Credible is a free loan matching service that simplifies the process by allowing you to compare offers from multiple lenders at one time. Working with some of the best online lenders available, you can shop in a risk-free way to get low rates and favorable terms without spending tons of time filling out several loan applications.
In fact, you could receive offers from numerous lenders using just a single pre-qualification tool. Personal loans have a wide variety of uses, so there aren’t cumbersome restrictions to deal with. Find out exactly how Credible works and what you can expect from this convenient online service.
Credible Personal Loans
When you look for a personal loan through Credible’s online matching tool, you can find loan options for a pretty wide range of purposes. Your personal loan can be used to consolidate credit card debt, pay for a wedding, career development opportunities, start a new business, home improvement, vacation, car, or even moving.
There’s also a lot of flexibility when it comes to the loan amount. The range starts as low as $600 and goes up to $100,000. Try to be accurate with the amount you need because not every lender offers personal loans on both ends of the spectrum.
Exactly which lenders can you expect to work with?
Credible partners with reputable lenders like Avant, Best Egg, FreedomPlus, LendingClub, Payoff, Upstart, and others. Interest rates start at 5.40% APR (with autopay). Loan terms last between one and seven years, depending on your lender and personalized offer.
Many of Credible’s lending partners can get your personal loan funds in your bank account in as little as a single day. Credible does not charge prepayment penalties, service fees, or origination fees. However, the lenders they work with may charge those fees.
Borrower Profile
Borrower requirements vary. That’s part of what makes Credible so convenient: you can fill out a single pre-qualification form and then get connected directly with one or more lenders who are willing to work with you. The process is completely personalized so that you don’t end up wasting your time with multiple applications to lenders who don’t cater to your specific credit profile.
Credible Application Process
The application starts with just a simple pre-qualification tool. You can compare rates from multiple lenders in less than two minutes by filling out the easy application. Plus, you can do this without having a hard credit inquiry.
After you fill out the form, you can receive multiple personal loan offers. You’ll have access to your personal Credible dashboard to review the details of each offer.
With Credible, you can use a cosigner if you have a limited or poor credit history. This person can be a spouse, relative, parent, or any other adult as long as they’re a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. However, if you have a decent annual income and a good to excellent credit score, you probably won’t need one.
Once You’re Approved
Once you’re pre-approved, you’ll see all of your loan offer details directly on the dashboard. You’re not obligated to choose any offer at this point if you don’t like the terms and conditions.
If you do find an offer that works for you, you then click on the lender’s website directly from your dashboard to finalize your loan application. At this time, a hard credit check will be performed and it will affect your credit score slightly.
After that, assuming your application is approved, you can sign your loan agreement with your lender and get the funds. Then, you’ll start the repayment process through the lender and can direct any questions and concerns with them.
Credible Special Features
With Credible, you can take advantage of a special tool to check how your personal loan offers change by using different cosigners. That way, if you have a few different people you’re considering to use as a cosigner, you can see which one can have the best impact on helping you qualify to get the best interest rate possible.
When you do use a cosigner, you won’t be able to see each other’s personal or financial information so you can still keep your privacy. The only way to see each other’s information is if you actually add that person to your account.
Credible is also very clear about the lenders with which it partners. You can access the full list of lenders on Credible.com, along with important details about each one. You can filter lenders based on the loan type, such as fixed or variable, and sort by rate monthly payment, loan term, loan amount, and lifetime interest. This is a lot of transparency that you don’t always see when working with other personal loan matching services.
Credible’s History
Credible was founded in 2012 in San Francisco. The company started off focusing on student loan refinancing to help college graduates facing enormous student loan debt burdens. Now they’ve branched out to provide matching services for private student loans, personal loans, credit cards, and other financial products. It’s a one-stop shop for finding the best financial products for various needs in your life.
Credible 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.
Credible currently has a Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating of A+, which is an indicator of great customer service. They also have very few complaints. You can find more Credible reviews at other review sites as well.
Is a Credible personal loan right for you?
A personal loan can be a convenient way to reach your financial goals — as long as the repayment terms suit your needs. Here are a few considerations to think about during the loan selection process.
Limit Your Credit Impact
Credible only conducts a soft credit check before you see your personal loan offers. This is oftentimes rare even among loan matching services. In fact, some companies simply dole out your personal information to countless lenders, which you may not even realize until you see them all listed out on your credit report.
With Credible, applying for a loan won’t affect your credit score until you actually fill out a formal loan application. You’re always in control of what you’re applying for, every step of the way.
Recognize Credible’s Lender Partners
Credible’s pre-qualification form is quick and painless. But if you want to do some more in-depth research on the website’s lender network, it’s extremely easy to do. Some personal loan matching services don’t disclose which lenders they partner with. While some may advertise that they partner with dozens or even hundreds of lenders, that also means your contact information is made available to all of those third parties.
With Credible, you can see multiple partner lenders and do some research on each one if you choose to. You can go directly to their websites to get a better idea of their borrower qualifications and their most up-to-date interest rates.
Why not just skip using Credible?
That single, two-minute pre-qualification form gets you personalized loan quotes from the lenders that want to work with you. It takes out so much of the early loan application legwork so that you can focus on more important things.
Bottom Line
There’s little reason not to use Credible for your next personal loan search. It’s simple, straightforward, and extremely transparent. Plus, they offer excellent customer service. You can go into the application process with clear expectations to get the best deal on your next personal loan.
Still Searching?
Check out our other personal loan reviews below to continue exploring your options.