Personal loans for 2026

A personal loan is a type of installment loan offered by banks, credit unions and online lenders. While personal loans are accessible to borrowers across the credit spectrum, terms can vary depending on the lender and your creditworthiness. Some lenders may offer longer loan terms for certain uses, and others may charge higher APRs for borrowers who have bad credit. Personal loans are typically unsecured, which means you don't have to put up collateral to get approved. However, some lenders may also offer secured personal loans with lower interest rates.

While personal loans are incredibly versatile, taking on unnecessary debt can put pressure on your budget and threaten your financial security. What's more, taking on more debt than you can afford to pay off can potentially damage your credit score.

The best ways to use a personal loan responsibly involve improving your financial or living situation or avoiding more expensive debt. Here are just a few examples:

• Debt consolidation: Using a personal loan to consolidate debt can potentially help you save money on interest and accelerate your plan to pay off high-interest debt.
• Home renovations: If you have a home improvement project that can improve your living situation and offers a good return on your investment, a personal loan can be a good financing option.
• Medical bills: Some medical providers offer interest-free payment plans, but if you don't have that option—or the plan comes with a steep interest rate—a personal loan can potentially make your bills more affordable.
• Emergency expenses: If you have some unexpected expenses and don't have sufficient emergency savings, a personal loan can help you avoid more expensive financing options and give you time to get back on your feet financially.
• Large expenses: Whether expected or unexpected, some large expenses may be difficult to delay. Potential large expenses you could cover with a personal loan include weddings, moves, funerals or even a sizable tax bill—though the IRS does offer relatively low-cost payment plans.

While you can also use a personal loan to take a vacation or pay for other nonessential expenses, it's generally best to save up for those instead. Also, if you're thinking about using a personal loan to buy a car or pay for educational expenses, keep in mind that you can usually get better terms on an auto loan or student loan.

Some lenders may have a few restrictions. For example, you may not be able to use a personal loan to pay for educational expenses, to buy investments or to fund a business. Additionally, mortgage lenders don't usually accept personal loan funds as a down payment on a home.

As you consider whether a personal loan is right for you, it's important to understand both the pros and cons, especially how they relate to your financial situation, needs and goals.

Advantages of Personal Loans

• Predictable repayment plan: Unlike credit cards, personal loans offer a fixed repayment plan. Once you repay the loan in full, you no longer carry that debt.
• Flexible loan amounts: Whether you need just a few hundred dollars or tens of thousands, there are loan options available to help you accomplish your goal. And with few exceptions, you can use a personal loan for most financial needs.
• No collateral needed: Since most personal loans are unsecured, you can borrow money without putting your assets down as collateral.
• Relatively low interest rates: On average, personal loans charge lower interest rates than credit cards and other short-term financing options.
• Accessibility: Regardless of your credit situation, there may be personal lenders willing to work with you. Additionally, some lenders can fund your loan within just a day or two—in some cases, you may even qualify for same-day funding.
• Helps build credit: Major personal lenders will typically report your monthly payments to all three credit bureaus, which can help you establish and maintain a good credit history. The key to building credit with a personal loan is making the full payment on time each month.

Disadvantages of Personal Loans

• Potential fees: While some lenders don't charge origination fees, many do. Personal loans can have a variety of fees, which may include an application fee, origination fee and prepayment fee, that all add to the total cost of taking out a loan. Additionally, you may be charged a fee for a late payment or a returned payment due to insufficient funds.
• Additional debt: Unless you use a personal loan to consolidate existing debt, you're adding new debt and a monthly payment to your budget. As a result, it's crucial to ensure that you can afford the obligation and that you're borrowing the money for a good reason.
• Interest rates can be high: While the average personal loan interest rate is low compared to credit cards and other short-term loans, borrowers with less-than-stellar credit can expect higher APRs, potentially making the loan unaffordable.
• Can damage your credit: Adding a new credit account and debt can have a temporary negative impact on your credit score. Additionally, missing a payment or defaulting on a personal loan could have a dramatic impact on your credit for several years.

Personal loan interest rates are influenced by several factors: your credit score, income, debt-to-income ratio, the loan size and repayment term. The higher your credit score and income, the better chances you have of qualifying for the lowest personal loan interest rates. A low debt-to-income ratio can also help you secure a lower APR. Smaller loans and shorter terms can both contribute to lower interest charges.

Personal loan companies look at several factors to determine your eligibility and loan terms. Requirements to get a personal loan can vary widely depending on the lender.

Here are general guidelines for what lenders typically look at when you apply:

• Credit score: To qualify for one of the best personal loans, you typically need good or excellent credit (670 or higher). Some lenders are willing to work with borrowers with fair or even poor credit, though they also typically charge higher rates and fees to compensate for the added risk. It may be better to take steps to improve your credit, then apply for a personal loan when your credit score has improved.
• Credit history: Lenders may review your credit reports, looking at your payment history and other debts to get a full picture of your creditworthiness.
• Income: Some lenders may require you to earn a minimum annual income to qualify for a loan. Additionally, they'll use your stated income and credit reports to calculate your debt-to-income ratio (DTI)—your total monthly debt payments divided by your gross monthly income. You'll typically need a DTI below 50% to get approved for a personal loan, but some lenders may have different maximums.
• Collateral: If you're thinking about applying for a secured personal loan, your collateral must typically be valuable enough to cover your desired loan amount.

Yes, there are personal loans available to people with fair or poor credit. That said, having a low score can make it difficult to get approved for a loan, or limit you to loans with high rates. Comparing options from different lenders can help you find a loan with the best terms:

• Online lenders: Some online lenders may require a low minimum credit score or no minimum at all. Interest rates for these personal loans can be up to 36% or higher in some cases.
• Credit unions: Some credit unions offer what's called a payday alternative loan (PAL) that comes with much more favorable terms than other short-term loan options. Depending on the type of PAL offered, you may be able to borrow up to $2,000, which you can repay over one to 12 months. Eligibility requirements may vary by credit union and loan type.
• Cash advance app: Also known as paycheck advance apps, these services offer short-term loans, which you'll typically repay within a couple of weeks. That said, some cash advance apps require a monthly subscription to get access to cash advances or charge fees to get access to the cash sooner. These extra fees can significantly add to your overall cost.

Prequalifying and checking your personal loan rates with Experian generates a soft inquiry, which won’t hurt your credit score. Completing a loan application results in a hard inquiry, which typically causes a small, temporary decline in your credit score. If your application is approved and you take out the loan, your credit score could drop a few more points, as the new credit line decreases the overall average age of your accounts and could increase your overall debt. On the other hand, a personal loan can also improve your credit and help you build a positive payment history if managed responsibly.

Personal loans are offered by a wide range of financial institutions, including traditional banks, credit unions and online lenders and platforms. To ensure you get the best personal loan for your credit situation and financial needs, it's critical that you shop around and compare offers from multiple lenders.

Here are some things to keep in mind as you research the different options:

• APR: Go through the prequalification process with each lender to get an idea of what the loan will cost you. Even if different lenders offer a similar range of APRs, they'll typically have different processes for determining which rate to offer you.
• Fees: When comparing personal loans, review the fees to see if there is an application fee, origination fee, prepayment penalty, payment processing fee or late fee. These fees can cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars, so it's in your best interest to compare various personal loans. You can avoid some or all of these personal loan fees by choosing a lender that doesn't charge these fees, or by signing up for autopay, only borrowing what you need so your origination fee is low, and negotiating with your lender.
• Repayment terms: Depending on your budget, you'll want to find a lender that offers a repayment term—and, therefore, a monthly payment—that works for you. Some lenders may offer a wide range of repayment terms, while others may only offer a couple of choices.
• Total cost: Finding out the total cost of the personal loan will help you plan for your best options and what you can comfortably afford. To see what your total amount paid with interest could be, see our personal loan calculator.
• Direct pay: If you're planning to use a personal loan to consolidate debt, consider lenders that offer to pay off your debts directly.
• Rate discounts: Some personal loan lenders may offer a slightly lower interest rate if you set up automatic payments from your bank account. You may even be able to get an interest rate discount if you consolidate debt using the lender's direct pay feature.

If your loan is approved earlier in the day, it is possible for you to receive your funds in as little as one hour after signing loan documents, as long as you are using a debit card to receive the funds. If your loan approval takes longer, you still don’t have much to worry about, as most lenders that we work with provide funding within 24 hours.

The amount you can borrow with a personal loan will vary depending on your credit history, income and other factors. We work with lenders that provide loan amounts as low as $1,000 up to $250,000. You should always consider how much you can afford in monthly payments and how much you will pay in interest over the life of the loan. Remember, just because a lender has determined that you can borrow a certain amount based on your credit, income and debt, it doesn’t mean that you have to take the maximum amount offered.

When you sign up with Experian, you can view the loan offers that are matched to your credit profile. Some people call these “soft pull loans”; they are personalized loan offers matched to your credit profile that you are more likely to be approved for. Checking rates and your pre-qualified options generates a soft inquiry, which won't hurt your credit scores if you aren’t approved.

If you choose an offer labeled No Ding Decline, you can apply for the loan without hurting your credit scores if you aren’t approved. If you aren’t initially approved, the application will remain as a soft inquiry. Approval is not guaranteed with the initial application, as there may be additional verifications required from the lender.

If you are approved for the offer, a hard inquiry will be reported, along with the new account, which may impact your credit scores.

How inquiries impact your credit scores

Soft inquiries do not affect your credit scores. Signing up or logging in to view the loan offers matched to your credit profile will not affect your credit scores. When you apply, choosing a loan labeled No Ding Decline will generate a soft inquiry if you aren’t approved and won’t affect your credit scores.

Traditionally, applying for a loan, even if you aren’t approved, generates a hard inquiry. Hard inquiries remain on your credit reports for up to two years and can affect your credit scores. While that impact is usually minimal and temporary, a single hard inquiry will usually take fewer than five points off your FICO^® Score, with this score impact remaining for up to a year.

If you are approved, a hard inquiry will appear on your credit report, along with the new loan account, which may impact your credit scores.

How opening a new account impacts your credit scores

When opening a new account, your credit scores may drop a few points, but this impact is short-lived. Your credit scores should rebound within a few months, once you show your finances are stable with on-time payments. Eventually, your credit scores may also improve as your on-time payment history continues with responsible management of your new debt.