Personal Loan Reviews

Read NerdWallet reviews of personal loans, plus cash advance and buy now, pay later apps. Compare loans from multiple lenders to get one with costs and features that match your needs.

Get started with personal loans

NerdWallet's top-rated personal loans

SoFi Personal Loans: 2024 Review

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
SoFi offers online personal loans with consumer-friendly features for good- and excellent-credit borrowers.

Upgrade Personal Loans: 2024 Review

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
  • Multiple rate discounts.
  • Secured and joint loans.
  • Mobile app to manage loan payments.

Discover Personal Loans: 2024 Review

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
  • No origination fee.
  • Option to pre-qualify with a soft credit check.
  • Fast funding.

LightStream Personal Loans: 2024 Review

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
  • No fees.
  • Rate discount for autopay.
  • Long repayment terms.

Upstart Personal Loans: 2024 Review

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
  • Accepts borrowers new to credit.
  • Fast funding.
  • Option to change your payment date.

Happy Money Personal Loans: 2024 Review

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
  • Option to pre-qualify with a soft credit check.
  • Offers direct payment to creditors.
  • No late fee.

Best Egg Personal Loans: 2024 Review

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
  • Option to pre-qualify with a soft credit check.
  • Wide range of loan amounts.
  • Secured loan options.

LendingClub Personal Loans: 2024 Review

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
  • Joint loan option.
  • Direct payment to creditors with debt consolidation loans.
  • Option to pre-qualify with a soft credit check.

NerdWallet rates lenders on a scale from 1 to 5 stars. See our personal loan rating methodology.

More loan reviews by category

SoFi Personal Loans: 2024 Review

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
SoFi offers online personal loans with consumer-friendly features for good- and excellent-credit borrowers.

Upgrade Personal Loans: 2024 Review

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
  • Multiple rate discounts.
  • Secured and joint loans.
  • Mobile app to manage loan payments.

Discover Personal Loans: 2024 Review

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
  • No origination fee.
  • Option to pre-qualify with a soft credit check.
  • Fast funding.

LightStream Personal Loans: 2024 Review

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
  • No fees.
  • Rate discount for autopay.
  • Long repayment terms.

Happy Money Personal Loans: 2024 Review

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
  • Option to pre-qualify with a soft credit check.
  • Offers direct payment to creditors.
  • No late fee.

Achieve Personal Loans: 2024 Review

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
  • Multiple rate discounts.
  • Direct payment to creditors with debt consolidation loans.
  • Option to pre-qualify with a soft credit check.

Other ways to borrow: Buy now, pay later and cash advance apps

Varo’s cash advance may be useful for Varo bank customers who need cash fast and want more than two weeks to pay it back.
Apple Pay Later lets you pay for a purchase in four equal installments with no interest or fees.
Klover cash advances are helpful for users who need to bridge a small income gap and are comfortable with the app’s data collection practices.
SoLo Funds allows you to request a cash advance from its community of lenders. Approval takes a few days, which is much longer than competitors, but all fees are optional.
Empower’s advances are small but funded quickly. The app may approve gig workers or freelancers with unpredictable income.
Sezzle offers interest-free payment plans to shoppers online and in stores, but keep an eye on potential fees.
PayPal’s Pay in 4 lets you buy now and pay later with a simple plan that charges zero interest and no fees.
MoneyLion Instacash gives app users small cash advances, but you’ll pay a fee to get funds instantly.
Zip divides your purchase into four equal payments, but it charges an installment fee.
Brigit is a cash advance app that doesn’t request tips to get an advance. It does charge a monthly fee that may be worth paying if you use the app’s budgeting and credit-building features.

These products have their own rating systems. Read our buy now, pay later rating methodology and cash advance apps rating methodology.

Most recent personal loan reviews

LendKey Review: Student Loan Refinancing and Private Student Loans

LendKey connects borrowers with student loans from community banks and credit unions. It also services its own loans.

Education Loan Finance Reviews: Student Loan Refinancing and Private Student Loans

Education Loan Finance offers dedicated customer support for student loan borrowers.

MEFA Reviews: Student Loan Refinancing and Private Student Loans

MEFA loans doesn't have a formal deferment or forbearance program for economic hardship, so they're best for borrowers with strong job security or prospects.

RISLA Review: Student Loan Refinancing and Private Student Loans

RISLA offers income-based repayment, making it a good choice for borrowers who may require flexibility in the future.

Federal Student Loans Review: Subsidized and Unsubsidized Direct Loans

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Federal direct student loans don’t require credit or income to apply. They are the most widely used college lending option.

Nelnet Bank Reviews: Private Student Loans and Student Loan Refinancing

Nelnet Bank student loans and student loan refinancing are an option for borrowers who need a co-signer or who might need flexibility on payments in the future.

Laurel Road Student Loan Refinancing Review

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Laurel Road refinances undergraduate, graduate and parent student loans, specializing in loans for medical and dental residents.

Splash Financial Review: Student Loan Refinancing

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Splash Financial is a marketplace that gives you offers from multiple lenders to refinance your student loans.

Navy Federal Credit Union Reviews: Student Loan Refinancing and Private Student Loans

Navy Federal Credit Union offers its members an 18-month grace period for repayment, but no deferment options.

MPOWER Reviews: Student Loan Refinancing and Private Student Loans for International Students

MPOWER offers hard-to-find student loans and refinancing for international and DACA students.

Ascent Review: Private Student Loans

Ascent offers undergraduate and graduate student loans for those with and without a co-signer.

Sallie Mae Private Student Loans Review

Sallie Mae offers flexible repayment options and is one of the only lenders serving part-time students.

College Ave Reviews: Private Student Loans and Student Loan Refinancing

College Ave offers private student loans with multiple repayment options and lets borrowers refinance at any repayment term between five and 20 years.

PenFed Student Loan Refinancing Review

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
PenFed is one of the few lenders to allow married couples to refinance together.

First Tech Federal Credit Union Student Loan Refinancing Review

3.0

NerdWallet rating 
First Tech has a team of student loan specialists and lets borrowers choose to make lower monthly payments starting out.