Sara N.
Verified BorrowerWould you recommend this product? Yes
I applied online and was approved online. I had the funds already secured by the next day. It went very smoothly and quickly.
Upstart 2026 Personal Loan Review
With its nontraditional underwriting model, Upstart is one of the best loan options available if you have a low credit score or limited credit history.
4.4
Est. APR
6.20 - 35.99%
Min. credit score
None
Time to fund
1 day
Loan amount
$1K - $75K
Loan term
3 to 7 years
Origination fee
0% to 12%
Best if you
- Want many options for loan amounts.
- Need money fast.
- Have bad credit or no credit.
Not ideal if you
- Plan to apply with another person.
- Want the loan funds sent directly to your creditors.
- Prefer many repayment terms to choose from.
What to know about Upstart personal loans
Upstart loans are some of the best available if you have bad credit or little credit history.
This online platform connects you with banks and credit unions to fund your personal loan, and it has a unique way of determining who qualifies. While other lenders focus mostly on credit score, Upstart considers things like college education and work history.
It also caps annual percentage rates (APR) below 36%. Lower rates are hard to find among lenders who accept borrowers with no credit, and they help keep monthly payments affordable.
Another reason Upstart is a strong choice if you have bad or thin credit: It reports your payment history to the three main credit bureaus. So making on-time payments will strengthen your credit, which helps you qualify for more financial products and better terms in the future.
Upstart could also be a fit if you need money quickly. It provides instant decisions for most applicants, and if approved, you can typically receive the funds in your account within one business day.
However, this lender doesn’t offer joint or co-signed options, so an Upstart loan only makes sense if you don’t plan to apply with another person.
COMPARE: Best personal loan lenders
What the nerds think
“You’ll be hard-pressed to find another reputable lender that accepts borrowers without a credit score. But with no available rate discounts, plus a potential origination fee, you may get approved for a more affordable loan elsewhere. Pre-qualify with a few bad-credit lenders, including Upstart, to compare offers.”
Jackie VelingSenior Writer & Content Strategist
What we like most about Upstart
- Alternative data use: Most personal loan lenders rely primarily on credit and income to make an approval decision. But Upstart also looks at other factors like college education and work history when it evaluates your application. The lending platform says its nontraditional underwriting model helps approve more applicants at lower rates.
- No minimum credit score requirement: While other lenders accept borrowers with bad credit (a 629 score or lower), it’s rare to find a lender that accepts no credit history. If you do have a credit score, Upstart says it accepts scores as low as 300, meaning it effectively doesn't have a credit score requirement. Compare the best personal loans for bad credit.
- Wide range of loan amounts: Upstart’s loans range from $1,000 to $75,000. Though some other lenders may offer loans up to $100,000, they tend to have higher starting amounts, so they’re not a good fit for smaller expenses. Upstart’s wide range means you can use its loans to cover small, medium or large expenses.
Why Upstart may not be right for you
- Origination fee: Some lenders that use Upstart’s online lending platform charge an origination fee, which is common with personal loans. However, Upstart’s maximum origination fee of 12% is higher than most lenders we reviewed, which tend to fall under 10%. This origination fee is deducted from the loan amount before the funds are disbursed.
- Only two repayment terms: You can only choose from two primary repayment options — three years or five years — to repay your Upstart loan. You may have access to a seven-year option, but Upstart says this is rare. Other lenders offer three or more terms to choose from, which lets you better customize the monthly payment. This flexibility is especially important for larger loans, since choosing a longer term reduces the monthly payment amount so it better fits into your budget.
- No direct payment to creditors: If you consolidate debt with an Upstart loan, there’s no option to have the funds sent directly to creditors. This is a common perk among lenders, since having your lender pay off your credit cards for you helps simplify the process. Some lenders even offer a rate discount for setting up direct payment. Compare the best debt consolidation loans.
How much does an Upstart personal loan cost?
The total cost of your Upstart loan depends on the amount borrowed, annual percentage rate and loan term. Here is an example of how different rates affect the costs of a $10,000 loan with a three-year term. Upstart didn’t disclose the APR range for its typical borrower, so these examples are based on its general APR range.
APR | 13%. | 25%. |
Monthly payment | $337. | $398. |
Total interest cost | $2,130. | $4,314. |
Total loan cost | $12,130. | $14,314. |
» MORE: Use our personal loan calculator to estimate your costs
Do you qualify for an Upstart personal loan?
You can qualify for Upstart even with a bad credit score, thanks to the lender’s nontraditional approach to underwriting.
Upstart also offers pre-qualification, so you can check your eligibility online with no risk to your score. When you formally apply, Upstart conducts a hard credit check, which temporarily lowers your credit score by a few points.
Upstart personal loans are available in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Upstart’s borrowing requirements
- Minimum credit score: None.
- Minimum annual income: None.
- Maximum debt-to-income ratio: None.
- Minimum credit history: None.
- Must be 18 years or older.
- Must provide a Social Security number and proof of residency.
- Must have a valid U.S. bank account and valid email address.
- Must provide proof of employment or income.
Profile of an average Upstart borrower
For an idea of where you would fit in among other borrowers and what to expect, we asked Upstart about its average borrower. Here’s what the lender told us.
- Average loan amount: $10,000 to $20,000.
- Most common loan term: 5 years.
- Most common loan purposes: Debt consolidation, home improvement, emergency expenses, bills or large purchases.
» MORE: How to get a personal loan
Frequently asked questions
Q: Can I change my monthly due date?
A: While Upstart won’t let you select your monthly payment due date when you apply, you can change it once the loan is funded. This option is available once per year, so you may want to save it for a time when your pay schedule changes. If you have a secured loan with Upstart, you cannot change your due date.
Q: Can I secure my loan?
A: You may be able to secure your Upstart loan with a personal vehicle and receive a lower rate. However, you can’t directly request this option when you apply for the loan. Instead, Upstart will let you know if you qualify.
Q: What does “underwriting” mean?
A: A lender’s underwriting process refers to how a lender assesses your loan application. Most lenders focus on three factors: credit score, income and debt-to-income ratio. Upstart’s underwriting model still considers these factors, but it also looks at non-traditional data, like education.
How does Upstart compare?
 |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
Est. APRFrom 6.99% to 35.49% | Est. APRFrom 6.53% to 35.99% | Est. APRFrom 7.24% to 24.89% | Est. APRFrom 7.74% to 35.99% |
Loan amountFrom $5,000 to $100,000 | Loan amountFrom $1,000 to $75,000 | Loan amountFrom $5,000 to $100,000 | Loan amountFrom $1,000 to $50,000 |
Min. credit scoreNaN | Min. credit score600 | Min. credit score660 | Min. credit score600 |
How we rated this lender
NerdWallet’s editorial team rates lenders using a rubric with five weighted categories and 29 subcategories. Here are the factors we prioritized, plus why this lender received each score.
Overall rating
4.4/5
Affordability25% of rating
3.6/5
While Upstart’s rates aren’t as high as other lenders, it may charge a particularly expensive origination fee. It also doesn’t offer rate discounts, which help reduce costs.
Our Method: We review lenders’ rates and fees, plus any opportunities for rate discounts.
Customer experience20% of rating
4.7/5
You can reach an Upstart customer service representative seven days a week. You can also use Upstart’s mobile app to manage your personal loan.
Our Method: We look at factors such as customer service availability, monthly payment flexibility and whether the lender reports on-time payments to major credit bureaus.
Loan flexibility20% of rating
4.2/5
While this lender has a wide range of loan amounts to choose from, it lacks other features, including numerous repayment terms and direct payment to creditors.
Our Method: We assess loan amount and term ranges and whether lenders offer multiple loan types or direct payment to creditors on debt consolidation loans.
Underwriting and eligibility20% of rating
5.0/5
Upstart lends to borrowers across the credit spectrum, and its loans are available nationwide.
Our Method: We consider how widely available and accessible the loans are and how lenders review applicants’ credit.
Application process15% of rating
4.7/5
Upstart’s website clearly displays all potential loan terms, so you can research the loan before you apply. You can also pre-qualify to view potential loan offers.
Our Method: We evaluate loan approval and funding times and the lender’s transparency throughout the application process.
Read more about our ratings methodologies for personal loans.
Upstart borrower reviews
4.5out of 5
(229 reviews)
93%
Would recommend
this product
Rating Breakdown
5
(145)4
(57)3
(12)2
(3)1
(3)Sort by:
Mike D.
Verified BorrowerWould you recommend this product? Yes
I applied for the loan and I received the loan and I am satisfied now.
Diego V.
Verified BorrowerWould you recommend this product? Yes
I submitted some personal information on Upstart's website and I received, I want to say, two offers pretty immediately. And after accepting the one I felt worked best for me. I received a deposit relatively quick. I want to say within two days.
Alexander C.
Verified BorrowerVery satisfied. The money hit my account within like 24 hours and the portal was very easy to get in and pay back the loan. So yeah, very satisfied.
Jahim U.
Verified BorrowerWould you recommend this product? Yes
I'd say it went well. It was pretty easy and I'm pretty satisfied.
User reviews are displayed for informational purposes only and are not monitored for accuracy. These reviews do not reflect the opinions of NerdWallet or the financial institutions referenced and are not endorsed by them. Neither NerdWallet nor the financial institutions are responsible for the content of any review, nor are the financial institutions obligated to respond to or address any user posts.
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