What Credit Bureau Does SoFi Use?

SoFi typically pulls your Experian credit report, making Experian the primary bureau for most loan and card applications; however, the company can switch to TransUnion for certain products or when specific underwriting criteria apply, and it rarely reaches for Equifax only in niche cases such as targeted promotional offers.

This default to Experian explains why the 'Why expect Experian from your SoFi app?' section follows, and the upcoming '4 factors dictate your SoFi bureau pull' will detail the circumstances that trigger a TransUnion or Equifax pull.

SoFi typically pulls your Experian credit file whenever you launch the app or run a pre‑qualification, because Experian serves as SoFi's default data partner and its soft‑pull API provides the quickest, most uniform scores for automated underwriting.

If the algorithm flags a high‑risk loan type, a large amount, or a hard‑inquiry request, SoFi may switch to TransUnion or Equifax, a nuance covered in the next section on the four factors that dictate the bureau pull.

SoFi typically pulls Experian, but the bureau can shift according to four factors.

1. Product you're applying for - Loans usually trigger an Experian pull, while credit‑card applications often use TransUnion.
2. Channel you use - The web portal tends to query Experian; the mobile app may default to a different bureau.
3. State regulations - Some states require lenders to use a specific bureau, causing SoFi to follow local rules.
4. Your existing SoFi profile - If SoFi already has a recent pull on one bureau for you, it will reuse that bureau to avoid an extra hard inquiry.

These determinants explain why the same applicant can see different bureaus listed across SoFi products.

Loans applications draw from all three major bureaus, but Experian shows up most often in the pull. SoFi layers TransUnion and Equifax data behind the primary report to fine‑tune interest rates and eligibility thresholds. Larger loan amounts or borderline credit scores trigger heavier weight on the secondary files, nudging the decision margin. (See SoFi's credit‑bureau FAQ for the exact process.)

Credit‑card requests also hit Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax, yet the algorithm leans slightly more on TransUnion's scoring model. Card underwriting emphasizes recent utilization patterns, which TransUnion captures in greater detail for many applicants. When a borrower's profile includes limited history, Equifax data fills the gaps, but the primary pull remains Experian, as we covered above. The end result: both products use the same trio of bureaus, but loan decisions favor Experian, while card approvals balance toward TransUnion.

SoFi accesses TransUnion any time it performs a credit inquiry - whether the check is soft for a pre‑qualification estimate, hard for a loan or card approval, or part of a routine review of an existing account.

• Soft pull during online pre‑qualification (includes Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion)
• Hard pull at final loan or credit‑card application (draws all three bureaus)
• Scheduled hard pull for ongoing risk assessment of current SoFi products (covers all bureaus)
• Referral to a partner lender that requires a full credit view (queries each bureau)

SoFi does pull Equifax, but only in a handful of cases. Those cases typically involve loan types or data gaps that Experian and TransUnion cannot fill.

• When you apply for a mortgage‑type loan that exceeds the limit set for Experian checks, SoFi adds an Equifax pull to get a fuller picture.
• If Experian and TransUnion show a thin credit file, SoFi automatically queries Equifax to avoid a hard‑inquiry denial.
• Some promotional or partnership offers (e.g., student‑loan refinance tied to a university) trigger an Equifax pull because the partner supplies Equifax data.
• Users with frozen Experian/TransUnion reports but an active Equifax file may see SoFi reach for Equifax to honor the application.
• Occasionally, SoFi's risk engine selects Equifax when your SSN matches a high‑risk pattern that Experian does not flag, ensuring more accurate underwriting.
• For strategies to avoid any hard pull, see the next section on prequalifying without a hard inquiry.

SoFi lets you see loan or credit‑card offers without a hard pull by running a soft inquiry on your TransUnion file.

• Initiate pre‑qualification through the SoFi app or website; the system automatically requests a soft pull from TransUnion.
• Review the personalized rate sheet; no impact to your credit score appears on any bureau.
• Accept an offer or walk away; only a hard pull occurs if you submit a full application, which typically involves Experian.

Because the soft pull stays confined to TransUnion, boosting that report - paying down balances, correcting errors, and maintaining on‑time payments - improves the odds of a favorable pre‑qualification before any hard inquiry.

Boost Experian before SoFi checks you by treating the Experian soft pull as a chance to showcase a clean credit snapshot. SoFi typically runs this soft inquiry first, so a higher Experian score improves pre‑qualification odds. Immediate actions - lowering revolving balances below 30 % of limits, disputing inaccurate items, and adding a well‑managed authorized user - move the needle within weeks.

Check your free Experian report, correct any errors, and pause new hard inquiries at least 30 days before applying. Keeping payment history flawless and avoiding recent credit‑card openings sustains the boost through the upcoming hard pull, which may involve all three bureaus. (See how to boost your Experian credit score for a step‑by‑step checklist.) Frozen credit? The next section explains how to unfreeze quickly for SoFi.

If your credit is frozen, you need to lift the freeze before SoFi can pull your report.

1. Identify which bureau SoFi will query. SoFi most often pulls Experian, but loan or card applications can also hit TransUnion or Equifax.
2. Go to the bureau's online portal and log in.
   • Experian: How to lift an Experian freeze
   • TransUnion: TransUnion freeze‑removal guide
   • Equifax: Equifax freeze‑lift instructions
3. Choose 'temporary lift' and set the end date at least 24 hours after you plan to submit the SoFi application.
4. Confirm the lift by checking the bureau's status page or receiving a confirmation email.
5. Return to SoFi and complete the application; the bureau will now return your credit data.

A temporary lift stays active for the window you set, then automatically re‑freezes, keeping your protection intact while allowing SoFi to run its check.

SoFi's inquiry appears on whichever credit bureau the platform accessed, so you can watch each report to catch the pull.

To track the inquiries you can: • request your free annual report from Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax at Annual Credit Report website, • open the SoFi app and check the 'Credit Score' tab where the latest hard pull is flagged, and • sign up for a credit‑monitoring service that sends an email whenever a new inquiry lands on any bureau.

Spot an unexpected hard pull? Dispute it directly with the bureau or reach out to SoFi support; the verification steps discussed in 'Why expect Experian from your SoFi app?' apply here as well.