfer Fee
- 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*
With the Discover it® Miles* card, you earn 1.5x miles per dollar on all of your purchases. Miles can be redeemed for cash or a statement credit against travel purchases. This is a solid flat rewards rate particularly when paired with the Discover Match® welcome bonus. At the end of your first anniversary year, Discover will match your miles earned and deposit them into your account. This means you’ll effectively earn 3x miles per dollar on all of your purchases in the first year.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months
- Regular APR
- 18.24% – 28.24% Variable APR
- Balance Transfer Fee
- 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*
As with the other Discover cards on this list, the Unlimited Cashback Match™ makes the Discover it® Chrome* stand out among preapproval credit cards. Since Discover matches your earned cash at the end of your first year, you’ll effectively earn a 4% return at gas stations and restaurants -- but remember that this only applies to the first $1,000 in combined purchases per quarter (then 1%). This rate is competitive with some of the best restaurant credit cards and best gas credit cards, though only for the first year.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% for 15 months
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% for 15 months
- Regular APR
- 18.24% – 28.24% Variable APR
- Balance Transfer Fee
- 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*
As with the other Discover cards on this list, the Unlimited Cashback Match™ makes the Discover it® Chrome* stand out among preapproval credit cards. Since Discover matches your earned cash at the end of your first year, you’ll effectively earn a 4% return at gas stations and restaurants -- but remember that this only applies to the first $1,000 in combined purchases per quarter (then 1%). This rate is competitive with some of the best restaurant credit cards and best gas credit cards, though only for the first year.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% for 15 months
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% for 15 months
- Regular APR
- 18.24% – 28.24% Variable APR
- Balance Transfer Fee
- 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*
What is a preapproval credit card?
A preapproval credit card just means you can check your chances of approval first without undergoing a full credit check.
Your potential credit card issuer may refer to this as something else -- prequalification or preselection, for example -- but they all refer to a preliminary matching to a card product that won’t impact your credit score.
Do keep in mind that, even if you are preapproved for a credit card, it doesn’t mean you have a 100% chance of being approved. You’ll still need to complete a full credit card application and undergo a hard credit check to know for sure.
How to get preapproved
To get preapproved, you’ll either have to check on the credit card issuer’s website or receive a preapproved offer in the mail or in your email. Whichever route you take, the credit card issuer will have a link for you to follow or an application to fill out with information like your name, address and the last four digits of your Social Security number.
Ways to improve your preapproval chances
Your credit score is a major component of what determines your approval odds. That means one of the best ways to improve your chances of preapproval is to increase your credit score. The best way to do that is to make on-time payments on your credit products, including credit cards, student loans, auto loans and mortgages.
You should also try to limit your credit utilization ratio -- the amount of debt you owe compared to your available credit. A balance transfer could help get rid of existing credit card debt if you’re feeling the pressure of a large balance coupled with interest charges.
“You can keep your credit score high by always paying off your bills on time, keeping utilization on your cards low, and keeping your oldest line of credit open,” credit expert Julia Menez said. “Additionally, you can increase your chances of [being preapproved] by opting in for any preapproval offers and establishing a relationship with the bank.”
FAQs
Preapproval and prequalification are similar. They both suggest you have good odds to get the card you applied for but that there are no absolute guarantees. Prequalified cards can mean that the issuer has found you are the type of consumer that’s a good fit. Preapproval means the card company has taken a deeper look at your credit history and income and feels confident you’ll receive an approval if you apply.
Getting preapproved is typically done online. You’ll need to provide your annual income and identifying information, such as your name and address, as well as the last four digits of your Social Security number. You’ll receive personalized offers based on the card issuer’s initial findings.
There is no commitment required during the preapproval process. Your credit score won’t be affected either, since only a soft pull is performed on your credit. If you decide to move forward with an application, the card provider will do a hard credit check.
A credit card soft inquiry won’t affect your credit, but doesn’t do an in-depth search into your credit history. A preapproval isn’t a guarantee that you’ll be approved for a credit card when you apply. See it more as an invitation to apply with good odds of approval.
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Our methodology
CNET reviews credit cards by exhaustively comparing them across set criteria developed for each major category, including cash-back, welcome bonus, travel rewards and balance transfer. We take into consideration the typical spending behavior of a range of consumer profiles -- with the understanding that everyone’s financial situation is different -- and the designated function of a card.
*All information about the Discover it Cash Back, Discover it Miles, and Discover it Chrome has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.