Best low-interest personal loans for May 2025
Filter results
Why choose Bankrate?
Backed by over 40 years of experience, our team at Bankrate strives to help you make the right decisions for any financial situation.
Your security comes first
Bankrate protects your data from end to end, so you stay safe whether you're browsing articles or prequalifying for a loan.
We partner with the best
No outside influence
A closer look at our top low-interest loans
Here's a deep dive into each lender, why they're the best in each category and specifically who would benefit most from borrowing from the lender.
Upstart: Best for borrowers with bad credit
Upstart: Best for borrowers with bad credit
Upstart: Best for borrowers with bad credit
Upstart: Best for borrowers with bad credit
Upgrade: Best for debt consolidation
Upgrade: Best for debt consolidation
Upgrade: Best for debt consolidation
Upgrade: Best for debt consolidation
Prosper: Best for peer-to-peer loans
Prosper: Best for peer-to-peer loans
Prosper: Best for peer-to-peer loans
Prosper: Best for peer-to-peer loans
SoFi: Best online lender
SoFi: Best online lender
SoFi: Best online lender
SoFi: Best online lender
Discover: Best for low maximum rates
Discover: Best for low maximum rates
Discover: Best for low maximum rates
Discover: Best for low maximum rates
Best Egg: Best for secured personal loans
Best Egg: Best for secured personal loans
Best Egg: Best for secured personal loans
Best Egg: Best for secured personal loans
Achieve: Best for fast funds with a co-borrower
Achieve: Best for fast funds with a co-borrower
Achieve: Best for fast funds with a co-borrower
Achieve: Best for fast funds with a co-borrower
TD Bank: Best bank loan
TD Bank: Best bank loan
TD Bank: Best bank loan
TD Bank: Best bank loan
Calculate your low-interest personal loan payment
Use Bankrate's loan calculator to compare interest rates and repayment terms to find the best repayment plan for your budget. Check what factors provide the most affordable estimated monthly payment and see how much total interest you may need to pay.
Loan Calculator
How to compare low-interest personal loans
Every lender and product is different. When it comes to comparing personal loans, there are several factors to consider, not just which product has the lowest annual percentage rate (APR). When shopping for a low-interest personal loan, keep the following factors in mind to determine the best options for your situation.
- Lender requirements: Review each lender's income, credit score and debt-to-income (DTI) requirements to make sure you qualify for the loan. You'll also want to make sure the lender's minimum or maximum loan amounts meet your needs.
- Interest rates and fees: The APR you are offered will vary widely by lender and your financial situation. Some lenders also charge certain fees — like origination fees, prepayment penalties and late fees — that other lenders do not.
- Repayment terms: Each lender may offer different repayment terms, typically ranging from one to seven years. Consider the monthly payment you can afford and how long you want to pay for a loan.
- Approval and funding timeline: Think about how quickly you need a personal loan and match that timeline with lenders that are able to process and fund loans as quickly as you need them to.
- Discounts and perks: Some lenders offer perks and discounts to certain borrowers, including those who may already have accounts with the lender or those who sign up for autopay.
- Lender reviews: Read through lender reviews to learn more about customer service and what to expect when working with the lender.
Low-interest personal loan rates
There are many factors that go into each person's interest rate, including your credit profile, the amount you need to borrow, type of loan you want and the current federal funds rate. The Federal Reserve impacts personal loan rates by raising or lowering this rate, which impacts the cost of borrowing money.
Average rates as of May 07, 2025
Personal loans | 12.43% |
Lenders offer a range of rates, including a minimum and maximum rate. Depending on your credit, your rate will fall somewhere in between. The higher your credit score, the lower your rate may be, though other factors are considered as well. For example, shorter terms may receive a lower rate, and you may be able to lower your rate by signing up for autopay.
What are low-interest personal loans?
Generally, a low-interest personal loan has a rate far below the national average. As of May 7, 2025, the average personal loan rate was 12.43 percent. That’s much higher than the lowest single-digit rates advertised on many lenders’ websites.
Personal loans have a wide range of rates, and the APR you qualify for depends on your credit score. A low interest rate for an excellent credit borrower may be as low as 6.49 percent, while a low rate for a bad credit loan might start at 28.5 percent.
Although the lowest rates go to excellent borrowers, you should still shop for the lowest rate even if you have bad, fair or good credit. Bad credit lenders may offer special discounts if you make payments on time or set up automatic payments.
Pros and cons of low-interest personal loans
Pros
- A lower monthly payment gives you more room in your budget.
- You'll save more money on interest than you'd pay with other types of debt, such as credit cards.
- No risk of losing an asset like a home or car, since most low-interest personal loans are unsecured.
Cons
- Harder to qualify for if you have an unstable income or credit issues.
- The lowest APRs are typically offered for shorter repayment terms with higher monthly payments.
- May require more paperwork to prove creditworthiness.
How to get a low-interest personal loan
Even though personal loan rates and eligibility criteria vary widely from lender to lender, certain steps can increase your chances of qualifying for the lowest rate offered.
- Spruce up your credit score: Lenders use your credit score to predict how likely you are to repay your debt. Consider paying off your credit card balances and avoid applying for new credit to keep your score in the best shape. If you've been late on any payments, you may need to wait several months for your score to recover.
- Pay off revolving debt: Besides payment history, your credit utilization ratio has the biggest impact on your score. The less available credit you use, the higher your score will be. If you can’t pay off your balances, get them as low as possible.
- Learn lender requirements: Check to see what the lender requires for the lowest rates. You might need a certain income or choose a secured loan option to get the best rates.
- Ask about discounts: Rate discounts for automatic payments could knock 0.25 to 0.50 percent off your APR. They are uncommon, so if you don’t see any advertised rate discounts on a lender’s website, ask about discounts when you apply.
- Pay off other debt: Lenders compare how much monthly debt you pay to how much you earn. This is called your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio. If it's too high, the lender is more likely to offer you a higher APR. Typically, the sweet spot for the best rates is below 36 percent.
- Consider credit unions: If you qualify for membership with a credit union, you may find lower rates than you would with a traditional bank. Federal credit unions are required to cap loan rates at 18 percent, which is much lower than banks and online lenders.
How much a low-interest personal loan can save you
You could be saving thousands of dollars in interest accrual with a low-interest personal loan. Let's look at how much you could save on a $15,000 loan with a low interest rate compared to the same loan with a rate that is close to average and one with a higher rate.
Interest rate | Loan term | Monthly payment | Interest paid | Total amount paid |
---|---|---|---|---|
5% | 24 months | $658.07 | $793.70 | $15,793.70 |
10% | 24 months | $692.17 | $1,612.17 | $16,612.17 |
13% | 24 months | $713.13 | $2,115.06 | $17,115.06 |
25% | 24 months | $800.57 | $4,213.75 | $19,213.75 |
FAQs
Learn more about low-interest personal loans
Before applying for a personal loan, learn more about this financial tool to ensure you meet your financial goals.
How to qualify for a low-interest personal loan
Learn the basic personal loan eligibility requirements and how to increase your chances of approval.
Personal loans rate forecast for 2025
Wondering about the best time to borrow? Expert predictions may help.
How the Federal Reserve impacts loans
The federal funds rate impacts how expensive it is to borrow money. Learn more about the Fed's most recent decision and how it affects today's rates.
How to calculate interest on a loan
Knowing the mechanics behind loan interest rates can make you a more informed borrower.
How we choose our best low-interest personal loan lenders
Bankrate's trusted personal loans industry expertise
48
years in business
45
lenders reviewed
20
loan features weighed
900
data points collected
To select the best low-interest personal loans, Bankrate’s team of experts evaluated over 30 lenders. Each lender was ranked using a meticulous 20-point system, focusing on four main categories: