Find the Best Lender For You
- Enter your estimated credit score, desired loan amount, and state to get instant results
- This will not affect your credit score
Jump to:
A bad credit personal loan can get you out of a tight spot if you need cash quickly, but there’s no shortage of predatory lenders looking to take advantage of borrowers with fewer options. Fortunately, Investopedia has taken the guess♛work out of finding bad credit lenders that you can depend on.
Investopedia’s experts r♒esearched and ranked 59 businesses based on several factors, including cꦗriteria informed by a survey of hundreds of borrowers. Upgrade stood out as the best personal lender for bad credit thanks to its reasonable rates, flexible terms, and joint application and auto-secured loans offerings.
- Best Overall, Best for Fast Funding: Upgrade
- Best for Low Minimum Credit Requirement: Upstart
- Best for Debt Consolidation: Achieve
- Also Good for Fast Funding: 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Universal Credit
- Best for Repayment Terms, Best with a Co-Borrower: 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Patelco Credit Union
- Best for Refinancing: Avant
What to Know First
A bad credit personal loan can get you out of a tight spot if you need cash quickly, but there’s no shortage of predatory lenders l🌊ooking to take advantage of borrowers with fewer options. Fortunately, Investopedia has taken the guesswork out of finding bad credit lenders that you can depend on.
Investopedia’s experts researched and ranked 59 businesses based on several factors, including criteria informed by a survey of hundreds of borrowers. Upgrade stood out as the best personal lender for bad credit thanks to its reasonable rates, flexible te🎉rms, and joint application and auto-secured loans offerings.
Today's Top Picks
- Best Overall, Best for Fast Funding: Upgrade
- Best for Low Minimum Credit Requirement: Upstart
- Best for Debt Consolidation: Achieve
- Also Good for Fast Funding: 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Universal Credit
- Best for Repayment Terms, Best with a Co-Borrower: 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Patelco Credit Union
- Best for Refinancing: Avant
Why Trust Us
You Can Get a Loan Even With Bad Credit—These Are the Best That We Found
Company | APR | Credit Score est. | Loan Amount | More Details |
---|
Best Overall, Best for Fast Funding : Upgrade
:fill(white):max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Upgrade-Logo-bc0ec4b2fc0b48daaefbde361ccabe98.jpeg)
- APR Range: 7.99% - 35.99%
- Loan Amount: $1,000 - $50,000
- Loan Terms: 24 months - 84 months
On top of a relatively low credit score requirement, Upgrade’s best features are its auto-secured loan product and its acceptance of joint applications, each of which can make it easier to ෴secure the lender’s best rates and terms.
Upgrade is also among the fastest lenders when it comes to funding times, with most borrowers receiving funds within one business day of accepting their loan offer. It’s little wonder that the lender has tens of thousands of glowing reviews on Trustpilot.
Auto-secured loans and joint applica♈tions mak𓆉e qualifying easy
Maximum repayment term of seven years
Direct creditor payment offered
Highly rated on Trustpilot
Multiple options for loan discounts
Maximum origination fee of 9.99%
Poorly rated in latest J.D. Power study
While plenty of the best bad credit lenders offer low starting rates, high borrowing limits, or long repayment terms, Upgrade is among the few that offers all three. And you may be able to secure a lower rate through setting up autopay or using at least a portion of you▨r loan funds to pay off꧟ outstanding debt.
Borrowers, especially those with poor credit, will likely appreciate that they can get a rate quote without a 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:hard inquiry.✤ Upgrade also has a short-term 𝐆hardship program. With its Credit Health tool, you can monitor and protect your credit with helpful tips and fraud alerts.
However, Upgrade’s maximum 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:annual percentage rate (APR) for personal loans for bad credit is on the higher side compared to other loans, and it charges a fairly pricey 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:origination fee. The lender also scored a below-average 666 in the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Consumer Lending Satisfaction Study.
Upgrade was founded in 2017. Headquartered in San Francisco, it also has offices in Phoenix; Atlanta; Orange County, California; and Montreal.
Additional Details
Minimum Credit Score | 580 |
---|---|
Origination Fees | 1.85% to 9.99% |
Membership Requirement | None |
Available Discounts | Autopay, debt consolidation, and auto-secured loan discounts |
Best for Low Minimum Credit Requirement : Upstart
:fill(white):max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/upstart-f229ab62838d4a88a95cde6a6f74bc49.png)
- APR Range: 6.60% - 35.99%
- Loan Amount: $1,000 - $50,000
- Loan Terms: 36 months - 60 months
Upstart uses a groundbreaking AI underwriting model that allows it to offer lower APRs without affecting its approval rates or credit policy. This is especially benefi💟cial for borrowers who might have trouble qualifying for a personal loan, including those with poor credit.
Minimum credit score of 300
Exceptionally highly rated on Trustpilot
Minimum APR of 6.60%
Maximum origination fee of 12.00%
Limited to two loan term options
Co-signers and co-borrowers not permitted
Even among the best bad credit lenders, Upstart is the only one with the lowest possible minimum credit score requirement of 300. Borrowers without a credit history aren’t left out either, so long as they’re currently enrolled in or have graduated from an accredited school or other degree-granting program. Upstart offers a reasonabl🌸e maximum loan𒀰 amount of $50,000 and a single-day funding period.
While borrowers with exceptional credit will enjoy a low minimum APR and 0.00% origination fee, those who’d benefit most from Upstart’s generous credit policy will have to contend with a much 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:higher maximum APR and a large 12.00% maximum origination fee. Poor credit borrowers also can’t avoid these pitfalls by getting a co-signer or co-bo🧸rrower, as these options aren’t available for Upstart’s loans.
Upstart was founded in 2012. It’s headquartered in San Mateo, California, and has additional offices in Columbus, Ohio, and Austin, Texas.
Additional Details
Minimum Credit Score | 300 or no credit history |
---|---|
Origination Fees | 0.00% to 12.00% |
Membership Requirement | None |
Available Discounts | None |
Best for Debt Consolidation : Achieve
:fill(white):max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/2022_Achieve_Logo_RGB-91c318d8c6ae417c836249a2c1bfdf54.jpg)
- APR Range: 8.99% - 29.99%
- Loan Amount: $5,000 - $50,000
- Loan Terms: 24 Months - 60 Months
If you’re seeking a bad credit loan to consolidate your outstanding debt, then consider Achieve. Not only can this len🐬der pay your creditors directly, you may even get a discount for allowing them to do so. Achieve’s minimum credit score requirement of 620 is one of the highest on this list, but borrowers who don’t meet this criteria may apply with a co-borrower.
Multiple options for loan discounts
Direct creditor payment offered
Co-borrowers permitted
Consultants available for application assistance
Highly rated on Trustpilot
Minimum credit score of 620
Minimum loan amount of $5,000
Maximum origination fee of 8.99%
As if directly paying your creditors wasn’t enough, Achieve also offers pre-qualification, allowing you to determine whether you’ll be approved before you apply. If you do decide to take out an Achieve 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:debt consolidation loan, you’ll be able to call on a dedicated loan consultant who can walk you through each step of the application process. Achieve’s typical funding time is one day, but same-day funding is possible if an application is submitted early enough.
On the downside, in addition to its fairly high minimum credit score requirement, Achieve loans aren’t available in certain states. That said, if you reside in a qualifying state, you can benefit from three separate APR discounts. On top of permitting the lender to pay your creditors directly, you can also qualify for a lower rate by adding a 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:co-borrower to your application and showing proof of sufficient retirement funds.
Achieve was originally founded in 2002 as FreedomPlus. It’s headquartered in San Mateo, California, and has additional offices in Dallas, Texas, and Tempe, Arizona.
Additional Details
Minimum Credit Score | 620 |
---|---|
Origination Fees | 1.99% to 8.99% |
Membership Requirement | None |
Available Discounts | Joint application, direct creditor payment, and retirement funds discounts |
Also Good for Fast Funding : Universal Credit
:fill(white):max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Universal-Credit-logo-c4b5437854d443d3b66643d97a0aadd1.jpg)
- APR Range: 11.69% - 35.99%
- Loan Amount: $1,000 - $50,000
- Loan Terms: 36 months - 60 months
If your primary concern is getting funds fast, then Universal Credit is a solid alternative to Upgrade, as it also 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:disburses funds within one business day of accepting a loan offer. Also like Upgrade, Universal Credit has the same range of loan funding amounts and a minimum credit score requirement of 580. One of the key ways it differs, however, is that it might allow you to secure your loan with your car (or a similar asset).
Direct creditor payment offered
Highly rated on Trustpilot
Minimum APR of 11.69%
🌼Minimum origination fee of 5.25%, maximum of 9.99%
Universal Credit is an online lending platform powered by Upgrade, which might explain some of their similarities. Like its parent company, Universal Credit can pay your creditors directly, and it also allows you to pre-qualify. After going through pre-qualification, if you fail to qualify for an unsecured loan, the lender may give you the option of putting your car or a similar asset down as 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:collateral.
Universal Credit’s minimum APR is notably higher than that of Upgrade (or any other lender on this list for that matter). Additionally, it levies an origination fee of at least 5.25%—also the highest one on this list. All that being said, borrowers have still rated Universal Credit very favorably on Trustpilot. Additionally, if you’re ever having any trouble with your loan, its extended customer service hours make it easier to get in touch with someone who can help.
Universal Credit got its start in 2020. As with its parent company, this lender is based out of San Francisco.
Additional Details
Minimum Credit Score | 580 |
---|---|
Origination Fees | 5.25% to 9.99% |
Membership Requirement | None |
Available Discounts | Autopay and direct payment discounts |
Best for Repayment Terms, Best with a Co-Borrower : Patelco Credit Union
:fill(white):max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/PatelcoCreditUnion-2710a2540a224fdc823143d06af54798.jpg)
- APR Range: 9.30% - 17.90%
- Loan Amount: $300 - $100,000
- Loan Terms: 6 months - 84 months
At 640, Patelco Credit Union has the highest minimum credit score requirement on this list, so borrowers with poor credit will likely need a co-borrower. Membership is also required in order to gain access to this lender’s services. However, if you’re able to join and qualify,📖 then you’ll find low rates and a wide range of loan amounts and repayment terms.
Minimum loan amount of $300, maximum of $100,000
Maximum repayment term of seven years
Doesn’t charge an origination fee
Minimum credit score of 640
Membership required
Physical branches limited to California
Patelco offers several types of personal loan products, including debt consolidation and secured loans. While its minimum APR isn't the lowest on this list, it has a low APR maximum. And if you don’t qualify for the lowest rate, you’re automatically enrolled in its LevelUp program, which will lower your rate by 0.50% (up to a 1.50% maximum) for each year that you make on-time payments. There’s also an additional 0.10% discount for new consumers who meet certain requirements.
This credit union also has a much wider range of loan amounts, greatly benefiting borrowers who only need a few hundred dollars or to make a substantial purchase. Additionally, if you ever have trouble repaying your debt, the lender has multiple hardship assistance programs available. Although Patelco’s only physical branches are scattered a❀cross California, anyone nationwide can become a member by joining the Financial Fitness Association.
Patelco was founded in 1936. Its headquarters is in Dublin, California, and it has 36 additional offices in the Northern California area.
Additional Details
Minimum Credit Score | 640 |
---|---|
Origination Fees | 0.00% |
Membership Requirement | Work for a Patelco partner employer; live, work, attend school, or worship in certain areas of California, have a Patelco member as a family member or roommate, or join the Financial Fitness Association |
Available Discounts | 1.50% LevelUp Program and 0.10% new member discounts |
Best for Refinancing : Avant
:fill(white):max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Avant-Logo-c330fbd2d6214d66a66c6da67c3d28c1.jpg)
- APR Range: 9.95% - 35.99%
- Loan Amount: $2,000 - $35,000
- Loan Terms: 24 months - 60 months
While Avant isn’t the only lender on this list that offers refinancing, it has the lowest minimum credit score requirement of those that do, making it easier for borrowers with poor credit to qualify. If you later become eligible for refinancing, Avant will provide a qualified customer with additional funds and potentially a lower APR.
Minimum credit score of 550
Highly rated on Trustpilot
Administration fee of 9.99%
Co-signers and co-borrowers not permitted
Poorly rated in latest J.D. Power study
While Avant’s low minimum credit score requirement does mean borrowers with bad credit are more likely to qualify, they’re also more likely to get stuck with the maximum APR of 35.99%. On top of that, the lender will also levy an administration fee of up to 9.99%. While this is a steep upfront price to pay, remember ൲that making your loan payments on time will steadily improve your credit score, which gives you a better chance of securing a lower rate when you refinance.
Avant does a soft credit check when you check your loan options, allowing you to preview your rates and terms without impacting your credit score. Its interest rate and repayment term ranges are reasonable. But it takes up to two business days to fund the loan, which is one of the slowest funding times of any lender on this list. Additionally, Avant has tens of thousands of positive reviews on Trustpilot, though it received a below-average score of 657 in the latest J.D. Power study.
Founded in 2012, Avant’s headquarters is located in Chicago.
Additional Details
Minimum Credit Score | 550 |
---|---|
Origination Fees | 1.50% to 9.99% |
Membership Requirement | None |
Available Discounts | None |
Compare the You Can Get a Loan Even With Bad Credit—These Are the Best That We Found
Best For |
APR Range
|
Average Origination Fee
|
Late Fee
|
Time to Receive Loan
|
Loan Amount
|
Latest Repayment
|
Reset All
|
---|
Why You Should Trust Us
Investopedia’s researchers spent countless hours analyzing hundreds of data points to determine the factors that mattered most for readers when choosing what🅠 company to take out a bad credit loan with. When choosing which lenders to feature on this list, Investopedia considered their fees, repayment terms, credit score requirements, and more to provide the most comprehensive and unbiased recommendations possible. Founded in 1999, Investopedia has been dedicated to finding its readers the best bad credit loan companies since 2019.
How Does a Personal Loan for Bad Credit Work?
A personal loan for bad credit works much like any other 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:personal loan. The loan is typ﷽ically unsecured, repaid in installments, and can be used for most any purpose. This means once you receive the balance of the loan, you'll pay it back, with interest, in installments over a predetermined period of time.
When applying for the loan, be prepared to show proof of income and identification, including your Social Security number (SSN). For proof of income, you can use copies of pay stubs. The lender will use your SSN to run a 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:credit check. You'll also need to provide bank account information where loan funds can be deposited. Origination fees and your interest rate 🎉are negotiable, but if you have a bad credit score, you won't have a lot of leverage.
When repaying the loan, you can sometimes receive a discounted rate if you agree to have monthly payments 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:automatically debited from your acco꧒unt. This also can help prevent late payments and the additional fees that come✃ with them.
♌ Who Should Consider a Personal Loan for Bad Credit
One of the main reasons why you might consider a personal loan even if you have bad credit is for debt consolidation. If you have several bad debts, each with a higher interest rate, you might be able to combine them into one payment that will be easier to manage and less of a burden on your 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:monthly budget.
Another reason to consider a personal loan despite bad credit might b꧑e unexpected bills that cannot be avoided. Examples may include medical bills, tax bills, or moving expenses.
If you have bad credit, it's best to avoid taking out a personal loan for anything that's not immediately necessary. A better course of action, if the expense can wait, is to work on 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:improving your credit so you can get better loan terms at a later d𒉰ate.
Common Personal Loan Terms to Understand
If you have bad credit and are shopping for a personal loan, it's important to be familiar with these key terms:
- Credit score: A 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:credit score is based on your credit history and is one way lenders measure your creditworthiness. The most common score is the FICO score, which ranges from 300 to 850. Any score less than 580 is generally considered poor, while one at or above 670 is considered a good credit score. However, standards may vary among lenders.
- Origination fee: Lenders sometimes charge an origination fee to cover the cost of processing the loan application. The fee constitutes a percentage of the total loan amount.
- Annual percentage rate (APR): The APR for a personal loan calculates the percentage of the principal you'll be charged in interest and certain fees each year. It's calculated by multiplying the 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:periodic interest rate by the number of periods (monthly in most cases) in a year. The calculation doesn't include compounding interest but may contain some fees associated with the loan.
- Predatory lending: Those with poor credit are among the most common targets for 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:predatory lenders who engage in unscrupulous or unlawful tactics. It's important to shop around, avoid lenders that pressure you into signing, and consult a financial advisor if you have any questions.
Pros & Cons of Personal Loans 🎶for Bad Credit
Soft credit checks
Fast access to cash
Direct creditor payments
High APRs
High origination fees
Lower maximum loans
Pros Explained
- Soft credit checks: Many lenders won't do a 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:hard inquiry when checking your credit, limiting the impact on your credit score.
- Fast access to cash: Some lenders provide funds within a single business day of your loan being approved.
- Direct creditor payments: If the purpose of your loan is to consolidate debt, the lender can send funds directly to your creditors. This can help expedite your payments.
Cons Explained
- High APRs: Having poor credit makes it difficult to find a good rate on a loan. The worse your credit, the more you're likely to pay.
- High origination fees: It's possible to find loans with low or no origination fees—even with bad credit—but many lenders on our list still charge upwards of 10.00% or more.
- Lower maximum loans: Another downside of bad credit is a limit on how much you'll be able to borrow, but this varies from lender to lender.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
What Loans Can I Get With Really Bad Credit?
When it comes to having poor credit, it's often less a question of what loans can you get and more which lenders will approve you. For instance, you can certainly still get an unsecured personal loan if you have poor credit, but you likely won't satisfy every lender's minimum score requirements. And even if a lender approves you, you'll typically be offered a loan with less favorable terms than you might've received had your score been higher.
One way around these obstacles is by getting a secured personal loan, which will require putting down a valuable asset as collateral. Because said asset offsets a lender's credit risk, it'll likely be more willing to work with you and provide a loan with better terms. However, should you default, the lender can seize your asset in order to recoup their losses.
There are other types of loans you may be able to take advantage of, but certain options like payday loans are risky due to their often exorbitant interest rates, potentially in the triple digits. Unsecured and secured personal loans are l📖ikely still the safest bet.
-
How Can I Get a Loan When No One Will Approve Me?
If you've exhausted all of your conventional lending options, another way you can borrow money is by reaching an agreement with a friend or family member. So long as the amount of funding you require is within your loved one's ability to lend to you, then there's nothing stopping them from doing do.
However, even if working with your loved one will inherently be more casual than it would be with a financial institution, it's crucial to still take this type of loan seriously. Putting together a written agreement can ensure that all parties involved are clear on the loan terms and avoid potentially straining your relationship.
-
What Is a Hardship Loan?
A hardship loan is a type of personal loan that's intended to help borrowers stay afloat while facing financial difficulties, such as job losses or medical emergencies. This type of loan typically has a low interest rate; however, it also usually has a low maximum loan amount and short repayment term, and bigger banks are less likely to offer them.
-
Are There Any Loans With 100% Guaranteed Approval?
While some lenders will advertise certain loan products as having "guaranteed approval," there's typically still a caveat in the fine print that not every application will be approved. Instead, these loans are designed to be attainable for nearly anybody by circumventing the traditional underwriting process. This typically takes the form of a loan that don't require a credit check and instead evaluate a prospective borrower based on some other metric.
Methodology
This list of the best personal loans for bad credit is based on extensive r🍬esearc💟h into a group composed of 59 banks, credit unions, and other lenders. Investopedia considered each lender’s APR, loan amounts and terms, fees, customer experiences, and dozens of other factors. Our criteria and ratings were further informed by surveying hundreds of borrowers about their experiences with personal lenders and their opinions on the process. This research and data collection took place between July 23 to Oct. 18, 2024.
Each of the 45 criteria Investopedia evaluated were grouped into one of four categories and weighted them based on their importance to Investopedia’s readers. This data was then used to develop an over𓃲all star rating for each of the 59 lenders that were considered. The four categories and their weights are:
- Loan Costs (APRs, origination and late fees, and autopay discount): 30.00%
- Borrowing Requirements (Secured loans, membership requirement, minimum credit score, and four additional factors): 24.00%
- Lender Features (Online experience, educational resources, pre-qualification, and seven additional features): 24.00%
- Loan Terms (Loan terms and amounts, funding time, and approval process): 22.00%
You can find out more about how Investopedia evaluated personal loans in 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:the complete methodology.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/FPM-Best-Personal-Loans-5-Best-Bad-Credit-Loans-2f9452096eb146f2847c082662b920a8.png)
Joules Garcia / Investopedia
Related Articles
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/FPM-Best-Personal-Loans-Best-Emergency-Loans-for-Bad-Credit-de74511f8b044a50a52d0e3f9ac80fbc.png)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/the-best-fast-personal-loans-8761971-final-f345abf2e55f403192fba5a5e27c6938.png)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-924570014-b47ea0d03b93414186b96cbe96b75a1f.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/the-best-credit-union-personal-loans-8762055-final-6068db8964f0474692b135c3b9407110.png)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-183112028-ac28b91070ee476e88db4c2cded3a48d.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/FPM-best-personal-loans-update-FINAL-2-82c47a220c464a2296c3a976854b45cf.png)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-15678514891-76b43476a39744ac81915c2307392a5d.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/FPM-best-personal-loans-update-FINAL-2-82c47a220c464a2296c3a976854b45cf.png)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-992001524-b60d363e5e3d4347a5ceca526c1e5490.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Co-Signer_final_rev-ab13ad81d3c94995b9081ac088fb41e4.png)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/best-personal-loans-for-debt-consolidation-4779764-FINAL-1-3-27966a22e0ea417ab5a0f1274c10f529.png)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Primary-Image-best-ivf-loans-of-january-2023-5088591-cefecf562b6d449aabb449bca041bed4.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/The-best-pool-loans-8763103_final_rev_02-c1488f9b5a3b4868bb29992ce2b4c62d.png)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/American_Espress_Recirc-c5207930c2164ca98c32045b8a097728.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/BestPersonalLoans_ReviewsImages_Discover-65b998833ab34617bf10f867f9ec3f6b.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/BestPersonalLoans_ReviewsImages_Sofi-0b31066b6e1144deba310ef76f88ed57.jpg)