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Loans like Upstart

Compare companies like Upstart – and find a loan with lower interest rates, reduced fees, or special discounts.

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By

Kat Aoki

&

Sarah Barness

Edited by

Holly Jennings

Reviewed by

Anna Serio

Updated

Upstart is a popular online lender offering personal loans from $1,000 up to $50,000. It looks beyond your credit score when making a lending decision — ideal if you have a limited credit history. But it charges origination fees of up to 12%, and you might be able to find a better deal elsewhere.

Our team has reviewed over 120 lenders to help you compare Upstart’s competitors at a glance. We looked at factors like interest rates, fees, credit score requirements and lending flexibility to help you find the best alternatives to Upstart.

Our 8 top picks for sites like Upstart

Alternative for good credit borrowers

Best Egg personal loans

3.8 / 5 ★★★★★

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Best Egg is an online lender that requires a minimum credit score of 640 to qualify. Its interest rates are lower than Upstart's, and its origination fees range from 0.99% and 8.99%. And it might be more difficult to qualify with Best Egg if you're still building your credit profile.

Because Best Egg relies on more traditional underwriting criteria than Upstart, borrowers with at least three years of credit history may have an easier time qualifying with this lender. And as with many personal loan providers, it may be difficult to qualify if you're self-employed.

  • Not available in: Iowa, Vermont, West Virginia
Partner terms and conditions
*Trustpilot TrustScore as of December 2022. Best Egg loans are personal loans made by Cross River Bank, a New Jersey State Chartered Commercial Bank, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender or Blue Ridge Bank, N.A., Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender. The Best Egg Credit Card is issued exclusively by First Bank & Trust, Member FDIC, Brookings SD pursuant to a license by Visa International. Visa is a registered trademark, and the Visa logo design is a trademark of Visa International Incorporated. “Best Egg” is a trademark of Best Egg Technologies, LLC. Offers may be sent pursuant to a joint marketing agreement between Cross River Bank, Blue Ridge Bank, N.A. and/or First Bank & Trust and Marlette Marketing, LLC, a subsidiary of Best Egg, Inc.

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 8.99%–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%–8.99% 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/
Pros
  • Stellar customer reviews from Trustpilot and the BBB
  • Multiple repayment methods, including Western Union Quick Collect
  • Ranked #1 loan company in 2021
Cons
  • High origination and late payment fees
  • Harder to qualify if you're self-employed
  • Not available in all states
Loan amount$2,000 to $50,000
APR8.99% to 35.99%
Interest Rate TypeFixed
Min. credit score640
Turnaround TimeAs soon as one business day
Maximum Loan Term5 years
Minimum Loan Term3 years

Alternative for young professionals

SoFi personal loans

4.4 / 5 ★★★★★

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On top of offering low-cost personal loans, SoFi offers over 14 perks once you become a borrower, such as rate discounts on future SoFi loans. The company aims to help its customers — called members — reach financial freedom. Amounts range from $5,000 to $100,000, with terms from 24 to 84 months. However, Upstart accepts borrowers of nearly all credit types — SoFi requires good to excellent credit to qualify.

  • Available in all states
Partner terms and conditions
Fixed rates from 8.99% APR to 29.99% APR reflect the 0.25% autopay interest rate discount and a 0.25% direct deposit interest rate discount. SoFi rate ranges are current as of 02/06/2024 and are subject to change without notice. The average of SoFi Personal Loans funded in 2022 was around $30K. 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 and will depend on the term you select, evaluation of your creditworthiness, income, and a variety of 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 0%-7%, which 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.
Direct Deposit Discount: To be eligible to potentially receive an additional (0.25%) interest rate reduction for setting up direct deposit with a SoFi Checking and Savings account offered by SoFi Bank, N.A. or eligible cash management account offered by SoFi Securities, LLC (“Direct Deposit Account”), you must have an open Direct Deposit Account within 30 days of the funding of your Loan. Once eligible, you will receive this discount during periods in which you have enabled payroll direct deposits of at least $1,000/month to a Direct Deposit Account in accordance with SoFi’s reasonable procedures and requirements to be determined at SoFi’s sole discretion. This discount will be lost during periods in which SoFi determines you have turned off direct deposits to your Direct Deposit Account. You are not required to enroll in direct deposits to receive a Loan.
Pros
  • Competitive rates
  • Flexible loan terms
  • Multiple perks as SoFi borrower
  • No origination fees
Cons
  • Need good credit, 680+
  • High minimum loan amount
  • Turnaround time up to 30 days
Loan amount$5,000 to $100,000
APR8.99% to 29.99% fixed APR
Interest Rate TypeFixed
Min. credit score680
Turnaround TimeUp to 2 business days
Maximum Loan Term7 years
Minimum Loan Term2 years

Alternative for payment flexibility

Upgrade personal loans

4 / 5 ★★★★★

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Upgrade and Upstart offer the same loan amounts and have similar credit score requirements, interest rates and fees — and both charge high origination fees. But unlike Upstart, Upgrade offers the option to defer two repayments, change your due date or make a partial payment if you're facing financial hardship. This gives you a little more leeway if you're taking out a loan during a period of economic uncertainty.

  • Not available in: Colorado, Iowa, Maryland, Vermont, West Virginia
Partner terms and conditions

Personal loans made through Upgrade feature APRs of 5.94%-35.97%. All personal loans have a 2.9% 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 17.98% APR (which includes a 14.32% 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 $343.33. Over the life of the loan, your payments would total $12,359.97. 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 lending partners. Information on Upgrade's lending partners can be found at https://www.upgrade.com/lending-partners/.
Pros
  • Similar eligibility as Upstart
  • Lower starting APR than Upstart
  • Hardship program to help with payments
Cons
  • Origination fee as high as 9.99%
  • High starting APR compared to other lenders
  • Requires at least $1000 in free monthly cash flow
Loan amount$1,000 to $50,000
APR8.49% to 35.99%
Interest Rate TypeFixed
Min. credit score620
Turnaround Time1 to 4 business days
Maximum Loan Term7 years
Minimum Loan Term2 years

Alternative for self-employed borrowers

Avant personal loans

3.4 / 5 ★★★★★

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Like Upstart, Avant is more lenient than most lenders for self-employed borrowers. There's no minimum credit score to apply, and it looks at a range of factors when deciding, including your income and repayment history.

But its rates start higher than Upstart, and it offers a more limited range of loans: from $2,000 to $35,000 with rates starting from 9.95%. Avant charges an administrative fee of up to 4.75% on its loans, but this is lower than Upstart's maximum fee of 8%.

  • Not available in: Colorado, Hawaii, Iowa, Nevada, New York, Vermont, West Virginia
Partner terms and conditions
Personal loans from $2,000–$35,000. If approved, the actual loan amount, term, and APR that a customer qualifies for may vary based on credit determination and other factors. Avant branded credit products are issued by WebBank, member FDIC.
Pros
  • No minimum credit score required
  • Self-employed income accepted
  • Preapproval won't impact your credit score
Cons
  • Recently settled a lawsuit with the FTC
  • Low maximum loan amount of $35,000
  • Not available in all states
Loan amount$2,000 to $35,000
APR9.95% to 35.99%
Interest Rate TypeFixed
Min. credit score580
Turnaround TimeAs soon as the next business day
Maximum Loan Term4 years
Minimum Loan Term1 year

Alternative for fast funding

LightStream personal loans

4.8 / 5 ★★★★★

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LightStream is slightly faster than Upstart. Where Upstart offers next-day financing, LightStream can fund your loan the same you apply — if you sign the closing documents by 2:30 p.m. ET. It also offers some of the lowest rates out there, starting at just 7.49%. And unlike Upstart, there are no fees.

But save this lender for after you've established a strong credit history. It has higher credit standards than most online lenders, and it's one of the few that doesn't allow you to prequalify without dinging your credit score. It also doesn't offer loans under $5,000.

  • Not available in: Iowa, West Virginia
Partner terms and conditions
*Payment example: Monthly payments for a $10,000 loan at 5.95% APR with a term of 3 years would result in 36 monthly payments of $303.99.

Truist Bank is an Equal Housing Lender. © 2020 Truist Financial Corporation. SunTrust, Truist, LightStream, the LightStream logo, and the SunTrust logo are service marks of Truist Financial Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Lending services provided by Truist Bank.
Pros
  • Same-day funding
  • Lower APR than Upstart
  • No fees
Cons
  • Difficult to qualify
  • No prequalification
  • No loans under $5,000
Loan amount$5,000 to $100,000
APR7.49% to 25.49%
Interest Rate TypeFixed
Min. credit scoreGood to excellent credit
Turnaround TimeAs soon as same day
Maximum Loan Term12 years
Minimum Loan Term2 years

Alternative for debt consolidation

Achieve personal loans

3.4 / 5 ★★★★★

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Achieve offers personal loans from $1,000 to $100,000. A discount is also available if Achieve pays your creditors directly for debt consolidation, and other discounts are also up for grabs. Upstart may accept borrowers of all credit types, but Achieve also works with bad to fair credit borrowers, accepting credit scores as low as 620. Its rates range from 8.99% to 35.99%, coming with a lower max rate than Upstart. There is an origination fee of 1.99% to 6.99%, but it's still lower than Upstart's max origination fee of 12%. Additionally, Achieve allows for coappliants — unlike Upstart.

  • 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
Pros
  • Multiple discounts available
  • Pays creditors directly
  • Bad and fair credit OK
  • No prepayment penalties
  • Coappliants accepted
Cons
  • Origination fee
  • Only serves 39 states
  • High minimum amount of $1,000
Loan amount$1,000 to $100,000
APR8.99% to 35.99%
Interest Rate TypeFixed
Min. credit score620
Turnaround TimeAs soon as same business day
Maximum Loan Term5 years
Minimum Loan Term2 years

Alternative for peer-to-peer loans

Prosper personal loans

3.4 / 5 ★★★★★

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Prosper offers investor-funded loans and is one of the pioneers of peer-to-peer lending. Like Upstart, it's designed as an alternative to banks and offers a simple online application. But its credit requirements and interest rates are higher — even if it charges a lower origination fee.

It can also take up to five business days to get loan approval, which is longer than Upstart's maximum of three business days. It also gets less favorable customer reviews on sites like Trustpilot, possibly due to the longer funding times required.

  • Not available in: Iowa, North Dakota, West Virginia
Pros
  • Fair credit is ok
  • Medical loans available
  • Accepts 50% debt-to-income ratio
Cons
  • Origination fee of 1% to 7.99%
  • High maximum APR of 35.99%
  • Approval may take up to five business days
Loan amount$2,000 to $50,000
APR8.99% to 35.99%
Interest Rate TypeFixed
Min. credit score640
Turnaround TimeAs soon as 1 business day
Maximum Loan Term5 years
Minimum Loan Term3 years

Alternative for comparing multiple lenders

Credible personal loans

4.3 / 5 ★★★★★

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Credible offers a unique service by allowing borrowers to compare prequalified rates from multiple personal loan lenders with one simple application. This makes it easier to find a loan with lower rates or better terms without impacting your credit score. Unlike Upstart, Credible does not lend directly but partners with various lenders, offering more flexibility and choice for borrowers. This makes it an excellent option for those who want to shop around without the hassle of multiple applications.

  • Available in all states
Pros
  • Compare multiple loan offers with one application
  • No impact on your credit score to prequalify
  • Access to competitive rates and terms from various lenders
Cons
  • Not a direct lender
  • Some lenders might have stricter requirements
  • Some complaints around customer service
Loan amount$600 to $100,000
APR4.60% to 35.99%
Interest Rate TypeFixed
Min. credit scoreFair to excellent credit
Turnaround TimeAs soon as 1 business day
Maximum Loan Term7 years
Minimum Loan Term1 year

How does Upstart compare?

Upstart has some of the most flexible lending criteria among personal loan lenders. Borrowers can choose from either personal loans or auto refinance loans. Here are the main pros and cons of this lender.

Pros

  • 300 minimum credit score requirement
  • Considers alternative criteria like your education and career
  • Gets good customer reviews online

Cons

  • Origination fee up to 12%
  • Only two terms to choose from
  • No mobile app to manage loans
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To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Holly Jennings and reviewed by Anna Serio, a member of Finder's Editorial Review Board.
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Written by

Writer

Kat Aoki was a personal finance writer at Finder, specializing in consumer and business lending. She’s written thousands of articles to help consumers make better decisions on their home loans, bank accounts, credit cards, cryptocurrency and more. Kat is well versed in working with leading brands in the real estate, mortgage and personal finance industries, and her expertise has been featured on Forbes Advisor, Lifewire and financial comparison sites like iSelect and realestate.com.au. She holds a BS in business administration from California State University, Sacramento and enjoys hiking and yoga in her spare time. See full bio

Kat's expertise
Kat has written 198 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Mortgages
  • Home equity loans
  • Mortgage refinancing
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Co-written by

Editor

Sarah Barness is the Head of Content at O.school and freelance writer at Finder, keeping up with the latest products in the industry to present readers with unbiased reviews and guides. She has over eight years of digital media industry experience in fast-paced newsrooms in New York City and Los Angeles. Before Finder, Sarah was ranked as a top-viewed HuffPost editor and writer. She was also a lifestyle senior editor for A Plus, a digital media publication founded by Ashton Kutcher. Sarah holds an MFA in creative nonfiction from The New School, as well as a certificate in editing from Poynter ACES. See full bio

Sarah's expertise
Sarah has written 5 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Reward, travel, balance transfer, secured and business credit cards
  • Identity theft and scams
  • Credit management
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