LightStream vs. SoFi®: Which is better? (2026)

For borrowers looking for a personal loan, LightStream provides quick funding for cost-conscious borrowers. On the flip side, SoFi offers flexible repayment options, catering to borrowers desiring financial protection.

LightStream vs. SoFi : A quick comparison

• SoFi's terms and conditions

  Terms and conditions apply. SOFI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY OR DISCONTINUE PRODUCTS AND BENEFITS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. To qualify, a borrower must be a U.S. citizen or other eligible status, be residing in the U.S., and meet SoFi's underwriting requirements. Not all borrowers receive the lowest rate. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. If approved, your actual rate will be within the range of rates at the time of application and will depend on a variety of factors, including term of loan, evaluation of your creditworthiness, income, and other factors. If SoFi is unable to offer you a loan but matches you for a loan with a participating bank, then your rate may be outside the range of rates listed above. Rates and Terms are subject to change at any time without notice. SoFi Personal Loans can be used for any lawful personal, family, or household purposes and may not be used for post-secondary education expenses. Minimum loan amount is $5,000. The average of SoFi Personal Loans funded in 2025 was around $32K. Information current as of 07/20/26. SoFi Personal Loans originated by SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. NMLS #696891 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). See SoFi.com/legal for state-specific license details. See SoFi.com/eligibility for details and state restrictions.
  
  Fixed rates from 6.99% APR to 35.49% APR. APR reflect the 0.25% autopay interest rate discount and a 0.25% member rate discount.
  
  SoFi Platform personal loans are made either by SoFi Bank, N.A. or , Cross River Bank, a New Jersey State Chartered Commercial Bank, operating from its Delaware branch, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender. SoFi may receive compensation if you take out a loan originated by Cross River Bank. These rate ranges are current as of 07/20/26 and are subject to change without notice. Not all rates and amounts available in all states. See SoFi Personal Loan eligibility details at https://www.sofi.com/eligibility-criteria/#eligibility-personal. Not all applicants qualify for the lowest rate. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. Your actual rate will be within the range of rates listed above and will depend on a variety of factors, including evaluation of your credit worthiness, income, and other factors.
  
  Loan amounts range from $5,000– $100,000. The APR is the cost of credit as a yearly rate and reflects both your interest rate and an origination fee of 9.99% of your loan amount for Cross River Bank originated loans which will be deducted from any loan
  proceeds you receive and for SoFi Bank originated loans have an origination fee of 0%-7%, will be deducted from any loan proceeds you receive.
  
  Autopay: The SoFi 0.25% autopay interest rate reduction requires you to agree to make monthly principal and interest payments by an automatic monthly deduction from a savings or checking account. The benefit will discontinue and be lost for periods in which you do not pay by automatic deduction from a savings or checking account. Autopay is not required to receive a loan from SoFi.
  
  Member Rate Discount: To be eligible for an additional 0.25% interest rate reduction on a Personal Loan, you must, within 31 days of loan funding, either (1) meet SoFi Plus eligibility criteria, (2) receive an Eligible Direct Deposit into a SoFi Checking or Savings account, or (3) receive at least $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits into a SoFi Checking or Savings account. You must continue to meet at least one of the above eligibility criteria every 31 days to maintain the discount. See the SoFi Plus terms for details on SoFi Plus subscription. For more details on Eligible Direct Deposit or Qualifying Deposits, please see https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.
  
  Once you become eligible during the initial period, the discount will be removed or reinstated depending on whether the criteria have been met. Each time your loan is re-amortized, your monthly payment amount will change based upon the interest rate that was in place. SoFi reserves the right to modify or terminate this offer at any time for unenrolled participants. You are not required to meet these criteria to be approved for a loan.
  
  Direct deposit. To be eligible to receive an additional (0.25%) interest rate reduction on your Personal Loan (your “Loan”), you must set up Direct deposit with a SoFi Checking and Savings account offered by SoFi Bank, N.A., or enroll in SoFi Plus by paying the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee, all within 30 days of the funding of your Loan. Once eligible, you will receive this discount during periods in which you have enabled Direct Deposit to an eligible Direct Deposit Account in accordance with SoFi’s reasonable procedures and requirements to be determined at SoFi’s sole discretion, or during periods in which SoFi successfully receives payment of the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee. This discount will be lost during periods in which SoFi determines you have turned off Direct Deposit to your Checking and Savings account or in which you have not paid for the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee. You are not required to enroll in Direct Deposit or to pay the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee to receive a Loan.

LightStream vs. SoFi: Which one’s better?

LightStream and SoFi both offer unsecured personal loans. LightStream serves as a more compatible fit for most borrowers due to its Rate Beat program, guaranteeing lower rates than competitors and 0.5% autopay discounts, which is larger than SoFi’s 0.25%.

LightStream, a subdivision of Truist Bank, is ideal for borrowers with good to excellent credit looking for the lowest minimum APRs. SoFi, which started later than Lightstream in 2011, might be a good fit for borrowers looking for financial assurance through a suite of repayment options. Both might be a good fit, depending on your financing needs.

When to consider LightStream

LightStream is a compatible fit for borrowers who want:

• More rate options: If you get approved by another lender, two days before receiving the funds, LightStream provides a more competitive rate through its rate beat program.
• Generous discounts: LightStream offers a 0.50% discount on monthly payments if you choose an automatic payment via your bank account. This is slightly higher than SoFi’s 0.25%
• Customer service guarantee: After you receive your loan, LightStream sends you a questionnaire. Once you complete the questionnaire, LightStream reviews your feedback and sends you $100.

When to consider SoFi

SoFi is a great fit for borrowers who prefer:

• Loan usage flexibility: Besides some hard and fast rules about not using the funds for secondary school expenses, you don’t need to choose a specific use case for your loan like LightStream requires.
• Ability to have two loans at the same time: Any US borrower besides Michigan residents can take out a second SoFi loan as long as they have made three consistent payments on the first loan.

The similarities

While both SoFi and LightStream have different consumer ratings, both have an independent A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, prefer good to excellent borrowers and offer autopay discounts to lower your monthly costs.

Alternatives to LightStream and SoFi

Here are three alternative products similar to both LightStream and SoFi.

• Upstart: This lender may approve loans for borrowers with credit scores starting at 300.
• Avant: Ideal for borrowers with a fluctuating income, such as self-employed individuals.
• Upgrade: This lender may be a good option for borrowers needing smaller loan amounts, with a minimum loan amount of $1,000.

Compare other personal loans

Compare up to four lenders side by side to see how they stack up.

5 of 5 results

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Finder Score	APR	Min. credit score	Loan amount
Promoted 8.2 Great Upgrade personal loans	8.2 Great	7.74% to 35.99% (includes origination fee)	580	$1,000 to $50,000	Check your rates with this online lender without impacting your credit score.	Go to site View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
Promoted 8.5 Great Best Egg personal loans	8.5 Great	6.99% to 35.99%	640	$2,000 to $50,000	Fast and easy personal loan application process. See options first without affecting your credit score.	Go to site View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
Promoted 9.3 Excellent Upstart personal loans	9.3 Excellent	6.30%–35.99% (includes any origination fee)	300	$1,000 to $75,000	This service looks beyond your credit score to get you a competitive-rate personal loan.	Go to site View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
9 Excellent SoFi personal loans	9 Excellent	6.99% to 35.49% with autopay and member discounts (0.25% each)	680	$5,000 to $100,000	A highly-rated lender with competitive rates, high loan amounts and no required fees.	Go to site View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
9.5 Excellent LightStream personal loans	9.5 Excellent	Varies by loan purpose	Good to excellent credit	$5,000 to $100,000	Borrow up to $100,000 with low rates and no fees.	Go to site View details Compare product selection Compare	loading

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How we picked these

What is the Finder Score?

The Finder Score crunches 6+ types of personal loans across 50+ lenders. It takes into account the product's interest rate, fees and features, as well as the type of loan eg investor, variable, fixed rate - this gives you a simple score out of 10.

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To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Holly Jennings as part of our fact-checking process.

Written by

Dhara Singh

Writer

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Dhara Singh was a freelance personal finance writer at Finder specializing in loans. Formerly she was a top 10 journalist at Yahoo Finance with more than 38+ million content views where she covered retirement and mortgages. She has also written for Bankrate, and CNET and continues to write for a variety of outlets, such as Investopedia and Worth magazine. Her articles focus on equipping readers with the right information and data so they can make the most informed decisions related to their finances. Dhara previously worked as an insights analyst for Finder’s PR team, where she started the Deadliest Cities to Drive series in 2018, connecting interesting data analysis to a suite of car insurance products. When she’s not writing, Dhara coaches small business owners through her Stories to Sales programs and empowers them to use their life experiences to help other people. She has also self-published a poetry book on Amazon called Tell her She’s Lovely. Dhara holds a B.S. in Finance and Supply Chain Management from Rutgers University and a M.S. in Journalism from Columbia University. See full bio