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Best Long-Term Personal Loans

The best long-term loans offer repayment terms of five to seven years

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Edited by: Amanda Futrell
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Edited by: Liz Bingler
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Fact-checked by: Jon Bortin
NetCredit, Best Egg, Achieve Personal Loans and Upgrade
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Long-term personal loans let you spread out repayment over time, often between five and seven years. Longer terms can mean smaller monthly payments, but that also usually means paying more interest.

If you’re considering a long-term loan, it’s important to choose a lender with clear terms, competitive rates and fast funding. Some lenders make that easier than others. Check out our picks for the best long-term personal loan lenders below.


Key insights

Our picks for the best long-term personal loans come from Upgrade, Best Egg, Achieve, Reach Financial and NetCredit.

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Long-term loans come with lower monthly payments but more interest payments over time.

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Carefully balance the amount you need to borrow with what you can afford.

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Top lenders for long-term personal loans

The following lenders offer some of the longest repayment terms available, along with features like fast funding, soft credit checks and interest rate discounts. Read our methodology to learn more.

Our picks for the best long-term personal loan lenders are:

Upgrade
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Upgrade offers personal loans in amounts of $1,000 to $50,000 and terms from two to seven years. You can check your rate online with no impact on your credit score, allowing for risk-free comparison shopping. You can typically receive your funds within one business day.

There’s also no prepayment penalty, which means you can refinance or pay off your loan early without worrying about extra costs.

Upgrade is an online lending marketplace that works with various financial institutions to provide personal loans. It performs a soft credit check to give you an estimated rate. Upgrade also offers credit cards, savings accounts and rewards checking accounts.
3x Award Winner
Selected for having one of the highest satisfaction rates for Best Loan Process, Best Experience with Staff and Best Value for Price
Best Egg
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Best Egg offers loans from $2,000 to $50,000 with terms ranging from three to five years. This lender has competitive starting annual percentage rates (APRs) and a quick prequalification process. Once approved, you can receive your funding in as little as 24 hours. The entire application process is fast and fully online.

Alternatively, you can also apply for a secured loan by using your car or home as collateral, which might allow you to qualify for a lower interest rate.

Best Egg is an online lender offering both unsecured and secured personal loans. You can have up to two active loans at once as long as the total doesn’t exceed the $100,000 limit.

Best Egg also charges origination fees ranging from 0.99% to 9.99%, but it doesn’t charge a prepayment penalty.

1x Award Winner
Selected for having one of the highest satisfaction rates for Best Customer Service
Achieve Personal Loans
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Achieve offers personal loans from $5,000 to $50,000 with terms ranging from two to five years. The online application process is fast and straightforward, and a dedicated loan consultant can help you through the process if you need assistance.

You can prequalify with a soft credit pull, which won’t affect your credit score. You can also get a discount on your interest rate by signing up for direct pay, adding a cosigner or showing proof of a retirement asset.

Achieve is an online lender that offers personal loans for a variety of purposes, such as debt consolidation, home improvement and medical expenses.

To qualify for a loan, borrowers typically need a minimum credit score ranging between 600 to 660, though the minimum score needed will vary by loan type, the amount and other factors.

4x Award Winner
Selected for having one of the highest satisfaction rates for Best Loan Process, Best Experience with Staff, Best Value for Price and Best Customer Service
Reach Financial
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Reach Financial offers personal loans ranging from $3,500 to $40,000 with loan terms between two to five years. Its flexible repayment terms allow you to tailor your loan to match your budget. After getting prequalified online, you’ll receive your rate.

Reach Financial specializes in unsecured personal loans designed specifically for debt consolidation. Its maximum APRs can go quite high, so review your terms carefully before signing an agreement. Also, you may pay an origination fee of up to 8%.

NetCredit
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NetCredit specializes in smaller personal loans for people with fair or poor credit. Its loan amounts range from $1,000 to $10,000 and its terms range from six months to five years. There’s no prepayment penalty, so you may be able to refinance as soon as your credit score improves.

You can also get prequalified without your credit being affected. Once officially approved, you can get funding as soon as the same day.

NetCredit offers personal loans and personal lines of credit. Its loans can be used for a variety of needs, such as medical bills or car repairs. Its APRs tend to be very high, but its credit requirements are typically lower than other lenders.
4x Award Winner
Selected for having one of the highest satisfaction rates for Best Loan Process, Best Experience with Staff, Best Value for Price and Best Customer Service

Choosing the right loan term

Choosing the right loan term is important since it determines the duration of the loan repayment period. Loan terms factor into the monthly payment amount and how much interest you'll ultimately pay. The shorter the loan term, the larger the payments will be, but you'll also pay less interest on the loan.

Longer terms mean shorter monthly payments, but you’ll pay more interest over time.

For example, a $10,000 personal loan with a 12% interest rate and a seven-year term will have a monthly payment of $176, and you'll pay about $4,828 in interest over the life of the loan. However, if you choose a three-year term instead, your monthly payment will be $332, but you'll only pay about $1,957 in interest over the loan term.

If you're trying to find personal loan terms that fit your budget, start by deciding how much you can realistically afford to pay each month. Then, balance that against how much interest you're willing to pay over time.

Be sure you have a budget in place, and within that budget, a specific line item for personal loan payments, said Kyle Enright, president of Achieve Lending. The payment schedule for personal loans is generally very strict, so it is important to make sure your budget will comfortably accommodate the payments [before] you even take out the loan.

Qualifications for long-term loans

Qualification requirements vary from lender to lender.

Credit score

Most lenders require good to excellent credit scores for personal loans, or a FICO score of 670 to 850. Generally, the higher your credit score, the more likely you are to qualify for a loan, and the lower your interest rate will be.

Income and employment

Your income will also be a factor in determining your eligibility for a personal loan since you'll need to demonstrate that you can pay back the loan. You may be required to provide pay stubs, tax returns or statements showing income from benefit payments or other sources.

Debt-to-income ratio

A lender will also look at your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio. Your DTI ratio shows how much of your income is being used to make the minimum payments on your debt. It’s generally recommended to have a DTI ratio under 36%.

» MORE: How to get approved for a personal loan

Application process for long-term loans

Once you're ready to apply for a loan, you can typically do so online. Most lenders ask for information like:

  • Citizenship status
  • Date of birth
  • Social Security number
  • Home address
  • Email address
  • Phone number
  • Employment status
  • Gross monthly income and sources of income
  • Monthly mortgage or rent payment
  • Desired loan amount, term and purpose
  • Preferred payment due date

You may also be asked to upload documents to verify the information you provide, such as your ID or pay stubs. Make sure you include all of your income in your application. This will both strengthen your ability to repay and lower your debt-to-income ratio. So if you have a side hustle, be sure to mention it on your application.

Depending on the lender, the approval process can take up to seven business days.

Pros and cons of long-term personal loans

Long-term personal loans can be used for almost any purpose and typically have quick funding. However, they may have high interest rates or origination fees.

Pros

  • No collateral required
  • Lower monthly payments
  • Fixed interest rates
  • Fast funding

Cons

  • Potential for high rates
  • More interest paid over time
  • Possible origination fees or other fees

Tips for managing long-term personal loans

Managing a personal loan starts before you apply.

Choose an amount you can afford to repay

Carefully consider both the amount you'll be borrowing and the loan term. The less you borrow, the smaller your payment will be, and the less interest you’ll pay over the life of the loan. The shorter the term, the less interest you'll owe, but the higher the payment will be.

“Overall, it’s best to take on as little debt as possible, and for the shortest period possible,” Kyle Enright said. “Carefully consider your purpose and your budget, and determine from that what term makes the most sense.”

Set up auto pay

Once your loan is approved, consider setting up auto pay to avoid missed payments. Some lenders even offer a small rate discount for doing so.

Make more frequent payments

Consider making a half payment every two weeks, rather than paying once per month. This will result in 13 payments per year instead of 12, allowing you to pay off the loan more quickly.

Consider refinancing if rates drop

Be aware of your interest rate and regularly check to see if other banks offer lower rates. If rates drop, you may be able to refinance the loan. Lowering your rate can reduce the overall cost of the loan, provided you don't extend the term when you refinance.

Carefully consider your purpose and your budget, and determine from that what term makes the most sense.”
— Kyle Enright, president, Achieve Lending

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Find a personal loan today

FAQ

What is the best personal loan for a long repayment term?

Our pick for the best personal loan lender with a long repayment term is Upgrade since it offers loan terms of up to seven years. You can get prequalified with no impact to your credit, and there’s no prepayment penalty. This means you can refinance the loan at any time if your needs change during the term.

How much is a $20,000 loan for five years?

How much a $20,000 loan with a five-year term will cost depends on the interest rate. If you have a 12% interest rate, your monthly payment will be about $445, and you’ll pay around $6,693 in interest over the life of the loan.

What are the typical interest rates for long-term personal loans?

Many banks, credit unions and online lenders advertise rates of around 6% to 36% APR for personal loans. However, the average rate for a 24-month personal loan is 11.40% as of the first quarter of 2026, according to the Federal Reserve. The rate you’ll qualify for will generally depend on your credit score, the loan term, your debt-to-income ratio and other factors.

What happens if I can’t qualify for a personal loan?

If your credit score isn't strong enough to qualify for a personal loan, or if your debt-to-income ratio is too high, it may help to pay off some debt. This will reduce your debt-to-income ratio and may improve your credit. If you're unable to strengthen your credit score or finances, you may want to consider a secured personal loan or try to find a cosigner.

» LEARN: How to fix your credit

Methodology

To determine our top picks, we used a weighted scoring system that took into account both reviews about each company from ConsumerAffairs users and specific company offerings we researched.

We conducted sentence-by-sentence sentiment analysis of thousands of reviews on our site to identify the aspects people care about most — and which companies reviewers were happiest with in terms of these aspects. For personal loans, these included:

  • Loan process
  • Customer service
  • Staff
  • Punctuality

We then carefully selected the most important offerings consumers should consider before choosing a lender and researched these offerings at each company. For personal loans, these features included:

  • Minimum and maximum loan amounts
  • Lowest APR
  • Funding time
  • Credit score requirements
  • Maximum term length

We then weighted all these factors to create a unique scoring formula. The companies with the highest scores made our top picks.


Article sources

ConsumerAffairs writers primarily rely on government data, industry experts and original research from other reputable publications to inform their work. Specific sources for this article include:

  1. Federal Reserve, “Consumer Credit - G.19, Terms of Credit at Commercial Banks and Finance Companies.” Accessed April 22, 2026.
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