By LaToya IrbyWhat Is a Preapproved Credit Card Offer?
By LaToya Irby
Quick Answer
A preapproved credit card offer means a card issuer believes you’re eligible for a credit card. If you apply and are approved, you’ll receive a credit card with the rewards, benefits and terms listed in the offer.
If you've received a preapproved credit card offer, it means the card issuer has identified you as someone who likely meets the qualifications for that card. A preapproved credit card offer is based on certain credit criteria and designed to encourage you to apply. While preapproval can make it easier to identify cards you're likely to qualify for, it's important to understand how these offers work before you apply.
What Is a Preapproved Credit Card Offer?
A preapproved credit card offer is a request for you to apply for a specific credit card, usually with a predetermined set of terms. These offers are sent by credit card issuers to consumers who meet certain criteria based on credit data.
Being preapproved means you fit a credit profile the issuer is targeting—but final approval depends on a full review of your credit report and application.
The offer may include features such as:
- A welcome bonus
- Rewards rate or cash back structure
- Promotional annual percentage rate (APR) and how long it applies
- The ongoing APR after the promotion ends
- The card's annual fee, if applicable
- An invitation ID
You may also see the term "prequalified" used in place of "preapproved." They generally mean the same thing when it comes to credit card offers.
Learn more: What to Consider When Choosing a New Credit Card
Best credit cards of 2026
Compare cards from our partners with intro bonuses, cash back or points offers, and annual fees as low as $0.
Offers from our partners
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
Intro bonus:You may be eligible for as high as $200 cash back after spending $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in the first 6 months. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Cash back is received as Reward Dollars, redeemable for statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout. Terms Apply.
Intro APR:0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months
Ongoing APR:19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:1% - 3% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$0
Wells Fargo Reflect® Card
Intro APR:0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers
Ongoing APR:17.49%, 23.99%, or 28.24% Variable APR
Rewards:N/A*
Annual Fee:$0
Discover it® Chrome
Intro bonus:INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards.
Intro APR:0% intro APR for 6 Months on Purchases and 0% intro APR for 18 Months on Balance Transfers
Ongoing APR:17.49% - 26.49% Variable APR
Rewards:1% - 2% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$0
Revel® Platinum Mastercard®
Ongoing APR:35.90% Fixed
Rewards:N/A*
Annual Fee:$75 - $125
Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card
Intro APR:0% for 21 months on Balance Transfers and 12 months on Purchases
Ongoing APR:16.49% - 27.24% (Variable)
Rewards:N/A*
Annual Fee:$0
FIT™ Platinum Mastercard® - $400 Credit Limit
Ongoing APR:35.90% Fixed
Rewards:N/A*
Annual Fee:$99 first year; $125 thereafter
The opensky® Secured Visa® Credit Card
Ongoing APR:23.89% Variable
Rewards:10% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$35
Credit One Bank American Express® Card for Rebuilding Credit
Ongoing APR:29.74% Variable
Rewards:1% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$75 First year. $99 thereafter, billed monthly at $8.25
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Intro bonus:You may be eligible for as high as $300 cash back after spending $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in the first 6 months. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Cash back is received as Reward Dollars, redeemable for statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout. Terms Apply.
Intro APR:0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 12 months
Ongoing APR:19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:1% - 6% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card
Intro APR:0% for 15 months on Balance Transfers
Ongoing APR:19.49% - 29.49% (Variable)
Rewards:2x (Miles per dollar)
Annual Fee:$0
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
Ongoing APR:18.74% - 26.74% (Variable)
Rewards:1% - 5% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$0
American Express® Gold Card
Intro bonus:You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
Ongoing APR:See Pay Over Time APR
Rewards:1x - 4x (Points per dollar)
Annual Fee:$325
First Latitude Secured Mastercard® Cash Back Rewards
Ongoing APR:27.49% Variable
Rewards:1% - 10% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$0
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
Ongoing APR:19.49% - 29.49% (Variable)
Rewards:2x (Miles per dollar)
Annual Fee:$99, waived for first 12 months
Avant® Cashback Rewards Mastercard®
Ongoing APR:35.99%*
Rewards:1% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$75*
Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard®
Ongoing APR:19.49% - 29.49% (Variable)
Rewards:1x - 6x (Miles per dollar)
Annual Fee:$350
Avant® Cashback Rewards Mastercard®
Ongoing APR:35.99%*
Rewards:1% (cash back)
Annual Fee:Introductory fee of $75 for the first year. After that, $99 annually.*
Avant® Cashback Rewards Mastercard®
Ongoing APR:35.99%*
Rewards:1% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$39*
Credit One Bank® Platinum X5 Visa® Metal Card
Ongoing APR:29.74% Variable
Rewards:1% - 5% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$95
First Progress Prestige Secured Mastercard® Cash Back Rewards
Ongoing APR:13.49% Variable
Rewards:1% - 10% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$49
First Progress Select Secured Mastercard® Cash Back Rewards
Ongoing APR:17.49% Variable
Rewards:1% - 10% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$39
Credit One Bank® Premier American Express® Credit Card
Ongoing APR:29.74% Variable
Rewards:1% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$39
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
Intro bonus:Earn 200,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 5/13/2026.
Ongoing APR:19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:2x - 6x (Points per dollar)
Annual Fee:$650
Discover it® Miles
Intro bonus:UNLIMITED BONUS: Unlimited Mile-for-Mile match for all new cardmembers. Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match. You could turn 35,000 Miles into 70,000 Miles.
Intro APR:0% intro APR for 15 months on Purchases and Balance Transfers
Ongoing APR:17.49% - 26.49% Variable APR
Rewards:1.5x (Miles per dollar)
Annual Fee:$0
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
Intro bonus:Earn 70,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases with your new Card, and an additional 20,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $2,000 in purchases on the Card, both within your first 6 months. Ends 04/01/2026.
Ongoing APR:19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:1x - 2x (Miles per dollar)
Annual Fee:$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150.
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
Intro bonus:Earn 130,000 Bonus Points plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 4/15/2026.
Ongoing APR:19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:3x - 12x (Points per dollar)
Annual Fee:$150
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
Intro bonus:Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
Ongoing APR:19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:1x - 2x (Miles per dollar)
Annual Fee:$0
One Key+™ Card
Intro bonus:Earn $350 in OneKeyCash™ after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. OneKeyCash is not redeemable for cash and can only be used on Expedia®, Hotels.com® and Vrbo®. To learn more, please refer to the One Key Terms and Conditions at www.expedia.com/one-key-terms.
Ongoing APR:18.49%, 23.49%, or 28.49% Variable APR
Rewards:2x - 3x (Points per dollar)
Annual Fee:$99
Avant® Cashback Rewards Mastercard® - With A Higher Credit Limit
Ongoing APR:35.99%*
Rewards:1% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$125*
Avant® Cashback Rewards Mastercard®
Ongoing APR:35.99%*
Rewards:1% (cash back)
Annual Fee:$0*
See all our best credit cards for 2026.
Does a Preapproval Impact Your Credit Score?
Preapproval for a credit card offer doesn't affect your credit score since the issuer only performs a soft inquiry to review your credit history. That means it doesn't show up on your credit report as an application for credit. When you decide to apply, the lender will do a hard inquiry on your credit, which may slightly impact your score for a short time.
Tip: Only hard inquiries from the past 12 months are included in calculating your credit score. Typically, any dip in your score after a credit card application is only temporary.
How Does Preapproval Work?
Card issuers use credit data to identify consumers who match the profile for a specific card. This prescreening process uses data from:
- One or more of the consumer credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion and Equifax)
- FICO scoring models
- The card issuer's own customer database
Once the list is generated, credit card offers are mailed or emailed to potential applicants. It's important to note that credit card issuers are not allowed to send an actual credit card unless you formally apply. Preapproval is simply a way to target consumers who are most likely to qualify.
If you choose to apply after receiving a preapproved offer, and your application is approved, the issuer must honor the terms that were originally presented in the offer.
You can also check your preapproval status directly on many issuers' websites. These tools let you share basic information and preview cards you're likely to be approved for, without a hard credit inquiry.
Does Preapproval Guarantee Approval?
No, preapproval doesn't guarantee approval for a credit card. Once you apply, the card issuer will perform a full credit check and may deny your application for several reasons, including:
- Too much debt relative to your income
- Too many recent applications that suggest credit shopping
- Credit score below the issuer's minimum threshold
- Limited credit history
- Negative items on your credit report, such as late payments or collections
If your application is denied, you'll receive an adverse action letter explaining the reasons.
Learn more: What Happens After I Apply for a Credit Card?
Pros and Cons of Preapproved Credit Card Offers
There are benefits and drawbacks to receiving preapproved credit card offers. Understanding both can help you make informed decisions.
Pros
-
Saves time: Preapproved offers help streamline your search by highlighting cards you're likely to qualify for. This means less time researching options and comparing terms across dozens of credit cards.
-
No credit impact: Since preapproval is based on a soft inquiry, it doesn't affect your credit score. You can explore your options without worrying about damage to your credit.
-
Higher approval odds: Because the issuer has already screened your credit profile, you're more likely to be approved if you apply. This can help reduce the frustration and uncertainty that comes with applying blindly.
-
Better offers: Preapproved offers may include terms that aren't publicly advertised, such as a higher welcome bonus or an extended 0% intro APR period. These tailored deals can sometimes be more competitive than what's available online.
-
Opportunity to rebuild credit: If your credit score is low, getting approved for a new credit card can be difficult. A preapproved offer from a card issuer indicates they see potential in your credit profile, giving you a valuable opportunity to rebuild your credit.
Cons
-
No approval guarantee: Even if you're preapproved, the issuer can still deny your application after a full credit review.
-
Junk mail: Preapproved offers often come by mail, adding to your pile of paper clutter. They may also contain personal information, so it's important to shred them to avoid identity theft.
-
Risk of too many credit cards: Receiving enticing offers might tempt you to apply for credit you don't need. Opening too many credit cards can hurt your credit score and make it harder to manage your finances responsibly.
How to Opt Out of Preapproved Offers
If you'd prefer not to receive preapproved offers, you can opt out for five years or permanently at optoutprescreen.com or by calling 888-5-OPT-OUT (888-567-8688). You can opt in using the same methods if you change your mind later.
Keep in mind, this only prevents offers generated through credit bureau data. Issuers may still contact you using other methods, such as from an existing relationship or third-party sources.
The Bottom Line
Preapproved credit card offers can be a helpful way to find credit cards that align with your credit profile. While they don't guarantee approval, they may offer better terms and reduce the time you spend comparing offers. You can always use Experian to compare credit card offers that match your credit profile, with no impact to your credit score.
Don’t apply blindly
Apply for credit cards confidently with personalized offers based on your credit profile. Get started with your FICO® Score for free.
See your offers
About the author
LaToya Irby
LaToya Irby is a personal finance writer who works with consumer media outlets to help people navigate their money and credit. She’s been published and quoted extensively in USA Today, U.S. News and World Report, myFICO, Investopedia, The Balance and more.
Read more from LaToya