Avant personal loans are primarily designed for individuals with average to good credit. You can use the loan proceeds for just about anything, but many Avant borrowers take out loans specifically for debt consolidation purposes.
Avant specializes in debt consolidation loans, but that’s certainly not the only option for borrowing with this online lender. You can also use your loan for home improvement, medical expenses, weddings, vacations, and other major purchases.
Avant Personal Loan Review
Avant personal loan amounts range between $1,000 and $35,000. However, minimum loan amounts vary by state. Loan rates range from 9.95% to 35.99%. Term lengths are flexible, lasting between 24 and 60 months. In addition, there is no prepayment penalty, and all Avant personal loans are fully amortizing, meaning you won’t have any balloon payments at the end of your loan term.
When you take out an Avant personal loan, you may be charged an origination fee upfront, which is calculated as part of your APR. The administration fee can range between 1.75% and 4.75% of your loan amount and will be deducted from your funds before you receive them.
You don’t have to pay the origination fee with funds from your own wallet, but you do need to factor that money into your budget for the loan amount.
Borrower Profile
Avant offers personal loans to borrowers with lower credit scores. There are no minimum credit score requirements. However, most borrowers with fair credit scores ranging between 600 and 700 will qualify, so you don’t need excellent credit history to be eligible for an Avant loan.
Half of Avant borrowers use their loan proceeds for debt consolidation. And over the first six months, the average borrower sees a 12 point increase in their credit score.
Avant also specializes in home improvement loans. With Avant personal loans, you can purchase new furniture, set up a home security system, upgrade kitchen appliances, finish your basement, or even plant a garden.
There is no required minimum income level to qualify, but most borrowers typically earn between $40,000 and $100,000. If you’re trying to eliminate debt and rebuild your credit scores, an Avant personal loan could be a good choice for you. There are no prepayment penalties if you want to pay your loan early and save on interest.
Avant’s Application Process
Start the process by checking what kind of loan offer you qualify for. Avant generates a soft credit inquiry during the pre-approval process, so your credit score won’t be affected.
Fill out the form online by entering your full name, address, income information, and Social Security number, which is used to verify your identity. Then, you’ll find out what kind of loan rates and loan terms you can get.
During the official application process, Avant views your payment history from all three credit bureaus, which constitutes a hard credit pull on your credit report. This hard credit inquiry can impact your credit score. The lender also employs knowledge-based authentication. This process verifies your identity by asking tough questions only you would know.
Once You’re Approved
If Avant approves your application, you’ll receive at least one loan option, if not more. You’ll see what your monthly payments would look like spread out over different loan terms and with different APRs.
Usually, the shorter your repayment period is, the lower interest rates will be. From there, you can accept a loan offer, but of course, there is no obligation to take out a loan at all if you don’t want to.
Upon accepting your repayment terms and providing your bank account information, Avant will usually send the funds the next business day. The exact time your funds become available depends on your bank.
Managing Avant loans is easy through Avant’s online dashboard. There’s also a smartphone app available. Make sure you’re aware of your late payment fee policy in case you ever miss a loan payment.
The actual amount Avant charges depend on the state in which you live. Borrowers may also be charged a $15 fee if a payment is returned unsuccessfully.
If you need more funds, you can’t apply for a new Avant personal loan until your original loan is paid off in full. However, you can apply to refinance the loan, potentially allowing you to get more funds and a lower interest rate.
Avant Special Features
If you do end up missing a payment, Avant has a late fee forgiveness program. Avant charges a fee if you make a late payment, but if you then make three consecutive on-time payments after that, you’ll receive a refund on the fee.
Avant gives you free access to your VantageScore to track how your credit score is improving.
Customer service is available seven days per week via email or phone.
Avant’s History
More than 450,000 borrowers have used Avant since 2012, totaling $3 billion in personal loans. The company boasts 95% customer satisfaction based on surveys and has also accumulated many awards and accolades. In 2015, for example, Forbes Magazine named Avant the sixth most promising company in America.
Avant Personal Loan Reviews
One of the best ways to research online lenders is by reading third-party reviews. You can discover what actual customers are saying about them before you choose to do business with them.
Avant currently has a Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating of A, indicating excellent customer service. They also have very few complaints. You can find more Avant Loan reviews at other review sites as well.
More Tips Before Applying for an Avant Personal Loan
Taking out a personal loan comes with various pros and cons. Check out these tips to help weigh your options before applying for a personal loan with Avant or any other lender.
Why do you need a loan?
Before taking out an Avant personal loan, think about your exact financial needs and how a loan could help you achieve them.
This is a vital step because most lenders require you to tell them precisely what you plan on using your loan funds for — and they hold you to your word. So you can’t just apply for an unsecured personal loan because you’re low on cash and could use an extra couple thousand bucks.
Come up with an actual game plan and figure out what you need the money for. Then make sure a personal loan is worth whatever you’re spending the money on.
In most cases, you’ll be repaying the Avant loan with interest tacked on top for at least a few years, so make sure you’ll still be happy paying for the purchase long after the money is spent.
How is your current debt load?
Before deciding whether to take out a personal loan, consider your existing debt and your future financial goals.
Make sure that you’re not using all of your financial cushion each month for your payments because you’ll want to be able to pay for any emergencies that may come up in the future.
If you do plan on needing another type of unsecured loan in the near term, then a personal loan can affect whether you’re approved, and what kind of interest rates you get. On the one hand, making on-time payments each month can help improve your credit score, which is always good for qualifying.
If you already have a lot of debt, potential lenders might be wary of lending you more money. Also, pay attention to the types of debt you owe.
Lenders look at large amounts of revolving debt from credit cards less favorably than installment loans like personal loans, mortgages, and car loans. That’s because installment loans have a fixed monthly payment and an established end date, so you know exactly when you’ll be out of debt.
Bottom line: if you think you can afford it, and your life would have more value with the loan purchase than without it, it can’t hurt to look into your personal loan options.
What’s the best way to consolidate debt?
Many people take out debt consolidation loans to pay off higher interest rate credit card debt. This is particularly true of Avant borrowers because the company offers relatively competitive interest rates in addition to debt management tools.
Explore all of your debt consolidation options before picking one and ask yourself which fits your personality. For example, do you plan on aggressively paying off all of your credit card debt over the next year?
If you think you can do it, you might consider a low-interest rate balance transfer credit card, even if it’s just a temporary rate. A loan through a lender like Avant could also be helpful because you can see your loan balance decrease over time and even track your credit score through your online dashboard.
Still Searching?
Check out our other personal loan reviews below to continue exploring your options.