Does PayPal Let You Borrow Money? Yes, But See Alternatives (2026)

MoneyLion is a free service that connects you with top lenders to find a personal loan tailored to your needs, whether for home improvement, debt consolidation or unexpected expenses. Loans range from $500 to $250,000, depending on your credit score, income and other factors. It also claims to help borrowers with less-than-stellar credit gain access to a loan.

To get started, you complete a quick and simple online application that won't impact your credit score. You'll receive multiple options based on your eligibility and requirements. These options allow you to directly compare rates, terms and monthly payments.

However, company reviews are mixed. While Trustpilot and Better Business Bureau (BBB) reviews rate the company highly, there's also a BBB alert due to an ongoing pattern of complaints.

• Not available in: Colorado, Connecticut, New York, Vermont, West Virginia

• Why we like it

  MoneyLion is a free service that connects you with top lenders to find a personal loan tailored to your needs, whether for home improvement, debt consolidation or unexpected expenses. Loans range from $500 to $250,000, depending on your credit score, income and other factors. It also claims to help borrowers with less-than-stellar credit gain access to a loan.

  To get started, you complete a quick and simple online application that won't impact your credit score. You'll receive multiple options based on your eligibility and requirements. These options allow you to directly compare rates, terms and monthly payments.

  However, company reviews are mixed. While Trustpilot and Better Business Bureau (BBB) reviews rate the company highly, there's also a BBB alert due to an ongoing pattern of complaints.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • Compare lenders without affecting your credit score
  • Simple and quick application
  • Low minimum loan amount available

  Cons

  • Shares your information with third parties
  • Has mixed reviews online

• More details

  Loan amount	$500 to $250,000
  APR	Varies by lender
  Interest Rate Type	Fixed
  Min. credit score	Varies by lender
  Turnaround Time	As soon as same day
  Loan Term	Varies by lender

Upstart is a great alternative to PayPal for students or borrowers with limited or poor credit history. It accepts applicants with credit scores as low as 300 and goes beyond traditional credit checks by considering eligibility factors such as employment history and education. Upstart offers loans ranging from $1,000 to $75,000, and while rates can start as low as 6.3% APR, borrowers with lower credit may face an origination fee of up to 12%. Its AI-driven approach and unique underwriting process allow for faster approval, with most loans disbursed within one business day.

• Not available in: Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, West Virginia

• Why we like it

  Upstart is a great alternative to PayPal for students or borrowers with limited or poor credit history. It accepts applicants with credit scores as low as 300 and goes beyond traditional credit checks by considering eligibility factors such as employment history and education. Upstart offers loans ranging from $1,000 to $75,000, and while rates can start as low as 6.3% APR, borrowers with lower credit may face an origination fee of up to 12%. Its AI-driven approach and unique underwriting process allow for faster approval, with most loans disbursed within one business day.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • Considers education and employment history in underwriting process
  • Preapproval available online
  • Loans up to $75,000
  • Rates starting at 6.3%

  Cons

  • Origination fee up to 12%
  • Only two loan term options

• More details

  Loan amount	$1,000 to $75,000
  APR	6.30%–35.99% (includes any origination fee)
  Interest Rate Type	Fixed
  Min. credit score	300
  Turnaround Time	As soon as the next business day
  Loan Term	3 or 5 years

Upgrade is a strong alternative to PayPal if you need a personal loan with flexible payment options. If you're experiencing financial hardship, it lets you adjust your payment date or make partial payments of 30% to 50%. Additionally, you'll get a 10-day grace period before being charged a late fee. Beyond offering flexibility, Upgrade has an easy application, fast funding and works with borrowers with lower credit scores.

• Not available in: Colorado, Iowa, Maryland, Vermont, West Virginia

• Why we like it

  Upgrade is a strong alternative to PayPal if you need a personal loan with flexible payment options. If you're experiencing financial hardship, it lets you adjust your payment date or make partial payments of 30% to 50%. Additionally, you'll get a 10-day grace period before being charged a late fee. Beyond offering flexibility, Upgrade has an easy application, fast funding and works with borrowers with lower credit scores.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • Access to free credit monitoring
  • Hardship programs
  • Joint applications accepted
  • Rate discounts available

  Cons

  • Origination fee of 1.85% to 9.99%
  • Need monthly cash flow of $1,000+
  • Has a steep maximum rate of 35.99%

• More details

  Loan amount	$1,000 to $50,000
  APR	7.74% to 35.99% (includes origination fee)
  Interest Rate Type	Fixed
  Min. credit score	580
  Turnaround Time	1 to 4 business days
  Loan Term	2 to 7 years

• Partner terms and conditions

  Personal loans made through Upgrade feature Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) of 7.99%-35.99%. All personal loans have a 1.85% to 9.99% origination fee, which is deducted from the loan proceeds. Lowest rates require Autopay and paying off a portion of existing debt directly. Loans feature repayment terms of 24 to 84 months. For example, if you receive a $10,000 loan with a 36-month term and a 17.59% APR (which includes a 13.94% yearly interest rate and a 5% one-time origination fee), you would receive $9,500 in your account and would have a required monthly payment of $341.48. Over the life of the loan, your payments would total $12,293.46. The APR on your loan may be higher or lower and your loan offers may not have multiple term lengths available. Actual rate depends on credit score, credit usage history, loan term, and other factors. Late payments or subsequent charges and fees may increase the cost of your fixed rate loan. There is no fee or penalty for repaying a loan early. Personal loans issued by Upgrade's bank partners. Information on Upgrade's bank partners can be found at https://www.upgrade.com/bank-partners/.

This online connection service could be a good choice to compare multiple options fast — especially if you're looking for a larger loan amount or don't have the strongest credit. This award-winning platform is highly automated, which has its benefits and drawbacks. While it's fast, there's no customer service line to reach if you have any questions.

• Available in all states

• Why we like it

  This online connection service could be a good choice to compare multiple options fast — especially if you're looking for a larger loan amount or don't have the strongest credit. This award-winning platform is highly automated, which has its benefits and drawbacks. While it's fast, there's no customer service line to reach if you have any questions.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • Fair and bad credit OK
  • Free with a soft credit check
  • Can opt out of lender communications

  Cons

  • Not a direct lender
  • Not as many lending partners as some competitors
  • Hard to reach support by phone

• More details

  Loan amount	$500 to $500,000
  APR	5.40% to 35.99%
  Interest Rate Type	Fixed
  Min. credit score	300
  Turnaround Time	Varies by lender
  Loan Term	6 months to 12 years

Best Egg is a strong alternative to PayPal for personal loans if you have fair to excellent credit and are seeking competitive rates. Borrowers with credit scores of 700 or higher will get the best rates, though there is a 9.99% origination fee. Best Egg offers unsecured and secured loans up to $50,000 and offers 20% discounts for those who take out a secured loan. Not only does Best Egg stand out for its fast funding, but it's also known for its customer service and has won awards, such as “Best Lending Solution” in the 2023 Benzinga Global Fintech Awards.

• Not available in: Iowa, Vermont, West Virginia

• Why we like it

  Best Egg is a strong alternative to PayPal for personal loans if you have fair to excellent credit and are seeking competitive rates. Borrowers with credit scores of 700 or higher will get the best rates, though there is a 9.99% origination fee. Best Egg offers unsecured and secured loans up to $50,000 and offers 20% discounts for those who take out a secured loan. Not only does Best Egg stand out for its fast funding, but it's also known for its customer service and has won awards, such as “Best Lending Solution” in the 2023 Benzinga Global Fintech Awards.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • High maximum loan amount, up to $50,000
  • No prepayment penalties
  • Rate discounts for secured loans

  Cons

  • Charges origination fees
  • Not available in all states

• More details

  Loan amount	$2,000 to $50,000
  APR	6.99% to 35.99%
  Interest Rate Type	Fixed
  Min. credit score	640
  Turnaround Time	As soon as the next business day
  Loan Term	36 to 60 months (unsecured); 60 to 84 months (home-secured)

• Partner terms and conditions

  *Trustpilot TrustScore as of April 2025. Best Egg loans are personal loans made by Cross River Bank, a New Jersey State Chartered Commercial Bank, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender, Column N.A., Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender, or Blue Ridge Bank, N.A., Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender. 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 ; Ohio, $5,001; and Georgia, $3,001. For a second Best Egg loan, your total existing Best Egg loan balances cannot exceed $100,000. Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) range from 6.99%–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%– 9.99% 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. TO REPORT A PROBLEM OR COMPLAINT WITH THIS LENDER, YOU MAY WRITE OR CALL– Operations Manager, Email: crt-resolutions@bestegg.com, Address: P.O. Box 42912, Philadelphia, PA 19101, Phone: 1-855-282-6353. This lender is licensed and regulated by the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Financial Institutions Division, P.O. Box 25101, 2550 Cerrillos Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504. To report any unresolved problems or complaints, contact the division by telephone at (505) 476-4885 or visit the website https://www.rld.nm.gov/financial-institutions/

Affirm is an online lender with a twist: It only offers financing directly through partner stores. You can apply for a loan while checking out online and pay it back over 3, 6 or 12 months. You don't need good credit to qualify, and the application just takes a few minutes — similar to many PayPal products.

• Not available in: Iowa, West Virginia

• Why we like it

  Affirm is an online lender with a twist: It only offers financing directly through partner stores. You can apply for a loan while checking out online and pay it back over 3, 6 or 12 months. You don't need good credit to qualify, and the application just takes a few minutes — similar to many PayPal products.

• Pros and cons

  Pros

  • Charges no fees or penalties
  • Offers flexible, 0% APR for short-term loans
  • No minimum credit score requirement
  • Offers prequalification

  Cons

  • Doesn't build your credit score
  • Reports late payments to Experian
  • Charges up to a 36% APR based on creditworthiness

• More details

  Loan amount	Up to $17,500
  APR	0% to 36%
  Interest Rate Type	Fixed
  Min. credit score
  Loan Term	3, 6 or 12 months