Achieve (formally FreedomPlus) personal loans review

Our verdict

Our verdict

Achieve — formally FreedomPlus — offers personal loans with a low credit score requirement of 620. Its APRs start at 8.99% to 29.99%, and there are multiple rate discounts to explore — just no autopay discount. Coappliants are accepted, and joint loans can get a rate discount up to 6%. However, there's an origination fee up to 6.99%. One of Achieve's standout features is its high customer ratings, with most reviews citing helpful reps and an overall smooth experience.

Best for: Borrowers in need of a joint personal loan for debt consolidation.

Pros

• Low APRs and multiple rate discounts available
• Coapplicants accepted with potential rate discount
• Customer reviews overwhelmingly positive

Cons

• Origination fee of up to 6.99%
• Unavailable in 11 states
• No autopay discount

3.4

★★★★★

Finder rating

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Max. Loan Amount

$100,000

APR

8.99% to 29.99%

Min. credit score

620

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Achieve personal loans

Learn more and apply on Achieve's secure site

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Recent name change to Achieve

FreedomPlus changed its name to Achieve on November 2022, with an accompanying domain change to www.Achieve.com.

Who is Achieve best for

If you’re in need of a personal loan for debt consolidation and you have a coapplaint that’s along for the ride, Achieve may offer some deep rate discounts.

Achieve offers a joint loan rate discount up to 6% — pretty significant. There are other discounts as well, such as the debt consolidation discount which allows for up to 4% off your rate if Achieve sends at least 85% of the funds to your creditor(s).

If you qualify for the highest discounts on both, you could get up to 10% shaved off your joint personal loan’s rate. Additionally, Achieve offers prequalification with a soft credit check, so you could try for prequalification to see potential rates without harming your credit.

What makes Achieve shine

Achieve has competitive rates, and accepts fair credit. APRs start at 8.99% and max at 29.99%, the max rate is lower than with similar competitors. Upgrade’s personal loans cap out at 35.99%, and OneMain Financial maxes at 35.99%.

Where Achieve really shines is its customer reviews. While under the name FreedomPlus, it has some of the best overall ratings we’ve seen from a lender, with over 1,864 reviews on BBB with a 4.8-star rating. The most common reviews cite informative, helpful and patient customer service representatives.

Where Achieve falls short

While Achieve offers multiple discounts, there’s no autopay discount. Most lenders — across most types of lending — offer a standard 0.25% rate discount for setting up autopay.

Additionally, plan on paying an origination fee. Achieve states on its own site that most of its customers pay the maximum origination fee, which is 6.99% of the loan amount. While origination fees aren’t uncommon, there are lenders that don’t charge an origination fee at all, such as SoFi and LightStream.

Achieve loan details

The nitty-gritty of Achieve’s personal loans.

How to qualify for Achieve personal loans

Minimum personal loan requirements include:

• Credit score of at least 620
• No minimum income requirement
• Valid identification
• US citizen or permanent resident
• Be at least 18+

Achieve accepts credit scores as low as 620, but to qualify for the lowest rate of 8.99% APR, the lender states you’ll need excellent credit and get a loan amount of less than $12,000 for a two-year term.

How to apply

Head to Achieve’ site to start the process.

1. 1. Prequalify online. Enter the loan amount you want, select what you plan to use the money for, your state, and enter in personal details to see if you may qualify.
   2. Fully apply. This step requires a hard credit check, then reviewing the official loan offer.
   3. Accept loan terms. Loan decisions are typically made within a few hours. If you qualify and accept the loan, Achieve states funding times range from two to three days.
   4. Follow repayment plan. Repay the loan as scheduled. Achieve states that borrowers have the option of choosing their payment due date, and there are no prepayment penalties.

How Achieve compares to other lenders

See how Achieve compares to its competitors.

Achieve personal loans

★★★★★

Finder rating 3.4 / 5

Go to site

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APR

8.99% to 29.99%

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Loan term

2 to 5 years

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Loan amount

$5,000 to $100,000

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Min. credit score

620

Best Egg personal loans

★★★★★

Finder rating 3.8 / 5

Go to site

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APR

8.99% to 35.99%

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Loan term

3 to 5 years

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Loan amount

$2,000 to $50,000

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Min. credit score

640

LightStream personal loans

★★★★★

Finder rating 4.8 / 5

Go to site

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APR

7.49% to 25.49%

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Loan term

24 to 144 months

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Loan amount

$5,000 to $100,000

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Min. credit score

Good to excellent credit

Achieve reviews and complaints

The vast majority of customer reviews on Trustpilot and BBB are positive, with an impressive 5-star rating on Trustpilot and 4.8-star rating with BBB.

Most reviews cite fantastic customer service, with many specifically mentioning satisfaction with Achieve’ help in debt consolidation. Other reviews reference transparent terms, fast turnaround times, and an easy, straightforward process.

Negative reviews are far and few, but a handful of negative reviews report too many phone calls and/or emails during the application process.

Is Achieve legit?

Achieve is a legitimate lender. It very recently went through a name change in November 2022, formally named FreedomPlus.

It’s been accredited with the BBB since 2021, and has been in business for nearly 20 years.

There was a past alert on BBB stating that scammers are posting as FreedomPlus representatives. Since the name change, that alert is no longer posted.

Frequently asked questions

Is Achieve a bank?

No. Achieve is an online lender backed by Cross River Bank in New Jersey.

How do I contact Achieve customer service?

To speak to a loan consultant, call 1-800-920-0045 between the hours of 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. MST Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. MST Saturday and Sunday.

Can I get same-day funding on my personal loan?

Achieve advertises same-day decisions, which means if you apply in early business hours, you can get approval for your loan that same day. It funds your loan within 24 to 72 hours of approval.