Fast Personal Loans: Best Lenders for Quick Cash
Fast loans are one way to pay for emergencies and other short-term borrowing needs. Compare rates and terms — and stick with reputable lenders.
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Fast personal loans can provide cash for nearly any purpose, from car repairs to moving expenses. Online lenders are convenient and quick — some can provide same-day or next-day funding for qualified borrowers.
Consider rates and terms — in addition to the time a lender takes to fund a loan — when you compare fast cash loans from online lenders.
The personal loans listed here are from reputable online lenders that check your credit as part of the application process. All the lenders say it takes a few days or less to fund a loan.
LightStream has reinvented lending with a simple and virtually paperless online process. It’s so easy, LightStream guarantees it’ll be your best loan experience ever.
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Fast Personal Loans: Best Lenders for Quick Cash From Our Partners
| Learn more | |||||
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 Discover® Personal Loans Go To Lender Siteon Discover's website on Discover's website Check Rateon NerdWallet on NerdWallet | 5.0 /5 | 7.99-24.99% | $2,500-$40,000 | 660 | Go To Lender Siteon Discover's website on Discover's website Check Rateon NerdWallet on NerdWallet |
 Upgrade Go To Lender Siteon Upgrade's website on Upgrade's website Check Rateon NerdWallet on NerdWallet | 5.0 /5 | 8.49-35.99% | $1,000-$50,000 | 560 | Go To Lender Siteon Upgrade's website on Upgrade's website Check Rateon NerdWallet on NerdWallet |
 Upstart Go To Lender Siteon Upstart's website on Upstart's website Check Rateon NerdWallet on NerdWallet | 4.5 /5 | 6.40-35.99% | $1,000-$50,000 | None | Go To Lender Siteon Upstart's website on Upstart's website Check Rateon NerdWallet on NerdWallet |
 Best Egg Go To Lender Siteon Best Egg's website on Best Egg's website Check Rateon NerdWallet on NerdWallet | 4.5 /5 | 8.99-35.99% | $2,000-$50,000 | 600 | Go To Lender Siteon Best Egg's website on Best Egg's website Check Rateon NerdWallet on NerdWallet |
🏆 Top 3 most visited  LightStream Go To Lender Siteon LightStream's website on LightStream's website Check Rateon NerdWallet on NerdWallet | 4.5 /5Rate discount | 8.49-25.49% | $5,000-$100,000 | 660 | Go To Lender Siteon LightStream's website on LightStream's website Check Rateon NerdWallet on NerdWallet |
 SoFi Personal Loan Go To Lender Siteon SoFi's website on SoFi's website Check Rateon NerdWallet on NerdWallet | 5.0 /5 | 8.99-25.81% | $5,000-$100,000 | None | Go To Lender Siteon SoFi's website on SoFi's website Check Rateon NerdWallet on NerdWallet |
 Rocket Loans Go To Lender Siteon Rocket Loans' website on Rocket Loans' website Check Rateon NerdWallet on NerdWallet | 4.0 /5 | 9.12-29.99% | $2,000-$45,000 | 640 | Go To Lender Siteon Rocket Loans' website on Rocket Loans' website Check Rateon NerdWallet on NerdWallet |
 LendingPoint Go To Lender Siteon LendingPoint's website on LendingPoint's website Check Rateon NerdWallet on NerdWallet | 4.5 /5 | 7.99-35.99% | $2,000-$36,500 | 660 | Go To Lender Siteon LendingPoint's website on LendingPoint's website Check Rateon NerdWallet on NerdWallet |
4.0 /5 | 11.69-35.99% | $1,000-$50,000 | 560 | Check Rateon NerdWallet on NerdWallet |
Our pick for
Same-day approval, same-day funding
SoFi Personal Loan
8.99-25.81%
$5,000-$100,000
None
Our pick for
Same-day approval, next-day funding
Discover® Personal Loans
7.99-24.99%
$2,500-$40,000
660
Our pick for
Approval in a couple of days, next-day funding
Universal Credit
11.69-35.99%
$1,000-$50,000
560
How to get a fast personal loan
There are a few steps you can take to prepare for your loan application to help move it along quickly:
Gather documentation: Know what you need to apply for the loan so the lender can easily verify your identity, income and other information. Lenders often say their ability to fund a loan quickly depends on borrowers’ responsiveness to requests for documentation.
Calculate estimated payments: Use a personal loan calculator to see how credit score and the length of the loan term can affect monthly payments. Then consider how the estimated monthly payment may impact your budget.
Pre-qualify and compare loans: Pre-qualifying for a personal loan helps lenders understand your creditworthiness and shows you how much you may qualify for. It doesn’t guarantee you a loan, but it can help you compare loans without affecting your credit score. It’s a good idea to research lenders to identify loans with the lowest rate. This may mean looking at your bank, local credit union and online lenders for comparison.
Apply: You can apply for a personal loan in person or online, depending on your lender. Smaller banks and credit unions may request in-person applications, while online lenders offer web-based applications. You can typically get a decision within a day after submitting all the necessary information. If you're approved, expect to receive the funds in your bank account within a day or two.
Fast loans online
Online lenders can be a convenient and fast option for personal loans. Many online lenders let you pre-qualify to estimate your rate without affecting your credit score. They often let you apply, receive the money and make payments completely online.
Online loans typically have annual percentage rates from 6% to 36%, and loan amounts range from $1,000 to $100,000. Researching lenders to find one that matches your needs and credit score can expedite the application process. Lenders like Discover and LightStream can be options for those with good or excellent credit (credit score of 690 or higher), while Upstart and Upgrade accept borrowers with fair or bad credit (credit score of 689 or lower).
» COMPARE: Best online personal loans
Fast credit union loans
Some credit unions can fund personal loans quickly. Alliant Credit Union, for example, funds loans the same day, though you’ll need to become a member before you apply.
Federal credit unions cap annual percentage rates at 18% on personal loans. Credit unions may also use an applicant's history as a member to inform loan decisions, so if you've been in good standing with a credit union for a while, that may be a factor in a loan decision.
Fast loans for bad credit
Some lenders offer fast loans for borrowers with bad credit (629 or lower credit score). If you have bad credit, a low debt-to-income ratio and proof of stable income will help you qualify.
Your credit score doesn't affect how long it takes for a lender to fund your loan, but your loan is likely to have a high APR, and you may not be approved for a large loan amount.
Though many online lenders can fund loans quickly, take the time to compare bad-credit loans before borrowing and make a plan to repay the loan.
» MORE: See your bad-credit loan options
Fast cash without a loan
Before you borrow — and especially if the rate you pre-qualify for is high — see if you can delay the expense or find an interest-free cash source. NerdWallet recommends trying all these cheaper alternatives before taking a high-cost loan:
Seek assistance from local nonprofits, charities and religious organizations.
Use a cash advance app to borrow a small amount from your next paycheck.
Get a pawnshop loan secured by something you own.
Try other ways to make money.
If you are comfortable with it, ask family and friends for a loan through lending circles or a loan agreement.
Next step: Pre-qualify on NerdWallet
When you pre-qualify, you get the chance to compare rates, loan features and terms. Pre-qualifying on NerdWallet with our lender partners won’t affect your credit score.
Last updated on November 1, 2023
Methodology
NerdWallet’s review process evaluates and rates personal loan products from more than 35 technology companies and financial institutions. We collect over 50 data points from each lender 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.
NerdWallet's Fast Personal Loans: Best Lenders for Quick Cash
- SoFi Personal Loan: Best for Same-day approval, same-day funding
- LightStream: Best for Same-day approval, same-day funding
- Rocket Loans: Best for Same-day approval, same-day funding
- Upstart: Best for Same-day approval, next-day funding
- Discover® Personal Loans: Best for Same-day approval, next-day funding
- Best Egg: Best for Same-day approval, next-day funding
- LendingPoint: Best for Same-day approval, next-day funding
- Upgrade: Best for Approval in a couple of days, next-day funding
- Universal Credit: Best for Approval in a couple of days, next-day funding
Frequently asked questions
- How fast can I get a loan?
Some lenders say they can approve a loan application in minutes and fund a loan in a day or two of approval, while others may take a few days for each. Generally, you should expect to get the funds from a loan within a week of approval.
- Are online loans safe?
It is safe to get a loan from an online lender; you just need to choose a reputable lender. Features like no credit checks and annual percentage rates above 36% should be red flags. Know the signs of predatory loans to avoid a debt trap.
- Can I get a fast loan with bad credit?
A credit union may be the best option for bad-credit borrowers. They offer lower rates on loans and look at more than just your credit score when reviewing your application. But they may not be your fastest funding option.
A bad credit loan from an online lender that caps rates at 36% may be deposited in your account more quickly. Online lenders typically report your payments to credit bureaus, which can help you build credit. If your timeline is a little flexible, choose the loan with the lower rate and monthly payments you can afford over the quick loan.
