Compare the best personal loan rates, terms and lenders — updated for 2026
Best overall — AI lending that looks beyond your credit score
Best for large loans and zero fees
Best low rates for excellent credit
Best for fair credit and debt consolidation
Best for secured loan options
| Product | Upstart 9.9 | SoFi 9.7 | LightStream 9.5 | Upgrade 9.2 | Best Egg 8.9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APR Range | 6.60% – 35.99% | 8.99% – 29.99% | 6.49% – 25.29% | 7.99% – 35.99% | 6.99% – 35.99% |
| Loan Amounts | $1,000 – $50,000 | $5,000 – $100,000 | $5,000 – $100,000 | $1,000 – $50,000 | $2,000 – $50,000 |
| Loan Terms | 3 or 5 years | 2 – 7 years | 2 – 7 years | 2 – 7 years | 3 – 5 years (up to 7 secured) |
| Min. Credit Score | 300 (or no credit history) | 680 | 695 | 580 | 600 |
| Funding Speed | As fast as 1 business day | Same day possible | Same day possible | 1 business day | 1 – 3 business days |
| Origination Fee | 0% – 12% | None | None | 1.85% – 9.99% | 0.99% – 9.99% |
| Best For | Fair credit, thin credit files & fast funding | Good credit & borrowing larger amounts | Strong credit & big-ticket projects | Fair credit & paying creditors directly | Consolidating debt & secured borrowing |
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Short on time? Upstart is our #1 personal loan pick for 2026. Its AI-driven underwriting looks at far more than a credit score — education, employment and income history all count — so applicants with fair credit or thin credit files get approved at rates traditional banks won't offer. Loans run $1,000–$50,000 with funding as fast as one business day.
If you have strong credit and want to borrow more, SoFi is the best runner-up: up to $100,000 with zero origination, prepayment or late fees. Checking your rate at either takes about two minutes and uses a soft credit pull, so it won't hurt your score — we suggest comparing both before you commit.
A personal loan is an unsecured, fixed-rate instalment loan — you borrow a lump sum and repay it in equal monthly payments over a set term. People use them to consolidate high-interest credit-card debt, cover home improvements, handle medical bills, or fund a large one-off purchase. Because the rate is fixed, your payment never changes, which makes budgeting far easier than with a credit card.
APR bundles the interest rate and fees into a single number, so it's the only fair way to compare offers. A loan advertising a low rate but charging a 9% origination fee can easily cost more than one with a slightly higher rate and no fees. Always compare the APR you're actually quoted — advertised "rates from" figures go to the most creditworthy applicants only.
Lenders have very different floors. LightStream wants roughly 695+, SoFi around 680, while Upgrade goes down to about 580 and Upstart can approve applicants with no credit history at all. Applying somewhere you don't qualify wastes time — and a hard credit pull. Start with lenders whose requirements you comfortably meet.
Every lender on this list lets you check estimated rates with a soft pull that does not affect your credit score. Prequalify with two or three, compare the real APRs and monthly payments side by side, and only then submit a full application. This single step is the easiest way to save money.
A longer term means a lower monthly payment but more total interest. For debt consolidation, pick the shortest term you can comfortably afford — that's where the real savings are. For a home renovation you'll enjoy for a decade, a longer term can make sense.
If you're covering an urgent bill, funding speed matters. Upstart, SoFi and LightStream can all fund within one business day (sometimes same day); Best Egg typically takes one to three.
A personal loan gives you a fixed rate, a fixed payoff date and no collateral — ideal for consolidating debt or a defined one-off expense. A credit card is more flexible but carries a variable, typically much higher rate, and it's easy to carry a balance indefinitely. A HELOC may offer the lowest rate of all, but it's secured against your home — you risk the property if you can't repay, and closing takes weeks rather than days.
No. Prequalifying uses a soft credit inquiry, which is invisible to other lenders and has no effect on your score. Only a completed application triggers a hard pull.
Yes, though at higher rates. Upstart and Upgrade are the most accommodating on this list. Adding a co-signer, choosing a secured loan (Best Egg offers one), or spending a few months improving your score will all get you a better APR.
Most of our picks fund within one business day of approval, and several can send funds the same day if you complete verification early.
Consistent on-time payments build a positive payment history, and consolidating credit-card balances into a loan often lowers your credit-utilisation ratio — both of which typically help your score over time.
Rates, fees and terms shown above are the lenders' published ranges and can change at any time. Always confirm current terms on the lender's own site before applying. ReviewAgent may earn a commission if you apply through our links — this never affects our rankings.