Compare lenders offering personal loans for moving and relocation, whether you have good or bad credit, need fast funding or are looking for a small loan.
Checking rates is free and won't impact your credit score.
A moving loan is an unsecured personal loan used to pay for moving expenses, such as movers and new furniture. A personal loan used for relocation comes in a lump sum that you repay, plus interest, in fixed amounts usually over a few years.
These loans are available from online lenders, credit unions and many banks. Online loans typically fund faster, but you may get a better rate from a local bank or credit union.
Best for small moving loans
2026 NerdWallet award winner
7.74 - 35.99%
$1K - $50K
600
2 to 7 years
Best for loans for borrowers with good credit
7.99 - 24.99%
$2.5K - $40K
660
3 to 7 years
Best for loans for borrowers with fair credit
2026 NerdWallet award winner
6.53 - 35.99%
$1K - $60K
600
2 to 7 years
Best for loans for borrowers with thin or bad credit
2026 NerdWallet award winner
6.70 - 35.99%
$1K - $75K
None
3 to 5 years
Best for large loans with fast funding
2026 NerdWallet award winner
6.49 - 24.89%
$5K - $100K
660
2 to 7 years
Best for joint moving loans
2026 NerdWallet award winner
7.74 - 35.49%
$5K - $100K
None
2 to 7 years
Best for secured moving loans
2026 NerdWallet award winner
6.99 - 35.99%
$2K - $50K
600
3 to 5 years
Our team of consumer lending experts follows an objective and robust methodology to rate lenders and pick the best.
30+
Lenders reviewed
We review over 35 lenders, including major banks, top credit unions, leading digital platforms, and high interest installment lenders operating across multiple states.
25+
Categories assessed
Each lender is evaluated across five weighted categories and 27 subcategories, covering affordability, eligibility, consumer experience, flexibility, and application process.
60+
Data points analyzed
Our team tracks and reassesses hundreds of data points annually, including APR ranges, fees, credit requirements, and borrower tools, ensuring up to date, accurate comparisons.
We evaluate more categories than competitors and carefully weigh how each factor impacts your experience.
NerdWallet’s review process evaluates and rates personal loan products from more than 30 financial technology companies and financial institutions. We collect over 60 data points and cross-check company websites, earnings reports and other public documents to confirm product details. We may also go through a lender’s pre-qualification flow and follow up with company representatives. NerdWallet writers and editors conduct a full fact check and update annually, but also make updates throughout the year as necessary.
Our star ratings award points to lenders that offer consumer-friendly features, including: soft credit checks to pre-qualify, competitive interest rates and no fees, transparency of rates and terms, flexible payment options, fast funding times, accessible customer service, reporting of payments to credit bureaus and financial education. Our ratings award fewer points to lenders with practices that may make a loan difficult to repay on time, such as charging high annual percentage rates (above 36%), underwriting that does not adequately assess consumers’ ability to repay and lack of credit-building help. We also consider regulatory actions filed by agencies like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. We weigh these factors based on our assessment of which are the most important to consumers and how meaningfully they impact consumers’ experiences.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for our star ratings. Read more about our ratings methodologies for personal loans and our editorial guidelines.
Upgrade earns five stars in part for its competitive rates and discounts on top of them. For example, the lender will knock off half a percentage point if you set up automatic payments.
We also like its relatively low minimum loan amount of $1,000. That’s perfect if you just need enough to cover, say, plane tickets or some new furniture.
Make sure to factor in Upgrade’s origination fee, which ranges from 1.85% to 9.99%.
Discover checks the boxes of a five-star lender, including fast funding and a wide range of loan amounts and repayment terms. And, unlike many other lenders, Discover doesn’t charge an origination fee, late fee or any other kind of fee.
The catch is that you need at least a 660 credit score to qualify. Most other lenders on this list have a lower minimum requirement.
The minimum credit score for LendingClub, a five-star lender, is 600. It boasts some of the lowest APRs on this list — starting below 7% — as well as a joint loan option and fast funding.
LendingClub also has the fairly unique perk of letting borrowers choose their repayment date before accepting the loan and changing that date later. That flexibility is useful if pay schedules change.
Note, however, that LendingClub may charge an origination fee up to 8%.
🤓 Nerdy Tip
You’ll see that many lenders charge origination fees, which can be up to 10% of the loan amount and are typically taken from the loan proceeds. Say you get a $20,000 loan with a 5% origination fee. That 5% — or $1,000 — would be deducted from your loan and leave you with $19,000. And while you receive the lesser amount, you must still repay the higher amount.
Upstart accepts borrowers without much — or any — credit history and effectively has no minimum credit score. While most lenders primarily focus on applicants’ credit to determine whether they qualify and at what rate, Upstart considers details like college education and work history.
We also appreciate that Upstart offers a wide range of loan amounts, from $1,000 to $75,000. That’s enough to just hire movers or to remodel parts of your new home.
But note the origination fee, which can be as high as 12%. Several other lenders charge origination fees, but they’re all capped under 10%.
If you need money ASAP — say, to move out all the stuff in your old home or replace the roof in your new home — consider LightStream. According to the lender, it can approve loan applications for qualified borrowers within five minutes and fund loans as soon as the same day.
LightStream is also a top choice if you need cash to upgrade your new home. Its loans are among the largest, ranging from $5,000 to $100,000, and it offers repayment terms up to 20 years for loans greater than $25,000 and used for home improvement purposes.
LightStream’s minimum APR is among the lowest of all the lenders we survey, though you need at least a 660 credit score to qualify. That requirement is steep compared to other lenders on this list.
If you want to share responsibility for the loan, SoFi offers joint loans to borrowers who live together. Adding a co-borrower with better credit or higher income can help your chances of qualifying or getting a lower rate.
SoFi is also a solid choice if you need to borrow a lot to move or relocate, with loans ranging from $5,000 to $100,000.
SoFi’s rates are generally competitive, but if you have excellent credit, you may qualify for a lower starting APR from another lender.
Best Egg offers both unsecured and secured loans. For the latter, you can secure the loan with a vehicle or permanent home fixtures (like built-in cabinets or vanities). Compared to unsecured loans, secured loans are easier to qualify for, and you may get a higher loan amount or lower interest rate. The flip side: The lender can take your collateral if you don’t repay.
Besides its secured loan option, we like Best Egg’s fast funding and financial tools that help you track your spending, set goals and monitor your credit score.
The downside of Best Egg is that it charges an origination fee from 0.99% to 9.99%.
The cost to move depends on several factors, such as how far you’re moving and where to, how much you’re bringing and how you’ll get there.
For example, hiring professionals to move your stuff across town can add up to about $879 to $2,559, according to 2025 data from HomeAdvisor. Long-distance relocation can cost anywhere from $2,700 to $10,000 .
And that’s just for hiring movers. Other expenses could include:
Make sure to budget for the move before applying for a moving loan, since you won’t be able to request more money once the loan is funded.
» Where to start? Your 2026 moving checklist
Taking a personal loan for moving expenses is just one financing option. Here are the main pros and cons of getting one for a big move.
A personal loan is one of a few financing options for your move. Because there aren’t many restrictions on how to use a personal loan, you can spend the funds on moving expenses and things like new home furnishings.
A personal loan may be the right choice if you don’t have savings or cheaper financing options, like a 0% interest credit card or a relocation package from a new employer.
Borrowers with strong credit and a low debt-to-income ratio have the best chances of qualifying for a low rate on a moving loan, although requirements vary by lender. Building your credit and improving your debt-to-income ratio are good ways to boost your chances of qualifying for a moving loan.
Here are the steps to apply for a personal loan.
» MORE: Pre-qualify with multiple lenders on NerdWallet
Before applying for a loan, use a personal loan calculator to determine your monthly loan payment and total interest costs, based on your desired loan amount, repayment term and estimated APR.
Estimated monthly payment
$309.92
Total interest over 3 years
$1,156.95
Total loan payment
$11,156.95
Loan amount
$10,000
Interest rate
7.25%
Loan term (years)
3
Moving loans are available to borrowers even if they have bad credit. Some online lenders, like Upstart, Upgrade, Avant and Universal Credit, have a low minimum credit score requirement, but it’s still best to shop around and pre-qualify with multiple lenders to get the lowest rate.
» COMPARE: Best loans for bad credit
Credit union loans are another good option, since they tend to offer lower rates and more flexible terms for borrowers with lower credit scores. Federal credit union loans can start under $1,000 and have a maximum APR of 18%.
» COMPARE: Top credit unions for personal loans
Savings are the cheapest way to pay for a move, so if you have an emergency fund or time to budget beforehand, you could avoid borrowing as much or getting a loan altogether.
If not, compare these alternatives with a personal loan to find the financing option that’s best for your plans:
Relocation package: If you’re relocating for a new job, ask your new company about paying for some or all of your moving expenses. If you didn’t discuss it during the negotiation process, it could be worthwhile to ask before going into debt for the move.
Credit cards: Borrowers with good or excellent credit may qualify for a 0% APR credit card, which charges no interest if the balance is paid off within the promotional period — usually 15 to 21 months.
Family and friends: Getting a loan from family or friends can be a low- or no-interest way to borrow money that won’t affect your credit score. Tread lightly with this option if borrowing money would mean risking your relationship with the lender.
Sell your stuff: Do you really need that piano? Selling larger items like a couch or pool table puts cash in your pocket and reduces moving costs. List items for sale online or hold a moving sale.
» MORE: Where to sell stuff online
