Soft credit pull vs hard search, explained

What each one is, who runs it, and exactly when the second one happens.

The two get used interchangeably in conversation. They are not the same thing.

Soft search. A look at credit data that is visible to you but not to other lenders assessing you later. It leaves no mark that affects your score. Comparing options on Capvant sits here.
Hard search. A formal search recorded on your file and visible to other lenders. Several in a short window can read as pressure and may affect how a later application is assessed.

Applied to Capvant, the sequence is:

You share your business details. No credit search is run by Capvant, at any point.
You see what you may qualify for and compare offers. Still no hard search.
You choose an offer and say you want to proceed. Only now can the funder behind it run a hard search, and only with your agreement.

Because the marketplace surfaces competing offers from one request, you are not stacking up hard searches to find out what the market will do. That is the practical point of comparing first.

Still stuck? support@capvant.com

Disclaimers & footnotes

1Capvant is a funding marketplace, not a lender. We match business owners with third-party funding partners; we do not make credit decisions, lend money, or set rates or terms. All funding decisions, rates, terms and approvals are made solely by the lenders in our network, subject to their criteria.
2Checking your options through Capvant does not affect your credit score. A lender may carry out a soft or hard credit search depending on the product, stage and your consent. A full hard credit check is only carried out where required by a lender before you proceed.
3Funding speed, including any reference to funding in as little as 24 hours, is typical for some products and lenders and is not guaranteed. Actual timescales depend on the lender, the product, and how quickly requested information and documents are provided.
4Funding amounts and ranges are indicative only and vary with your business profile, trading history, the lender and the market. Figures shown are not an offer of finance and do not guarantee any particular amount, rate or approval.
5Any offers, rates or repayment figures shown in illustrations or examples are for demonstration only and are not real quotes. Your actual offers, if any, are provided by lenders and are subject to approval.
6Product availability varies by market. Some products are only available in certain countries. Capvant currently serves businesses in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Capvant is not a lender and does not make credit decisions, we introduce businesses to third-party funding providers. Capvant is not authorized or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

Capvant does not compare every lender, broker, funding product or offer available in the market. We only show options from funding partners in our network that may be relevant based on the information you provide.

Capvant may receive compensation from lenders, brokers, funding partners or referral partners when a customer is introduced, approved, funded or takes another qualifying action. This compensation does not guarantee that any lender will approve an application or offer specific terms. Capvant does not charge business owners a fee to compare funding options unless clearly stated otherwise.

If you access Capvant through a partner, introducer or embedded funding page, that partner may receive a referral fee or commission if your request results in funding. This does not increase your cost unless expressly disclosed.

Capvant is intended for business-purpose funding only. Eligibility may depend on entity type, location, trading history, revenue, industry and lender criteria. In the UK, Capvant currently focuses on limited companies, LLPs and plcs, and does not currently support sole traders or ordinary partnerships.

Information on Capvant is general information only and is not financial, legal, tax or accounting advice. You should consider whether funding is suitable for your business and seek professional advice where appropriate.

Calculators, eligibility checkers and funding-readiness tools are estimates only. They are based on limited information and assumptions, and do not represent a credit decision, quote, approval or recommendation.

Company information may be sourced from public registers such as Secretary of State business filings, or from information you provide. Public register data may be incomplete, delayed or inaccurate and should not be treated as a full credit assessment.

The Business Credit Score by Capvant is an independent statistical assessment based on public register data. It is not provided by a credit reference agency and may differ from scores used by individual lenders.

By submitting an application or funding request, you authorise Capvant to share relevant business, owner, request and document information with funding partners, service providers and introducers where necessary to process your request, subject to our Privacy Policy.

Some US commercial financing offers may be subject to state-specific disclosure requirements. Where required, additional disclosures will be provided and must be accepted before a transaction is finalised.