Best Personal Loans for Excellent Credit in January 2026
Checking rates won’t affect your credit score
| Lender | User rating | APR | Term | Amount | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
8.99% – 29.99% | 24 to 60 months |
$5k – $50k |
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|
6.99% – 35.99% | 36 to 60 months |
$2k – $50k |
||
|
7.95% – 29.99% | 24 to 60 months |
$5k – $50k |
||
|
6.53% – 35.99% | 24 to 84 months |
$1k – $60k |
||
|
6.24% – 24.89% (with autopay) | 24 to 84 months |
$5k – $100k |
||
|
8.74% – 18.00% | Up to 60 months |
$250 – $50k |
||
|
6.74% – 17.99% (with autopay) | 12 to 60 months |
$600 – $50k |
||
|
7.69% – 26.44% (with autopay) | 6 to 60 months |
$1k – $35k |
||
|
8.01% – 29.99% (with autopay) | 36 to 60 months |
$2k – $45k |
||
|
8.74% – 35.49% (with discounts) | 24 to 84 months |
$5k – $100k |
||
|
6.74% – 26.49% (with relationship discount) | 12 to 84 months |
$3k – $100k |
Read more about how we chose the best lenders for excellent credit.
Best lenders for borrowers with excellent credit
Best for: Debt consolidation – Achieve
- APR
- 8.99% – 29.99%
- Can get a discount for letting Achieve pay your creditors on your behalf
- Offers a discount if you have a sufficient savings in a retirement account
- Can work with the same dedicated loan consultant during the application process
- Will keep 1.99% – 9.99% of your loan as an origination fee
- Customer service is not available via chat
- Must borrow at least $5,000
Thanks to a generous rate discount, Achieve is worth putting on your radar if you need a debt consolidation loan. You must have Achieve pay your creditors directly and use at least 85% of your loan for consolidation to qualify.
A personal loan with Achieve comes with a competitive APR starting at 8.99%, depending on your credit score, with payback terms of 24 to 60 months. Achieve personal loans also come with an origination fee of 1.99% – 9.99% of the loan amount.
Other than a credit score of at least 640, Achieve will typically ask you to provide the following documents and information:
- Proof of income
- Social Security number
- Government-issued ID
- Employment status
You must also live in an eligible U.S. state (Achieve operates in most states, with a small number excluded).
Best for: Flexible payment options – Best Egg
- APR
- 6.99% – 35.99%
- Offers a special repayment plan that can help you pay less total interest (Payment Pathways)
- Can set up autopay to withdraw your payment every other week instead of once a month
- Payment assistance may be available if you’re experiencing financial hardship
- Can’t add a second person to your loan
- No rate discounts for autopay
- Charges an origination fee of 0.99% – 9.99% on every loan
Online lender Best Egg has several payment plan options that can help you personalize your repayment experience.
Payment Pathways, for instance, is a program that helps you pay less total interest and clear your debt in less time. With this payment plan, your monthly bills will be higher at the start of your loan but will decrease over time. You can also set up your payments to come out of your account every other week. Breaking up your monthly payment into two can make your personal loan bill more manageable.
However, many personal loan lenders waive origination fees if you have excellent credit. That’s not the case with Best Egg. It charges a fee on every loan, regardless of your credit score.
You must meet the requirements below to qualify for a Best Egg loan:
- Age: Be of legal age to accept a loan in your state (usually 18)
- Citizenship: Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident living in the U.S.
- Administrative: Have a personal checking account, email address and physical address
- Residency: Live in an eligible U.S. state (Best Egg operates in most states, with a small number excluded)
- Credit score: 580+
Best for: Paying off credit cards – Happy Money
- APR
- 7.95% – 29.99%
- No late payment fees
- Could help you streamline your credit card bills and save on interest
- Partners with banks and credit unions, which typical have lower rates
- Takes 0.25% – 10.00% out of every loan for itself as an origination fee
- Can typically only use Happy Money loans to refinance credit card debt
- May need to wait three to six days to get your money after Happy Money approves you
Even people who have high credit scores can find themselves with credit card debt. Happy Money is an online lending platform that offers personal loans specifically for credit card refinancing.
Happy Money doesn’t fund its loans itself. Instead, it links borrowers up with partner banks and credit unions. Banks and credit unions often carry lower rates than online lenders. You can borrow between $5,000 and $50,000 with a minimum APR of 7.95%.
Still, Happy Money only offers loans to refinance current credit cards. If you need a personal loan for any other expense, you’ll have to choose a different lender.
Happy Money provides clear eligibility requirements as to how you can qualify for a loan:
- Age: Must be 18 years or older
- Administrative: Must have a valid Social Security number and checking account
- Residency: Not live in Iowa, Massachusetts or Nevada
- Credit score: 640+
- Payment history: Zero current delinquencies on your credit profile
Best for: Mobile app features – LendingClub
- APR
- 6.53% – 35.99%
- Can monitor your credit and change your due date via mobile app
- High ratings from both Android and iPhone users
- Can use your personal loan for almost anything, including business purposes
- May need to wait a few hours for an approval decision (some lenders can do this near instantly)
- Can take a few days to get your money once LendingClub approves you
- Charges an origination fee of 0.00% – 8.00%
LendingClub’s mobile app puts personal loan management in the palm of your hand. You can make payments, request due date changes and keep tabs on your excellent credit score. And if you’re the type to forget passwords, you can sign in using your fingerprint or by face recognition.
LendingClub might not work if you’re in a hurry. Most online lenders provide near-instant approval decisions but LendingClub can take a few hours. LendingClub doesn’t offer same-day loans, either.
To be eligible for a LendingClub personal loan, you must meet the following requirements:
- Age: Be at least 18 years old
- Citizenship: Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- Administrative: Have a verifiable bank account
- Credit score: 600+
Best for: Competitor rate matching – LightStream
- APR (with autopay)
- 6.24% – 24.89%
- Will beat a competitor’s rate by 0.10 percentage points (stipulations apply)
- Autopay discount of 0.50 percentage points
- No late fees, no origination fees
- Can’t check rates without dinging your credit
- Must borrow at least $5,000
- Customer service is not available on Sunday if you need help after LightStream finalizes your loan
LightStream is an online lender that’s only available to people with good to excellent credit. And having excellent credit has perks.
Take LightStream’s rate matching program, Rate Beat. If a competitor offers you a lower rate, LightStream may beat it by 0.10 percentage points. It also skips origination fees, which can be rare with online lenders.
Unfortunately, LightStream doesn’t let you prequalify for a personal loan. That excellent credit of yours might go down by a few points after shopping LightStream’s rates.
LightStream doesn’t specify its exact credit score requirements, but you must have good to excellent credit to qualify. Most of the applicants that LightStream approves have the following in common:
- At least five years of on-time payments under a variety of accounts (credit cards, auto loans, etc.)
- Stable income and the ability to handle paying their current debt obligations
- Savings, whether in a bank account, investment account or retirement account
Best for: Military members – Navy Federal Credit Union
- APR
- 8.74% – 18.00%
- Active duty and retired military can get a rate discount
- Eligible cadets could qualify for a Career Kickoff loan with an APR as low as 1.25%
- Membership comes with exclusive discounts on insurance, rental cars and more
- Must join the credit union to qualify
- Must have military ties to be eligible
- Can’t check rates without impacting your credit score
Navy Federal Credit Union (NFCU) offers military-centric benefits for its members. From APR discounts to loans designed for new cadets, NFCU may better understand the unique needs of military members.
While you won’t have to pay an origination fee when you take out a Navy Federal personal loan, this lender does not offer soft credit inquiries, so checking your rates may cause your credit score to dip slightly.
Navy Federal Credit Union only offers loans to people with military connections, including:
- Active duty members of the military (regardless of branch)
- Veterans, retirees and annuitants
- Those in the Delayed Entry Program (DEP)
- Department of Defense (DoD) Officer Candidates and ROTC
- DoD Reservists
- DoD civilian personnel
- Immediate family of military members, as well as household members
You’ll need to meet the following requirements:
- Administrative: Provide your Social Security number, home address, credit card or bank account number and a form of government identification
- Membership: Create a Membership Savings Account and maintain a $5 balance to join and continue membership in the credit union
Best for: Small loans – PenFed Credit Union
- APR (with autopay)
- 6.74% – 17.99%
- Can borrow as little as $600
- Does not charge an origination fee
- Credit union membership comes with benefits like interest rate discounts on auto loans if you use its free car-buying service
- Must join PenFed to receive loan, but membership is open to everyone
- Vague eligibility requirements
With loans starting from $600, PenFed Credit Union offers some of the smallest loans on this list. NFCU loans are smaller, but not many people qualify because of its military affiliation requirements.
Like with any credit union, you must become a member before you can get a loan. PenFed Credit Union membership is open to everyone, however. You can also check rates before joining, with no impact to your credit.
To qualify for a PenFed loan, you must meet the following requirements:
- Membership: PenFed membership (anyone can join)
- Administrative: Open a PenFed savings account with $5 deposit; may need to submit documents to verify your identity and income
Best for: Reducing interest with a short repayment term – PNC Bank
- APR (with autopay)
- 7.69% – 26.44%
- Can get a loan term as short as 6 months
- Also offers personal lines of credit (PLOCs), which can make more sense if you need to borrow more than once
- Autopay discount (as long as you use your PNC checking account)
- Not available in all states
- Can take a few days for an approval decision
Short-term loans can be key to cutting back on how much interest you’ll pay. The less time you spend paying off your loan, the less time there is for interest to generate. Between its competitive rates and minimum six-month loan term, a PNC personal loan can be an inexpensive way to borrow.
However, PNC doesn’t do business nationwide. It might not also be the best choice if you need a quick loan — you may have to wait a few days to find out if PNC will approve you.
First, you must live in an eligible U.S. state to get a PNC Bank personal loan. Along with your credit score, it considers other factors when reviewing your application such as:
- Credit history
- How long you’ve been employed
- Citizenship
Learn more about personal loan requirements and how lenders like PNC make approval decisions.
Best for: An easy application process – Rocket Loans
- APR (with autopay)
- 8.01% – 29.99%
- Only takes a few seconds to get prequalified
- Responsive customer service
- Can get your money the same day that you apply
- Charges an origination fee (Up to 9.99%)
- Customer service not available on Sundays
- Only two repayment terms to choose from (36 to 60 months)
Getting a Rocket Loans personal loan can be a breeze. You can check your rates without hurting your credit score. And as long as you finalize your loan documents by 4:00 p.m. ET on a business day, you could get your money the same day that you apply. Rocket Loans also says the vast majority of its customer service calls are answered within 30 seconds.
Customer service isn’t available on Sunday, however. Rocket Loans also charges an origination fee. If you have excellent credit, this origination fee should be on the smaller side. Still, it’s possible to get a personal loan with no origination fee with other lenders, especially if you have excellent credit.
To qualify for Rocket Loans, you’ll need to meet the following requirements:
- Citizenship: Must be a U.S. citizen
- Age: 18 or older
- Income: Minimum annual income of $24,000
- Residency: Must live in an eligible U.S. state (Rocket Loans operates in most states, with only a small number of states excluded)
- Credit score: 620+
Best for: Zero required fees – SoFi
- APR (with discounts)
- 8.74% – 35.49%
- Borrowers don’t have to pay any required fees
- Offers big loans of up to $100,000
- APR discounts for autopay and direct deposit
- Must borrow at least $5,000
- Although not required, SoFi charges an origination fee (0.00% – 7.00% (optional)) to unlock its lowest rates
There are no mandatory fees with SoFi — not even one for paying late. It may, however, offer you a deal. If you pay an optional origination fee, it may give you a lower rate in exchange. Ask for offers that do and don’t include an origination fee to see which path makes sense for you.
Also, SoFi won’t work if you only need a little money. SoFi personal loans start at $5,000.
You must meet the requirements below in order to get a loan from SoFi:
- Age: Be the age of majority in your state (typically 18)
- Citizenship: Be a U.S. citizen, an eligible permanent resident or a non-permanent resident (a DACA recipient or asylum-seeker, for instance)
- Employment: Have a job or job offer with a start date within 90 days, or have regular income from another source
- Credit score: 620+
Best for: Current Wells Fargo customers – Wells Fargo
- APR (with relationship discount)
- 6.74% – 26.49%
- No origination fee
- Can get your loan the same day that you apply
- Discount for enrolling an eligible Wells Fargo Bank checking account in autopay
- Must be a Wells Fargo customer for at least 12 months to qualify
- Won’t send your loan directly to your creditors if you’re consolidating debt
- Can change your payment due date, but must call (some lenders let you do this online)
As one of the largest banking institutions in the U.S., Wells Fargo Bank is among the few lenders on this list with physical locations. Borrowers with excellent credit may be able to borrow up to six figures, and Wells Fargo has some of the lowest rates around.
Unlike some banks (like PNC Bank ), Wells Fargo only offers loans to current customers. You can’t just join and borrow right away, either. You must be a member for at least a year to be eligible.
You must be an account holder for at least 12 months before you are eligible for a Wells Fargo personal loan.Wells Fargo Bank doesn’t specify its minimum credit score requirements for its loans, but to open a checking or savings account, you must:
- Apply in person at a Wells Fargo branch if you’re a non-permanent U.S. resident, are under 18 (in most states) or are getting a joint account
- Have an adult co-owner if you’re under 18
- Provide two forms of ID and proof of address, in some cases
- Make a deposit of at least $25
What is an excellent credit loan?
FICO credit scores typically range from 300 to 850 — the higher end being considered a “good” to “excellent” score. Specifically, “very good” credit scores are typically considered to be 740 and above. Scores of 800 and higher are exceptional.
Lenders view your credit score as an indicator of your creditworthiness and how risky it would be to offer you a personal loan. Thus, the lower your credit score, the more likely you’ll have to pay a higher APR to help offset the lender’s risk.
Typically, if you have an excellent credit score, it’s an indicator to lenders that you have a history of paying your bills on time and that you likely have a low debt-to-income ratio.
Those with excellent credit scores tend to be rewarded with lower interest rates and access to higher loan amounts (as long as they have the income to repay the loans).
What are average personal loan interest rates?
The APR you receive on a personal loan largely depends on how high or low your credit score is.
Those with excellent credit scores and solid credit histories tend to be offered lower APRs. Those with bad credit scores, however, may have a harder time qualifying for a personal loan in the first place, and if they do, they may be subject to higher interest rates.
If your credit score could use some work, there are bad-credit loan options, and you can check out our list of ways you can work to improve your credit score. Meanwhile, here are the average rates you may receive for a personal loan depending on your credit score:
| Credit tier | Average APR |
|---|---|
| Excellent (800 and above) | 11.77% |
| Very good (740-799) | 14.74% |
| Good (670-739) | 22.72% |
| Fair (580-669) | 30.17% |
| Poor (under 580) | 32.19% |
How to compare personal loans with LendingTree
Tell us what you need
You might have excellent credit, but it’s smart to keep tabs on your score anyways. Get your credit score for free with LendingTree Spring. We’ll also send you alerts when your credit score changes and show you how certain actions can affect your credit.
Shop your offers
Think of LendingTree as your personal loan shopper. Connecting to our network of lenders (the largest in the country) is free. Comparing rates won’t hurt your credit, either. All it takes is a few minutes and a quick online form.
Get your money
You could get offers from up to five lenders if you have excellent credit. We’ll show you what you could qualify for and how taking out a loan can impact your monthly budget. If you find a loan that you like, we’ll help you take the next steps in applying.
How do you choose a personal loan if you have excellent credit?
If you have an excellent credit score, you’ll likely qualify for a personal loan with most major lenders. This can make choosing the right loan challenging.
Here are a few of the factors you’ll want to consider before choosing a lender:
-
Rates
As a consumer with excellent credit, you may be eligible for some of the lowest interest rates lenders have to offer. To save money, it may be wise to compare rates from various lenders to see which company is willing to provide you with the lowest rates. -
Terms
Before taking out a loan, you may want to consider how long you want to spend repaying it. Keep in mind, the shorter the loan term, the lower the APR tends to be and the less you may have to pay over the lifetime of the loan. On the other hand, with long-term loans, the higher the APR and the more you may have to pay. Likewise, a longer term can mean lower monthly payments. -
Amounts
As a consumer with a high credit score, you may be eligible for higher loan amounts. If you’re looking for a larger loan, be sure you have the income to pay it off. -
Fees
Several common fees you may come across while shopping around for lenders include origination and late fees. However, there are several no-fee lenders out there that are worth considering. -
Perks
Some lenders offer perks such as the ability to change your due date or even skip a payment if you consistently make on-time payments. Others may provide unemployment support if you find yourself unexpectedly without a job. -
Prequalification services
The ability to use a soft credit pull to check your rates with lenders offers you the opportunity to see what you may qualify for without harming your credit score. Some lenders, like LightStream, however, don’t allow for that, so you’ll have to submit to a hard credit pull if you want to see your rates. -
Customer service
Before agreeing to a personal loan, be sure to check what kind of customer service hours they hold and what types of platforms they offer when it comes to contacting them. Some lenders offer a convenient chat feature on their websites, while others can only be contacted by phone. Also, be sure to check lenders’ reviews in order to see what other customers are saying about the lender.
How we chose the best personal loans for excellent credit
We reviewed more than 40 lenders and loan marketplaces to determine the overall best 11 loans for excellent credit. To make this list, the company must offer personal loans to those with higher credit scores, at competitive rates.
From there, we assessed each lender across four categories: eligibility and access; cost to borrow; loan terms and options; repayment support and tools.
According to our systematic rating and review process, the best personal loans for excellent credit come from Achieve, Best Egg, Happy Money, LendingClub, LightStream, Navy Federal Credit Union, PenFed Credit Union, PNC Bank, Rocket Loans, SoFi and Wells Fargo.
Our categories
We assess how easy it is for people to qualify and apply. This includes state availability, soft-credit prequalification, membership requirements, funding speed and whether borrowers with less-than-excellent credit can get a loan.
We evaluate how affordable the loans are based on minimum and maximum APRs, loan fees and rate discounts. Lenders with unclear or potentially predatory costs receive lower scores.
We consider repayment term flexibility, loan amount ranges and whether options like secured loans, joint loans or direct-to-creditor payments are offered — plus whether the lender clearly communicates these options.
We evaluate borrower experience after funding: customer service access, hardship or forbearance programs, payment flexibility and digital tools like mobile apps or credit monitoring.
Our process
We gather data directly from lenders through their websites, disclosures and direct communication with company representatives. Our editorial team verifies and updates information regularly. We value transparency and award less favorable scores when lenders obscure or omit details.
Our editorial team applies the same scoring model and standards to every lender. Lenders cannot pay to influence our ratings.
Why trust LendingTree’s methodology
Our writers and editors dig through the facts, contact lenders directly and even go through the application process ourselves if it helps better explain what you can expect. As a Certified Financial Education Instructor℠, I’m committed to breaking down complex financial details so people can make confident, informed decisions with their money.
Jessica’s experience in editing and financial education helps shape LendingTree articles that are clear, accurate and truly useful to readers. Her certification means our recommendations are built on a foundation of consumer-first financial knowledge — not just numbers.
Frequently asked questions
While initially applying for a personal loan may not impact your credit score (this is known as prequalification, or a soft credit inquiry), if you choose to move forward with a personal loan, you will typically have to go through a hard credit pull. Hard credit inquiries will temporarily have a mild negative impact on your credit score.
How you’re allowed to use a personal loan varies from lender to lender. Typically, lenders allow borrowers to use personal loans toward debt consolidation, credit card refinancing, medical bills and home improvement projects. Lenders commonly prohibit consumers from using their personal loan funds toward post-secondary education or business expenses.
Personal loans vary widely in size. They can run as high as $100,000 — like with lenders such as SoFi and Wells Fargo Bank — or as low as a few hundred dollars — like with institutions such as Navy Federal Credit Union and PenFed Credit Union . To get a large loan, lenders typically have stricter requirements that you’ll need to meet, such as credit history, income and credit score.