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What to know first: An installment loan lets you borrow a fixed sum of money and pay it back over a set period. You can use personal loans if you need to finance a large-ticket item, pay for an emergency expense or have flexibility in the loan’s use.

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LightStream: Bankrate 2025 Award Winner For Best Home Improvement Loan

4.5
Est. APR
6.94- 25.29%
* with AutoPay
Loan term
2-7 yrs*
Loan amount
$5k- $100K
Min credit score
695

PERSONAL LOANS

Upstart: Best for bad credit

4.7
Est. APR
7.40- 35.99%
Loan term
3-5 yrs
Loan amount
$1k- $50K
Min credit score
300

LendingClub: Bankrate 2025 Award Winner For Best In An Emergency

4.7
Est. APR
8.91- 35.99%
Loan term
2-5 yrs
Loan amount
$1k- $40K
Min credit score
600

PERSONAL LOANS

Happy Money: Best for credit card debt consolidation

4.2
Est. APR
8.95- 17.48%
Loan term
2-5 yrs
Loan amount
$5k- $40K
Min credit score
640

PERSONAL LOANS

Citi: Best for multiple discounts

4.6
Est. APR
11.49- 20.49%
Loan term
1-5 yrs
Loan amount
$2k- $30K
Min credit score
Not disclosed

PERSONAL LOANS

Avant: Best for flexible terms and bad credit

4.5
Est. APR
9.95- 35.99%
Loan term
2-5 yrs
Loan amount
$2k- $35K
Min credit score
550

SoFi: Bankrate 2025 Award Winner For Best Online Lender

4.7
Est. APR
8.99- 29.49%
with all discounts
Loan term
2-7 yrs
Loan amount
$5k- $100K
Min credit score
Not disclosed
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LightStream
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
4.5
Est. APR
6.94%–25.29%
Loan amount
$5k– $100k
Min credit score
695

Upstart
Rating: 4.7 stars out of 5
4.7
Est. APR
7.40%–35.99%
Loan amount
$1k– $50k
Min credit score
300

LendingClub
Rating: 4.7 stars out of 5
4.7
Est. APR
8.91%–35.99%
Loan amount
$1k– $40k
Min credit score
600

Happy Money
Rating: 4.2 stars out of 5
4.2
Est. APR
8.95%–17.48%
Loan amount
$5k– $40k
Min credit score
640

Citi® Personal Loan
Rating: 4.6 stars out of 5
4.6
Est. APR
11.49%–20.49%
Loan amount
$2k– $30k
Min credit score
Not specified

Avant
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
4.5
Est. APR
9.95%–35.99%
Loan amount
$2k– $35k
Min credit score
550

SoFi
Rating: 4.7 stars out of 5
4.7
Est. APR
8.99%–29.49%
Loan amount
$5k– $100k
Min credit score
Not specified
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Pros

  • You can typically get the funds quickly — sometimes even the same day you’re approved.
  • Payments are predictable and have fixed terms and interest rates.
  • Interest rates tend to be lower than credit card interest rates.
  • You can use installment loans to cover just about any expense.
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Cons

  • A lower credit score means you could end up with an interest rate upwards of 30%.
  • Some lenders may charge origination fees as high as 10 percent.
  • Personal loan limits at some lenders may not give you enough cash for your goals.
  • Some lenders may charge a prepayment penalty for paying off your loan early.
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BANKRATE EXPERT FAQ

How many installment loans should you have?


Nationally recognized student financial aid expert

Installment loans are best for major purchases, such as buying a home or car. Examples include mortgages and auto loans. Installment loans let you spread out the cost over several years, so you don’t have to pay for a big expense all at once. Most people do not have enough money saved to buy big ticket items with cash. You should devote no more than a third of your income to repaying debt, so you have enough money to cover your living expenses and pay your taxes. Installment loans can also help you build good credit if you make the monthly payments on time every time.

Senior writer, Loans

The answer to this depends on why you’re getting the installment loans in the first place. One installment loan is enough if it’s used to replace a handful of revolving debt like credit cards. You may need an additional one to finance a car if you don’t have cash to pay for it. However, there’s no flexibility when it comes to your monthly payment on an installment loan. There’s no minimum monthly payment and you can’t re-use any balance you’ve paid off like you can with a credit card. Financial experts often suggest you spend no more than a third of your take home pay on monthly debt. That’s good advice, but you also need to look at your lifestyle spending. If you spend a lot on eating out, entertainment or expensive hobbies like golfing, you should limit the number of installment loans you take out.

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Bankrate tip: Getting an installment loan with bad credit

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