Buyer's Choice Award Winner

National Debt Relief Reviews

  • 4,692,842 reviews on ConsumerAffairs are verified.
  • We require contact information to ensure our reviewers are real.
  • We use intelligent software that helps us maintain the integrity of reviews.
  • Our moderators read all reviews to verify quality and helpfulness.
+1 more
Author picture
Edited by: Jon Bortin

About National Debt Relief

National Debt Relief is one of the largest debt settlement companies in the U.S. It negotiates with creditors to reduce how much clients owe. It reports helping over 550,000 people since 2009 and focuses on unsecured debt like credit cards, personal loans and medical bills over $7,500. Services include personalized plans and support from dedicated debt specialists.

Pros
  • Free consultation with debt coach
  • Free debt relief quote
  • Numerous accreditations
Cons
  • Will need to pay percentage of debt settled

Featured Reviews

Burke, VA
Verified purchase
Albert was very friendly, understanding and very knowledgeable about how the process works. Filled out application and was approved in no time at all. Albert walked me through the...

Read more

Sebastian, FL
Verified purchase
My experience with the National Debt Relief representatives has been nothing but positive. The reps have all been upbeat and clear in their verbal and email communications and I a...

Read more

What is National Debt Relief?

National Debt Relief is a debt settlement company founded in 2009 and based in New York. It works on behalf of clients to negotiate lower payoff amounts with creditors, aiming to help people resolve unsecured debt and get closer to financial independence.

According to its website, most programs are completed in 24 to 48 months, depending on the amount of debt and how quickly clients can fund settlement offers. Its debt specialists are certified through the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA), and the company follows standards set by the Association for Consumer Debt Relief (ACDR)

National Debt Relief is available in 46 states, Washington D.C. and select U.S. territories. As of June 2025, it has a strong 4.9-star rating on ConsumerAffairs with over 57,300 reviews.

» RELATED: Debt settlement vs. bankruptcy

National Debt Relief at a glance

How does National Debt Relief work?

National Debt Relief negotiates with creditors to reduce unsecured debts to settle for less than the full balance. The process begins with a free consultation to review your financial situation and available options. After you approve a personalized plan, National Debt Relief’s experts work to secure settlements on your behalf. You’ll fund a dedicated account to make payments toward these settlements, but National Debt Relief does not assume your debt or make payments directly to creditors.

Savings vary by client and depend on completing the program by settling enrolled debts. National Debt Relief states those who finish the program typically save about 25% after fees over two to four years, but results are not guaranteed.

Not all debts qualify for settlement, and some clients may not complete the program due to financial challenges. There may also be tax consequences, and settling debt can impact your credit score.

How to sign up for National Debt Relief

  1. Visit National Debt Relief’s website and click “Apply.” Fill out a short questionnaire about your financial situation.
  2. Have a free consultation with a debt specialist.
  3. Review and approve your personalized debt relief plan.
  4. Start making payments into your dedicated savings account to fund settlements.

National Debt Relief requirements

To qualify for National Debt relief, you must:

  • Be able to make a monthly payment into a settlement fund
  • Owe more than $7,500 in unsecured debt
  • Be going through a financial crisis with no quick end in sight (such as recent job loss, divorce, death of a spouse or unexpected hospital or medical bills)

National Debt Relief services

National Debt Relief’s primary service is debt settlement assistance. It helps clients settle unsecured debts such as credit card debt, medical bills and personal loans by negotiating with creditors. National Debt Relief states its debt specialists have worked with over 10,000 creditors to secure these agreements.

In addition to debt settlement, National Debt Relief offers free tools and resources to support financial management, including budget planner worksheets, a debt calculator and consultations with debt specialists. The initial consultation is free and intended to help you determine if you are a good candidate for debt settlement services.

How much does National Debt Relief cost?

National Debt Relief's initial debt consultation is free. If you enroll and the company is able to settle debts, you can expect to pay 15% to 25% of the enrolled debt amount. National Debt Relief does not have any upfront fees or cost to sign up. You don’t pay until you get your debt settled.

» READ MORE: Debt settlement pros and cons

National Debt Relief FAQ

Can National Debt Relief hurt my credit score?

Yes, National Debt Relief can affect your credit score. Debt settlement often lowers credit scores because missed or late payments may be reported during the process. This is common in debt settlement but is usually seen as a better alternative to bankruptcy. National Debt Relief does not provide credit repair, counseling or advice on improving credit scores.

What are the risks of using National Debt Relief?

Debt settlement can lower your credit score, especially if accounts become delinquent during the process. Interest and fees may continue to accrue until a settlement is reached, and not all creditors may agree to negotiate. National Debt Relief warns that settled debts may be considered taxable income and does not guarantee results or assume your debt.

How long does National Debt Relief take?

National Debt Relief states that it typically takes 12 to 48 months to pay off enrolled debt. It will ultimately come down to how quickly you’re able to save to pay for settlements.

What types of debt can National Debt Relief help with?

National Debt Relief assists with unsecured including credit card debt, medical bills, personal loan debt and some other unsecured debt types. It does not handle secured debts, like mortgages or car loans, and it doesn’t cover certain student debts.

How much does National Debt Relief cost?

National Debt Relief’s fees vary but typically range from 15% to 25% of the enrolled debt amount. Fees are only charged once a settlement is reached, not upfront. The exact cost depends on your individual program.

Is National Debt Relief legit?

Yes, National Debt Relief is a legitimate debt settlement provider. It is accredited by the Association for Consumer Debt Relief, and its debt specialists are certified by the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators.

As of June 2025, it has more than 57,300 reviews on ConsumerAffairs, with an average rating of 4.9 stars out of 5. Reviewers often describe the process as transparent and report that staff were professional and accessible. The company won multiple awards in our 2025 Buyer’s Choice Awards.

National Debt Relief may be a good choice for people struggling with at least $7,500 in unsecured debt who can make monthly payments into a savings account while the company negotiates with creditors.

National Debt Relief reviews video

National Debt Relief Reviews

Over 50k reviews since 2016

Filter by Rating

  • (49,716)
  • (5,449)
  • (1,352)
  • (588)
  • (470)

Popular Mentions

    How do I know I can trust these reviews about National Debt Relief?
    • 4,692,842 reviews on ConsumerAffairs are verified.
    • We require contact information to ensure our reviewers are real.
    • We use intelligent software that helps us maintain the integrity of reviews.
    • Our moderators read all reviews to verify quality and helpfulness.
    Top reviews
    • Top reviews
    • Recent
    • Oldest
    • Most helpful

    A link has directed you to this review. Its location on this page may change next time you visit.

    3 featured reviews
    How do I know I can trust these reviews about National Debt Relief?
    • 4,692,842 reviews on ConsumerAffairs are verified.
    • We require contact information to ensure our reviewers are real.
    • We use intelligent software that helps us maintain the integrity of reviews.
    • Our moderators read all reviews to verify quality and helpfulness.
    Page 1 Reviews 0 - 5
    Verified purchase
    Customer ServicePriceProcess

    Reviewed Dec. 6, 2024

    National Debt Relief is able to successfully help you eliminate debt in a certain time. During the pandemic, I had to close a business and instead of declaring bankruptcy, I started researching online. I looked at several different companies and National Debt Relief was the one that I decided to contact. Their enrollment process was very informational and professional. They took all my debt, which was around $84,000, contacted all of the vendors, and negotiated a settlement. And by the time I took the settlements and their fee to do each settlement, I saved some money. Initially, they told me how much they could reduce the debt by and they met that. Their customer support was very good. When I'd call them, they could answer my questions. I could also go online and ask questions, and they always had the right answers.

    During the process, there were a couple of vendors that sent nasty letters and threatened lawsuits. But because I was in the program, I got free legal help and their legal department was able to squash all that. I didn't have to go to court for anything. But I regret that I didn't negotiate the monthly payments better because, at the time, I've only got 30 days to make a decision. So I went with them and hastily didn't really think about what I told them I could afford to do month per month. So the five years was really a struggle, but it was because I didn't make a better negotiation on what I could pay per month. Also, about two years in the program, I became aware that you can go to your debtors and negotiate your own way out of this instead of going through someone like National Debt Relief.

    If anybody asks me about National Debt Relief, I would tell them to listen to what they say, read the documents they send, and understand it fully before committing. In my case, because the debt load was so high, having to deal with that for five years at the price that I had to pay got very difficult. But I was able to get through. Also, when I started the program, I went from a 526 credit score and today I'm sitting at 772.

    Thanks for your vote!

    Not sure how to choose?

    Get buying tips about Debt Settlement delivered to your inbox.

      By entering your email, you agree to sign up for consumer news, tips and giveaways from ConsumerAffairs. Unsubscribe at any time.

      Thanks for subscribing.

      You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter! Enjoy reading our tips and recommendations.

      Verified purchase
      Customer ServicePriceStaffTransparency

      Reviewed Oct. 28, 2024

      Using National Debt Relief was simple. I had two loans that were almost on finance company charges interest rates. I had two credit cards NDR made into one payment. Their customer service is top-notch. I never had to reach back out to them for the second time, like, "Hello, I wish somebody could respond." The rep would respond quickly. If I emailed later in the evening, by morning, I would have an answer. Even after he left or changed positions, the person that backfilled that spot was the same. If I reached out just to their straight customer service, they were very responsive. They're very hands-on. When I did my payment, they figured what I could afford, taking out my living expense. I was shocked because it was 113 every two weeks. I took it biweekly so it didn't miss. It's not like missing 400 every paycheck.

      I have an account and watch it on a dashboard. I could watch my account and I could say, "It only takes this much to pay this one off." I would contact NDR and say, "I've got $304 in there and it's only taking $200 to pay them off. Can we go ahead and just scratch them off the list and then start from there?" They would do that. They could move it around if something happened.

      NDR would also send an offer to me. As the offer would come up, they would say, "Do you wanna do this, yes or no?" And I would settle it. They would take their fees. But as I watched mine, so instead of paying off in September of this year, my final payment was in June. I had three months with no payment. It just ended. One thing I didn't realize was I just purchased a home, but when I went to do that, the rep said National Debt Relief was on my credit report. I didn't realize that utilized some of my credit. I had to make sure that those creditors reported until it was finalized, make sure that they would update and report it. They showed me as a negative. Even though I paid it through NDR, it was better if I could put an explanation out by it so they couldn't count that mark against me every month. That worked very well.

      I learned how I could pay biweekly and pay off much quicker. As I started doing this, I also had a car loan. I set it up on biweekly. My car loan was paid off earlier than I thought. It was just six weeks. It was six more weeks payments of me of every other paycheck to whatever. That made a huge difference. I would highly recommend NDR to anybody.

      Thanks for your vote!
      Verified purchase
      Customer ServicePriceStaffProcess

      Reviewed Oct. 13, 2024

      We saw National Debt Relief online and then, we found out that one of our friends was going through it. But we were skeptical because of how things are on the internet. We don't know if it's true or not. So, we contacted them to see if they were legit and they did their research and told us what they could do. We were still skeptical and held back because we didn't know what we were getting ourselves into. But we needed financial help to get us back on our feet. When we started looking into the program, they told us how they could help us and how much they could save us and gradually get us out of debt. So, we trusted them and got into the program. Everything is good so far. It was a big relief for us because when we saw what was going on and what NDR was, and how they were directing everything, we had a little bit of peace of mind.

      We slept a little bit better when we started seeing the program and how it progressed, and it eliminated a lot of our concerns. Now that we're back on our feet, it's a lesson for us. We learn in life but unexpected things happen. It's a big relief for us now that we know that we can get control back over our financial situation. NDR gave us access online to let us see how it was going on. If we had any questions, 24/7, we could call them up regarding our concerns and they would look into it and get back to us right away. We can see everything online. We had our personal website, our page where we can access the account and see the progress, what's going on and how they're negotiating with the banks.

      When we called and the customer service reps weren't so sure, they didn't give us an answer that they wanted us to hear. They would have their managers or supervisors look into it and call us as soon as they could and give us the right answers. So, the customer service was excellent and I appreciate that. There was one male customer service rep who needed a little bit more training. He never got back to us. Everything was recorded. But he didn't record exactly what we were looking for and what we were asking. But we got the information when we called back and everything was cleared. The lady on the other line helped us. The females we spoke with were excellent.

      The biggest learning experience is knowing that there are people out there like National Debt Relief that are out there to help. And that is the greatest help. Because we're all struggling. We're trying to survive. I can name one bank that will attack you and keep jacking up the interest. But National Debt Relief came to the rescue. And we couldn't believe that they got it 50% down of what the charges were. We were shocked at how much we saved so that was a blessing.

      Thanks for your vote!
      Verified purchase
      Customer ServiceOnline & AppStaffTransparency

      Reviewed Oct. 13, 2024

      I called National Debt Relief and because of the way the guy explained, did everything and took care of it, I was like, "I'm gonna do this." I gave him all the information that I had to give him. He followed up with the plan. I stuck to the plan for four years. They called me every now and then to see how I was doing, if there was anything that changed, and if it changed, they could adjust the thing. They were always caring about me and not what was going on around me. They have a marvelous website. You can go in there and you can see what's paid, what's not paid, how much you owe on this, whether it's been paid, and it tells you everything. It tells you what you're spending, where it's going, how they divide it up and send it to certain companies. So, the website is extremely helpful.

      This was before the pandemic started. I had no idea that what I was in for was a great thing. When I started it, it was a four-year program. And I said, "Four years, I'll be out of the pandemic by then. Da, da, da." Come to find out, now with the inflation and everything else that we have to deal with, I am sitting pretty right now because I have no bills. I have no credit cards to worry about. Everything's paid for. Everybody else is out there putting groceries on their charge cards because they can't afford anything anymore.

      If these people would learn about debt relief, how good they are and what they do for you, they would sign up too. Putting all these things on your credit card now is worse than it was when I started the program. It's a marvelous thing. It's nothing to be skeptical of if you call them and talk to them because they're wonderful. I referred several of my friends to them already. When a company takes care of you, you tell people.

      The program helped me learn how to budget because I had a certain amount that I had to pay at the end of the month and at the beginning of the month. They ended up having to call me and asking me if I could move one up. I said, "Sure." "So, can you add $200?" I said, "Yes." So, we put that at the first of the month. I had to budget to make sure that I had enough to pay it, and I never missed a payment. When I was done with my program, they asked me if I would share my thing and I said, "You know what? Give me a little while to swallow that. Because now, what will happen is that they'll know who I am and how I got there. And I don't know if I wanna share that."

      Thanks for your vote!
      Verified purchase
      Customer ServiceStaffTransparency

      Reviewed Sept. 23, 2024

      I have a good job. I make a six-figure salary and I didn't think it would happen to someone like me, but I found myself in a situation wherein I'm a little over my head. When I went on National Debt Relief's website after seeing their TV commercial, I was really pleased. I was really impressed with some of their reviews. I decided to give them a call, and I'm glad I did. Before I talked to them, I was very uncomfortable. I was trying to figure out every month how I was gonna pay my bills with all this debt and I felt compassion from the representatives when I called. They put my mind at ease right away. Within three minutes of talking to them, all this stress was easing out of my body.

      National Debt Relief said they could help me. They were able to look up all the debt I had, and they asked me about everything, including what I wanted and needed. I explained to them, and they told me what would be the best bet for me. They didn't force me or twist my arm. They just said, “Hey, we have these options. You choose.” I chose one of the options, and I was very relieved that I did. There was no pressure to join their service, and once I got off the phone with them, all the stress was drained right out of me. I had a very high comfort level. They came up with a payment I can make, and it was amazing. The ongoing customer support was fantastic too. If I couldn't get ahold of somebody, they called me back right away.

      I was very happy. I cried a bit ‘cause I didn't know what else I was gonna do with all these debt payments and I couldn't pay my mortgage. It was terrible, but now I'm back on track. I have peace of mind, and my credit score is really good again. I'm not gonna put myself into this situation ever again. Thank God for National Debt Relief. If somebody that makes as good money as me gets themselves in trouble, it can happen to anybody. If someone's struggling with their debt, give them a call.

      Thanks for your vote!
      Verified purchase
      Customer ServiceStaff

      Reviewed July 2, 2025

      My husband and I called at our wits end with how to pay our debt. We make good money but debt has us barely getting by. I think her name was Catina and she literally helped us so much. Both my husband and I were on the phone and I was so stressed. Today I literally feel lighter. She was so nice and did NOT make me feel like the POS I felt like lol. Loved her

      Thanks for your vote!
      Verified purchase
      StaffProcess

      Reviewed July 2, 2025

      I am so glad I made the decision to resolve my drowning debt. Brenda was wonderful! She was extremely knowledgeable and very kind during the process. She went over each page of the application and gave time to ask questions before moving on. I highly recommend National Debt Relief to anyone who struggling pay check to pay check.

      Thanks for your vote!
      Verified purchase
      StaffProcess

      Reviewed July 2, 2025

      Jericho made this process very stress-free. We need more Jericho’s in this world. He was knowledgeable, he knew the programs well. Very professional with a great personality. Loved my experience. Sending everyone to Jericho. He’s a very patient person. I can’t wait to send people I know that can benefit from his patience to him. He is in the perfect position.

      Thanks for your vote!
      Verified purchase
      StaffTransparency

      Reviewed July 2, 2025

      It was a very pleasant experience talking with staff and learning how the program work. Everyone was very transparent and upfront with information to help me make an informed decision. Deciding whether I would be able to follow through and be patient with the process was my issue. Changing some of my old habits and beliefs was challenging. I am grateful to all the staff the assisted me.

      Thanks for your vote!
      Verified purchase
      Customer ServiceStaffTransparency

      Reviewed July 2, 2025

      Everyone was very helpful. I truly do appreciate the help that I received when I called in on the line. I am only 25 so I am learning and trying to get myself right for my future and I truly appreciate them taking their time to explain to me both Chris and Louis!

      Thanks for your vote!
      Loading more reviews...

      National Debt Relief Company Information

      Social media:
      Company Name:
      National Debt Relief
      Company Type:
      Private
      Year Founded:
      2009
      Address:
      180 Maiden Lane, 30th Floor
      City:
      New York
      State/Province:
      NY
      Postal Code:
      10038
      Country:
      United States
      Website:
      www.nationaldebtrelief.com

      Media

      VIDEOS & IMAGES