Will the eligibility check or Quick Quote affect my credit score?
Short answer — clear and direct
An eligibility check or Quick Quote carried out through Best Business Loans will usually use a soft credit check and will not affect your credit score.
A hard credit search that can lower your score only happens if you give permission for a full application and a lender performs a formal credit check.
How Best Business Loans processes Quick Quotes
Best Business Loans is an introducer only and does not provide credit itself.
When you submit a Quick Quote we match your business with suitable lenders or brokers using AI and data filters.
Our initial checks are designed to be non-invasive and primarily use internal matching and soft credit enquiries where needed.
What is an eligibility check or Quick Quote?
What you submit and what we check
A Quick Quote asks a few concise questions about your business, its turnover, the finance type you want and the purpose of funds.
We use that information to perform a preliminary eligibility assessment and to identify likely funders.
This stage is about matching, not approving, and it does not create a binding loan application.
Why firms use eligibility checks
Eligibility checks speed up the process and avoid full applications to lenders who are unlikely to approve.
They reduce time and paperwork for you by narrowing down realistic options quickly.
They also help our AI learn which lender criteria fit specific business profiles.
Soft searches versus hard searches explained
What is a soft credit check?
A soft credit check (soft search) looks at limited credit file information to gauge affordability and risk.
Soft searches are often used for price or eligibility indications and do not get recorded as a formal credit application.
Because soft searches aren’t logged as an application, they do not reduce your credit score.
What is a hard credit check?
A hard credit check (hard search) is what lenders use during a formal application to assess creditworthiness.
Hard searches are recorded on your business credit file and can have a small, short-term effect on credit ratings.
Multiple hard searches in a short period can carry more weight with credit agencies.
How this applies to business finance and common scenarios
Business credit files and sensitivity
Business credit files behave differently to personal credit files, but many lenders still record hard searches on your company file.
The impact depends on the credit agency, the age and strength of your file, and how many searches appear.
Established SMEs with robust trading histories usually see minimal impact from a single hard search.
Typical Quick Quote flow and lender behaviour
When you request a Quick Quote via Best Business Loans we usually run soft checks only, unless you explicitly agree otherwise.
If a matched lender requires a full application you will be notified and asked to consent to any hard search.
This gives you control — you can decide whether to proceed or to request alternative options.
Example: asset finance enquiries
Asset finance or equipment funding commonly begins with eligibility checks to verify asset type and residual values.
We often use soft searches for asset-backed enquiries because the asset provides security and reduces initial lender risk.
For more on how asset finance applications typically work, see our asset finance guide: https://bestbusinessloans.ai/loan/asset-finance/.
Practical steps to protect your credit score
Before you request a Quick Quote
Check whether the provider states they will perform a soft or hard search before you submit details.
Ask which credit reference agencies they use and whether the search will be visible to other lenders.
Keep your business information accurate to avoid unnecessary follow-up checks.
When you receive lender offers
Requests to proceed to a full application should explicitly state the need for a hard search.
Consider timing multiple full applications so they are not bunched together and avoid repeated hard searches.
If you’re unsure, ask the lender or broker to use a manual underwriting conversation first before a hard search.
Managing multiple lender approaches
Using an introducer like Best Business Loans often reduces the number of hard searches because we shortlist likely matches first.
If several lenders want a hard search, you can prioritise the most suitable or negotiate a soft-search pre-check.
Document each consent so you can track which searches were authorised.
FAQs, compliance notes and next steps
Common questions answered
Will a Quick Quote always be a soft search? No — most are, but some specialist lenders request a hard search early in the process.
Can multiple soft searches cause a problem? No — soft searches do not affect credit scores and are used widely for eligibility checks.
Does Best Business Loans share my data? We only share your details with carefully selected lenders or brokers relevant to your enquiry.
Compliance, transparency and your rights
Best Business Loans is an independent introducer and does not provide credit or advice.
We are not a lender and we are not FCA-authorised, so any formal credit agreements are made directly with authorised lenders.
We aim to comply with FCA principles on clear, fair and not misleading communications and will always seek your consent before a hard search.
Key takeaways and next steps
In short: a Quick Quote or eligibility check is normally a soft search and will not affect your credit score.
A hard search only happens with your consent during a formal application and may have a small, short-term impact.
If you want to proceed, submit a Quick Quote and our AI will match you to likely lenders while prioritising soft searches wherever possible.
Ready to get started?
If you want a quick, non-invasive eligibility check and to see potential options, submit your Quick Quote now.
We’ll explain any search types before a lender performs a full check so you stay in control.
Get a free Quick Quote and explore suitable funding without committing to a hard credit check.