Upgrade offers fast online loans that prioritize cash flow over your credit score when you apply. They’re a good option if your credit is less-than-perfect, but you have at least $1,000 in income after expenses each month.
It’s flexible about repayments, with a hardship program that allows you to change your due date. But Upgrade’s rates are on the high end, running from 7.74% to 35.99% APR. And origination fees run as high as 9.99%.
There are other lenders out there like Upgrade. These lenders offer similar fast loans to fair credit borrowers. Some have lower rates and fees and others may be more flexible when it comes to cash flow.
Our top picks for sites like Upgrade
- For customer satisfaction: Best Egg
- For joint applicants: Achieve
- For customer satisfaction: OneMain
- For no origination fees: SoFi®
- For comparing multiple loan options: Credible
Alternative for customer satisfaction: Best Egg
| Min. credit score | 640 |
|---|---|
| APR | 6.99% to 35.99% |
| Loan amount | $2,000 to $50,000 |
- Not available in: Iowa, Vermont, West Virginia
| Min. credit score | 640 |
|---|---|
| APR | 6.99% to 35.99% |
| Loan amount | $2,000 to $50,000 |
Alternative for joint applicants: Achieve
Achieve (formally FreedomPlus) is one of the few personal loan providers that accepts cosigners and coapplicants — most lenders don't allow cosigners on unsecured personal loans. Additionally, Achieve offers a rate discount up to 6% if you bring along a joint applicant. If you're consolidating debt and allow Achieve to send at least 85% of your loan funds directly to your creditors for debt consolidation, you may get an additional rate discount up to 4%.
Rates range from 8.99% to 29.99% — the maximum rate is much lower than Upstart's 35.97%. And if you bring a cosigner or coappliant, you may qualify for a better APR or loan terms overall. Achieve's origination fee is lower, ranging from 1.99% to 6.99%. But Achieve is unavailable in 11 states, and Upgrade is available everywhere except Iowa, West Virginia and Washington D.C.
| Min. credit score | 620 |
|---|---|
| APR | 8.99% to 29.99% |
| Loan amount | $5,000 to $50,000 |
- Available in: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington
| Min. credit score | 620 |
|---|---|
| APR | 8.99% to 29.99% |
| Loan amount | $5,000 to $50,000 |
Alternative for customer satisfaction: OneMain
| Min. credit score | Not specified |
|---|---|
| APR | 18% to 35.99% |
| Loan amount | $1,500 to $20,000 |
- Not available in: Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont
| Min. credit score | Not specified |
|---|---|
| APR | 18% to 35.99% |
| Loan amount | $1,500 to $20,000 |
Alternative for no origination fees: SoFi
| Min. credit score | 680 |
|---|---|
| APR | 8.74% to 35.49% fixed APR |
| Loan amount | $5,000 to $100,000 |
- Available in all states
| Min. credit score | 680 |
|---|---|
| APR | 8.74% to 35.49% fixed APR |
| Loan amount | $5,000 to $100,000 |
Alternative for comparing multiple loan options: Credible
| Min. credit score | Fair to excellent credit |
|---|---|
| APR | 7.74% to 35.99% |
| Loan amount | $1,000 to $200,000 |
- Available in all states
| Min. credit score | Fair to excellent credit |
|---|---|
| APR | 7.74% to 35.99% |
| Loan amount | $1,000 to $200,000 |
How Upgrade compares
You can find out more about how Upgrade works by reading our Upgrade review. In the meantime, here are the highlights.
Upgrade is better suited for fair credit borrowers with stable income. It requires you to have at least $1,000 leftover after paying all other expenses, and prefers credit scores 580+. While Upgrade is more flexible with credit score requirements than more traditional lenders, like banks and credit unions, it’s not the cheapest option.
Upgrade charges an origination fee from 1.85% to 9.99% — this fee is deducted from your loan amount before delivery, and if you’re charged the highest fee, that’s a pretty penny. Upgrade also has higher rates than other providers, ranging from 7.74% to 35.99%.
Pros
- Fast application and turnaround time
- Hardship program
- Fair credit OK
- Accepts joint applicants
Cons
- High max APR
- High origination fee up to 9.99%
- Strict income requirements
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