Best unsecured loans
Loans without collateral that offer flexible funding for any reason
Unsecured loans are loans that are not backed by collateral, such as a car or home. Most personal loans are unsecured, and they are popular for people who want to consolidate high-interest credit card debt or finance a large purchase.
The best unsecured loans come with low interest rates, reasonable loan fees (or no fees) and flexible repayment terms.
Key insights:
- Unsecured personal loans can be used for nearly any purpose.
- These loans do not require collateral.
- The best unsecured loans make it easy for borrowers to apply and get funding entirely online.
Our top 4 picks for unsecured personal loans
To make our choices for the best unsecured loans, we collected 806 data points (26 individual data points for 31 lenders) from popular lenders and lending marketplaces, including customer reviews and overall ratings from ConsumerAffairs readers. We used these data points to evaluate factors that impact borrowers most, including credit score requirements, loan limits, repayment terms and annual percentage rates (APRs), before making our final selections.
Our picks may be Authorized Partners who compensate us. This does not affect our recommendations or evaluations but may affect the order in which the companies appear.
- Maximum loan amount: $50,000
- Repayment terms: 36 or 60 months
- Minimum credit score required: 300
- ConsumerAffairs rating:Not enough reviews
Upstart is an online lending marketplace that connects borrowers with a range of financial products, including unsecured personal loans. Borrowers can request loans in amounts from $1,000 to $50,000, depending on their needs, and funding can take place as soon as the next business day.
Personal loans from Upstart’s lending partners come with origination fees from 0% to 10% of the loan amount, and rates range from 6.5% to 35.99% at the time of publishing.
One detail to note about Upstart is that it considers more than just credit scores when assessing loan applications and determining rates. In fact, the company says it looks at factors such as level of education and employment to help applicants get the rate they deserve. This makes it more accessible for borrowers with less-than-stellar credit.
- What we like
- Some of Upstart's features that we like are:
- Pre-qualify online with no impact on your credit score
- Access funds as soon as one business day after applying
- Loans amounts from $1,000 to $50,000
- What to consider
- Some of the downsides of borrowing from Upstart:
- Origination fees on many personal loans
- Only two repayment terms to choose from
- High maximum interest rate
- What reviewers say
Upstart has minimal reviews from ConsumerAffairs readers. While the reviews for Upstart that we do have at the time of publishing are negative reviews, they may not reflect overall borrower sentiment toward the company.
Partner Disclosures
*Trustpilot TrustScore as of June 2020. Best Egg personal loans, including the Best Egg Secured Loan, are made by Cross River Bank, a New Jersey State Chartered Commercial Bank, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender or Blue Ridge Bank, a Nationally Chartered Bank, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender. “Best Egg” is a trademark of Marlette Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation. All uses of “Best Egg” refer to “the Best Egg personal loan”, “the Best Egg Secured Loan”, and/or “Best Egg on behalf of Cross River Bank or Blue Ridge Bank, as originator of the Best Egg personal loan,” as applicable. The term, amount, and APR of any loan we offer to you will depend on your credit score, income, debt payment obligations, loan amount, credit history and other factors. Your loan agreement will contain specific terms and conditions. About half of our customers get their money the next day. After successful verification, your money can be deposited in your bank account within 1-3 business days. The timing of available funds upon loan approval may vary depending upon your bank’s policies. Loan amounts range from $2,000– $50,000. Residents of Massachusetts have a minimum loan amount of $6,500 ; New Mexico and Ohio, $5,000; and Georgia, $3,000. For a second Best Egg loan, your total existing Best Egg loan balances cannot exceed $100,000. Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) range from 8.99%–35.99%. The APR is the cost of credit as a yearly rate and reflects both your interest rate and an origination fee of 0.99%–8.99% of your loan amount, which will be deducted from any loan proceeds you receive. The origination fee on a loan term 4-years or longer will be at least 4.99%. Your loan term will impact your APR, which may be higher than our lowest advertised rate. You need a minimum 700 FICO® score and a minimum individual annual income of $100,000 to qualify for our lowest APR. For example: a 5?year $10,000 loan with 9.99% APR has 60 scheduled monthly payments of $201.81, and a 3?year $5,000 loan with 7.99% APR has 36 scheduled monthly payments of $155.12. To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, Federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person who opens an account. What this means for you: When you open an account, we will ask for your name, address, date of birth, and other information that will allow us to identify you. We may also ask to see your driver’s license or other identifying documents. Best Egg products are not available if you live in Iowa, Vermont, West Virginia, the District of Columbia, or U.S. Territories.
All loans available through Achieve Personal Loans (NMLS ID #227977) are originated by Cross River Bank (a New Jersey state chartered commercial bank) or Pathward, N.A. (Equal Housing Lenders) and may not be available in all states. All loan and rate terms are subject to eligibility restrictions, application review, credit score, loan amount, loan term, lender approval, and credit usage and history. Minimum loan amounts vary due to state-specific legal restrictions – please call an Achieve Personal Loans consultant for further details. Loan amounts generally range from $5,000 to $50,000 including origination fees, and are offered based on loan purpose and underwriting conditions. Repayment periods range from 24 to 60 months. APRs range from 7.99% to 35.99% APR and include applicable origination fees. Example loan: four-year $20,000 loan with a rate of 15.49% and corresponding APR of 18.34%, would have an estimated monthly payment of $561.60 and a total cost of $26,956.80. To qualify for a 7.99% APR loan, a borrower will need excellent credit, a loan amount for $12,000.00 or less, and a term of 24 months. Loan origination fees vary from 1.99% to 6.99%. Adding a co-borrower with sufficient income; using at least 85% of the loan proceeds to directly pay off qualifying existing debt; or showing proof of sufficient retirement savings, could also help you qualify for lower rates. Average interest savings for personal loans range from 0% - 6% based on closed loans that qualified for one or more of our rate discounts in July 2022. †Times noted are estimates and can vary for a loan request from Achieve Personal Loans (NMLS #227977). Same day approvals assume that a fully completed application with all required supporting documentation is provided early enough on a day that our offices are open. Achieve Personal Loans consultants are available Monday–Friday 6AM to 8PM MST and Saturday–Sunday 7AM to 4PM MST.
- Maximum loan amount: $50,000
- Repayment terms: 36 - 60 months
- Minimum credit score required: 640
- ConsumerAffairs rating:4.8
Best Egg is an online lender that offers unsecured loans in amounts from $2,000 to $50,000. Borrowers can check their rate with no impact on their credit score before they apply, and funding can take place in as little as 24 hours.
A one-time origination fee of 0.99% to 8.99% of the loan amount applies to each loan from Best Egg, and APRs range from 8.99% to 35.99% at the time of publishing, based on creditworthiness. While Best Egg loans can be used for a wide range of purposes, the lender advertises that its loans are great for debt consolidation or financing large expenses like adoption or home improvements.
Co-signers are not allowed on Best Egg loans, and you must have a 640 or higher credit score to qualify.
- What we like
- Some of Best Egg's features that we like are:
- Check approximate rate without a hard credit check
- Loans up to $50,000 for some borrowers
- Quick funding times
- What to consider
- Some of the downsides of borrowing from Best Egg:
- High maximum APR
- Origination fees on every loan
- Relatively high minimum credit score requirement
- What reviewers say
While a few reviewers said they struggled to get approved for a loan and were ultimately denied even with good credit, most reviews are positive. Debrecca of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, said this about her loan experience: "Best Egg is very quick to get you approved and the funds into your account. Also, if you have to call customer service, everyone is so friendly and eager to help. I will use BestEgg whenever I need a loan due to their great customer service."
Partner Disclosures
*Trustpilot TrustScore as of June 2020. Best Egg personal loans, including the Best Egg Secured Loan, are made by Cross River Bank, a New Jersey State Chartered Commercial Bank, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender or Blue Ridge Bank, a Nationally Chartered Bank, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender. “Best Egg” is a trademark of Marlette Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation. All uses of “Best Egg” refer to “the Best Egg personal loan”, “the Best Egg Secured Loan”, and/or “Best Egg on behalf of Cross River Bank or Blue Ridge Bank, as originator of the Best Egg personal loan,” as applicable. The term, amount, and APR of any loan we offer to you will depend on your credit score, income, debt payment obligations, loan amount, credit history and other factors. Your loan agreement will contain specific terms and conditions. About half of our customers get their money the next day. After successful verification, your money can be deposited in your bank account within 1-3 business days. The timing of available funds upon loan approval may vary depending upon your bank’s policies. Loan amounts range from $2,000– $50,000. Residents of Massachusetts have a minimum loan amount of $6,500 ; New Mexico and Ohio, $5,000; and Georgia, $3,000. For a second Best Egg loan, your total existing Best Egg loan balances cannot exceed $100,000. Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) range from 8.99%–35.99%. The APR is the cost of credit as a yearly rate and reflects both your interest rate and an origination fee of 0.99%–8.99% of your loan amount, which will be deducted from any loan proceeds you receive. The origination fee on a loan term 4-years or longer will be at least 4.99%. Your loan term will impact your APR, which may be higher than our lowest advertised rate. You need a minimum 700 FICO® score and a minimum individual annual income of $100,000 to qualify for our lowest APR. For example: a 5?year $10,000 loan with 9.99% APR has 60 scheduled monthly payments of $201.81, and a 3?year $5,000 loan with 7.99% APR has 36 scheduled monthly payments of $155.12. To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, Federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person who opens an account. What this means for you: When you open an account, we will ask for your name, address, date of birth, and other information that will allow us to identify you. We may also ask to see your driver’s license or other identifying documents. Best Egg products are not available if you live in Iowa, Vermont, West Virginia, the District of Columbia, or U.S. Territories.
All loans available through Achieve Personal Loans (NMLS ID #227977) are originated by Cross River Bank (a New Jersey state chartered commercial bank) or Pathward, N.A. (Equal Housing Lenders) and may not be available in all states. All loan and rate terms are subject to eligibility restrictions, application review, credit score, loan amount, loan term, lender approval, and credit usage and history. Minimum loan amounts vary due to state-specific legal restrictions – please call an Achieve Personal Loans consultant for further details. Loan amounts generally range from $5,000 to $50,000 including origination fees, and are offered based on loan purpose and underwriting conditions. Repayment periods range from 24 to 60 months. APRs range from 7.99% to 35.99% APR and include applicable origination fees. Example loan: four-year $20,000 loan with a rate of 15.49% and corresponding APR of 18.34%, would have an estimated monthly payment of $561.60 and a total cost of $26,956.80. To qualify for a 7.99% APR loan, a borrower will need excellent credit, a loan amount for $12,000.00 or less, and a term of 24 months. Loan origination fees vary from 1.99% to 6.99%. Adding a co-borrower with sufficient income; using at least 85% of the loan proceeds to directly pay off qualifying existing debt; or showing proof of sufficient retirement savings, could also help you qualify for lower rates. Average interest savings for personal loans range from 0% - 6% based on closed loans that qualified for one or more of our rate discounts in July 2022. †Times noted are estimates and can vary for a loan request from Achieve Personal Loans (NMLS #227977). Same day approvals assume that a fully completed application with all required supporting documentation is provided early enough on a day that our offices are open. Achieve Personal Loans consultants are available Monday–Friday 6AM to 8PM MST and Saturday–Sunday 7AM to 4PM MST.
- Maximum loan amount: $50,000
- Repayment terms: 24 - 60 months
- Minimum credit score required: 620
- ConsumerAffairs rating:4.1
Achieve Personal Loans, previously known as FreedomPlus, has a fast and easy loan process, with same-day decisions available, and borrowers typically receive their funding within 24 to 72 hours. Loan amounts range from $5,000 to $50,000, and borrowers can repay their loan over 24 to 60 months, depending on their needs.
Achieve Personal Loans come with an origination fee from 1.99% to 6.99% of the loan amount, and APRs range from 7.99% to 29.99% at the time of publishing.
Applications are assessed according to a number of factors, including net income, existing combined debt amount and creditworthiness. Borrowers need a minimum credit score of at least 620, which means that borrowers with lower credit may need to use a co-signer, which Achieve does allow. Applicants can get pre-qualified online with no impact on their credit.
- What we like
- Some of Achieve's features that we like are:
- Same-day loan decisions and fast funding upon approval
- Co-signers permitted
- Flexible repayment terms
- What to consider
- Some of the downsides of borrowing from Achieve:
- 620 minimum credit score requirement
- High minimum loan amount of $5,000
- What do reviewers say?
- While some reviewers complain about slow customer service and origination fees, the majority of our readers’ reviews are positive. Many reviews praised the company for its seamless loan process and helpful customer service.
Shon of Holdrege, Nebraska, said the following about their application process: "This was by far the easiest and fastest loan process my wife and I have ever experienced! I have waited longer to be approved for a car with my local bank."
- Maximum loan amount: $50,000
- Repayment terms: 24 - 60 months
- Minimum credit score required: 640
- ConsumerAffairs rating:4.0
Prosper offers a range of loan products, including home equity loans and personal loans. Its unsecured personal loans are offered in amounts ranging from $2,000 to $50,000, and borrowers can choose to repay over 24 to 60 months, depending on their needs.
APRs range at the time of publishing from 6.99% to 35.99% based on creditworthiness, yet borrowers should know that an upfront origination fee of 1% to 5% will be deducted from their loan amount.
Prosper lets applicants check their rate with no impact on their credit score, and funding can take place as soon as the next business day.
One interesting detail to note about Prosper is the fact that it's a peer-to-peer lending platform. This means loan funds come from individual investors instead of big banks. However, there are high late fees as well as check payment and nonsufficient funds fees.
Additionally, the company states the minimum credit score required is 640. Applicants with low credit scores are encouraged to apply with a co-applicant.
- What we like
- Some of Prosper's features that we like are:
- Flexible repayment terms
- Competitive APRs for those with good or excellent credit
- Quick funding
- What to consider
- Some of the downsides of borrowing from Prosper:
- High penalty fees
- Not a direct lender
- What do reviewers say?
- While a few reviewers complain about being denied a loan despite having good credit, the majority of reviews are positive.
Carlitha of Denver, Colorado, said: "Prosper is a peer-to-peer loan company. Individuals helped finance the loan. It was a quick and easy process. Funds were available within five business days of my application. I recommend it to anyone with good to great credit."
How to get an unsecured loan
You should take the time to compare all the best unsecured loan options side by side before applying. This means looking at the loan limits each lender offers — and also reading over the fine print. Fortunately, the best lenders that offer personal loans let you check your rate without a hard inquiry on your credit report, which makes it considerably easier to compare offers from multiple lenders.
Once you find a loan offer that suits your needs, you can move forward with an application by providing information including your full name and address, Social Security number, employment and income information, and monthly mortgage or rent amount.
In some cases, you may be required to provide supporting documentation, such as recent pay stubs, W-2s, tax returns or utility bills. Once you’re approved, the lender should provide the funds within one to seven business days.
Bruce Mohr, a senior investment advisor at Credit Sage with over 15 years of experience, says you'll want to compare rates on all offers to find the lowest rate possible. He adds that fees are a part of almost all loan offers, and "they may build up over time." According to Mohr, you should be watching out for origination fees, prepayment penalties, late payment fees and other hidden fees that may be buried in the fine print.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What is an unsecured loan?
An unsecured loan is a loan that does not need to be secured with collateral. These loans typically come with fixed interest rates, fixed monthly payments and a set repayment schedule that will not change over the life of the loan.
What is the difference between a secured and unsecured personal loan?
Secured loans require collateral, whereas unsecured personal loans do not. With a secured loan, the asset you put up as collateral can be seized if you fail to repay the loan.
Can I get an unsecured loan if I have bad credit?
Some lenders offer unsecured loans for people with bad credit or fair credit. However, individuals with subpar credit typically pay higher loan fees and interest rates.
What is the most common unsecured loan?
The most common unsecured loan is a personal loan. An unsecured loan lets the borrower use the funds for virtually anything they want, whether it’s to consolidate debt or finance a large purchase, like a home appliance or wedding.
Does an unsecured personal loan affect my credit score?
Borrowing money with a personal loan can impact your credit score in several ways. First, applying for a loan results in a hard inquiry on your credit, which can negatively impact your credit score in the short term. That said, a personal loan can also help your credit score if you make on-time payments.
Bottom line
The best unsecured personal loans can help you get the funding you need at a rate that makes repayment affordable. An unsecured personal loan gives you the freedom to spend the loan money on virtually anything you want, whether you need to consolidate and pay down high-interest credit card debt or you want to finance a large purchase.
Whatever your reasoning is for needing funding, you'll want to take the time to compare loan options to find the best deal. This means checking around for the best rate you can qualify for and comparing loans based on how much you can borrow and how long you have to pay the money back.
- Sources
- ConsumerAffairs writers primarily rely on government data, industry experts and original research from other reputable publications to inform their work. To learn more about the content on our site, visit our FAQ page. Specific sources for this article include:
- Experian, “What Affects Your Credit Scores?” Accessed Nov. 27, 2022.
You’re signed up
We’ll start sending you the news you need delivered straight to you. We value your privacy. Unsubscribe easily.