FreedomPlus Personal Loans: 2021 Review
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Our Take
3.5
The bottom line: FreedomPlus personal loans can help borrowers with fair or good credit consolidate large amounts of debt.
Full Review
on FreedomPlus's website
on FreedomPlus's website
Min. Credit Score
620
Est. APR
7.99 - 29.99%
Loan Amount
$7,500 - $50,000
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Option to choose and change your payment date.
- Offers direct payment to creditors with debt consolidation loans.
- Soft credit check with pre-qualification.
- Joint loan option.
Cons
- Charges origination fee.
- High minimum loan amount.
- No secured or co-signed loan option.
Compare to Other Lenders
|  |  |
|---|---|---|
Est. APR7.99 - 29.99% | Est. APR5.99 - 24.99% | Est. APR5.99 - 29.99% |
Loan Term2 to 5 years | Loan Term2 to 5 years | Loan Term3 to 5 years |
Loan Amount$7,500 - $50,000 | Loan Amount$5,000 - $40,000 | Loan Amount$2,000 - $50,000 |
Min. Credit Score620 | Min. Credit Score600 | Min. Credit Score640 |
Compare estimated rates from multiple lenders
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Full Review
FreedomPlus work particularly well for consolidating a large amount of credit card or other unsecured debt. Loan amounts start high and include a rate discount for having the lender pay off your debts directly.
The lender offers fair-credit loans, but average borrowers have good credit (690 to 719 FICO scores) and strong household income. Loan terms on a FreedomPlus loan can be two to five years.
Unlike other online lenders, once you submit an application, a FreedomPlus loan consultant will call you to discuss the loan and complete the process.
» COMPARE:
Joint loan and direct pay discounts: FreedomPlus encourages co-borrowing with a rate discount for joint loans. The lender also offers a discount with its for having loan proceeds sent directly to pay off other creditors. FreedomPlus did not disclose the amount of either discount.
Retirement assets discount: The lender gives a discount to borrowers who show financial responsibility by having $25,000 or more in a retirement fund. Borrowers don't use the account as collateral, the company says.
Fast funding: FreedomPlus says the majority of customers receive a loan decision the same day they apply. The lender says it can fund a loan within three days of approval, which isn’t the next-day funding option other online lenders provide, but it is faster than some lenders that take five or more days to deposit the funds into your account.
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Option to change your payment date: FreedomPlus says borrowers can choose their payment date before signing a loan agreement and change the date twice in a 12-month rolling period, or six times throughout the life of the loan. This is a helpful feature if you switch jobs, for example, and start getting paid on a different date.
Origination fee: Origination fees are common among online lenders, and FreedomPlus charges fees of 1.99% to 4.99%, which are relatively low. Still, most borrowers get the full 4.99% fee, according to the company’s website.
No rate discount for autopay: Many lenders offer a small APR discount — usually 0.5 percentage points or less — to encourage borrowers to set up automatic payments. FreedomPlus doesn’t offer the discount, but says most borrowers are automatically set up for autopay. This ensures on-time payments, which can help build credit.
High minimum loan amount: FreedomPlus loans start at $7,500, which means they’re not right for smaller expenses. Starting loan amounts between $1,000 and $2,000 are more common.
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Loan example: A three-year, $13,000 loan with a 23.4% APR would have monthly payments of $506. You'd pay $5,216 in total interest on that loan.
NerdWallet recommends comparing loans to find the best rate for you. Pre-qualifying may get you personalized rates from multiple lenders that partner with us, including FreedomPlus. Pre-qualifying won't impact your credit.
On the FreedomPlus website, you can select a loan amount, enter your reason for the loan and specify your state. Additional questions follow, such as your name, email and employment status.
After you submit an application, a loan consultant will contact you if you qualify. If you don't qualify, you'll be notified by mail.
on FreedomPlus's website
Personal Loans Rating Methodology
NerdWallet’s review process evaluates and rates personal loan products from more than 30 lenders. We collect over 45 data points from each lender, interview company representatives and compare the lender with others that seek the same customer or offer a similar personal loan product. 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. 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.
This methodology applies only to lenders that cap interest rates at 36%, the maximum rate most financial experts and consumer advocates agree is the acceptable limit for a loan to be affordable. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for our star ratings. Read our editorial guidelines.
