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Compare personal loan opportunities
Last updated: July 12, 2026. Rates and terms change frequently — always check with the lender.
The short version
- A personal loan is a fixed-rate, fixed-term loan for almost anything — most often debt consolidation, a big purchase, or an emergency.
- Compare on APR (annual percentage rate — the rate plus fees), not the monthly payment. Watch for origination fees and prepayment penalties.
- Most lenders below let you check an estimated rate with a soft pull that won't hurt your credit — check a few. Strategy differs by credit tier: personal loans by credit score →
- Credit unions and nonprofit lenders (further down) are easy to miss and often cheaper.
↓ Narrow the list — your picks instantly change the lender table below
Anonymous filter — nothing you pick is saved or sent. Features come from each lender's own site.
Listed for your consideration — not ranked or endorsed. Links go to each lender's own site. "More" opens verified details drawn from the lender's own pages — no scores, no guesses.
| Lender | Type |
|---|---|
| SoFi ↗ | Bank |
| LightStream ↗ | Direct (Truist) |
| Discover Personal Loans ↗ | Bank |
| Upstart ↗ | Online lender |
| Best Egg ↗ | Online lender |
| Upgrade ↗ | Online lender |
| Prosper ↗ | Peer-to-peer |
| Happy Money ↗ | Online lender |
| Happen Bank ↗ | Bank |
| Avant ↗ | Online lender |
Didn't find your fit? More lenders to consider
Credit unions and nonprofit lenders rarely show up on comparison sites, but they often have lower rates and will work with borrowers the big lenders decline.
PenFed ↗ / Alliant ↗ / Navy Federal ↗ — Broad-membership credit unions with competitive personal-loan rates (Navy Federal for military families).
First Tech Federal ↗ — Member-owned credit union; relationship pricing, easy to join.
Capital Good Fund ↗ — Nonprofit CDFI (Community Development Financial Institution — a community lender) making smaller loans to people banks turn down. Availability and terms vary by state — confirm the APR before you commit.
Employer / payroll-linked loans — Some employers offer low-cost loans repaid by payroll deduction. Ask HR, and check the APR before borrowing.
Questions people ask
Will checking my rate hurt my credit score?
Not if it's a soft-pull rate check — most lenders above offer one and say so on their sites. A full application is a hard inquiry, which has a small, usually temporary effect. Shop with soft pulls; apply once.
Not if it's a soft-pull rate check — most lenders above offer one and say so on their sites. A full application is a hard inquiry, which has a small, usually temporary effect. Shop with soft pulls; apply once.
What credit score do I need?
Every lender sets its own bar, and most don't publish one. As a practical matter: strong credit gets the fee-free lenders; fair credit gets fewer, pricier offers — and that's exactly when the credit unions and nonprofits matter most. See how strategy changes by credit tier.
Every lender sets its own bar, and most don't publish one. As a practical matter: strong credit gets the fee-free lenders; fair credit gets fewer, pricier offers — and that's exactly when the credit unions and nonprofits matter most. See how strategy changes by credit tier.
How fast is the money?
Several lenders advertise same-day or next-day funding once approved and signed — each with conditions and cutoff times on its own site. Debt-consolidation loans can take longer when the lender pays your cards directly.
Several lenders advertise same-day or next-day funding once approved and signed — each with conditions and cutoff times on its own site. Debt-consolidation loans can take longer when the lender pays your cards directly.
What's an origination fee?
A one-time charge taken out of the loan before the money reaches you — borrow $10,000 with a 5% fee and only $9,500 arrives, but you repay the full $10,000. It's the biggest reason a "lower rate" can cost more. The APR includes it; compare APRs.
A one-time charge taken out of the loan before the money reaches you — borrow $10,000 with a 5% fee and only $9,500 arrives, but you repay the full $10,000. It's the biggest reason a "lower rate" can cost more. The APR includes it; compare APRs.
Personal loan or something else?
Paying off cards? Read debt consolidation first. Own a home and funding a big project? Compare home equity options — lower rates, but your house backs the loan. Not sure? Take the 60-second quiz.
Paying off cards? Read debt consolidation first. Own a home and funding a big project? Compare home equity options — lower rates, but your house backs the loan. Not sure? Take the 60-second quiz.
What should make me walk away?
Anyone promising "guaranteed approval" or "no credit check," anyone asking for payment up front, and any offer whose APR they won't put in writing. Real lenders always check credit and always disclose the APR.
Anyone promising "guaranteed approval" or "no credit check," anyone asking for payment up front, and any offer whose APR they won't put in writing. Real lenders always check credit and always disclose the APR.
Reviewed by AI and James Mills, retired financial planner with Professional Designations (25-year career), former FL mortgage and real estate broker. Lenders here are verified as real and currently operating; inclusion is not an endorsement. Rates and terms come from the lender — always check the source.
Editor’s note: Marcus by Goldman Sachs is intentionally excluded (it stopped offering personal loans). Our own review, verified rate ranges, and a fit summary get added per lender over time.