A common difference between prequalification and preapproval is in how thorough the provider has checked your finances. During a prequalification, a provider typically just looks at your basic finances and may perform a soft pull on your credit score. Think of a prequalification as an invitation from the provider to see if you’re more qualified.
The preapproval process tends to look at more details of your finances and may prove a better indication of your approval odds. Preapproval offers are also often sent by the provider to the consumer, rather than the consumer seeking out their prequalification offers. Either way, neither prequalification or preapproval guarantees you’ll actually qualify for the card.
Some providers tend to use these terms interchangeably as well, so don’t sweat it if you get a prequalified offer instead of a preapproval offer or vice versa.