Business credit score
What moves it.
Guide
Soft pulls, hard pulls, and "no credit check": which providers do what, and when
Applying for funding can leave marks on your credit file or leave none, depending on what the provider runs and when. Knowing the sequence lets you shop without paying for it in points.
The two kinds of inquiry
| Soft inquiry | Hard inquiry | |
|---|---|---|
| Effect on score | None | Small, temporary decrease is common |
| Visible to other lenders | No | Yes, for a period |
| Typical use | Pre-qualification, account review, your own checks | A formal application for credit |
| Consent | Often implied by an application | Explicit authorization in the application |
When providers run what
Common sequences, with each provider setting its own: pre-qualify with a soft pull and run a hard pull only at final approval; hard pull at application; no personal pull for products underwritten on receivables or collateral; business-bureau pull only. The question to ask is precise: "Do you run a hard inquiry, at what stage, and does it happen if I decline the offer?"
"No credit check" claims
- Sometimes true for invoice factoring and some revenue-based products, which price risk through the structure instead.
- Often means "checked later" (at closing) or "checked but not used as a cutoff".
- Never means the risk is not priced. Treat the phrase as a reason to scrutinize cost.
Avoiding inquiry stacking
- Shortlist two providers using their published criteria and soft pre-qualification.
- Get written terms from one before authorizing a hard pull at another.
- Do not submit to marketplaces and direct providers simultaneously without knowing who will pull.
Fast Mula’s questionnaire runs no credit check of any kind, and that will remain true when inquiries open.
What Fast Mula is and isn't. Fast Mula helps you compare business-funding structures and submit one inquiry. Nothing on this site is an offer, approval, guaranteed rate, or guaranteed timeline. Any funding depends on a provider's own review, and terms vary by state.
Common questions
How much does a hard inquiry lower my score?
Typically a small amount for a limited period; several inquiries in a short window for the same type of credit are often treated as one by scoring models, but business-funding applications do not always benefit from that rule.
Does checking my own credit hurt it?
No; that is a soft inquiry.
Related
How to compare providers
Sequencing applications.
Bad-credit business funding
Options when scores are low.
Glossary: credit pull
Soft vs. hard, defined.
EIN-only and identity verification
What is real, and why you are verified.
See which options fit your numbers
Inquiries are not open yet. You can preview the three-minute questionnaire now, and use the calculator and comparisons freely.