BEST OF

Personal Loans for Good Credit: Best of 2025

ByRonita Choudhuri-WadeandNicole Dow

Aug 6, 2025

The best personal loans for good-credit borrowers have low rates, plus perks like flexible payment options and free credit monitoring. Here are the top lenders offering loans for borrowers with good credit.

Personal Loans for Good Credit: Best From Our Partners

Excellent for

good credit and joint loans

2026 NerdWallet award winner
Happen Bank (formerly LendingClub)
NerdWallet rating

Est. APR

5.96 - 35.99%

Loan amount

$1K - $75K

Min. credit score

600

Loan term

2 to 7 years

Get a quoteon Happen Bank (Formerly Lending Club)'s website
Pros, Cons, and Our View
Time to get funds:
Next day
Availability:
Lends in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Rate discounts:
Auto-pay discount: 0.5 percentage points. and Direct pay to creditors discount: 0.5 percentage points.
Min income:
None
Soft credit check:
Yes
Loan uses:
Debt consolidation, Credit card consolidation, Home improvement, Medical/dental, Emergency expenses (car repair, vet bill, etc), Vacation, Moving/relocation, Wedding, Funeral, Auto/motorcycle/RV/boat financing, and Other large purchase

Pros

  • Multiple rate discounts.
  • Next-day funding.
  • Wide range of loan amounts and repayment terms.

Cons

  • May have an origination fee.
  • Debt-to-income ratio cannot exceed 40%.
Get a quoteon Happen Bank (Formerly Lending Club)'s website
Disclosures from Happen Bank (formerly LendingClub)More Information: • Check your rate in minutes with no impact to your credit score¹ • Fixed rates and predictable monthly payments • You could earn 2% cash back on personal loan payments with your LevelUp Checking Account2 Disclosure: ¹Checking a rate through us generates a soft inquiry on a person’s credit report, which does not impact that person’s credit score. A hard credit inquiry, which may affect that person’s credit score, only appears on the person’s credit report if and when a loan is issued to the person. 2Loan Payment Cash Back provides the opportunity to earn 2% cash back for on-time qualifying Happen Bank loan payments made electronically from a LevelUp Checking account. Direct Deposit into LevelUp Checking account required for eligibility to receive cash back. Please visit LendingClub.com/LevelUp-Checking for additional information about LevelUp Checking, including details relating to cash back requirements. LevelUp Checking account must be open and active at the time the cash back is credited. Accounts subject to approval which may include credit approval.  No minimum opening deposit required. Please see Product Terms and Conditions for additional product details.  Member FDIC.  FDIC-insured up to $250,000 per depositor for each ownership category.  Between April 2026 to June 2026, 66% of Happen Personal Loans that were approved for funding (which is after your loan application is approved) on a given business day were disbursed within 24 hours. Actual availability of funds may vary and is dependent on multiple factors, including, but not limited to your receiving bank’s processing times and policies. A business day is defined as Monday through Friday and excludes the weekend and bank holidays. A representative example of payment terms for a Personal Loan is as follows: a borrower receives a loan of $15,262 for a term of 36 months, with an interest rate of 13.99% and a 6% origination fee of $916, for an APR of 18.40%. In this example, the borrowower will receive $25,566 and will make 36 monthly payments of $936. Loan amounts range from $1,000 to $75,000 and loan term lengths range from 24 months to 84 months. Some amounts, rates, and term lengths may be unavailable in certain states, and may not be available for all Personal Loan products and/or through all application channels or platforms. For Personal Loans, APR ranges from 5.96% APR to 35.99% APR and origination/processing fee ranges from 0.00% to 8.00% of the loan amount. APRs and origination/processing fees are determined at the time of application. The lowest APR may be available to borrowers with excellent credit, subject to additional factors including, but not limited to, loan amount, loan term, and sufficient investor commitment. Advertised rates and fees are valid as of July 06, 2026, are subject to change without notice, and may not be available for all Personal Loan products and/or through all application channels or platforms. Loans are made by Happen Bank, N.A., Equal Housing Lender (“Happen Bank”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Happen, Inc, NMLS ID 167439. Credit eligibility is not guaranteed. Loans are subject to credit approval and may be subject to sufficient investor commitment. Credit union membership may be required. “Happen” and the “H” symbol are trademarks of Happen Bank. Happen Bank is not an affiliate of this platform, which is an unrelated third party ("third party”). Happen Bank is not responsible for any products and services provided by this third party, which may receive compensation if you visit the Happen Bank’s websites or use any of its products or services. Certain information that Happen Bank subsequently obtains as part of the application process (including but not limited to information in your consumer report, your income, the loan amount that you request, the purpose of your loan, and qualifying debt) will be considered and could affect your ability to obtain a loan. Loan closing is contingent on accepting all required agreements and disclosures.

Excellent for

good credit and fast funding

RocketLoans
NerdWallet rating

Est. APR

7.99 - 29.99%

Loan amount

$2K - $75K

Min. credit score

640

Loan term

3 to 5 years

Get a quoteon Rocket Loans's website
Pros, Cons, and Our View
Time to get funds:
Same day
Availability:
Unavailable in IA, NV, WV, and MD
Rate discounts:
Autopay discount: 0.25 percentage points
Min income:
$24,000 annual gross income
Soft credit check:
Yes
Loan uses:
Debt consolidation, Credit card consolidation, Home improvement, Medical/dental, Emergency expenses (car repair, vet bill, etc), Vacation, Moving/relocation, Wedding, Funeral, Business expenses, Auto/motorcycle/RV/boat financing, and Other large purchase

Pros

  • Relatively low rates.
  • Fast funding.
  • Wide range of loan amounts.

Cons

  • Origination fee up to 9.99%.
  • Must have a 640 credit score or higher.
  • No options for joint, co-signed or secured loans.
Get a quoteon Rocket Loans's website
Disclosures from Rocket LoansQualified clients using Rocket Loans will see loan options for a 36 or 60 month term, and APR ranges from a minimum of 7.99% (rate with autopay discount) to a maximum of 29.99% (rate without autopay discount) depending upon their credit profile. An origination fee of up to 9.99% is charged for each loan. This fee is deducted from the balance before funds are disbursed to the client. For example, a 5-year $16,000 loan with a 14.55% interest rate and a 6.95% ($1,112) origination fee would have 59 scheduled monthly payments of approximately $376.83 and 1 final monthly payment of approximately $399.09 for an APR of 17.90%. Borrower must be a U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident at least 18 years of age. All loan applications are subject to credit review and approval and offered loan terms depend upon credit score, requested amount, requested loan term, credit usage, credit history and other factors. Not all borrowers receive the lowest interest rate or highest loan amount. To qualify for the lowest rate, you must have excellent credit, meet certain conditions, and select autopay. Autopay must be selected as the repayment method at the time the loan closes in order to receive the rate discount. Rates and Terms are subject to change at any time without notice. All personal loans are made by Cross River Bank, a New Jersey state chartered commercial bank, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender. This is not a deposit product.

Excellent for

good credit and home improvement loans

2026 NerdWallet award winner
Lightstream
NerdWallet rating

Est. APR

9.99 - 24.94%

Loan amount

$5K - $100K

Min. credit score

660

Loan term

2 to 20 years

Get a quoteon LightStream's website
Pros, Cons, and Our View
Time to get funds:
Same day
Availability:
Lends in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Min income:
No minimum requirement
Soft credit check:
No
Loan uses:
Debt consolidation, Credit card consolidation, Home improvement, Emergency expenses, Vacation, Moving/relocation, Wedding, Funeral, Auto/motorcycle/RV/boat financing, PreK-12 education, and Other large purchase

Pros

  • Competitive APRs
  • Rate discounts
  • No fees
  • Large loans and long repayment terms
  • Same-day funding

Cons

  • Limited ability to pre-qualify
  • High minimum loan amount
  • No direct payment to creditors
  • No mobile app
Get a quoteon LightStream's website
Disclosures from LightStreamYou are not yet approved or pre-approved for a loan or a specific rate. Please click to complete your LightStream application to see exactly what LightStream can offer you. Your loan terms, including APR, may differ based on loan purpose, amount, term length, and your credit profile. Lowest rates require excellent credit. Rate is quoted with AutoPay discount. AutoPay discount is only available prior to loan funding. Rates without AutoPay are 0.50 points higher. Subject to credit approval. Conditions and limitations apply. Advertised rates and terms are subject to change without notice. Truist Bank is an Equal Housing Lender. © 2026 Truist Financial Corporation. TRUIST, LightStream, and the LightStream logos are service marks of Truist Financial Corporation. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Lending services provided by Truist Bank.

Excellent for

good credit and high loan amounts

2026 NerdWallet award winner
SoFi
NerdWallet rating

Est. APR

6.99 - 35.49%

Loan amount

$5K - $100K

Min. credit score

None

Loan term

2 to 7 years

Get a quoteon SoFi®'s website
Pros, Cons, and Our View
Time to get funds:
Same day
Availability:
Lends in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Rate discounts:
Autopay, Direct payment to creditors, and Direct deposit accounts
Min income:
No minimum requirement
Soft credit check:
Yes
Loan uses:
Debt consolidation, Credit card consolidation, Home improvement, Medical/dental, Emergency expenses (car repair, vet bill, etc.), Vacation, Moving/relocation, Wedding, Funeral, Auto/motorcycle/RV/boat financing, and Other large purchase

Pros

  • Multiple rate discounts.
  • Joint loans.
  • Hardship assistance.

Cons

  • High minimum loan amount.
  • No secured loans.
Get a quoteon SoFi®'s website
Disclosures from SoFi® Personal LoanTerms and conditions apply. SOFI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY OR DISCONTINUE PRODUCTS AND BENEFITS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. To qualify, a borrower must be a U.S. citizen or other eligible status, be residing in the U.S., and meet SoFi's underwriting requirements. Not all borrowers receive the lowest rate. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. If approved, your actual rate will be within the range of rates at the time of application and will depend on a variety of factors, including term of loan, evaluation of your creditworthiness, income, and other factors. If SoFi is unable to offer you a loan but matches you for a loan with a participating bank, then your rate may be outside the range of rates listed above. Rates and Terms are subject to change at any time without notice. SoFi Personal Loans can be used for any lawful personal, family, or household purposes and may not be used for post-secondary education expenses. Minimum loan amount is $5,000. The average of SoFi Personal Loans funded in 2025 was around $32K. Based on loans funded from 1/1/2025-12/31/2025. Information current as of 10/02/26. SoFi Personal Loans originated by SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. NMLS #696891 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). See SoFi.com/legal for state-specific license details. See SoFi.com/eligibility for details and state restrictions. Fixed rates from 6.99% APR to 35.49% APR. APR reflect the 0.25% autopay interest rate discount and a 0.25% member rate discount. SoFi Platform personal loans are made either by SoFi Bank, N.A. or , Cross River Bank, a New Jersey State Chartered Commercial Bank, operating from its Delaware branch, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender. SoFi may receive compensation if you take out a loan originated by Cross River Bank. These rate ranges are current as of 10/02/26 and are subject to change without notice. Not all rates and amounts available in all states. See SoFi Personal Loan eligibility details at https://www.sofi.com/eligibility-criteria/#eligibility-personal. Not all applicants qualify for the lowest rate. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. 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. Loan amounts range from $5,000– $100,000. The APR is the cost of credit as a yearly rate and reflects both your interest rate and an origination fee of 9.99% of your loan amount for Cross River Bank originated loans which will be deducted from any loan proceeds you receive and for SoFi Bank originated loans have an origination fee of 0%-7%, will be deducted from any loan proceeds you receive. Autopay Discount: 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. Autopay is not required to receive a loan from SoFi. Member Rate Discount: To be eligible for an additional 0.25% interest rate reduction on a Personal Loan, you must, within 31 days of loan funding, either (1) meet SoFi Plus eligibility criteria, (2) receive an Eligible Direct Deposit into a SoFi Checking or Savings account, or (3) receive at least $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits into a SoFi Checking or Savings account. You must continue to meet at least one of the above eligibility criteria every 31 days to maintain the discount. See the SoFi Plus terms for details on SoFi Plus subscription. For more details on Eligible Direct Deposit or Qualifying Deposits, please see https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet. Once you become eligible during the initial period, the discount will be removed or reinstated depending on whether the criteria have been met. Each time your loan is re-amortized, your monthly payment amount will change based upon the interest rate that was in place. SoFi reserves the right to modify or terminate this offer at any time for unenrolled participants. You are not required to meet these criteria to be approved for a loan.

Excellent for

good credit and secured loans

2026 NerdWallet award winner
BestEgg
NerdWallet rating

Est. APR

6.99 - 35.99%

Loan amount

$2K - $50K

Min. credit score

600

Loan term

3 to 5 years

Get a quoteon Best Egg's website
Pros, Cons, and Our View
Time to get funds:
Next business day
Availability:
Unavailable in IA, VT, WV, and DC
Rate discounts:
None
Min income:
Varies by state
Soft credit check:
Yes
Loan uses:
Debt consolidation, Credit card consolidation, Home improvement, Medical/dental, Emergency expenses (car repair, vet bill, etc.), Vacation, Moving/relocation, Wedding, Funeral, Business expenses, Education expenses, Auto/motorcycle/boat financing, and Other large purchase

Pros

  • Offers secured and unsecured loans.
  • Works with a variety of credit situations.
  • Lets you pre-qualify with a soft credit check.
  • Will directly pay your creditors when the loan is for debt consolidation.

Cons

  • Has an origination fee.
  • Requires at least a 600 credit score.
  • Doesn't offer co-signed or joint loans.
  • Short repayment terms aren't available.
Get a quoteon Best Egg's website
Disclosures from Best EggBest Egg products are not available if you live in Iowa, Vermont, West Virginia, the District of Columbia, or U.S. Territories. Eligibility is not guaranteed. The term, amount and APR of any loan we offer to you will depend on your credit score, income, debt payment obligations, loan amount, credit history and other factors. If offered, your loan agreement will contain specific terms and conditions. Your application is complete when you submit it to Best Egg. Your acceptance of an offer may impact your credit score. The timing of available funds upon loan approval may vary depending upon your bank’s policies. After successful verification your money can be deposited in your bank account within 1-3 business days. Loan amounts range from $2,000–$50,000. Residents of Massachusetts have a minimum loan amount of $6,500; Ohio, $5,001; and Georgia, $3,001. Only two active Best Egg loans are available at one time and your total existing Best Egg loan balances cannot exceed $100,000. Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) range from 6.99%–35.99%. The APR is the cost of credit as a yearly rate and reflects both your interest rate and an origination fee of 0.99%–9.99% of your loan amount, which will be deducted from any loan proceeds you receive. The origination fee on a loan term 4 years or longer will be at least 4.99%. Your loan term will impact your APR, which may be higher than our lowest advertised rate. Eligibility for the best available rate subject to creditworthiness. For example: a 5-year $10,000 loan with a 9.99% APR has 60 scheduled monthly payments of $201.81; a 3-year $5,000 loan with 6.99% APR has 36 scheduled monthly payments of $152.83. Best Egg loans can be prepaid at any time without penalty. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Best Egg loans have a minimum term of 36 months and a maximum term of 60 months. To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, Federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person who opens an account. What this means for you: When you open an account, we will ask for your name, address, date of birth, and other information that will allow us to identify you. We may also ask to see your driver’s license or other identifying documents.. Best Egg loans are personal loans made by Cross River Bank, a New Jersey Chartered Bank, operating from its Wilmington, Delaware branch location, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender, or Column N.A., Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender. © 2026 Marlette Marketing, LLC. All rights reserved. The Best Egg Secured Loan + Homeowner Discount is not available if you live in Connecticut, Iowa, Louisiana, Vermont, West Virginia, the District of Columbia, or U.S. Territories. Eligibility is not guaranteed. The term, amount and APR of any loan we offer to you will depend on your credit score, income, debt payment obligations, loan amount, credit history and other factors. If offered, your loan agreement will contain specific terms and conditions. Your application is complete when you submit it to Best Egg. Your acceptance of an offer may impact your credit score. The timing of available funds upon loan approval may vary depending upon your bank’s policies. After successful verification, your money can be deposited in your bank account within 1-3 business days. Loan amounts range from $5,000–$50,000. Residents of Massachusetts have a minimum loan amount of $6,500; and Ohio, $5,001. Only two active Best Egg loans are available at one time and your total existing Best Egg loan balances cannot exceed $100,000. Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) range from 5.99%–29.99%. The APR is the cost of credit as a yearly rate and reflects both your interest rate and an origination fee of 1.49%–9.99% of your loan amount, which will be deducted from any loan proceeds you receive. The origination fee on a loan term 4-years or longer will be at least 4.99%. Your loan term will impact your APR, which may be higher than our lowest advertised rate. Eligibility for the best available rate subject to creditworthiness. For example: a 7-year secured loan of $25,000 with an APR of 9.99% has 84 scheduled monthly payments of $402.48, and a 3-year secured loan of $5,000 with an APR of 5.99% has 36 scheduled monthly payments of $150.57. Best Egg loans can be prepaid at any time without penalty. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Best Egg loans have a minimum term of 36 months and a maximum term of 84 months. The Best Egg Secured Loan + Homeowner Discount is a personal loan secured using a lien against the fixtures in your home. Fixtures are items permanently attached to your home as defined under applicable law. This will be your collateral for the loan. Rest assured, your home itself will not be used as collateral. Best Egg will have a lien against the fixtures until you repay your Best Egg Secured Loan in full and will file a Uniform Commercial Code notice of this lien in your local jurisdiction. If you have multiple Uniform Commercial Code - 1 (UCC-1) secured by the same collateral, then these liens will all be subject to a single Uniform Commercial Code filing. Best Egg will release each lien as the respective loan is paid in full and will release the UCC-1 filing when all such loans are repaid in full. Your home may be more difficult to sell if it is subject to one or more liens. If you sell or transfer your home without repaying in full all UCC-1 secured by the collateral, Best Egg’s lien(s) will remain in place, and your loan(s) will immediately become due in full. If you file for bankruptcy, your home enters foreclosure, or you sell your home and don’t repay your loan within 30 days of its sale, Best Egg or subsequent owners of your Best Egg Secured Loan(s) may participate in the related proceedings to collect what you owe on your loan(s). This may include repossessing the collateral. If you co-own your home, at least one co-owner must provide their consent for your Best Egg Secured Loan(s), including the lien(s) against the fixtures in your home, as part of your application. Any co-owner of your home will not, however, be obligated as a borrower and Best Egg will not check their credit report. To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person who opens an account. What this means for you: When you open an account, we will ask for your name, address, date of birth, and other information that will allow us to identify you. We may also ask to see your driver’s license or other identifying documents. Best Egg loans are personal loans made by Cross River Bank, a New Jersey Chartered Bank, operating from its Wilmington, Delaware branch location, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender, or Column N.A., Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender. The Best Egg Secured Loan + Homeowner Discount is originated exclusively by Cross River Bank. © 2026 Marlette Marketing, LLC. All rights reserved.

» MORE: Personal loans for excellent credit

NerdWallet's guide to good-credit personal loans

Most personal loans are unsecured, which means lenders evaluate applicants' ability to repay by considering factors like credit score rather than relying on collateral. A good credit score (from the mid-600s to mid-700s) often means lower annual percentage rates (APRs) and more favorable loan terms.

Here’s what makes our picks for the best personal loans for good credit stand out:

LendingClub: Best good-credit loans for co-borrowers

LendingClub offers joint personal loans for applicants financing a shared expense. Adding a co-borrower with excellent credit or a higher income may help you qualify for a lower rate or larger loan amount.

Rocket Loans: Best good-credit loans for fast funding

Rocket Loans can approve a personal loan application the same day you submit. When you pre-qualify, the lender lets you instantly preview loan offers. Once you select a loan offer and formally apply, Rocket Loans provides approval decisions within minutes. If you sign the loan documents by 1 p.m. ET on a business day, the funds will be sent to your bank account that day.

Reach: Best good-credit loans for debt consolidation

Reach Financial provides personal loans solely for the purpose of consolidating credit cards or other debts. If approved for a loan, Reach pays your creditors directly, saving you that step in the debt consolidation process. The lender can send electronic payments the same day the loan is approved or overnight checks if electronic payments aren’t an option.

First Tech: Best good-credit loans for small loan amounts

The minimum loan amount for a First Tech personal loan is $500, making it suitable for small expenses, such as a minor home or car repair. Most personal loan amounts start at or above $1,000.

LightStream: Best good-credit loans for home improvement

LightStream offers extended loan terms of up to 20 years for home improvement loans of $25,000 or more. The lender provides loans of up to $100,000, which can fund a major home renovation project.

SoFi: Best good-credit loans for high loan amounts

The maximum loan amount for a SoFi personal loan is $100,000, which can cover a wide variety of borrowing needs. Many personal loans lenders cap borrowing to $50,000 or less.

Best Egg: Best good-credit secured loans

Best Egg allows borrowers to secure their loans — and potentially get a lower rate — with a vehicle or permanent fixtures in their homes.

What are rates on good-credit loans?

Good-credit borrowers tend to get lower APRs on personal loans compared to fair- or bad-credit borrowers. A lower rate means you’ll pay less interest over the life of the loan.

The rate also affects your monthly payment. Use our personal loan calculator to estimate your monthly payments based on interest rate.

Here is what personal loan rates look like, on average:

Borrower credit rating

Score range

Estimated APR

Excellent

720-850.

11.81%.

Good

690-719.

14.48%.

Fair

630-689.

17.93%.

Bad

300-629.

21.65%.

Where to get a personal loan with good credit

Good-credit borrowers can get a personal loan from online lenders, credit unions or banks.

Online lenders

An online lender lets you pre-qualify, apply and manage the loan from your computer or phone. Good- and excellent-credit borrowers tend to get the best rates and features, so pre-qualifying with multiple lenders and comparing offers is a good idea.

» MORE: Best online loans

Credit unions

Local and national credit unions may offer lower interest rates and more flexible terms than other lenders. You typically have to be a member to borrow from a credit union.

» MORE: Top credit unions for personal loans

Banks

Banks offer personal loans to existing account holders, often at low rates. Bank customers can also benefit from rate discounts and a streamlined online application process.

» MORE: Best bank loans

How to choose a personal loan

A good credit score could get you loan offers from multiple lenders. Consider these factors to choose the right loan for your plans:

Compare rates across lenders: If you’re someone with good credit, it pays to shop around for the best combination of low rates and fees. Many lenders let you pre-qualify to check rates without affecting your credit.

Loan amount: The amount of money you could receive with a personal loan ranges from about $1,000 to $50,000, though some lenders offer up to $100,000. The amount you request from a lender may factor into their decision to qualify you, so carefully consider how much you need.

Loan purpose: A benefit of personal loans is you can use the money for almost any reason. Common uses are to pay off high-interest credit cards or finance home improvements, and rates can vary based on the loan purpose.

Loan term: Personal loan repayment terms are generally from two to seven years, though some lenders offer extended terms for specific purposes like home improvement. A shorter loan term means you'll pay less total interest on the loan. A longer term lowers your monthly payments.

Loan features: Some lenders have mobile apps where you can track your loan and manage monthly payments. Others offer flexible payment schedules or payment assistance programs. If you’re consolidating debt, some lenders will send loan proceeds directly to your creditors, saving you an important step.

Additional benefits: Take advantage of benefits a lender may offer such as free credit score monitoring and financial planning resources.

» MORE: 7 features to look for in a personal loan

How does a personal loan affect your credit?

Though pre-qualifying for a personal loan typically won’t hurt your credit score, a lender will conduct a hard credit check when you formally apply, which can cause your score to drop a few points.

However, payment history represents 35% of an individual’s credit score, according to the credit scoring company FICO. Making on-time loan payments can build your score, while a missed payment can cause your score to drop by as much as 100 points.

If you don’t have other forms of installment credit, such as a student loan or auto loan, getting a personal loan may add to your credit mix, which makes up about 10% of your score, according to FICO.

» MORE: How does a personal loan affect your credit score?

Alternatives to personal loans for good-credit borrowers

While a good credit score may qualify you for low personal loan rates, consider alternatives to ensure you’re getting the best deal.

Zero-interest credit card: A 0% APR credit card lets you borrow at no cost, as long you pay the card’s balance within the introductory period — typically 15 to 21 months. Most zero-interest cards require good or excellent credit.

Personal line of credit: A personal line of credit functions like a mix between a personal loan and a credit card. During the “draw” period, you borrow against your credit limit as needed, make payments and can borrow more as your balance replenishes. Your monthly payments and interest costs are based on your outstanding balance. Once the draw period ends, you’ll make monthly payments until the balance is repaid.

Home equity financing: With a home equity loan or home equity line of credit, you can borrow against your home’s equity, which is its value minus what you owe on it. Equity financing options usually have lower rates and longer repayment terms than personal loans. Your home is collateral for this type of financing, meaning if you default, the lender could take your property.

Last updated on August 6, 2025

Methodology

How we chose the best personal loans

Our team of consumer lending experts follows an objective and robust methodology to rate lenders and pick the best.

35+Lenders reviewed

We review over 35 lenders, including major banks, top credit unions, leading digital platforms and high interest installment lenders operating across multiple states.

25+Categories assessed

Each lender is evaluated across five weighted categories and 29 subcategories, covering affordability, eligibility, consumer experience, flexibility, and application process.

60+Data points analyzed

Our team tracks and reassesses hundreds of data points annually, including APR ranges, fees, credit requirements, and borrower tools, ensuring up to date, accurate comparisons.

Star rating categories

We evaluate more categories than competitors and carefully weigh how each factor impacts your experience.

Affordability
25%

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%

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%

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%

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%

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.

5.0

Overall score

NerdWallet’s review process evaluates and rates personal loan products from more than 35 financial technology companies and financial institutions. We collect over 60 data points 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.

To recap our selections...

NerdWallet's Personal Loans for Good Credit: Best of 2025

Frequently asked questions

  • What is a good credit score for a personal loan?

    Good credit scores range from the mid-600s to mid-700s. The credit score you need for a personal loan can vary by lender and the reason you're borrowing. The best personal loan rates and terms are reserved for those with good or excellent credit.

  • How do I get a personal loan with good credit?

    Lenders favor borrowers with good or excellent credit scores (mid-600s or higher). Lenders also consider your debt-to-income ratio on a loan application. When you're ready to apply for a personal loan, pre-qualify and compare offers from multiple lenders to make sure you're getting the best rates and terms available.