Amex Apply With Confidence: How To Get Approved Without Hurting Your Credit

When you apply for a credit card, the issuer usually performs a credit check, which can temporarily lower your credit score by a few points. However, American Express offers a unique feature called Apply With Confidence that allows you to apply for one of its consumer cards — and receive a decision — without impacting your credit score.

While some issuers provide a similar process known as a preapproval, we’re seeing the Apply With Confidence feature more widely available across American Express consumer cards. Let’s dive into what you need to know about this feature and at what point your credit score might be affected in the application journey.

What Is Amex Apply With Confidence?

Apply With Confidence is essentially a badge of confidence for applicants. In other words, it is a way to prequalify you for a card without impacting your credit score. Upon completing the application, you will be informed of your approval status for the card, all without a hard credit check.

If you are approved and choose to accept the card, American Express will perform a standard credit check. According to Experian, a hard inquiry typically reduces your FICO score by 5 points or less and can remain on your credit report for up to a year.

On the flip side, if you’re denied or, for any reason, decide not to move forward with the card, your credit score remains unaffected — which is largely the beauty of this feature. As such, there’s virtually no risk for applicants who want to protect their credit but find out their approval odds for a given American Express card.

Whether your application is denied or you decide not to proceed with the card for some reason, your credit score will remain unaffected. Applicants can find out if they can realistically get approved for a credit card without risk to their credit.

How To Access Amex’s Apply With Confidence Feature

If you’re new to American Express and don’t currently hold any Amex cards, you should see the Apply With Confidence notice whether you apply directly through the American Express website or via partner channels, such as Upgraded Points.

However, if you are an existing American Express cardholder and are logged into your account, Upgraded Points staff members have noticed that the Apply With Confidence badge isn’t present on direct application pages.

However, it is still possible to proceed with the application process with the Apply With Confidence assurance — even for those with multiple Amex cards. You can log out of your account and visit American Express directly to apply or begin an application using any of our partner links.

By completing your application, you will be notified multiple times that there is no credit impact until you accept a card.

Apply With Confidence Application Process

I’ve been considering the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card since the card was refreshed recently, offering impressive perks and the opportunity to earn Hilton free night certificates by meeting a certain spending threshold with a $150 annual fee (rates & fees).

However, I have 5 American Express cards open. According to issuer application rules, Amex limits consumers to no more than 5 cards, which means I’m likely to be denied this card.

Enter Apply With Confidence. As an existing Amex cardholder, I can throw my hat in the ring before moving forward with the account. Here’s a preview of the steps you can expect with Apply With Confidence:

1. For instance, I can see that the Apply With Confidence statement is present on our review of the Hilton Surpass card.

2. Once I hit Learn More, I’m redirected to American Express. On this page, I can review the card details again before proceeding with my application.

3. I’ll see the terms of the Apply With Confidence tool once more with the language, “Know if you’re approved for this Card with no impact to your credit score.” Amex clearly outlines the process to keep applicants in the loop at this stage, and all other standard details are required to continue. Hit Continue With Terms once you’re ready to review the terms and see the decision on your application.

4. Hit Continue With Terms once you’re ready to review the terms and see your application decision. From here, you’ll be able to review the card’s ongoing APR and other financial terms. At this stage, you’re reminded again, “Remember, applying has no impact to your credit score.”

5. Once you apply, you may receive the dreaded Amex pop-up notification, which happened to me. If you get this notification, you’re informed that you are ineligible for the welcome bonus offer on this card and are given the option to withdraw the application.

However, if you don’t get this pop-up, consider yourself lucky! You’re on your way to scoring those bonus points or miles.

6. Before finally receiving your decision, you’ll be asked whether you want to add additional card members to the account (rates & fees). However, this stage is completely optional, and you can hit Skip This Step at the bottom of the page.

7. From here, you’ll receive your application decision based on a soft credit pull, which won’t impact your credit score. If you get accepted for the card and want to open the account officially, American Express will conduct a hard pull of your credit. Otherwise, you can exit out of the page to forfeit the application.

What Does Amex Apply With Confidence Not Tell You?

The Amex Apply With Confidence tool can be useful whether you’re a new or existing account holder.

However, for existing cardholders in particular, you can learn of your welcome bonus offer eligibility without an official credit pull thanks to Apply With Confidence. That’s because of Amex’s once-per-lifetime rule, meaning you may not be eligible to receive a welcome bonus offer if you have received it already or within its family of cards.

Apply With Confidence generally ensures transparency for all applicants before formally accepting the card. However, according to a statement from an American Express spokesperson shared with Upgraded Points, your credit limit will not be revealed prior to the application decision when using the Amex Apply With Confidence feature.

The good news is that important financial terms, such as the purchase and balance APR, are clearly disclosed before the hard credit pull stage.

Final Thoughts

The Amex Apply With Confidence is one of the best issuer-led initiatives we’ve seen to prequalify for a card without a hard pull. This feature can help make your decision easier by knowing the application decision without any strings attached.