What Are Some Fast Lenders
Here are some reputable lenders with a reputation for fast funding:
- Upgrade delivers personal loans from $1,000 to $35,000. You can get a decision in one day but it normally takes up to four days for the company to fund your loan.
- LightStream offers personal loans up to $100,000. Loan approval takes a day or two and funds in one or two business days.
- offers its entire process online and with no application fees. It takes about three days to get your money once you have final loan approval.
- Prosper is a well-known P2P lending platform offering loans up to $35,000. It can take one to seven business days for your application review and one to three days to fund once you have final approval.
- LendingPoint offers personal loans from $3,500 to $25,000. The company says it can do same-day approvals and fund as soon as one day after approval.
If speed is not your top consideration, you have a bit more leeway to shop for the lowest rate or best terms for your situation. Note that not all lenders approve loans for any purpose.
Can Personal Loans Build Your Credit
Personal loans can certainly help you improve your credit history. But there are also some instances where they can hurt you.
“If you don’t already have a lot of credit history, a personal loan can help you build positive payment history,” Tayne said. “And if you’re using the loan to pay off your credit cards, they can reduce your credit utilization rate. This can reflect positively on your credit report. But if the loan is only adding to your debt then it isn’t likely to help you build credit.”
Setting Yourself Up As A Better Personal Loan Candidate
There are specific qualifying criteria most lenders, including SoFi, look at when considering approving a personal loan application. Lenders typically review at least some of the following borrower information when reviewing an application for a personal loan:
Credit history, score and debt
Proof of ongoing stable income
In order to increase their chances of getting approved quickly, borrowers typically want to put their best financial foot forward. That means showing that they have steady income, an unblemished financial history, and a solid credit score.
Its worth noting that there are a variety of different scoring models and each lender might have their own criteria for reviewing a potential borrowers credit. With that in mind, Experian does offer some insight into interpreting credit scoresgenerally a score FICO® Score above 670 can be considered good, above 740 as very good, and above 800 as exceptional.
But credit score is just a portion of the information a lender will need. While it is usually a primary factor, its likely not the only factor that will determine if your application is approved or not.
To make the application process a little easier, you can assemble the financial information that might be requested. It can save time during the application process if youve already gotten together all the information you need to apply for a loan. To apply for an unsecured personal loan, you may need items like:
A short work or credit history
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Take Out More Money Than You Need
People with strong credit may get pre-approved for more money than they originally asked for. However, just because you qualify for a larger loan amount, it doesnt mean you should accept it. If my idea was to get a personal loan for $5,000 for a home repair, I wouldnt want to do anything over that, Alderete says. Thats one thing people run into they wanted $5,000 and they were approved for $10,000 and they get themselves into more debt than they planned.
How Long Does It Take To Get A Loan After Accepting The Quote
The length of time it takes to get a loan after accepting a quote will vary depending on your lender.
Typically, if youre offered a quote and want to proceed with your application, youll be sent your loan documents to review and sign. Its important you read this pack thoroughly and are happy that youll be able to meet the terms of the agreement. Once you have signed these, well carry out additional checks to make sure everything is okay. To find out more about the checks a lender carries out, read our ultimate guide to credit checks and searches.
Your loan documents should have all of the relevant information and terms regarding your loan. If youre concerned about keeping up with your repayments you should not enter into a loan agreement. Instead, seek advice on your best options. There are many charities that can offer support including Step Change and National Debt line. If you have any questions about your loan agreement, a member of our team will be happy to assist you.
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How Long Does It Take To Get A Loan
While every lender may have its own process, below is an overview of what you may be able to expect when considering a personal loan from both an online lender or a traditional bank or credit union. However, the time it takes for you to secure a personal loan may depend on your specific financial situation.
| One to seven business days | Same day to several days |
How Long Does It Take To Receive The Money After Approval
You can get your funds as soon as the same day or within a few weeks, depending on your lender. Here, online lenders are also often the fastest. But banks you already have an account with can deposit the funds instantly.
Online direct lenders
- Typically get your money in: One to two business days.
Once youre approved, online lenders just send the money to your bank account with an ACH transfer. Typically that kind of transfer takes around one business day, though some can get you your funds as soon as the same day if youre approved that morning.
Some lenders with fast approval times might take longer, however. For example, Upgrade can process your application quickly, but it can take up to four business days to get your funds.
Peer-to-peer lenders
- Typically get your money in: One business day to a week.
Since peer-to-peer lenders rely on investors to fund their loans, getting your money can take a little more time, sometimes as over a week. But its possible to find peer-to-peer options that dont take as long. For example, LendingClub can get you your money within four business days.
Banks and credit unions
- Typically get your money in: The next day to a few weeks.
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How Long Does It Take To Get Approved For A Personal Loan
Getting approved for a personal loan can take anywhere from a few minutes to several weeks, depending on the type of lender.
Online and peer-to-peer platforms can approve your loan in as fast as a few minutes, while banks and credit unions can take as long as a few weeks. This is because online lenders tend to use algorithms to process your application, while banks and credit unions typically rely on staff for underwriting new applicants.
Online direct lenders
- Typically get approved in: A few minutes to a few business days.
Online direct lenders are generally the fastest option for getting a loan. Filling out the application often takes no more than 15 minutes if you have your information and documents on hand. With some lenders, you can get approved within a few minutes. Others might want to review your application before they request documentation.
Peer-to-peer platforms
- Typically get approved in: A few minutes to a week.
Although they tend to take longer overall than online direct lenders, peer-to-peer platforms typically dont involve anything extra. Like with direct online lenders, approval can take a few minutes if you have all of your information and documents ready. However, some lenders might require more time.
Banks and credit unions
- Typically get approved in: A few business days to a few weeks.
Also, both banks and often dont have the technology to process applications quickly. Many rely on staff to underwrite their loans, which generally takes more time.
How Do I Get A Personal Loan With Bad Credit
“It’s challenging but you can still get approved for a personal loan with bad credit you might just pay a higher interest rate,” Tayne said. “Some lenders do have a minimum required credit score, so loans from these lenders won’t be available to someone with bad credit.”
You can always double check any credit score requirements with the lender before you apply. Payoff Personal Loan, for example, requires a FICO score of 640 or higher for approval. Some lenders may list their requirements on their website but if you can’t find them, it doesn’t hurt to ask the lender directly.
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Shop Around For The Best Personal Loan
The great thing about pre-approvals, including the ones provided by Discover, is that you can shop around for personal loans without hurting your credit scores. Take advantage of these offers so that you have a wide variety of loan options to choose from.
Different lenders cater to different types of borrowers based on the type of loan or your credit history. Compare loan terms, loan rates, origination fees, and customer service reviews. Its wise to shop around to find the best lender for your situation.
Even on a time crunch, you can get several loan offers within minutes of each other. So those spare moments are definitely worth the extra effort, especially when you consider how much a fraction of an interest rate can save you over the life of a loan.
Tips To Speed Up The Application Process
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What Is A Personal Loan Pre
A pre-approval is a preliminary step to getting a personal loan approval. Its good to go through a pre-approval process first, just to know where you stand, says Trina Patel, financial advice manager at Albert, a money-management app.
When shopping around for loan options and applying for pre-approval, lenders will perform a soft credit check, which doesnt affect your credit. But when you formally apply for a loan, that results in a hard credit pull, which does and can remain on your credit report for up to two years.
Getting a pre-approval is and should always be free. During the pre-approval process, lenders will review your credit history, income, and other assets. Their aim is to assess how likely youre able to repay the loan, Patel says.
If you qualify for a pre-approval, the lender will send you an offer letter with a loan amount, rate, and other terms. If you want to accept the offer, you would need to go through the formal application process, which requires providing documentation, such as pay stubs, ID, and your Social Security number.
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What Do You Need To Get A Personal Loan
When you apply for a personal loan, youll need to check your credit score. Generally, a credit score of 700 or above is good. The better your credit score, the more likely youll get approved for a loan since it shows youre responsible with credit.
Lenders often will do a soft credit check when pre-qualifying you for a loan. During that process, youll provide some personal information, such as income and employment verification. Check your credit report to make sure there arent many derogatory marks that might hurt your chances of getting approved.
Its also good to have an idea of how much money youll need to take out. You dont want to take out too little and risk going back for another loan. At the same time, you dont want to take out more than you need and end up having to pay it back with interest.
How To Qualify For A Personal Loan
There are many steps to take to qualify for a personal loan, with the first being to make sure that its right for you. For example, if you want to borrow money to remodel your house or buy a car, a home equity loan or an auto loan may come with a lower interest rate. Unlike unsecured personal loans based solely on your creditworthiness, these loans are secured by the home you want to fix up or the car you want to buy.
Although paying for a family vacation or consolidating debt fits into the personal loan category, you may also want to check into a 0% introductory APR credit card. If you go that route, however, be sure that you can pay off the balance before the 0% rate expires.
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Tips For Faster Approval
There are two key ways you can speed up the loan process:
Each personal loan lender has a different set of requirements, but you can save time by gathering these documents ahead of time:
ID: Driver’s license, passport, military ID, Social Security card, a government-issued photo ID, or certificate of citizenship
Proof of income from an employer: Bank statements, W-2 tax forms, pay stubs, income tax returns, or a letter of verification from your employer
Proof of income if you are self-employed: Bank statements, copies of past income tax returns, and 1099 tax forms
Proof of address: Voter registration card, utility bills, a lease agreement, or a mortgage contract
The loan approval process may feel like a hassle, but once you’ve taken care of the task, your documents are ready to go any time you need them. That means that the next time you apply for a mortgage, open a credit card, or take out an installment loan, you’ll be ready.
For a detailed step-by-step guide to getting a loan, check out our guide: How to Get a Personal Loan.
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Finding A Faster Lender
The other half of the personal loan equation is determining which type of lender works best for your needs. Not all lenders work on the same timeline, some will grant approval faster than others. But, speed can sometimes come at a premium.
Traditional banks and credit unions typically take a few days or a few weeks to review and approve applications before disbursing funds. If you have less than ideal credit and are looking for a smaller loan, you might consider shopping rates and terms at a few local lending institutions. However, if speed is required, you may be able to find faster alternatives.
There are a handful of traditional bank lenders who can approve a personal loan for well-qualified applicants in less than a week. Many quick-approval personal loan lenders, however, are online or non-traditional lenders.
With online lenders, like SoFi, funds should generally be available within a few days of approval. One of the major benefits of the online route is the fast application time. If you have all your information ready, it can be quick and easy to apply using an online form.
Since it can be easier and faster to apply for a personal loan online, you might take some time to compare rates against different lenders. Another benefit of online lenders is that you can pre-qualify and see your rate before you fill out a full application.
A soft credit check shouldnt impact your credit score .
Any additional fees or premiums
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