Jet Ski Financing: Low Rates, Affordable Monthly Payments

Written by Lauren Clifford +1 more

Edited by Sarah Fisher

How to finance a jet ski

You can borrow money for your jet ski with a personal watercraft loan, a loan from the manufacturer, a personal loan or even a credit card.

Here’s how to get a powersports loan for your jet ski.

Personal watercraft loan

Best for getting lower rates using your jet ski as collateral

Like car loans, personal watercraft loans are backed by a vehicle — in this case, your new jet ski. Lenders typically offer lower rates on collateral-backed loans, but you risk losing your jet ski if you can’t make payments.

Some banks, credit unions and online lenders offer personal watercraft (PWC) loans. Here are a few to get started.

	Starting APR	Loan terms	Minimum credit score
	6.14%	Up to 84 months	Not specified
	8.95%	12 to 180 months	Not specified
	6.99%	Typically 36 to 72 months, but can vary	550

Manufacturer or retailer financing

Best if the company offers 0% financing or other valuable incentives

Some jet ski retailers or manufacturers offer promotional deals on last year’s models to make space for new ones, which is a great deal if you’re able to pay off your jet ski during the promotional period. There’s a catch, though: 0% APR deals always come with a limited term, so you’ll pay interest on any remaining balance after the promotional period is over.

If you don’t see any promotional offers, you can check your rates with the manufacturer or retailer to see how much you’ll pay. Many, like Sea Doo, partner with banks and lenders and allow you to check your rates directly on their site.

Personal loan

Best for buying a used jet ski

You can use a personal loan for almost any reason, including buying a jet ski. You can typically snag lower rates when you offer your jet ski as collateral (like with a PWC loan), but the best personal loans come with rates as low as 6.49% as of the time of writing, and you won’t need to put up your jet ski to guarantee your loan.

Personal loans are an especially good option if you need to borrow money for a used jet ski, since some personal watercraft loans come with model age restrictions (or can’t be used to buy secondhand jet skis).

Credit card

Best when your excellent credit helps you qualify for a 0% APR credit card

It’s best not to use a credit card to finance your jet ski unless you’ve recently qualified for a 0% APR credit card. These cards give you a certain amount of time, typically six to 21 months after opening your account, to pay off purchases without spending a cent on interest.

Swiping your regular credit card to pay for your jet ski is a bad idea unless you can pay off the card immediately. The average credit card interest rate was 24.28% in May 2025 — much higher than the starting rates for personal watercraft loans or personal loans. Use a credit card calculator to see how much it would cost to pay with your card.

Total cost of jet skis

Purchase price

New jet skis typically cost around $7,000 to $21,000+. You’ll save on the purchase price with a used jet ski, but depending on the mileage, buying used can significantly decrease the number of hours you can operate the jet ski.

Cost of ownership

Like cars, jet skis cost money to own. You’ll need to pony up for maintenance, gas, safety equipment, a boating license, storage, insurance, registration and a trailer to transport your jet ski. Expect to spend at least $1,000 per year on your jet ski.

Loan interest and fees

Jet ski or PWC loan rates start at 6.14% for borrowers with excellent credit. Depending on your credit, the loan term and how much you borrow, expect to pay hundreds to thousands of dollars in interest and fees. 

Use a car affordability calculator to see how much jet ski you can afford.

Jet ski calculator

Use our calculator to estimate your monthly jet ski payments. Your estimated payments only reflect how much you’ll pay for your jet ski loan. The costs of ownership (like gas, maintenance, storage, etc.) are extra.