There are a few lenders who always (or almost always) do soft pulls. However, there are quite a few others who may do either, so you'd need to be prepared for the hard pull. Some will soft pull but offer to hard pull if you want to appeal it for a higher limit. Sometimes, it depends on how you ask for it. I've heard that Navy FCU will hard pull if you call and ask a CSR about it but if you do it via the Request CLI link on website or mobile app, it's a soft pull. And then there are some who never soft pull, unless you maybe you get an auto-CLI from them. Keep in mind as you do your research that some lenders have changed. For example, a couple of years ago, Bank of America went from doing hard pulls to soft pulls.
Here's the most recent thread I think I've seen on the topic, and there is a link in it to a Doctor of Credit web article about soft pulls.
https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Cards/Which-Cards-Offer-SP-CLIs/m-p/6061020
Some that I know that normally do soft pulls are:
- Goldman Sachs Apple Card
- Bank of America
- Navy FCU (via mobile app or website)
- Discover
- Capital One
- Citi
- AMEX - Normally soft pulls but may HP or ask for IV or FR
- Wells Fargo may CLI on soft pull but they ask if you will accept HP
@Aim_High wrote:There are a few lenders who always (or almost always) do soft pulls. However, there are quite a few others who may do either, so you'd need to be prepared for the hard pull. Some will soft pull but offer to hard pull if you want to appeal it for a higher limit. Sometimes, it depends on how you ask for it. I've heard that Navy FCU will hard pull if you call and ask a CSR about it but if you do it via the Request CLI link on website or mobile app, it's a soft pull. And then there are some who never soft pull, unless you maybe you get an auto-CLI from them. Keep in mind as you do your research that some lenders have changed. For example, a couple of years ago, Bank of America went from doing hard pulls to soft pulls.
Here's the most recent thread I think I've seen on the topic, and there is a link in it to a Doctor of Credit web article about soft pulls.
https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Cards/Which-Cards-Offer-SP-CLIs/m-p/6061020
Some that I know that normally do soft pulls are:
- Goldman Sachs Apple Card
- Bank of America
- Navy FCU (via mobile app or website)
- Discover
- Capital One
- Citi
- AMEX - Normally soft pulls but may HP or ask for IV or FR
- Wells Fargo may CLI on soft pull but they ask if you will accept HP
I thought Citi does HP CLIs. Or is that just for retail? I know I had a shell and Exxon back in the day and requested CLIs and suddenly my phone blew up with HP alerts.
Just for kicks and giggles I asked for a CLI on my CapOne Quicksilver card last week; I got the commonly reported $300 increase (from $3,000 to $3,300), and so far at least, none of my credit reports show even a soft pull. Go figure.
@Anonymous wrote:
@designated_knitter wrote:
@Aim_High wrote:
... Some that I know that normally do soft pulls are:
- Citi ...
I thought Citi does HP CLIs. Or is that just for retail? I know I had a shell and Exxon back in the day and requested CLIs and suddenly my phone blew up with HP alerts.
Citi retail increases are HP. On the core cards there may be language indicating a SP is possible. If one isn't happy with the increase based on the SP, they can elect to take a HP for a further potential increase.
Right, I was talking more of my experience with core cards. For my Citi Costco, for example, I can ask for CLI online every six months. It's not a big increase per time but it's a soft pull. It's usually been $3K but during covid decreased to $1.5K.
My last CITI retail card was a Sears card but I closed it several years ago.
Capital One and Synchrony
