Best Personal Loans of August 2021

Key facts

Pros

• No fees.

• Offers co-sign and joint loan options.

• Offers .25% rate discount for setting up autopay.

• Offers unemployment protection.

• Provides mobile app to manage your loan.

Cons

• No secured loan option.

Qualifications

• Must legally be an adult in your state.

• Must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or visa holder.

• Must be employed, have sufficient income or have an offer of employment to start within the next 90 days.

Available Term Lengths

2 to 7 years

Fees

• Origination fee: None.

• Late fee: None.

Disclaimer

Fixed rates from 5.99% APR to 19.63% APR (with AutoPay). SoFi rate ranges are current as of July 30, 2021 and are subject to change without notice. Not all rates and amounts available in all states. See Personal Loan eligibility details. Not all applicants qualify for the lowest rate. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. Your actual rate will be within the range of rates listed above and will depend on a variety of factors, including evaluation of your credit worthiness, income, and other factors. See APR examples and terms. The SoFi 0.25% AutoPay interest rate reduction requires you to agree to make monthly principal and interest payments by an automatic monthly deduction from a savings or checking account. The benefit will discontinue and be lost for periods in which you do not pay by automatic deduction from a savings or checking account.

Key facts

Pros

• No fees.

• Competitive rates among online lenders.

• Offers .5% rate discount for setting up autopay.

• Special features including rate beat program and satisfaction guarantee.

Cons

• No option to pre-qualify on its website.

• Requires several years of credit history.

Qualifications

• Minimum credit score: 660.

• Several years of credit history; excellent-credit borrowers have at least five, according to LightStream.

• Multiple account types within your credit history, like credit cards, a car loan or other installment loan and a mortgage.

• Strong payment history with few or no delinquencies.

• Investments, retirement savings or other evidence of an ability to save money.

• Enough income to pay existing debts and a new LightStream loan.

Available Term Lengths

2 to 7 years

Fees

• Origination fee: None.

• Late fee: None.

Disclaimer

Your loan terms, including APR, may differ based on loan purpose, amount, term length, and your credit profile. AutoPay discount of .50% points is only available when selected prior to loan funding. Rates without AutoPay will be .50% points higher. To obtain a loan, you must complete an application on LightStream.com which may affect your credit score. Subject to credit approval. Conditions and limitations apply. Advertised rates and terms are subject to change without notice. Payment example: Monthly payments for a $10,000 loan at 6.14% APR with a term of 3 years would result in 36 monthly payments of $304.85. Truist Bank is an Equal Housing Lender. ©2021 Truist Financial Corporation. SunTrust, Truist, LightStream, the LightStream logo, and the SunTrust logo are service marks of Truist Financial Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Lending services provided by Truist Bank.

Key facts

Pros

• Competitive rates among online lenders.

• Offers direct payment to creditors.

• Reports payments to all three major credit bureaus.

• No prepayment or late fees.


Cons

• Charges origination fee.

• No rate discount for autopay.

• Requires several years of credit history.


Qualifications

• Minimum credit score: 640.

• Minimum credit history: Three years.

• At least two open accounts on credit report.

• Maximum debt-to-income ratio: 50% (excluding mortgage).

• Free cash flow: At least $1,000.

• Zero credit delinquencies.

• Must be able to provide income verification.

• No bankruptcies filed within the past two years.

• Must provide Social Security number.

Available Term Lengths

2 to 5 years

Fees

• Origination fee: 0% - 5%.

Disclaimer

This does not constitute an actual commitment to lend or an offer to extend credit. Upon submitting a loan application, you may be asked to provide additional documents to enable us to verify your income, assets, and financial condition. Your interest rate and terms for which you are approved will be shown to you as part of the online application process. Most applicants will receive a variety of loan offerings to choose from, with varying loan amounts and interest rates. Borrower subject to a loan origination fee, which is deducted from the loan proceeds. Refer to full borrower agreement for all terms, conditions and requirements.

Key facts

Pros

• Allows secured, co-signed and joint loans.

• Offers rate discount with direct payment to creditors on debt consolidation loans.

• Offers a .5% rate discount for setting up autopay.

Cons

• Charges origination fee.

• Charges late fee.

Qualifications

• Minimum credit score: 580.

• Minimum annual income: $35,000; average borrower income is $87,000.

• Minimum credit history: 3 years.

• Minimum number of accounts on credit history: 2.

• Minimum monthly free cash flow: $800.

• Maximum debt-to-income ratio: Varies between 55% and 65% including the loan you’re applying for and mortgage payments. To see your post-loan DTI, calculate your monthly payments on a personal loan, and then add them to your debt-to-income calculation.

• Average loan amount is $10,000.

• Average repayment term is 40 months.

Available Term Lengths

3 to 5 years

Fees

• Origination fee: 2.9% to 8%.

Disclaimer

Personal loans made through Upgrade feature APRs of 5.94%-35.97%. All personal loans have a 2.9% to 8% origination fee, which is deducted from the loan proceeds. Lowest rates require Autopay and paying off a portion of existing debt directly. For example, if you receive a $10,000 loan with a 36-month term and a 17.98% APR (which includes a 14.32% yearly interest rate and a 5% one-time origination fee), you would receive $9,500 in your account and would have a required monthly payment of $343.33. Over the life of the loan, your payments would total $12,359.97. The APR on your loan may be higher or lower and your loan offers may not have multiple term lengths available. Actual rate depends on credit score, credit usage history, loan term, and other factors. Late payments or subsequent charges and fees may increase the cost of your fixed rate loan. There is no fee or penalty for repaying a loan early. Personal loans issued by Upgrade's lending partners. Information on Upgrade's lending partners can be found at https://www.upgrade.com/lending-partners/. Accept your loan offer and your funds will be sent to your bank or designated account within one (1) business day of clearing necessary verifications. Availability of the funds is dependent on how quickly your bank processes the transaction. From the time of approval, funds should be available within four (4) business days. Funds sent directly to pay off your creditors may take up to 2 weeks to clear, depending on the creditor.

Key facts

Pros

• Accepts borrowers new to credit.

• Able to fund loans within one business day.

• Offers direct payment to creditors with some debt consolidation loans.

Cons

• Borrowers can choose from only two repayment term options.

• Charges origination fee.

Qualifications

• Minimum credit score: 580.

• Minimum credit history: None, this lending platform accepts borrowers with credit history too limited to produce a FICO score.

• Minimum gross income: $12,000.

• Employment: Full-time job, full-time job offer starting in 6 months, a regular part-time job, or another source of regular income.

• Must have U.S. residential street address where borrower resides (unless military personnel on active duty).

• Must be at least 18 years old.

• Valid email account required.

• Personal bank account with U.S. routing number required.

Available Term Lengths

3 to 5 years

Fees

• Origination fee: 0% - 8%.

• Late fee: 5% of past due amount or $15, whichever is greater.

Disclaimer

The full range of available rates varies by state. The average 3-year loan offered across all lenders using the Upstart platform will have an APR of 24.4% and 36 monthly payments of $36 per $1,000 borrowed. There is no down payment and no prepayment penalty. Average APR is calculated based on 3-year rates offered in the last 1 month. Your APR will be determined based on your credit, income, and certain other information provided in your loan application. Not all applicants will be approved.

Key facts

Pros

• No fees.

• Competitive rates among online lenders.

• Wide variety of repayment term options.

• Offers .25% rate discount for setting up autopay.

• Offers direct payment to creditors for debt consolidation loans.


Cons

• No co-sign, joint or secured loan option.

Qualifications

• Minimum credit score: 660.

• Must be 18 or over, 19 in Alabama and 21 in Mississippi and Puerto Rico.

• Must have a valid U.S. bank account and Social Security or Individual Tax I.D. Number.

• May need to provide proof of income, including recent pay stubs or bank statements.

Available Term Lengths

3 to 6 years

Fees

• Origination fee: None.

• Late fee: None.

Disclaimer

Your loan terms are not guaranteed and are subject to our verification of your identity and credit information. To obtain a loan, you must submit additional documentation including an application that may affect your credit score. The availability of a loan offer and the terms of your actual offer will vary due to a number of factors, including your loan purpose and our evaluation of your creditworthiness. Rates will vary based on many factors, such as your creditworthiness (for example, credit score and credit history) and the length of your loan (for example, rates for 36 month loans are generally lower than rates for 72 month loans). Your maximum loan amount may vary depending on your loan purpose, income and creditworthiness. Your verifiable income must support your ability to repay your loan. Marcus by Goldman Sachs is a brand of Goldman Sachs Bank USA and all loans are issued by Goldman Sachs Bank USA, Salt Lake City Branch. Applications are subject to additional terms and conditions.

Key facts

Pros

• Able to fund loans the next business day.

• Option to change your payment date.

• Soft credit check with pre-qualification.

• Offers secured loan option.

Cons

• Charges an origination fee.

• Does not offer direct payment to creditors with debt consolidation loans.

• No co-sign or joint loan option.

Qualifications

• Minimum credit score of 550.

Available Term Lengths

2 to 5 years

Fees

• Administrative fee: Up to 4.75%.

• Late fee: $25 (most states).

• Unsuccessful payment fee: $15 (most states).

Disclaimer

A $5,700 loan with an administration fee of 4.75% and an amount financed of $5,429.25, repayable in 36 monthly installments, would have an APR of 29.95% and monthly payments of $230.33. Minimum loan amounts may vary by state. If approved, the actual rate and loan amount that a customer qualifies for may vary based on credit determination and other factors. An administration fee of up to 4.75% will be deducted from the loan proceeds. Avant branded credit products are issued by Webbank, member FDIC

Key facts

Pros

• No origination fee.

• Offers direct payment to creditors.

• Offers mobile app to manage loan.

• Able to fund loans within one business day.

• Wide variety of repayment term options.

Cons

• Charges late fee.

• No co-signed, joint or secured loan options.

• No rate discount for autopay.

Qualifications

• Minimum credit score: 720; borrower average is 750.


• Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

• Must be at least 18 years old.

• Must have a minimum household income of $40,000.

Available Term Lengths

3 to 7 years

Fees

• Origination fee: None.

• Late fee: $39.

Disclaimer

This is not a commitment to lend from Discover Personal Loans. Your approval for a loan is determined once you apply and is based on your application information and credit history. Your APR will be between 6.99%-24.99% based upon creditworthiness at time of application for loan terms of 36-84 months. For example, if you get approved for a $15,000 loan at 6.99% APR for a term of 72 months, you’ll pay just $256 per month. Our lowest rates are available to consumers with the best credit. Many factors are used to determine your rate, such as your credit history, application information and the term you select. Not all applications will be approved.

Key facts

Pros

• Soft credit check with pre-qualification.

• Competitive rates among fair-credit lenders.

• Offers a .3% rate discount for setting up autopay.

• Able to fund loans the same day.

• Offers small loans of $2,000.

Cons

• Charges origination fee.

• Does not offer direct payment to creditors with debt consolidation loans.

• No option to choose or change your payment date.

• Borrowers can choose from only two repayment term options.

• No co-sign, joint or secured loan option.

Qualifications

• Minimum credit score: 640; borrower average is 710.

• Minimum credit history: Over two years.

• Minimum annual income: $24,000; borrower average is $85,000.

• Maximum debt-to-income ratio: 40% or 70% including mortgage; borrower average is 14%.

• Must be at least 18 years old (19 in Alabama and Nebraska).

• Must provide Social Security number.

Available Term Lengths

3 to 5 years

Fees

• Origination fee: 1% to 6%.

• Late fee: $15 after 10-day grace period.

• Unsuccessful payment fee: $15.

Disclaimer

All personal loans are made by Cross River Bank, a New Jersey state chartered commercial bank, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender. All loans are unsecured, fully amortizing personal loans. Eligibility for a loan is not guaranteed. Please refer to our Disclosures and Licenses page for state required disclosures, licenses, and lending restrictions. Borrower must be a U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident alien at least 18 years of age (in Nebraska and Alabama a borrower must be at least 19 years of age). All loan applications are subject to credit review and approval. Offered loan terms depend upon your credit profile, requested amount, requested loan term, credit usage, credit history and other factors. Not all borrowers receive the lowest interest rate. To qualify for the lowest rate, you must have excellent credit, meet certain conditions, and select autopay. Rates and Terms are subject to change at any time without notice. Please refer to RocketLoans.com and our Terms of Use for additional terms and conditions.