If you are looking to borrow money on a short-term loan, you should turn to a different lender than if you are looking for a long-term loan. Some loan providers are strong in P2P lending, secured loans, or loans for those with poor or excellent credit. Here is a review of recommended personal loan lenders to turn to for each type of loan.
Personal Loan Companies Compared:
Suitable for Short Term Loans: Monevo
Loan amount: up to $100,000
APR: 4.50% - 35.99%
Loan term: 3 months - 6 years
Minimum credit score: 580
With APRs that range from 4.50% - 35.99% and loan amounts up to $100,000, Monevo leads the market in short-term loan providers. Monevo is a loan provider marketplace; when you apply, your application will be shared directly with 50 of the millions of lenders who are part of Monevo’s database. This gives you access to more potential loan options to choose from without having to complete multiple application forms. Response time is fast, with replies coming in after just a couple of minutes, and your funding could be through within 1 day.
Since Monevo is a loan aggregator, it doesn’t guarantee your loan terms, which vary depending on the provider. However, loan repayment periods range from just three months, ideal if you just need a bridge loan to cover cash flow issues and reach up to 72 months.
Biggest perk: Repayment plans of up to 8 years
Suitable for Long Term Loans: SoFi
Loan amount: up to $100,000
APR: 7.99% - 23.43% (with all discounts)
Loan term: 2 - 7 years
Minimum credit score: 680
SoFi is an online lender with some of the longest repayment terms for unsecured long-term loans. Loan repayment periods stretch up to 84 months (7 years) with highly competitive APR ranging from 7.99% - 23.43% (with all discounts). When you borrow through SoFi, you can access a range of different long-term loan options that include student loan refinancing and parent loans that are designed to help parents pay for their kids’ college education.
SoFi offers a flexible payment system. Once your repayments have begun, you can change your monthly payment date. If you are usually on time with your payments but miss one, SoFi will waive the late fee, and everyone has a 15-day grace period in which to catch up on a missed payment before the late payment fee is applied. Late payment fees are low at $5 or 4% of the loan, whichever is lower. If you lose your job and have trouble making payments, you can request forbearance whereby you suspend payments. You can ask for forbearance for three months at a time for up to 12 months, although the interest will continue to accrue during this time. SoFi also doesn’t charge any origination fees, loan arrangement fees, or to process a personal check.
Biggest perk: Unemployment protection
Suitable for Secured Loans: LendingTree
Loan amount: up to $50,000
APR: 6.99% - 35.99%
Loan term: 3 months - 15 years
Minimum credit score: none
LendingTree is a loan marketplace that offers borrowers pre-approval on loans from hundreds of different providers. Unlike many secured loan providers, LendingTree includes RV loans, powersport loans, and boat loans as well as the more traditional home equity and auto loans. As a loan aggregator, LendingTree reminds borrowers that APR rates and terms vary depending on the lender, ranging from 6.99% - 35.99%.
As you’d expect, the amounts and loan period for home equity loans – at up to $150,000 for up to 30 years – are longer than those for auto loans. An average auto loan is $25,000 for a five year repayment period, while there is no upper limit on loans for RVs and boats. LendingTree also provides great customer support and application processing times are swift.
Biggest perk: No fees, no minimum credit score
Suitable for Unsecured Loans: AmOne
Loan amount: up to $40,000
APR: 5.99% - 35.99%
Loan term: 2 - 7 years
Minimum credit score: none
AmOne connects borrowers with a number of lenders through just one simple application. AmOne prides itself on helping borrowers find the right loan option for them, even with less than perfect credit. After your initial application is approved, which takes only a few minutes, you’ll receive a number of pre-approved loan offers from different loan providers. AmOne provides a comparison tool to help you compare offers and pick an option quickly and clearly. You can get an unsecured personal loan for any purpose at all in amounts that range from $1,000 to $40,000 and with APR rates of between 5.99% - 35.99%, depending on your credit rating. Repayment terms extend from 24 to 84 months.
Biggest perk: No fees, no minimum credit score
Suitable for Good Credit: Fiona
Loan amount: up to $100,000
APR: 5.20% - 35.99%
Loan term: 2 - 7 years
Minimum credit score: 580
Fiona is an online loan marketplace that shares your application with the many lenders on its database so that you can get multiple pre-approved loan offers with the one application. Fiona does work with borrowers who have credit scores of 580 or below, but its most favorable APRs and highest loan amounts are available only for customers with excellent or good credit ratings. You can borrow up to $100,000 if your credit score is high, while APR rates range from 5.20% - 35.99%. Fiona doesn’t guarantee loan terms and conditions since they vary depending on the lender you go with, but loan repayment periods are between two and seven years.
Biggest perk: Applications approved within seconds
Suitable for Bad Credit: LoansUnder36
Loan amount: $500 - $35,000
APR: 5.99% - 35.99%
Loan term: 2 to 72 months
Minimum credit score: none
Not everybody has great credit all the time, and at such times you can try lending houses like LoansUnder36. The website can put you in touch with a network of more than 100 lenders and all types of personal loan options, even if you have bad credit. You may pay a higher APR, but a bad credit score doesn’t mean you’re boxed out with LoansUnder36.
Getting a loan through LoansUnder36 is simple and painless, and the company estimates that it shouldn’t take you longer than 2 minutes to complete your application, with the funds deposited in your account as soon as the next business day. You also won't face any origination fee with the company though the lender that provides your loan may attach some costs.
Biggest perk: No minimum credit score or origination fee
Bottom Line
While some loan providers stand out no matter what loan you need, if you know you’re looking for a particular type of loan, we think you should go straight to the professionals. No matter which type of loan you need, you now know who to go to for the favorable rates, repayment terms, and loan amounts.