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Guide to Lenders personal loan connection service review
Borrow up to $40,000 from top online lenders today.
$40,000
Max. Loan Amount
Starting from 4.99%
APR
be employed, US citizen or permanent resident and be age of majority
Min. Credit Score
Details
| Product Name | GuideToLenders personal loan connection service |
|---|---|
| Min. Loan Amount | $100 |
| Max. Loan Amount | $40,000 |
| APR | Starting from 4.99% |
| Interest Rate Type | Fixed |
What makes Guide to Lenders unique?
Guide to Lenders’ quick online form lets borrowers compare offers from a wide range of lenders. Its partners have options for all credit types, so it could be a good way to see what you’re eligible for even if you don’t know your credit score.
Plus, the connection service relies on a soft credit check, so you don’t have to worry about your credit score being affected.
What is Guide to Lenders?
Guide to Lenders is an online connection service owned by marketing firm QuinStreet. It works with a number of providers to help you find a loan that’s right for you. Its lenders offer loans from $100 to $40,000 with APRs Starting from 4.99% . Through this connection service, you can find loans for even some of those hard-to-finance needs such as funding your startup.
Guide to Lenders’ network of providers includes:
- SoFi
- Avant
- Marcus, by Goldman Sachs
- LendingClub
- LightStream
What are the benefits of using Guide to Lenders?
From its low starting loan amounts to its lax credit requirements, here are a few perks of finding a provider through Guide to Lenders:
- All credit types welcome. Guide to Lenders has options for excellent- and poor-credit borrowers alike.
- Fast turnaround. You could get money in your bank account as soon as the next business day.
- Can apply with a coapplicant. Guide to Lenders allows you to sign up with a coapplicant to potentially qualify for a more competitive rate.
- Low loan amounts. You can borrow as little as $100 through one of Guide to Lenders’ partners.
What to watch out for
You won’t find much info on Guide to Lenders’ website, and it can be hard to get in touch with its customer support team. Consider these potential drawbacks before using its service:
- Red flags. Several customers complained of receiving a large volume of emails and phone calls after using Guide to Lenders. Others also raised some red flags about its lenders, such as being asked to pay with a gift card — a common sign of a scam.
- Limited website. This connection service only has one web page dedicated to personal loans, which only provides very basic information about what to expect.
- No customer service line. You won’t be able to talk to a customer service representative on the phone. If you have any questions, you have to fill out an online form and wait for a response — if any.
- Low loan amounts. You can only borrow up to $40,000 through one of Guide to Lenders’ partners. In comparison, some lenders offer personal loans up to $100,000.
What does the Internet say about Guide to Lenders?
Guide to Lenders gets mixed reviews. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) gives its parent company, QuinStreet an A+ rating as of April 2019, though customers give it a less-impressive 2.5 out of 5 stars based on 13 reviews. Its Trustpilot page only has 21 reviews but it scores an 8.9 out of 10.
The majority of reviewers were happy with how quick and seamless their experience was with Guide to Lenders. However, several customers complained of being flooded with emails and messages — common for connection services, especially those owned by marketing companies.
One customer also mentioned they were asked to make payments with an iTunes gift card on another forum. A handful also warned it was a scam without elaborating.
Compare more personal loan options
Am I eligible?
Guide to Lenders’ partners each have their own eligibility requirements. Since there are options for all credit types, you don’t need to have strong credit to get connected. You’ll likely need to meet the following criteria with any lender:
- Be employed. Some lenders might have minimum income requirements and ask to see your most recent pay stubs or bank statements.
- Be a US citizen or permanent resident. Most lenders require you to be a citizen or have a green card to qualify — though there are loan options for nonresidents.
- Be the age of majority. Most states require you to be over 18 to take out a loan. Alabama and Nebraska require you to be 19, while Mississippi’s age of majority is 21.
Personal loan eligibility requirements
How do I get started?
You can prequalify with multiple lenders by filling out Guide to Lenders’ online form. Follow these steps to get started:
- Go to Guide to Lenders’ website and click Personal loan.
- Select how you’d like to spend your funds and click See my rates.
- Complete the form with information about yourself, where you live and your employment.
- Click See your offers now.
If you find an offer you like, follow the directions to complete the lender’s application on its website. Since Guide to Lenders mainly works with online lenders, you may be able to get your funds as soon as the next business day.
What information do I need to provide?
When filling out Guide to Lenders’ online form, you’ll need to provide:
- How much you’d like to borrow
- Credit score range
- Employment status
- Pre-tax income for you and your coapplicant, if applicable
- Whether you rent or own
- How long you’ve lived at your current address
- Address
- Email address
- Birthday
- Phone number
- Social Security number
I got a loan through Guide to Lenders. Now what?
What happens next depends on your lender. Since Guide to Lenders is a connection service, it doesn’t have anything to do with the process after you decide to apply for a loan.
Your lender should give you instructions on how and when to repay your loan with your loan contract. If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to customer service as soon as possible.
Bottom line
Guide to Lenders could be a useful way to find out what types of loans you’re eligible for and help you get the most competitive deal out there. But its barebones website and lack of a customer service line might not be so helpful if you need help filling out the online form.
You can compare other connection services or learn all about how personal loans work by visiting our guides.