Item: Happy Money
Rating: 4

4.0

NerdWallet Rating

Get My Rate

Checking rates is free and won't impact your credit score

4.0

NerdWallet Rating

Est. APR

7.95 - 29.99%

Min. credit score

640

Time to fund

5 days

Loan amount

$5K - $40K

Loan term

2 to 5 years

Origination fee

0.25% to 10%

Disclosures from Happy Money

Overview

Happy Money offers fixed-rate personal loans to good- and excellent-credit borrowers who are looking to consolidate debt. Though its loans are mostly for paying off credit card debt, you may be able to use a Happy Money loan to pay off other unsecured personal loans.

» MORE: Compare the best personal loans

What the nerds think

"Happy Money isn’t a bad option for paying off debt, especially if you pre-qualify for a lower rate than what you’re currently paying on your credit cards. But if you want the lowest rate possible, and you have good or excellent credit, you may have better options, including loans with rate discounts and no origination fees."

Jackie VelingLead Writer

What Happy Money is best for

Best Debt Consolidation Loans

Detailed breakdown

Affordability

(25%)

3.5/5

We review lenders’ annual percentage rate offerings and the competitiveness of each lenders’ APR range. We also assess whether a lender charges an origination fee and any opportunity for borrowers to receive a rate discount.

Customer experience

(20%)

4.5/5

We consider the experience of the consumer trying to manage a personal loan, which means accessibility of customer service representatives, whether borrowers can choose and change their payment due date, and the ability to track their loan on a mobile app.

Underwriting and eligibility

(20%)

4.5/5

We consider the rigorousness of each lender’s underwriting practices and how widely available their loans are. This category includes whether a lender does a hard credit check before providing a loan, the range of credit profiles they accept and how many states their loans are offered in.

Loan flexibility

(20%)

3.5/5

We assess how flexible lenders can be with borrowers, including whether they offer multiple loan types, personal loan amounts and repayment term options and whether they offer direct payment to creditors on debt consolidation loans.

Application process

(15%)

4.5/5

We consider the lender’s full application process, including a borrower’s ability to preview their loan offer via pre-qualification, whether basic loan information such as APR range and repayment terms are available and easy to find online and how quickly a loan can be funded after approval.

Overall

4/5

Read more about our ratings methodology for personal loans.

Where Happy Money personal loans stand out

Soft credit check: Borrowers can pre-qualify on Happy Money's website to check potential rates and terms with no impact to their credit score. If you move forward with your application, Happy Money does a hard credit pull, which is typical among lenders and will cause a small, temporary drop in your credit score.
Direct payment to creditors: Though loan funds can be deposited into a personal checking or savings account, Happy Money will also pay off credit cards directly. Direct payment means borrowers don’t have to send the funds themselves, simplifying the consolidation process.
Hardship assistance: Happy Money has aid options for borrowers experiencing financial hardship, including plans that let borrowers skip a payment, temporary payment reductions and long-term modifications. Not all lenders offer hardship programs, which can provide relief for borrowers going through a difficult time.

Where Happy Money personal loans fall short

Origination fee: Happy Money charges an origination fee of up to 10%. The fee is deducted from the loan amount before being deposited into your account or sent to creditors. Although this is the only fee Happy Money charges, some lenders charge zero fees on personal loans or offer other ways to reduce costs, including possible rate discounts.
No co-signed, joint or secured loan options: Happy Money only offers unsecured loans, which means there’s no option for borrowers to submit a joint application, add a co-signer or secure the loan with collateral to qualify for a better rate or a larger loan.
Slower funding time: Though Happy Money offers instant pre-approvals to some borrowers, its funding time is slower compared to other online lenders, many of which can fund a loan the same or next day after you’re approved. On average, it takes Happy Money about four to five days to fund a loan, though some borrowers may receive funds in three days. If the loan funds are sent directly to creditors, it may take up to 10 days.

How to qualify

Happy Money accepts good- to excellent-credit borrowers that are looking to consolidate debt.

Happy Money’s borrowing requirements

Minimum credit score: 640.
Minimum annual income: None.
Maximum debt-to-income ratio: 55%, including mortgage payments.
Minimum credit history: Three years and two accounts.
Must be a U.S. citizen and provide a valid Social Security number, email address, U.S. bank account, proof of residency and proof of employment or income.
Not a resident of Iowa, Massachusetts and Nevada.

» MORE: How to get a personal loan

Ready to check rates? See what rate you can get by pre-qualifying.

See my rates

Profile of an average Happy Money borrower

Credit score

708

Average APR

16.80%

Annual Income

$112,300

Loan Amount

$19,500

Loan Purpose

Debt consolidation

Loan Term

46 months

Compare Happy Money to the best lenders

4.0	4.5	5.0	5.0
EST. APR 7.95% - 29.99%	EST. APR 8.74% - 35.49%	EST. APR 7.9% - 35.99%	EST. APR 7.74% - 35.99%
LOAN AMOUNT $5K - $40K	LOAN AMOUNT $5K - $100K	LOAN AMOUNT $1K - $60K	LOAN AMOUNT $1K - $50K
MIN. CREDIT SCORE 640 Check Rates	MIN. CREDIT SCORE None Check Rates	MIN. CREDIT SCORE 600 Check Rates	MIN. CREDIT SCORE 600 Check Rates