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9 Standout Personal Loans of 2022

Compare online personal loans for good and bad credit, debt consolidation, home improvement, fast funding and from banks. The greatest personal loan helps you reach a financial goal, whether it’s paying off high-interest debt or funding a large expense. Annual percentage rates generally range from 6% to 35.99%; the loan with the lowest rate is the least expensive — and usually the best choice. But other features, including no fees, soft credit checks and whether lenders directly pay creditors if you’re consolidating debt, set some loans apart.

Standout Personal Loans From Our Partners

Excellent for

Personal loans for excellent credit

SoFi
Get rate

on SoFi's website

SoFi

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
SoFi

Est. APR

8.99-25.81%

Loan amount

$5,000-$100,000

Min. credit score

None
Get rate

on SoFi's website


Min. credit score

None

Key facts

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

Pros

  • Joint loan option.

  • Rate discount for autopay.

  • Hardship program for borrowers in need.

  • Mobile app to manage loan.

Cons

  • No option to choose initial payment date.

  • High minimum loan amount.

Qualifications

  • Must legally be an adult in your state.

  • Must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or visa holder.

  • Must be employed, have sufficient income or have an offer of employment to start within the next 90 days.

Total Cost of Loan

A 24-month, 5.0k loan at 8.99% will cost a total of $12352.91 excluding lender fees

Available Term Lengths

2 to 7 years

Fees

  • Late fee: None.

Disclaimer

Fixed rates from 8.99% APR to 25.81% APR reflect the 0.25% autopay interest rate discount and a 0.25% direct deposit interest rate discount. SoFi rate ranges are current as of 05/19/23 and are subject to change without notice. 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 and will depend on the term you select, evaluation of your creditworthiness, income, and a variety of 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 0%-6%, which will be deducted from any loan proceeds you receive.Autopay: 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.Direct Deposit Discount: To be eligible to potentially receive an additional (0.25%) interest rate reduction for setting up direct deposit with a SoFi Checking and Savings account offered by SoFi Bank, N.A. or eligible cash management account offered by SoFi Securities, LLC (“Direct Deposit Account”), you must have an open Direct Deposit Account within 30 days of the funding of your Loan. Once eligible, you will receive this discount during periods in which you have enabled payroll direct deposits of at least $1,000/month to a Direct Deposit Account in accordance with SoFi’s reasonable procedures and requirements to be determined at SoFi’s sole discretion. This discount will be lost during periods in which SoFi determines you have turned off direct deposits to your Direct Deposit Account. You are not required to enroll in direct deposits to receive a Loan.

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Excellent for

Personal loans for good credit + Personal loans for home improvement + Personal loans for fast funding

Lightstream
Get rate

on LightStream's website

LightStream

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Lightstream

Est. APR

7.49-24.49%

Loan amount

$5,000-$100,000

Min. credit score

660
Get rate

on LightStream's website


Min. credit score

660

Key facts

LightStream targets strong-credit borrowers with no fees and low rates that vary based on loan purpose.

Pros

  • No fees.

  • Rate discount for autopay.

  • Long repayment terms on home improvement loans.

  • Rate Beat program and Experience Guarantee.

Cons

  • No option to pre-qualify on its website.

  • Requires several years of credit history.

  • No direct payment to creditors with debt consolidation loans.

Qualifications

  • Minimum credit score: 660.

  • Several years of credit history.

  • Multiple account types within your credit history, like credit cards, a car loan or other installment loan and a mortgage.

  • Strong payment history with few or no delinquencies.

  • Investments, retirement savings or other evidence of an ability to save money.

  • Enough income to pay existing debts and a new LightStream loan.

Total Cost of Loan

A 24-month, 5.0k loan at 7.49% will cost a total of $10916.66 excluding lender fees

Available Term Lengths

2 to 7 years

Fees

  • Origination fee: None.

  • Late fee: None.

Disclaimer

Rates quoted are with AutoPay. Your loan terms are not guaranteed and may vary based on loan purpose, length of loan, loan amount, credit history and payment method (AutoPay or Invoice). AutoPay discount is only available when selected prior to loan funding. Rates without AutoPay are 0.50% points higher. To obtain a loan, you must complete an application on LightStream.com which may affect your credit score. You may be required to verify income, identity and other stated application information. Payment example: Monthly payments for a $10,000 loan at 7.99% APR with a term of 5 years would result in 60 monthly payments of $202.72. Some additional conditions and limitations apply. Advertised rates and terms are subject to change without notice. Truist Bank is an Equal Housing Lender. © 2023 Truist Financial Corporation. Truist, LightStream, and the LightStream logo are service marks of Truist Financial Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Lending services provided by Truist Bank.

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Excellent for

Personal loans for fair or good credit + large amounts

Achieve
Get rate

on Achieve's website

Achieve Personal Loans

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Achieve

Est. APR

7.99-35.99%

Loan amount

$5,000-$50,000

Min. credit score

620
Get rate

on Achieve's website


Min. credit score

620

Key facts

Achieve is a strong option for debt consolidation loans. Borrowers can have funds paid directly to creditors and benefit from multiple rate discounts.

Pros

  • Option to pre-qualify with a soft credit check.

  • Multiple rate discounts.

  • Direct payment to creditors with debt consolidation loans.

  • Joint loan options.

Cons

  • May charge origination fee.

  • Not available in all states.

  • No mobile app to manage loan.

Qualifications

  • Minimum credit score: 620; borrower average is 700.

  • Maximum debt-to-income ratio: 45% excluding mortgage.

  • Minimum income: None; borrowers' average household income is $115,000.

  • Minimum credit history: 3 years and 2 accounts.

  • Not actively delinquent on debt and no bankruptcy in the last 24 months.

  • Must be a US citizen, permanent resident or visa holder.

Total Cost of Loan

A 24-month, 5.0k loan at 7.99% will cost a total of $11387.85 excluding lender fees

Available Term Lengths

2 to 5 years

Fees

  • Origination fee: 1.99% - 5.99%.

Disclaimer

All loans available through Achieve Personal Loans (NMLS ID #227977) are originated by Cross River Bank (a New Jersey state chartered commercial bank) or Pathward, N.A. (Equal Housing Lenders) and may not be available in all states. All loan and rate terms are subject to eligibility restrictions, application review, credit score, loan amount, loan term, lender approval, and credit usage and history. Minimum loan amounts vary due to state-specific legal restrictions – please call an Achieve Personal Loans consultant for further details. Loan amounts generally range from $5,000 to $50,000 including origination fees, and are offered based on loan purpose and underwriting conditions. Repayment periods range from 24 to 60 months. APRs range from 7.99% to 35.99% APR and include applicable origination fees. Example loan: four-year $20,000 loan with a rate of 15.49% and corresponding APR of 18.34%, would have an estimated monthly payment of $561.60 and a total cost of $26,956.80. To qualify for a 7.99% APR loan, a borrower will need excellent credit, a loan amount for $12,000.00 or less, and a term of 24 months. Loan origination fees vary from 1.99% to 5.99%. Adding a co-borrower with sufficient income; using at least 85% of the loan proceeds to directly pay off qualifying existing debt; or showing proof of sufficient retirement savings, could also help you qualify for lower rates. Average interest savings for personal loans range from 0% - 6% based on closed loans that qualified for one or more of our rate discounts in July 2022. †Times noted are estimates and can vary for a loan request from Achieve Personal Loans (NMLS #227977). Same day approvals assume that a fully completed application with all required supporting documentation is provided early enough on a day that our offices are open. Achieve Personal Loans consultants are available Monday–Friday 6AM to 8PM MST and Saturday–Sunday 7AM to 4PM MST.

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Excellent for

Personal loans for fair credit + Co-signed and joint loans

Upgrade
Get rate

on Upgrade's website

Upgrade

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
Upgrade

Est. APR

8.49-35.99%

Loan amount

$1,000-$50,000

Min. credit score

560
Get rate

on Upgrade's website


Min. credit score

560

Key facts

Upgrade offers personal loans plus credit-building tools; you'll need strong cash flow to qualify.

Pros

  • Secured and joint loans.

  • Multiple rate discounts.

  • Mobile app to manage loan payments.

  • Direct payment to creditors with debt consolidation loans.

  • Long repayment terms on home improvement loans.

Cons

  • Origination fee.

  • No option to choose your payment date.

Qualifications

  • Minimum credit score: 560.

  • Minimum number of accounts on credit history: One account.

  • Maximum debt-to-income ratio: 75%, including the loan you're applying for.

  • Minimum length of credit history: Two years.

  • Minimum income requirement: None. Lender accepts income from alimony, retirement, child support, Social Security and other sources.

Total Cost of Loan

A 24-month, 1.0k loan at 8.49% will cost a total of $2373.34 excluding lender fees

Available Term Lengths

2 to 7 years

Fees

  • Origination fee: 1.85% to 9.99%.

  • Late Fee: $10.

  • Failed payment fee: $10.

Disclaimer

Personal loans made through Upgrade feature Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) of 8.49%-35.99%. All personal loans have a 1.85% to 9.99% origination fee, which is deducted from the loan proceeds. Lowest rates require Autopay and paying off a portion of existing debt directly. Loans feature repayment terms of 24 to 84 months. For example, if you receive a $10,000 loan with a 36-month term and a 17.59% APR (which includes a 13.94% yearly interest rate and a 5% one-time origination fee), you would receive $9,500 in your account and would have a required monthly payment of $341.48. Over the life of the loan, your payments would total $12,293.46. The APR on your loan may be higher or lower and your loan offers may not have multiple term lengths available. Actual rate depends on credit score, credit usage history, loan term, and other factors. Late payments or subsequent charges and fees may increase the cost of your fixed rate loan. There is no fee or penalty for repaying a loan early. Personal loans issued by Upgrade's bank partners. Information on Upgrade's bank partners can be found at https://www.upgrade.com/bank-partners/.

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Excellent for

Personal loans for bad credit + Personal loans for fast funding

Upstart
Get rate

on Upstart's website

Upstart

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
Upstart

Est. APR

6.50-35.99%

Loan amount

$1,000-$50,000

Min. credit score

None
Get rate

on Upstart's website


Min. credit score

None

Key facts

Upstart personal loans offer fast funding and may be an option for borrowers with low credit scores or thin credit histories. Upstart is a solid financing choice for large purchases.

Pros

  • Accepts borrowers new to credit.

  • Fast funding.

  • Option to change your payment date.

  • Option to pre-qualify with a soft credit check.

  • Offers free financial education

Cons

  • May charge origination fee.

  • No joint, co-signed or secured loans.

  • No mobile app to manage loan.

  • Only two repayment term options.

Qualifications

  • Minimum credit score: None.

  • Minimum annual income: $12,000; this lender accepts income from employment, alimony, retirement, child support, Social Security, rentals, trusts, pensions, disability and scholarships.

  • Must have a full-time job or be starting a full-time job in six months.

Total Cost of Loan

A 36-month, 1.0k loan at 6.5% will cost a total of $2610.48 excluding lender fees

Available Term Lengths

3 to 5 years

Fees

  • Origination fee: 0% - 10%

  • Late fee: 5% of past due amount or $15, whichever is greater.

  • Returned check fee: $15.

Disclaimer

This offer is conditioned on final approval based on our consideration and verification of financial and non-financial information. Rate, loan amount, and loan terms are subject to change based upon information received in your full inquiry on our site. This offer may be accepted only by the person identified in this offer, who is old enough to legally enter into contract for the extension of credit, a US citizen or permanent resident, and a current resident of the US. Closing your loan is contingent on your meeting our eligibility requirements, our verification of your information, and your agreement to the terms and conditions on the Upstart.com website. Your loan amount will be determined based on your credit, income, and certain other information provided in your loan application. Not all applicants will qualify for the full amount. Minimum loan amounts vary by state: GA ($3,100), HI ($2,100), MA ($7,000). The full range of available rates varies by state. A representative example of payment terms for a Personal Loan is as follows: a borrower receives a loan of $10,000 for a term of 60 months, with an interest rate of 18.44% and a 8.64% origination fee of $864, for an APR of 22.88%. In this example, the borrower will receive $9136 and will make 60 monthly payments of $257. APR is calculated based on 5-year rates offered in March 2023. There is no down payment and no prepayment penalty. Your APR will be determined based on your credit, income, and certain other information provided in your loan application. Not all applicants will be approved.

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Excellent for

Personal loans for fair or good credit

BestEgg
Get rate

on Best Egg's website

Best Egg

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
BestEgg

Est. APR

8.99-35.99%

Loan amount

$2,000-$50,000

Min. credit score

600
Get rate

on Best Egg's website


Min. credit score

600

Key facts

Best Egg offers personal loans for borrowers who want to consolidate debt and need cash fast.

Pros

  • Offers wide range of loan amounts.

  • Provides secured loan option for homeowners.

  • Offers direct payment to creditors with debt consolidation loans.

Cons

  • Origination fee.

  • No rate discounts.

  • No option to choose initial payment date.

Qualifications

  • Minimum credit score: 600; borrower average is 700.

  • Minimum credit history: Three years and three accounts.

  • Minimum income requirement is $3,500; borrower average is $80,000. Borrower must have enough cash flow to cover current financial obligations.

  • Maximum debt-to-income ratio: 40% or 65% including a mortgage; borrower average is 40%.

  • Employment: Must provide proof of income; part-time employees are eligible.

  • Must provide valid U.S. address and Social Security number.

Total Cost of Loan

A 36-month, 2.0k loan at 8.99% will cost a total of $6778.44 excluding lender fees

Available Term Lengths

3 to 5 years

Fees

  • Origination fee: 0.99% - 8.99%.

  • Return fee: $15 if payments are not processed.

Disclaimer

*Trustpilot TrustScore as of December 2022. Best Egg loans are unsecured or secured personal loans made by Cross River Bank, a New Jersey State Chartered Commercial Bank, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender or Blue Ridge Bank, a Nationally Chartered Bank, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender. “Best Egg” is a trademark of Marlette Technologies, LLC, a subsidiary of Best Egg, Inc., a Delaware corporation. All uses of “Best Egg” refer to “the Best Egg personal loan” and/or “Best Egg on behalf of Cross River Bank or Blue Ridge Bank, as originator of the Best Egg personal loan,” as applicable. 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. Your loan agreement will contain specific terms and conditions. About half of our customers get their money the next day. After successful verification, your money can be deposited in your bank account within 1-3 business days. The timing of available funds upon loan approval may vary depending upon your bank’s policies. Loan amounts range from $2,000– $50,000. Residents of Massachusetts have a minimum loan amount of $6,500 ; Ohio, $5,000; and Georgia, $3,000. TO REPORT A PROBLEM OR COMPLAINT WITH THIS LENDER, YOU MAY WRITE OR CALL Joseph Walsh – Operations Manager, Email: [email protected], Address: P.O. Box 42912, Philadelphia, PA 19101, Phone: 1-855-282-6353. This lender is licensed and regulated by the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Financial Institutions Division, P.O. Box 25101, 2550 Cerrillos Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504. To report any unresolved problems or complaints, contact the division by telephone at (505) 476-4885 or visit the website https://www.rld.nm.gov/financial-institutions/. For a second Best Egg loan, your total existing Best Egg loan balances cannot exceed $100,000. Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) range from 8.99%–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%–8.99% 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. You need a minimum 700 FICO® score and a minimum individual annual income of $100,000 to qualify for our lowest APR. For example: a 5‐year $10,000 loan with 9.99% APR has 60 scheduled monthly payments of $201.81, and a 3‐year $5,000 loan with 7.99% APR has 36 scheduled monthly payments of $155.12. 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 products are not available if you live in Iowa, Vermont, West Virginia, the District of Columbia, or U.S. Territories.

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Excellent for

Personal loans for fast application and approval

LendingPoint
Get rate

on LendingPoint's website

LendingPoint

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
LendingPoint

Est. APR

7.99-35.99%

Loan amount

$2,000-$36,500

Min. credit score

660
Get rate

on LendingPoint's website


Min. credit score

660

Key facts

LendingPoint accepts low credit scores and has flexible payments. Rates are high but comparable to competitors.

Pros

  • Soft credit check to pre-qualify.

  • Fast funding.

  • Offers mobile app to manage loan payments.

  • Option to change your payment date.

Cons

  • Reports payments to only two of the three major credit bureaus.

  • No joint, co-signed or secured loans.

  • No large loan amounts.

  • Does not directly pay creditors with debt consolidation loans.

Qualifications

  • Minimum credit score: 660. LendingPoint uses FICO score version 9 and VantageScore version 3.

  • Minimum credit history: 6 months.

  • Maximum debt-to-income ratio: 50%, not including mortgage.

Total Cost of Loan

A 24-month, 2.0k loan at 7.99% will cost a total of $4555.14 excluding lender fees

Available Term Lengths

2 to 5 years

Fees

  • Origination fee: 0% to 8%.

Disclaimer

Applications submitted on this website may be funded by one of several lenders, including: FinWise Bank, a Utah-chartered bank, Member FDIC; Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC; Midland States Bank, Member FDIC; and LendingPoint, a licensed lender in certain states. Loan approval is not guaranteed. Actual loan offers and loan amounts, terms and annual percentage rates ("APR") may vary based upon LendingPoint's proprietary scoring and underwriting system's review of your credit, financial condition, other factors, and supporting documents or information you provide. Origination or other fees from 0% to 8% may apply depending upon your state of residence. Upon final underwriting approval to fund a loan, said funds are often sent via ACH the next non-holiday business day. Loans are offered from $2,000 to $36,500, at rates ranging from 7.99% to 35.99% APR, with terms from 24 to 72 months. Minimum loan amounts apply in Georgia, $3,500; Colorado, $3,001; and Hawaii, $2,000. For a well-qualified customer, a $10,000 loan for a period of 48 months with an APR of 24.90% and origination fee of 8% will have a payment of $331.01 per month. (Actual terms and rate depend on credit history, income, and other factors.) Customers may have the option to deduct the origination fee from the disbursed loan amount if desired. If the origination fee is added to the financed amount, interest is charged on the full principal amount. The total amount due is the total amount of the loan you will have paid after you have made all payments as scheduled.

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To recap our selections...

NerdWallet's Standout Personal Loans of 2022

  • SoFi: Excellent for Personal loans for excellent credit
  • LightStream: Excellent for Personal loans for good credit + Personal loans for home improvement + Personal loans for fast funding
  • Achieve Personal Loans: Excellent for Personal loans for fair or good credit + large amounts
  • Upgrade: Excellent for Personal loans for fair credit + Co-signed and joint loans
  • Upstart: Excellent for Personal loans for bad credit + Personal loans for fast funding
  • Best Egg: Excellent for Personal loans for fair or good credit
  • LendingPoint: Excellent for Personal loans for fast application and approval