APR

7.99%
To
35.89%

Credit Req.

620

Minimum Credit Score

Terms

36 or 60

months

Origination Fee

1.50% - 6.00%

SEE OFFERS Secured

on LendingTree’s secure website

The big fee that you have to watch out for with Upgrade is the origination fee. The origination fee can take a sizeable chunk out of your loan before you even get any money. Take into consideration this fee when deciding how much money to borrow since it will decrease the amount of cash you’ll receive.

• Minimum credit score: 620
• Minimum credit history: Not available
• Maximum debt-to-income ratio: Not available

Upgrade doesn’t disclose all of the conditions used to qualify borrowers but they do list the minimum credit score accepted as 620. As far as residency and other requirements, you need to meet the following conditions:

• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident (or a valid U.S. visa holder)
• Be at least 18 years old or 19 in select states
• Have a verifiable bank account and email address

Upgrade loans are exclusive to certain states. You can’t get an Upgrade loan if you live in Conn., Colo., Iowa, Mass., Md., Vt., or W.Va. Upgrade doesn’t specify that you work with a certain type of employer to qualify. You do need to input your salary during the application. Upgrade may request that you turn in supporting documents like your pay stubs to support the income you claim.

Self-employed workers can apply for Upgrade loans as well, but you may have to submit more paperwork to prove your income. You could be asked to provide two years of tax documents, bank statements and other tax-related forms.

To get started with Upgrade, you can check your rate online, which doesn’t require a hard pull on your credit. You enter in preliminary information about the loan you need.

The next part of the short initial application is you putting in your name, address and annual income. Upgrade will give you a few preapproved offers based on the information.

The loan offers you receive after giving this information will include a loan amount, interest rate and term. After choosing an offer, you’ll be asked for the bank account where you want to deposit the money if your application is approved. A hard credit pull will be performed to make a final decision.

You’ll get an email asking to upload supporting documents, such as your pay stubs or tax documents to be verified. You can get funding within four business days when all of your information clears. Sign up for autopay during the application process to get the very best rates available.

Upgrade loans can be worthwhile for someone who needs money quickly because you can get cash within four business days. You can also benefit from this loan if your credit score is less than perfect since the credit score minimum is 620.

With that said, you still may want to work on your credit before applying for an Upgrade loan or any other loan. A higher credit score is going to help you get approved for the better interest rates. Plus, Upgrade looks beyond your credit to review your credit usage and history before approving you.

An Upgrade loan may suit your needs if you’re looking for a sizeable loan for a major purchase because you can borrow up to $50,000. That’s a decent amount of money to pay off high interest credit card debt, consolidate other debt, or even fund a business.

The biggest problem area for this loan is the origination fee since there are options without one. You should shop around for loans first that don’t have an origination fee before considering this loan.

SoFi is an example of one lender that has no origination fee. SoFi also has longer loan term options than Upgrade. You can borrow up to $100,000. The interest rate range for SoFi is more competitive. Lenders with low interest rates generally serve borrowers with good to excellent credit. Qualifying for SoFi may be more of a challenge. Fortunately, SoFi will let you pre-qualify without a hard inquiry so you can check rates.

APR

5.74%
To
16.24%

Credit Req.

680

Minimum Credit Score

Terms

24 to 84

months

Origination Fee

No origination fee

SEE OFFERS Secured

on LendingTree’s secure website

Advertiser Disclosure

LendingClub has an APR range and loan terms that are pretty comparable to what Upgrade has to offer. The minimum credit score required and the origination fee are similar. You can borrow up to $40,000 on a fixed rate personal loan. Pre-qualifying for LendingClub won’t impact your credit. Consider shopping with this lender to see if you can get a better rate before settling with Upgrade.

(4312 Reviews)

APR

6.95%
To
35.89%

Credit Req.

600

Minimum Credit Score

Terms

36 or 60

months

Origination Fee

1.00% - 6.00%

SEE OFFERS Secured

on LendingTree’s secure website

The Marcus personal loan by Goldman Sachs Bank USA is another no-fee personal loan. The available loan terms are slightly longer than Upgrade, which could help you stretch out the loan payment. The interest rates are also comparable to Upgrade, but the no-fee aspect gives it a leg up. Shopping for Marcus loan rates also won’t trigger a hard inquiry.

APR

5.99%
To
28.99%

Credit Req.

Varies

Minimum Credit Score

Terms

36 to 72

months

Origination Fee

No origination fee

SEE OFFERS Secured

on LendingTree’s secure website

Advertiser Disclosure

APR

6.79%
To
20.89%

Credit Req.

Not specified

Minimum Credit Score

Terms

36 to 84

months

Origination Fee

No fees

SEE OFFERS Secured

on LendingTree’s secure website

Citizens Bank product details

A Citizens Bank personal loan offers you the ability to lower your interest rate. If you have another qualifying Citizens Bank account when you complete your application, you’ll receive the Citizens Loyalty Discount, entitling you to a 0.25% rate discount. Save another 0.25% by opting to have your monthly loan payments automatically debited through ACH. This allows you to reduce your rate by a total of 0.50%.

In addition, if you’re an active-duty service member or are called into active duty before your Citizens Bank personal loan is repaid, you may qualify for special benefits. Eligibility varies according to a number of factors, so contact customer service for more details.

Eligibility requirements

• Minimum credit score: Not specified
• Minimum credit history: “Reasonably strong credit history,” per Citizens Bank’s website.
• Maximum debt-to-income ratio: Not specified.

To qualify for a Citizens Bank personal loan, you must have a strong credit history and a minimum annual income of at least $24,000. You must also be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the U.S. or Puerto Rico and have a valid Social Security number. Additionally, you’ll need to be at least the age of majority in the state where you reside.

Applying for a personal loan from Citizens Bank

You can apply for a Citizens Bank personal loan online. To complete your application, you’ll need to provide your Social Security number, gross annual income — accompanied by your most recent pay stub — and requested loan amount. If applicable, you might also be required to specify the name and phone number of your employer and the name and email address of your co-signer. Do note, though, that if you use a co-signer, they’ll also need to provide all the information listed above.

After submitting your application, you might be asked to supply additional documents to verify the information submitted. If you’re asked to provide proof of Social Security number, this could include a copy of your Social Security card, birth certificate or passport. Documents needed for income verification purposes may vary, according to your unique situation. Submit the documents online for the fastest processing, via email or by standard or overnight mail.

If your personal loan is approved, you’ll need to acknowledge and accept the terms of the offer, review and sign your application and promissory note — along with your co-signer, if applicable. Your promissory note can be signed digitally — the fastest method — or physically. The money will be deposited in your account quickly — possibly within two business days — and your first payment will be due 20 to 50 days from disbursement.

Who’s the best fit for a Citizens Bank personal loan?

If you don’t want to pay fees, the Citizens Bank personal loan might be a good fit. Since no fees are attached to the loan — including origination fees and prepayment penalties — you can save money on its total cost.

Considering loans can often be funded within two business days, this could also be a great choice if you need cash fast. If you already have an account with Citizens Bank, you’ll especially want to check this loan out. You could be eligible for a reduced interest rate of up to 0.50% if you qualify for the Citizens Loyalty Discount and have your monthly loan payments automatically deducted through ACH.

Reading Citizens Bank reviews like this one is an important way to gather the facts, so you can make the best choice for your unique financial situation. It’s also advisable to shop around for other low-fee lenders, before signing any loan paperwork.

Citizens Bank consumer reviews

Citizens Bank has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. On LendingTree, our parent company, 92% of reviewers recommend Citizens Bank.

Positive points in consumer reviews include great rates, knowledgeability and helpfulness of the lender, as well as the rapidity of the process. On the negative side, the lack of bank branches was mentioned.

Avik, from Jericho, N.Y., praised the bank employee he worked with: “As a first-time home buyer, we stumbled upon lot of unknowns especially buying [a] little bit above our budget and affordability. David walked us through the process and made it super easy. The bank also closed the loan in such a short notice. We were able to get our home where we were competing against multiple cash offers.” Vladimir from Pomona, N.Y., found the team “very responsive and easy to deal with.”

On the other hand, while Jared from Croton On Hudson, N.Y., did acknowledge that the team was “pretty great,” he added that “the requirement to open an account with them was a bit more work when I realized how few branches were nearby,” though “likely not an issue in the long-term.”

Alternative personal loan options

APR

8.99%
To
17.99%

Credit Req.

710

Minimum Credit Score

Terms

60

months

Origination Fee

No origination fee

APPLY NOW Secured

on Wright-Patt Credit Union’s secure website

Wright-Patt Credit Union offers personal loans from $500 to $40,000. Personal loans can be used for anything. One of the perks attached to the loan is the Skip-a-Pay Program, allowing eligible borrowers to skip one payment per calendar year without a late fee. You’ll need to join the credit union to apply for a personal loan: Ohio residents in several central and southwest counties, as well as the cities of Columbus and Cincinnati, are eligible for membership; those outside the region can research other means of joining the credit union. If you qualify for membership, this can be a good choice if you need less than the $5,000 minimum Citizens Bank loan.

APR

Starting at 6.49%

Credit Req.

700

Minimum Credit Score

Terms

36 to 60

months

Origination Fee

No origination fee

APPLY NOW Secured

on PenFed Credit Union’s secure website

PenFed personal loans are offered from $500 to $25,000. There’s no hidden costs of borrowing and funds are available immediately. Personal loans are exclusive to PenFed members, but you could be eligible to join through your employer, association membership, volunteerism or military affiliation. PenFed’s baseline APR is slightly lower than the starting 6.49% APR offered by Citizens Bank, so taking this route could allow you to score a better rate.

APR

As low as 9.49%

Credit Req.

700

Minimum Credit Score

Terms

12 to 84

months

Origination Fee

No origination fee

APPLY NOW Secured

on USAA Bank’s secure website

If you’re a member of the U.S. military — or an eligible family member — you might qualify for a USAA personal loan. Borrowing starts at $2,500 and you must be a member to apply for a personal loan. Decisions are typically made immediately and loans are funded the next day. Assuming you qualify for USAA membership, this could be a good fit if your borrowing needs are less than $5,000 minimum for a Citizens Bank personal loan.

(692 Reviews)

APR

99.00%
To
199.00%

Credit Req.

Varies

Minimum Credit Score

Terms

9 to 24

months

Origination Fee

Varies

SEE OFFERS Secured

on LendingTree’s secure website

OppLoans’ rates are oppressively high, but there’s a reason they exist. When you find yourself with little money, a mountain of bills and bad credit, it becomes extremely difficult to gain access to low-interest borrowing products.

In these cases, many people turn to payday loans, which can have interest rates of around 400%. Going with a personal loan from OppLoans is a preferable path.

OppLoans makes efforts to help their clientele understand how they can boost their credit scores so they can get back into the traditional marketplace where lower rates can be obtained. They do this through OppU — a collection of free, educational courses that teach you about spending, saving, budgeting, credit and debt. Unless you live in Texas or Ohio, OppLoans also reports your loan activity to the three major credit bureaus, so making on-time payments can help you strengthen your traditional credit file.

Eligibility requirements

Clarity Services, Inc. is a subsidiary of Experian, but is not technically one of the big three credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion). Instead, Clarity Services deals with what is known as “alternative credit data.” This data is built by obtaining your credit report from one of the three major credit bureaus and supplementing it with information about recent credit inquiries, potential fraud attempts and your overall financial stability, including income and employment data.

When a lender like OppLoans uses Clarity Services, it’s doing so because it knows that, by traditional credit standards, you might look like a repayment risk, but it also knows that reliable people sometimes go through hard financial times. Clarity’s supplemental information allows OppLoans to make a lending decision on more than just traditional credit data.

If your alternative credit data qualifies you, you will also have to have a steady source of income. If your income is from employment, you have to have been with your employer for at least three months. You must also have a bank account that is at least three months old, where your paychecks are deposited using direct deposit. If you live in New Mexico, you are exempt from the direct deposit requirement.

If you’re active-duty military, you won’t qualify for a loan with OppLoans. That’s because the Military Lending Act protects servicemembers, their spouses and dependents from potentially predatory lenders, and the rates offered by OppLoans are far too high to meet this law’s standards.

Finally, you must be at least 19 years of age to qualify for an OppLoans personal loan if you live in Alabama or Nebraska. Otherwise, you must be 18 and live in one of these states:

• Alaska
• Arizona
• California
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Mexico
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Virginia
• Washington
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

Applying for a personal loan from OppLoans

The only way to apply for an OppLoans personal loan is through its online application. Be prepared to enter identifying information such as your name, address and Social Security number, as well as your bank account info and data about your employer or any other way that you bring in income.

At this point in the process, OppLoans will pull your alternative credit data via Clarity Services. If you are approved, you may have to provide supplemental documentation proving you are who you say you are and what you earn.

After approval, many see the money deposited into their bank accounts as soon as the next business day.

Who’s the best fit for an OppLoans personal loan?

OppLoans is not the best option for a lot of people because of its high interest rates. However, if you have poor credit but have a bank account, have recently been denied by other lenders who offer lower interest rates and need money right now, OppLoans may be your most viable solution. Consider OppLoans before you turn to payday loans.

OppLoans consumer reviews

Despite its staggeringly high interest rates, OppLoans receives mostly positive feedback from its customers. Those who have reviewed the company on LendingTree (MagnifyMoney’s parent company) say the application and funding process is quick and easy, and many note that the customer service is very good.

For example, reviewers praise OppLoans for being “professional, secure, and speedy,” as well as “upfront with fees and payment terms,” and “very helpful if you have any questions.” Ninety-six percent say they would recommend OppLoans — plus, the company has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.

Negative reviews for OppLoans are few and far between, but those that did rate their experience poorly say they weren’t approved by the lender or were unhappy with the high rates and fees.

Alternative personal loan options

(429 Reviews)

APR

34.00%
To
155.00%

Credit Req.

Varies

Minimum Credit Score

Terms

6 to 60

months

Origination Fee

1.00% - 5.00%

SEE OFFERS Secured

on LendingTree’s secure website

NetCredit issues personal loans with interest rates up to 155.00%. That’s not great, though it is a bit better than OppLoans’ ceiling of 199.00%. It also has far lower starting rates at 34.00% compared with OppLoans’ 99.00%. You may be able to qualify for a NetCredit personal loan with a credit score as low as 500.

(68 Reviews)

APR

9.99%
To
35.99%

Credit Req.

585

Minimum Credit Score

Terms

24 to 48

months

Origination Fee

0.00% - 6.00%

SEE OFFERS Secured

on LendingTree’s secure website

If you have a credit history strong enough to merit more traditional interest rates, take advantage of it. LendingPoint works with individuals with credit scores as low as 585 according to CEO Mark Lorimer. Interest rates are far lower than OppLoans, at 9.99%–35.99%.

APR

18.00%
To
204.00%

Credit Req.

Varies

Minimum Credit Score

Terms

12 to 24

months

Origination Fee

$30

SEE OFFERS Secured

on Finova Financial ’s secure website

Without a traditional bank account, you’re going to have a hard time getting an unsecured loan. You can instead look at title loans. To get these loans, you have to put up some collateral, like your car, which the lender could repossess should you fail to repay your debt. This is very risky, as losing your car could further complicate an already dire situation, but if you find yourself needing to us this type of financial product, consider Finova Financial, which has personal loan-like interest rates on its title loans, currently sitting at 18.00%–204.00%.