What is the difference between a "soft hit" and a "hard hit" on a credit report?

The main difference is that soft credit inquiries don’t affect your credit score, but hard inquiries might. 

Hard inquiries often occur when you:
•    Apply for a new credit account
•    Request a credit limit increase
•    Apply for a rental home
•    Open a phone, cable or internet service account

Soft inquiries often occur when you:
•    Check your own credit score or report
•    Get an insurance quote
•    Get a background check for a job
•    Get a pre-approved credit offer

You can get one free credit report from each of the three credit bureaus each year without it impacting your score. Go to www.annualcreditreport.com to request yours.