Best Personal Loans For LASIK Financing Of May 2024

SoFi is an online lending platform that offers unsecured fixed-rate personal loans in every state. Founded in 2011, SoFi has extended over $50 billion in loans and stands out for allowing high loan amounts and its availability of extended loan terms.

Loans are available from $5,000 to $100,000, making SoFi a great option for those with excellent credit who need to borrow a large amount of money. Loan amounts available may vary by the state you live in. Repayment terms range from two to seven years, making SoFi an incredibly flexible option for those with sufficient credit (minimum 650) and annual income (at least $45,000). SoFi also lets prospective borrowers submit joint applications—although co-signers are not permitted.

Approved borrowers are rewarded with comparatively low APRs. What’s more, SoFi doesn’t charge origination fees, late fees or prepayment penalties—a stand-out feature because personal loan lenders often charge origination or late payment fees at a minimum.

However, if you’re considering a debt consolidating loan from SoFi, keep in mind that the lender does not offer direct payment to a borrower’s other creditors. This means the loan proceeds will be deposited to your bank account and you’ll have to pay off your other lenders individually. The platform does offer customers a number of other perks and discounts.

Eligibility:

• Minimum credit score required. 650
• Minimum annual income. $45,000
• Co-borrowers. Permitted
• Co-signers. Not permitted

What I find impressive about SoFi is its innovative approach to lending, with a focus on providing borrowers with personalized loan options tailored to their unique financial situations.

As a small business owner, I benefited from SoFi’s competitive rates and borrower-friendly terms, which include no origination fees or prepayment penalties. Also, SoFi’s member benefits, such as career coaching and financial planning resources, add value beyond just the loan itself, making it an attractive choice for entrepreneurs looking to grow their businesses while managing their finances responsibly.

— Michael Ashley, finance expert, Richiest.com

LightStream offers loans with both a low minimum and maximum interest rate, along with a rate-beat program. LightStream’s unsecured personal loans range from $5,000 to $100,000 with loan amounts varying based on the loan purpose. In addition to offering appealing and flexible terms, LightStream charges no origination, late payment or prepayment fees. The lender also offers a 0.50% rate discount for borrowers who enroll in autopay.

Eligibility:

• Minimum credit score. 660
• Minimum income. Does not disclose
• Co-borrowers. Permitted

Lightstream, a division of Trust Bank, is known for its range of loan options and competitive rates. The downside can be its strict eligibility criteria, making it difficult for those with less-than-stellar credit history to gain approval.

— Jonathan Feniak, general counsel and head of finance, LLC Attorney

LendingPoint is an online lender based in Atlanta that offers personal loans to prospective borrowers in 48 states and Washington D.C.; it does not offer loans in Nevada and West Virginia. Prospective borrowers in eligible states can apply online and benefit from quick funding.

LendingPoint personal loans range from $2,000 to $36,500; Georgia loans have a minimum loan amount of $3,500. Repayment terms range from 24 to 72 months—or two to six years.

There are two main disadvantages to LendingPoint: high maximum APRs and origination fees. While you can typically avoid high APRs by maintaining a high credit score, LendingPoint origination fees (up to 10%) depend on the state you live in.

Eligibility: 

• Minimum credit score. 600
• Minimum annual income. $35,000
• Co-signers. Not permitted

LendingPoint can be a good option for those who may not have a high credit score. They focus more on the potential borrower’s job history and income when determining loan eligibility and rates.

— Jonathan Feniak, general counsel and head of finance, LLC Attorney

Upgrade was launched in 2017 and provides accessible online and mobile credit and banking services. Since that time, the platform has made more than $3 billion in credit available to over 10 million applicants and continues to expand its online and mobile services. Although maximum APRs are on the high end compared to other online lenders, Upgrade makes loans available to those with poor credit history.

Loans amounts, which range from $1,000 to $50,000. Upgrade has two- to seven-year terms  available. Upgrade charges an origination fee between 1.85% and 9.99% of the loan, and borrowers will encounter a $10 fee if their payment is more than 15 days late or if the payment does not go through; there are no discounts for autopay. That said, Upgrade borrowers are not subject to a prepayment penalty, so you can reduce the overall cost of the loan if you’re able to pay it off early.

Beyond offering accessible personal loans, Upgrade streamlines the lending process with a mobile app that lets borrowers view their balance, make payments and update personal information. Upgrade’s Credit Heath tool also makes it easy to track your credit score over the life of your loan.

Eligibility: 

• Minimum credit score. 580
• Minimum income. None
• Co-applicants. Permitted

Upgrade’s personal loans come with a unique feature—mandatory automatic payments. While this is an effective default prevention measure, it might not suit everyone, especially those with irregular income streams.

— Jonathan Feniak, general counsel and head of finance, LLC Attorney

Universal Credit is an online lending platform that offers personal loans between $1,000 to $50,000 through its partners. Repayment terms range from three to seven years.

While Universal Credit makes finding a personal loan accessible even to those with damaged credit, it comes with a few tradeoffs. First, it charges high APRs, well above the most competitive rates seen on our list. Second, Universal Credit charges a 5.25% to 9.99% origination fee on all personal loans. Because this is deducted from your loan proceeds, you’ll need to factor this in when determining your loan amount to ensure you receive the necessary amount after the fact.

Eligibility:

• Minimum credit score. 580
• Minimum income requirement. Does not disclose
• Co-signers. Does not disclose
• Co-borrowers. Does not disclose

Discover is an online bank that also offers customers credit cards, retirement solutions and personal loans in all 50 states. As a lending platform, Discover stands out because of its online application and mobile banking tools, well-reviewed customer support team and quick funding.

In general, loans are available from $2,500 to $40,000 and may be issued for between three and seven years. So, while borrowers may get a larger loan from another lender, the repayment terms are fairly flexible. Discover charges a late payment fee and does not offer an autopay discount; however, it does not charge any origination fees or prepayment penalties, making it competitive with other top personal loan providers.

Eligibility: 

• Minimum credit score: 660
• Minimum income: $25,000
• Co-signers. Not permitted
• Co-borrowers. Not permitted

Upstart has made a mark on the personal loan space because of its artificial intelligence- and machine learning-based approach to borrower qualification. In fact, Upstart estimates that it has been able to approve 27% more borrowers than possible under a traditional lending model. With competitive APRs, Upstart is not a top lender for borrowers who can qualify for more competitive rates. Even so, the platform’s minimum 300 credit score makes it an accessible option to those with fair credit.

Upstart also offers a pretty flexible range of loan options, with amounts ranging from $1,000 to $50,000 so you don’t have to borrow (or pay interest on) more than you really need. And, while Upstart’s loan cap is lower than some lenders—this is likely to be enough for many prospective borrowers.

Even though Upstarts three- or five-year loan terms are more restrictive than other lenders, it’s likely to be an acceptable tradeoff for applicants who might not be approved in a more traditional lending environment. Plus, it’s available in every state except West Virginia and Iowa, so it’s as widely available as many other top lenders.

Eligibility: 

• Minimum credit score. 300
• Minimum income. No minimum but must have a source of income
• Co-signers. Not permitted
• Co-borrowers. Not permitted

Upstart has no minimum credit score to apply for a loan, which makes them a popular choice for borrowers of all categories. Those with lower credit scores or uneven credit history may receive offers with [high APRs]. Loan amounts range from $1,000 to $50,000 and loan term lengths available are three- or five-year.

Upstart offers flexibility with payment dates and funding can be as soon as one business day. However, some requirements are employment, steady income, a personal bank account, email address and a Social Security number. Some fees may apply, including an origination fee, late fees or statement fees.

— Stephen Kates, CFP®, Annuity.org

Founded in 2012 and based in Chicago, Avant is a consumer lending platform that offers secured and unsecured personal loans through a third-party bank (WebBank). Unsecured loans are available in Washington, D.C. and every state but Hawaii, Iowa, New York, Vermont, West Virginia and Maine. The platform specializes in middle-income borrowers with fair to good credit and only requires a minimum score of 580 to qualify.

Maximum loan amounts are low compared to other lenders, but the low minimum amount and flexible repayment terms (two to five years) make it an accessible option for borrowers. However, as with many loans for subprime borrowers, Avant personal loans come with a price. In addition to charging an administrative fee of up to 4.75% of the loan amount, Avant’s APR range (9.95% to 35.99%) is on the high end for applicants with a good to excellent credit score—and there is no autopay discount. Still, the platform earns top marks for borrowers with less than stellar credit who need quick access to funds.

Eligibility: 

• Minimum credit score: 580
• Minimum income: $20,000
• Doesn’t allow co-signers or co-borrowers

Loan uses:

• Debt consolidation
• Large expenses
• Home projects