Gone are the days of checking your mailbox daily for the latest and greatest credit card offers. Instead, you can now access your offers at your convenience via the Internet, thanks to modern-day technology.
It’s a great way to browse prequalified credit card offers on your terms rather than waiting for one to show up in the mail.
How to See If You’re Preapproved for a Credit Card
Preapproval means a credit card issuer has screened your credit profile and thinks you’re likely to qualify. It’s not a guarantee, but it does improve your odds. Here’s how to check your preapproval status.
1. Use the Card Issuer’s Website
Most major credit card issuers have an online preapproval or prequalification tool. You’ll enter basic information like your name, address, and last four digits of your Social Security number. It only results in a soft credit pull and won’t affect your score.
2. Check Your Mail
Still getting offers in the mail? Many are real preapproval offers. Look for a unique RSVP code or a website link to respond. Just make sure to review the terms carefully before applying.
3. Look Inside Your Credit Monitoring Account
If you subscribe to a credit monitoring or identity protection service, you may find preapproved credit card offers listed there as part of your dashboard.
4. Ask Your Bank or Credit Union
Already have an account somewhere? Banks often extend preapproved credit card offers to existing customers. You can check for offers in-branch, online, or through your mobile app.
5. Attend Promotional Events
Some banks set up tables at retail stores or local events with preapproval tools on-site. If you see one, you can check your eligibility on the spot.
6. Opt In to Preapproved Offers
Visit OptOutPrescreen.com to allow your name to be included on prescreened lists shared with lenders. This increases your chances of receiving preapproval offers in the mail.
7. Review Your Existing Credit Card Account
Already have a card? Your issuer may show preapproved offers for other products in your account dashboard or app.
Important: Preapproval only means you’ve passed a soft screening. Approval still depends on a full credit check and verification of your financial details.
How to Access Your Credit Card Offers from Different Banks
Viewing your prequalified and preapproved credit card offers is easier than ever. Each bank offers its own online tools and processes to help you quickly access this information.
Below, we’ll walk through how to access prequalified offers from popular credit card issuers, starting with American Express.
American Express
American Express makes it easy to get your personalized offers. Get started by visiting the company’s website, then scrolling down to where it says, “Find the Card that’s right for you.”
You can choose from personal cards, small business cards, corporate cards, or prepaid cards. Then, near the top of the navigation menu, click on the option that says, “Check for Offers.”
Then, enter your full name, home address, and last four digits of your Social Security number. Your choices for that last field include travel rewards, rewards points, cashback, or “not sure yet.”
This allows American Express to tailor an offer for you better. The best part of this process is that it will enable you to check on special deals with only getting a soft pull on your credit report.
If you happened to receive a prequalified offer in the mail from Amex, you can also scroll down a little further to redeem it. You just need your zip code and 14 digit RSVP code.
Popular American Express credit cards:
- American Express Platinum Card
- American Express Gold Card
- Blue Cash Preferred Card
- American Express Green Card
- Blue Cash Everyday Card
Bank of America
You can also check for customized offers from Bank of America. Like American Express, it doesn’t hurt your credit score, and it’s fast. In fact, you can get an offer in less than 60 seconds.
So, what do you need to do? Visit B of A’s customized offer page and fill out the data fields. You’ll first be asked if you currently have an online bank account with Bank of America, which just lets you use the information they already have on hand about you.
Next, you can select a specific type of credit card you’re interested in: cash rewards, travel rewards, lower rate, build or rebuild credit, or pay down your balance faster.
Enter your first, middle, and last names followed by your home address, and you’re almost done. Then, wrap up with your birthdate and the last four digits of your social, and you’re ready to get your customized offers.
Popular Bank of America credit cards:
- Bank of America Cash Rewards credit card
- Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card
- Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card
- Bank of America Credit Card for Students
- Bank of America Cash Rewards for Students credit card
Capital One
Getting a prequalification offer is easy with Capital One. Go to their site and enter the usual basic information like your name, address, and date of birth.
You’ll notice that Capital One requires you to enter your entire Social Security number, which may indicate that they perform a hard check on your credit report.
Next, you’re required to answer two questions. The first question asks which card benefit is most important to you, such as travel rewards, cashback, or low interest.
The second asks that you rate your credit as excellent, average, or rebuilding. Once you’ve completed these easy questions, you can click to see your offers.
Popular Capital One credit cards:
- Capital One Platinum Credit Card
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Capital One Walmart Rewards Card
Chase
Check out Chase’s credit card page for easy access to personalized offers. First, you should see an automatic pop-up in the upper right-hand corner directing you to the offers page. Then, when you click the “Check for offers” button, you fill out another simple form that doesn’t affect your credit score.
The only information you need is your name, address, and last four Social Security digits. Again, you’ll get offers back in just a matter of moments, and while it’s not a firm approval, it’s a great start to see what kind of terms you could qualify for.
If you’re looking for a Chase credit card, this is the perfect way to explore your options — risk-free. Of course, once you submit an application, Chase will pull your credit report from at least one of the three major credit bureaus.
Popular Chase credit cards:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- Chase Sapphire Reserve
- Chase Freedom Flex
- United Explorer Card
- Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card
Citibank
Citibank makes it straightforward to check your prequalified credit offers. You can start by clicking here. Citibank requires just your basic personal data and has one of the shortest forms out there.
Start by entering your personal information. Next, drop in the card benefit that’s most important to you, and all that’s left is a brief acknowledgment that you know your credit score won’t be affected.
Then, voilà! You get to find out if you have a prequalified offer waiting for you. Citibank says they won’t hassle you with follow-ups, even if you decide not to apply for the credit card.
Popular Citibank credit cards:
- Citi Premier Card
- Citi Diamond Preferred Card
- Citi Double Cash Card
- Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi
- Citi Simplicity Card
Credit One
You might not be as familiar with Credit One as some of the other companies on our list, and there’s a reason why. Credit One is a credit card company that focuses primarily on cardholders with bad credit.
And if you know anything about having poor credit, interest rates and fees can be quite high. Still, you can get a risk-free offer to compare card terms, especially if you haven’t been able to pre-qualify for other credit cards.
Visit the Credit One homepage and click on “See If You Pre-Qualify.” Credit One does require a bit more information than others. However, the prequalification form won’t hurt your credit history, which is a major bonus.
Fill out the application, submit the form, and you’ll get your prequalification results almost instantly. From there, you can determine if it’s worth applying.
Popular Credit One credit cards:
- Credit One Bank Platinum Visa for Rebuilding Credit
- Credit One Bank American Express Card
- Credit One Bank Platinum X5 Visa
- Credit One Bank Platinum Rewards Visa with No Annual Fee
- Credit One Bank Visa Cash Back Rewards
Discover Card
Discover’s direct offer page lets you determine what kind of credit cards you can prequalify for. The form is very straightforward, especially if you’ve looked at any other offer pages by now.
In fact, for Discover, you’re only required to enter some personal information, and whether you’re a student. It’s hands-down one of the fastest prequalification forms you’ll find on the web.
Again, your credit score won’t be affected at this stage because it’s only a soft pull. However, if you decide to submit a formal credit card application, you can expect a hard pull that slightly influences your credit score.
Popular Discover credit cards:
- Discover it Cash Back
- Discover it chrome
- Discover it Miles
- Discover it Student Cash Back
- Discover it Balance Transfer
Synchrony Bank
Synchrony Bank offers prequalification for select store-branded credit cards, allowing you to check your eligibility without affecting your credit score. Currently, the Lowe’s Advantage Card provides this prequalification option, which you can access on the Lowe’s website.
USAA
USAA may be a less familiar name to you on this list, but we’ve known them for a while. Their credit cards are one of the few offering cardholders free access to their FICO scores, and they also offer a checking account that doesn’t use ChexSystems for approval.
To take advantage of USAA’s credit card prequalification offers, you need to be a bank member. If you are, log in to your account and click on the “My Offers” page. You’ll automatically have offers appear since the bank has your personal information and is familiar with your financial background.
Popular USAA credit cards:
- USAA Rate Advantage Visa Platinum Card
- USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Credit Card
- Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card
- USAA Rewards American Express Credit Card
- USAA Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card
U.S. Bank
U.S. Bank no longer offers a prequalification option for their credit cards at this time. However, you can still explore their wide range of credit cards directly on their website and apply for the one that fits your needs. Keep in mind that applying will involve a hard inquiry on your credit report, which may affect your credit score. Be sure to check back, as U.S. Bank may reintroduce the prequalification feature in the future.
Popular U.S. Bank credit cards:
- U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card
- U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card
- U.S. Bank Visa Platinum Credit Card
- U.S. Bank Altitude Go Visa Signature Card
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo allows you to check for prequalified credit card offers quickly and without impacting your credit score. Simply visit their prequalification page, provide some basic information, and in less than a minute, you’ll see if you’re prequalified for any of their credit card products. This process uses a soft credit inquiry, so it won’t affect your credit score.
Popular Wells Fargo credit cards:
- Wells Fargo Active Cash Card
- Wells Fargo Autograph Card
- Wells Fargo Reflect Card
- Bilt Mastercard
Prequalified vs. Preapproved: What’s the difference?
When you receive a credit card offer, the terms prequalified, preapproved, and prescreened may all appear. Here’s what they actually mean.
Prequalified
You’ve passed a basic review—usually a soft credit check. This means you meet some general criteria, but there’s no guarantee of approval.
Preapproved
This typically means you’ve passed a deeper screening, and the issuer believes you’re a strong candidate. If you’ve given permission, it may include a hard credit pull.
Prescreened
This is often used interchangeably with preapproved. It means you’ve been selected based on credit data, but approval still requires a full application.
Before applying, always read the fine print. Look at the APR, fees, credit limit, and rewards structure—and compare it to your credit profile.
If your credit history matches the card’s target criteria, applying could make sense. But if it doesn’t, it’s probably not worth the credit inquiry on your credit report.
How to Increase Your Chances of Getting a Prequalified Credit Card Offer
Getting prequalified offers can make it easier to compare options without risking your credit score. If you’re not seeing many—or want better ones—here’s how to improve your odds:
- Improve your credit score: Pay your bills on time, reduce outstanding balances, check your reports for errors, and avoid applying for multiple cards in a short time.
- Build a relationship with your bank: Lenders are more likely to prequalify existing customers, especially if you maintain a healthy balance or use other banking products.
- Report higher income: If you’ve received a raise or added a new income stream, update that info with the credit bureaus to improve your creditworthiness.
- Keep old accounts open: A longer credit history helps your score. Even if you rarely use an older card, keeping it open can work in your favor.
- Diversify your credit mix: Having both credit cards and installment loans shows lenders you can manage different types of credit responsibly.
- Keep your personal info up to date: Make sure the credit bureaus have your current address, phone number, and other contact details so offers can reach you.
- Be patient and consistent: Solid financial habits take time to reflect in your credit profile, but they will increase the quantity and quality of your offers.
Bottom Line
The best way to find credit card offers isn’t to wait for them to clutter up your mailbox. Instead, take control of your situation and browse some risk-free prequalifications.
While there’s no definite guarantee that you’ll be approved, it’s a good starting point. Then you can research the prequalified offers in greater detail to see if it seems like a strong match for you.
The forms are quick enough that you won’t have to dig through old files and bank accounts searching for information. Everything you need should already be inside your head.
