Best of

Personal Loans for Excellent Credit: Best of October 2020

Narottam Medhora, Colin ThompsonOctober 5, 2020

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Personal loans for borrowers with excellent credit have fixed interest rates and loan amounts from $3,500 to $100,000.

Having excellent credit — a credit score of 720 or higher — puts you in a desirable group of least-risky borrowers. That means online lenders and banks may offer you the lowest rates and best terms on personal loans.

NerdWallet evaluated dozens of data points to identify the best online lenders for excellent-credit borrowers:

  • LightStream: Best for low rates.

  • Marcus by Goldman Sachs: Best for flexible payments.

  • SoFi: Best for high loan amounts.

  • Payoff: Best for credit card consolidation.

Rates and terms vary among lenders, so even those with stellar credit should shop around and compare personal loans. See our selections for personal loans for excellent credit below.

Summary of Personal Loans for Excellent Credit: Best of October 2020

Our pick for

Excellent credit and low rates

Lightstream

on LightStream's website

LightStream

Lightstream

Min. Credit Score

660

Est. APR

3.99 - 16.99%

Loan Amount

$5,000 - $100,000

on LightStream's website

Min. Credit Score

660

Key facts

LightStream targets strong-credit borrowers with no fees and low rates that vary based on loan purpose.

Pros

  • No fees.

  • Rate discount for autopay.

  • Low starting rates.

Cons

  • Does not offer pre-qualification on its website.

  • Requires several years of credit history.

Qualifications

  • Minimum credit score of 660.

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

  • Maximum debt-to-income ratio varies depending on existing assets and the reason for the loan.

Available Term Lengths

2 to 7 years

Fees

  • Origination fee: None.

  • Late fee: None.

Disclaimer

Your loan terms are not guaranteed and may vary based on loan purpose, length of loan, loan amount, credit history and payment method (AutoPay or Invoice). Rate quote includes AutoPay discount. AutoPay discount is only available when selected prior to loan funding. To obtain a loan, you must complete an application on LightStream.com, which may affect your credit score. You may be required to verify income, identity and other stated application information. Payment example: Monthly payments for a $5,000 loan at 12.8% APR with a term of 3 years would result in 36 monthly payments of $168. Some additional conditions and limitations apply. Advertised rates and terms are subject to change without notice. SunTrust now Truist is an Equal Housing Lender. © 2020 Truist Financial Corporation. SunTrust®, Truist, LightStream®, the LightStream logo, and the SunTrust logo are service marks of Truist Financial Corporation. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Lending services provided by SunTrust now Truist Bank.
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Our pick for

Excellent credit and flexible payments

Marcus by Goldman Sachs

on Goldman Sachs's website

Marcus by Goldman Sachs

Marcus by Goldman Sachs

Min. Credit Score

680

Est. APR

6.99 - 19.99%

Loan Amount

$3,500 - $40,000

on Goldman Sachs's website

Min. Credit Score

680

Key facts

Marcus loans stand out for low rates, no fees, and flexible loan terms and payment options.

Pros

  • No fees.

  • Flexible payment options.

  • Directly pays creditors for debt consolidation loans.

  • Rate discount with autopay.

Cons

  • No option to include co-signer.

  • Reports payments to one of the three major credit bureaus.

Qualifications

  • At least 18 years old (19 in Alabama; 21 in Mississippi and Puerto Rico).

  • Valid U.S. bank account, Social Security number or tax ID.

  • 680+ credit score.

  • For debt consolidation loans, you may be required to send part of the loan directly to your creditors.

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.
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Our pick for

Excellent credit and high loan amounts

SoFi

on SoFi's website

SoFi

SoFi

Min. Credit Score

680

Est. APR

5.99 - 18.53%

Loan Amount

$5,000 - $100,000

on SoFi's website

Min. Credit Score

680

Key facts

SoFi is a strong option for consumers with good to excellent credit, offering low rates, no fees and flexible payments.

Pros

  • Soft credit check with pre-qualify.

  • Flexible payment options.

  • Offers member perks.

Cons

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

  • Does not offer refinance options.

Qualifications

  • Minimum credit score: 680, but typically 700 or higher.

  • Minimum annual income: None; borrowers' average is over $100,000.

Available Term Lengths

2 to 7 years

Fees

  • Origination fee: None.

  • Late fee: None.

Disclaimer

Fixed rates from 5.99% APR to 18.53% APR (with AutoPay). SoFi rate ranges are current as of September 18, 2020 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. If approved for a loan, to qualify for the lowest rate, you must have a responsible financial history and meet other conditions. 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.
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Our pick for

Excellent credit and credit card consolidation

Payoff

on Payoff's website

Payoff

Payoff

Min. Credit Score

640

Est. APR

5.99 - 24.99%

Loan Amount

$5,000 - $40,000

on Payoff's website

Min. Credit Score

640

Key facts

Payoff offers loans and ongoing support to help good-credit borrowers consolidate credit card debt.

Pros

  • Competitive rates among similar lenders.

  • Offers online educational resources.

  • Offers direct payment to creditors with debt consolidation loans.

Cons

  • No co-sign or secured loan option.

  • Charges origination fee.

Qualifications

  • Minimum credit score of 640.

  • Minimum credit history: 3 years.

  • Minimum annual income: $40,000.

  • Debt-to-income ratio: less than 50%.

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.
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» MORE: Personal loans for good credit

Best excellent-credit personal loans from banks

Banks that offer personal loans tend to cater to borrowers with excellent credit, and most offer low interest rates compared with other lenders. If you have an existing account with the bank, you could also benefit from an easier application process and discounted rates. The downside is some banks require you to visit a branch to complete the loan application process.

Citizens Bank offers a 0.25% discount on a personal loan to existing customers and an additional 0.25% discount for setting up automatic payments.

HSBC offers higher loan amounts to some existing customers, and your first payment is due in 50 days, rather than the typical 30 days.

PNC also offers its banking customers a 0.25% discount on a personal loan if they choose to make repayments through their checking account.

TD Bank offers three types of personal loans, including an Express Loan with faster funding. New customers must have excellent credit to qualify.

Wells Fargo allows existing customers to apply for personal loans online and offers comparatively high borrowing amounts that make it an option for funding home improvements.

» MORE: Top banks offering personal loans

What is an excellent-credit loan?

Personal loans are unsecured loans, which means you don’t have to put up any collateral such as your car or house to get the loan. Instead, lenders evaluate your ability to repay by considering factors like credit score, debt and income.

Having excellent credit can get you access to the lowest annual percentage rates and most favorable terms available to borrowers. Personal loans are offered to excellent-credit borrowers by banks, online lenders and credit unions. Compare offers from multiple lenders to get the right loan for you.

How much will an excellent-credit personal loan cost?

As with most credit products, the rate you receive on a personal loan depends a lot on your credit score. Borrowers with excellent credit will pay less interest over the life of the loan than borrowers with lower credit scores. The interest rate also affects your total monthly payment, as does the term length; a longer term means lower monthly payments, but more interest.

Use our personal loan calculator to see estimated rates, total interest costs and payments for a personal loan.

Here is what interest rates on personal loans look like, on average:

How's your credit?

Score range

Estimated APR

Excellent

720-850

13.9%

Good

690-719

18%

Fair

630-689

21.8%

Bad

300-629

27.2%; lowest scores unlikely to qualify

Source: NerdWallet lender survey

Will a personal loan hurt my excellent credit score?

Most online lenders perform a soft inquiry on your credit when you pre-qualify, followed by a hard check during the approval process that can knock some points off your credit score. The setback to your score should be temporary, and making on-time payments helps build credit if the lender reports your borrowing activity to one or more of the credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

A personal loan also diversifies your debt. According to FICO, credit mix contributes 10% toward the calculation of your total credit score. (However, you shouldn’t get a personal loan just to improve your credit.)

» MORE: How personal loans affect credit scores

How to choose the best personal loan for excellent credit

Having excellent credit is an advantage, but it can make choosing among multiple loan offers more difficult. Factor the overall cost of the loan and monthly payments against your budget, and carefully weigh the different features offered by each lender.

Here are three considerations to keep in mind:

  1. Compare loans. Shop multiple lenders to compare rates and terms. The loan with the lowest APR is the least expensive and usually the best choice. Use this comparison tool to check rates at multiple online lenders without affecting your credit score.

  2. Loan features. Some lenders will send loan proceeds directly to your creditors if you’re consolidating debt, allow flexible payment schedules or offer rate discounts if you agree to automatic payments.

  3. Perks. Take advantage of resources offered by lenders such as free credit score monitoring, financial education or hardship assistance plans.

How to pre-qualify for an excellent-credit personal loan

Pre-qualifying for an online loan can allow you to see personalized loan terms, including the loan’s interest rate. You can pre-qualify with multiple lenders on NerdWallet to compare offers and find the lowest rate.

» MORE: 4 steps to pre-qualify for a personal loan

Last updated on October 5, 2020

Methodology

NerdWallet's ratings for personal loans award points to lenders that offer consumer-friendly features, including soft credit checks, no fees, transparency of loan rates and terms, flexible payment options, accessible customer service, reporting of payments to credit bureaus and financial education. We also consider the number of complaints filed with agencies like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. This methodology applies only to lenders that cap interest rates at 36%, the maximum rate financial experts and consumer advocates agree is the acceptable limit for a loan to be affordable. NerdWallet does not receive compensation of any sort for our reviews.

To recap our selections...

NerdWallet's Personal Loans for Excellent Credit: Best of October 2020

  • LightStream: Best for Excellent credit and low rates
  • Marcus by Goldman Sachs: Best for Excellent credit and flexible payments
  • SoFi: Best for Excellent credit and high loan amounts
  • Payoff: Best for Excellent credit and credit card consolidation

Frequently asked questions