DollarGeek Presents:
Best Personal Loans - March 2023
DollarGeek's goal is to help you make the best financial decisions. To help us do this, many or all of the products featured here are from our partners. However, this doesn’t influence our evaluations or ratings.
Compare personal loan lenders and get the cash you need. With an unsecured personal loan you can cover large purchases that range from consolidating credit card debt to paying for some home renovations. Online lending platforms, traditional banks, and credit unions offer these loans, making it easy to apply online—without having to go to a branch.
It is also possible to obtain a personal loan within a few business days, so you don’t have to wait long. In addition to low interest rates, flexible loan amounts and repayment terms, and limited fees, the best personal loans are easy to qualify for.
Loan Amount
Reason For Loan
Annual Income
Credit Score

Estimated APR
7.46% - 35.97%
varies on creditMax Loan Amount
$35,000
Min Credit Score
620
Geeky Insight:
- Upgrade is a great company that can help you get the cash you need fast. Upgrade was founded by Renaud Laplanche, the former head of LendingClub, the large online lender.
- While many personal loan companies look at income requirements from a salary perspective, Upgrade looks at applicants' free cash flow. Whatever amount of cash you have left over after you pay your bills is important for getting approved. Get the ultimate flexibility for loan amounts as little as $1,000. Check our what Upgrade can offer you today.
Perks
-
No Monthly Fees
-
No Prepayment Penalty
Fees
-
Min. Credit Score:620
-
Origination Fee:1.5%-6%
-
Late Payment Fee:Varies
-
Prepayment Fee:None
Estimated APR
4.37% - 35.99%
varies on creditMax Loan Amount
$50,000
Min Credit Score
620
Geeky Insight:
- Upstart was founded in 2012 by “ex-Googlers” who wanted a lending service that could provide consumers with fast and fair personal loans. Their mission was to provide a fair service and opportunity to those who didn’t have lengthy credit history. Initially the company focused on recent graduates, but since then they have become a lender that caters to everyone. Upstart is known for being the first lending platform that utilizes artificial intelligence and machine learning to price credit and automate much of the borrowing process. Lenders usually look at credit history and credit score, but Upstart uses an algorithm to determine how worthy a borrower is. This algorithm determines your creditworthiness based on a variety of things such as your career, education, and job history. Since Upstart began in 2012, the company has received $1.8 billion in loan origination and in 2017 saw 4x growth.
Perks
-
No Monthly Fees
-
No Prepayment Penalty
Fees
-
Min. Credit Score:620
-
Origination Fee:0%-8%
-
Late Payment Fee:Varies
-
Prepayment Fee:None
Estimated APR
5.99% - 24.99%
varies on creditMax Loan Amount
$35,000
Min Credit Score
640
Geeky Insight:
- Payoff is a financial services company that works closely with lending partners to offer personal loans primarily to people who want to pay off credit card debt.
- The company launched in 2011 with a vision of making consumer finance more fun and engaging. Payoff employs a team of financial services professionals, psychologists, data scientists, neuroscientists and technologists to provide tools and services that enable customers to better understand their finances and more quickly reach their goals.
Perks
-
No Monthly Fees
-
No Late Fees
-
No Prepayment Penalty
Fees
-
Min. Credit Score:640
-
Origination Fee:0%-5%
-
Late Payment Fee:None
-
Prepayment Fee:None
Estimated APR
7.99% - 35.99%
varies on creditMax Loan Amount
$24,935
Min Credit Score
600
Geeky Insight:
- LendingPoint offers personal loans for those who don't have the best credit score. Typical borrower's credit score ranges from average to bad credit. Most borrowers use LendingPoint to consolidate debt. LendingPoint may offer cheaper interest rates than other online lenders because it considers more than just your credit score.
- LendingPoint personal loans also come with a lot of flexibility. You can customize some aspects of your repayments, like choosing a payment due date and scheduling your payments every other week, every 28 days or monthly. The origination fee can be paid upfront or added to your interest rate. You can request one loan modification during the term of your loan.
- The approval process can be take under ten minutes, but in some cases it takes several days. Some borrowers receive funds by the next business day.
Perks
-
No Monthly Fees
-
No Prepayment Penalty
Fees
-
Min. Credit Score:600
-
Origination Fee:0%-6%
-
Late Payment Fee:Varies
-
Prepayment Fee:None
Estimated APR
7.99% - 23.43%
varies on creditMax Loan Amount
$100,000
Min Credit Score
680
Geeky Insight:
- SoFi is an online loan company that offers student loan refinancing options, mortgages, wealth management, life insurance and personal loans. SoFi offers some of the lowest interest rates and the best consumer experience in the market. We have researched countless products from hundreds of financial companies, and SoFi is without question a leader. The company has strict credit criteria and target people with good jobs, good income, a proven ability to manage a budget. If SoFi* approves you, you will probably have a difficult time finding a lower interest rate anywhere else.
Perks
-
No Origination Fees
-
No Monthly Fees
-
No Late Fees
-
No Prepayment Penalty
Fees
-
Min. Credit Score:680
-
Origination Fee:None
-
Late Payment Fee:None
-
Prepayment Fee:None
Estimated APR
5.99% - 17.24%
varies on creditMax Loan Amount
$75,000
Min Credit Score
680
Geeky Insight:
- Earnest was founded in 2013 out of San Francisco as a technologically-oriented lending platform. The company differentiates itself from traditional lenders by utilizing a specially designed algorithm for the underwriting process. It is with this system that Earnest determines eligibility, rates, and terms for all of its services such as student loan refinancing, mortgages, and personal loans.
- Earnest offers unique products due to its special approach to the lending market. This approach reflects on all of its services, and it defines the customer experience with an Earnest loan. With that being said, Earnest offers personal loans for a number of different reasons at low interest rates and flexible payment options.
Perks
-
No Origination Fees
-
No Monthly Fees
-
No Late Fees
-
No Prepayment Penalty
Fees
-
Min. Credit Score:680
-
Origination Fee:None
-
Late Payment Fee:None
-
Prepayment Fee:None
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What Is A Personal Loan?
A personal loan is a type of lump-sum financing that borrowers can obtain through a traditional bank, credit union or online lender, and which can be used for a variety of purposes.
Medical bills, auto repairs, home improvement projects, and debt consolidation are among the most common uses of personal loans.
The average repayment term is between two and seven years, and the interest rate is typically as low as 3% for high-qualification borrowers.
What Do People Take Personal Loans Out For?
The most commonly, personal loans are used to cover the following expenses:
Home improvement: If you plan to perform home improvements or repairs in the near future, consider taking out a personal loan to help finance the costs. Personal loans can also help you pay for unexpected home repairs or maintenance.
Moving: A personal loan can help you finance moving costs if you do not have cash on hand.
Emergency loan: An emergency loan can be used to cover unexpected expenses like medical bills, funeral costs, car repairs, and anything else that requires immediate attention.
Debt consolidation: It is possible to consolidate high-interest debt with personal loans, which may save you money on interest, and simplify your payments at the same time.
Auto loan: You can also get a car loan with your personal loan, even though auto loans are the most common way to finance a vehicle. While personal loans tend to charge higher interest rates than traditional auto loans, they have fewer restrictions on what kinds of cars you can buy.
Geeky Wallet
LOOKING FOR A Business loan?
Small business loans can be important options for business owners. Before choosing the right business financing product, make sure to learn more about the different options available from online lenders. These options include invoice-based financing, business lines of credit, and SBA loans.
Geeky Wallet
LOOKING FOR A CREDIT CARD?
From travel and cash back to balance transfers and business credit cards, DollarGeek’s team has spent countless hours analyzing and researching the best credit cards.
Compare the best credit cards and offers today.