Emergency Loans for Bad Credit in December 2025
We’ve named OneMain Financial the best for bad credit emergency loans — you might get money within an hour, and collateral can get you a bigger loan or a lower rate
Bad credit emergency loans at a glance
Best for: Overall bad credit emergency loans – OneMain Financial
- Can get your loan within an hour if you get it sent to your debit card
- Lower rates than many other bad credit emergency loan lenders
- Can use your car as collateral
- Access to a free budgeting app and bill negotiating tool
- Paying off your loan early may not save interest
- Must borrow at least $1,500
- Potential for high origination fee
We chose OneMain Financial as the best bad credit emergency loan lender for a few reasons. Importantly, you can get your money quickly — within an hour after signing, in some cases.
Rates may seem high (and they are, if you have good credit), but they’re still much lower than other bad credit lenders. You can also use your car, motorcycle, boat, camper or RV as collateral. This could help your approval odds or help you qualify for a bigger loan or lower rate.
Before you apply, though, make sure you know how OneMain calculates interest. It works a bit different than with most lenders.
OneMain doesn’t charge a fee for paying off your loan early, but it may not save you much money, either. OneMain uses precomputed interest. This means that interest is added upfront and spread across your payments.
In contrast, most personal loans are simple interest. With these, interest only applies to your remaining balance. As you pay down your loan, the less interest you owe and the less interest you’ll accrue.
OneMain Financial isn’t very transparent about its personal loan eligibility requirements, but it’s possible to qualify even with a credit score as low as 500. Before closing on a loan, you may need to provide:
- Government-issued identification (such as a driver’s license or passport)
- Proof of residence (such as a rental agreement or utility bill)
- Proof of income (such as pay stubs or tax returns)
OneMain loans are not available in Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont or in U.S. territories.
Best for: Avoiding payday loans – Upstart’s Short-Term Relief Loan
- Reasonable rates and plenty of repayment term options
- Willing to work with you if you’re having trouble paying
- Can still qualify with a 300+ credit score
- Eligible college students and grads may qualify with no credit
- Have to wait until the next business day to get your money
- Might not save if you pay off your loan early
- No mobile app for Android users, only iPhone
- May not be a good fit if you need a bigger loan
If you’re considering a payday loan to bridge the gap, consider a Short-Term Relief Loan through lending platform Upstart. Instead of having to pay your loan the next time you get paid, you could have 3 to 18 months. This can make payments easier to manage.
Instead of charging interest, these loans have an origination fee/finance charge (up to 36.00%). This fee is worked into your monthly payments rather than deducted from your loan. As long as you finalize your loan by 5 p.m. ET, you could have your loan funds as soon as the next business day.
Upstart has transparent eligibility requirements, including:
- Age: Be 18 or older
- Administrative: Have a U.S. address, personal banking account, email address and Social Security number
- Income: Have a valid source of income, including a job, job offer or another regular income source
- Credit-related factors: No bankruptcies within the last three years, reasonable number of recent inquiries on your credit report and no current delinquencies
- Credit score: 300+ (unless you’re an eligible college student or graduate, in which case Upstart could approve you with no credit)
Best for: Bigger emergencies – Avant
- Can qualify for at least $2,000 with a 550+ credit score
- Rates capped to 35.99%
- Also offers credit cards for lower scores
- Might call your job to confirm your employment
- May not be a good fit if you need a smaller loan
Avant, another online lending platform, offers personal loans to borrowers with 550+ credit scores. The most you’ll pay is 35.99%, even if you just barely qualify. That’s still steep, but much lower the triple-digit rates some lenders charge.
You could have your money the next business day if you finalize your loan by 4:30 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday. But Avant probably won’t work if you have a smaller emergency. Loans start at $2,000.
To get a loan with Avant, you’ll need to meet the following minimum requirements:
- Residency: Not available to residents of Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia.
- Administrative: Must have a bank account. May need to submit bank statements, pay stubs or tax documents to prove your income. Avant may also call your employer to verify your employment.
- Credit score: 550+
Best for: Lower starting rates with no credit score minimum – CreditNinja
- May be cheaper than other no-credit-check loans
- Can borrow as little as $300
- Could get a same-day loan
- Although generally competitive for bad credit, rates are high
- Unknown origination fees
- Customer service is not available on weekends
CreditNinja is a lending platform that can help you borrow money fast if you have bad credit. You must apply and be approved by 10:30 a.m. on a business day to get a same-day loan. Otherwise, loans are generally sent the next business day.
CreditNinja isn’t cheap, but its starting rates are lower compared to some bad credit emergency loan lenders. For instance, CreditNinja’s rates start at 35.99%. OppLoans’ start at 129.00%.
CreditNinja won’t help you build your FICO Score because it doesn’t report to Experian, Equifax and/or TransUnion (unless you pay late). It may also charge triple-digit rates — it doesn’t specify its maximum annual percentage rate (APR).
It’s best to pay your loan as quickly as you can whenever working with a higher-interest emergency loan. CreditNinja does not charge prepayment penalties.
Although CreditNinja does not have a minimum credit score requirement, it does run a hard credit check when you formally apply.
Additionally, you will need to meet the requirements below to get a loan through CreditNinja:
- Age: Be at least 18
- Administrative: Have an online checking account; not available to servicemembers and others covered by the Military Lending Act (MLA)
- Residency: Not live in Nevada or North Dakotaaryland, Massachusetts, New York, South Dakota, Vermont or West Virginia.
Best for: No-credit-check loans that can improve your credit score – OppLoans
- No credit check but still reports to all three bureaus
- No minimum credit score requirements
- Same-day loan is possible
- Very high rates
- Not available in some states
Lenders that offer no-credit-check loans usually don’t report payments to the credit bureaus unless you’re late. That means the loan won’t help you build or improve your score.
OppLoans is different. This lending platform does report on-time payments even though applying and accepting your loan won’t impact your FICO Score. You can also get your loan the same day you accept as long as you do so on a business day, before 12:00 p.m. CT.
Still, leave this lender as a last resort due to its very high rates. Review the pros and cons of emergency loans before borrowing. Also, try to pay your loan off early to cut down on how much total interest you’ll pay. It doesn’t charge a prepayment penalty and has no origination fees.
You must meet the following eligibility requirements to get a no-credit-check loan from OppLoans:
- Age: Be at least 18
- Minimum income: Earn a minimum income of $18,000; receive a regular source of income through direct deposit for at least 90 days
- Administrative: Have a checking or savings account
OppLoans is not available in Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, South Dakota, Vermont or West Virginia.
How to shop emergency loans for bad credit with LendingTree
Money’s tight and time is short. We understand. Even with a less-than-perfect credit history, you still have options. With LendingTree, one quick form lets real lenders compete to get you the cash you need fast.
Tell us what you need
Take two minutes to tell us who you are and how much money you need. It’s free, simple and secure.
Shop your offers
LendingTree users who get at least one offer receive 20 personal loan offers on average. Compare your offers side by side to get the best deal.
Get your money
Pick a lender and sign your loan paperwork. You could see money in your account in as soon as 24 hours.
How to choose an emergency loan with bad credit
Finding a same-day bad credit loan can feel impossible. It’s tempting to jump on the first approval you get, but that choice can trap you in debt. Make sure you fully understand how emergency loans work before agreeing.
Consider the cost
- Annual percentage rate (APR): An APR shows you how much your loan costs, including interest and fees. You could see triple-digit APRs if you have bad or no credit. Use a personal loan calculator to estimate your monthly payments and total interest.
- Loan terms: A loan term is the amount of time you have to pay your loan back. Bad credit emergency loans usually have shorter terms, sometimes just weeks or months. Super-short loan terms can make it hard to keep up on payments.
- Fees: Loan fees, especially origination fees, are common when you have bad credit. You won’t have to pay this fee up front. Instead, the lender will take it out of your loan before sending it to you.
Some bad credit lenders promote “no prepayment penalties” as a selling point. But as a whole, these fees aren’t common with personal loans. Some make up for it with an expensive origination fee. Even if you pay off your loan early, you won’t get that money back (although some lenders may give you a partial refund).
Check funding speed
- Time required for loan approval: Some bad credit lenders offer instant or near instant approval when you apply. But most only review applications during business hours.
- Time required to send the money: Even if a lender offers same-day funds, it depends on the day — and time of day — you apply. Look for application cut-off times in disclaimers.
Read reviews and complaints
- Official complaints: The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) maintains a customer complaint database. Use it to see what current and former borrowers have filed against the lender.
- Lawsuits and enforcement actions: Make sure you’re not working with a shady lender. Look for Federal Trade Commission lawsuits and CFPB enforcement actions.
- Personal loan reviews: Read real LendingTree personal loan reviews to get an idea of a lender’s level of customer service.
What to know about high-interest emergency loans
Emergency loans have higher interest rates if your credit score is 580 or below. It’s best practice to skip loans that carry APRs above 36%. But depending on the situation, you might not have a choice.
Unfortunately, predatory lending is common in the bad credit emergency loan industry. Aim to get the lowest APR you can and look out for red flags, like:
- High pressure sales tactics: If a salesperson pushes you to sign quickly or before you’ve had the time to compare offers and read fine print, stand firm and say no.
- Unrealistic promises: There’s no such thing as guaranteed approval. Even no-credit-check loans have eligibility requirements.
- Hard-to-find rates and terms: Not all emergency loan lenders advertise their rates. After you’ve applied, the loan’s APR, term and fees should be very clear.
- Prepayment penalties: Some types of loans come with a prepayment penalty, but personal loans usually aren’t one of them. Consider passing if your offer shows this fee.
- Application fee: Unless you’re getting a payday alternative loan (PAL), you shouldn’t have to pay to apply for a personal loan. A PAL is a type of loan offered by some credit unions (an option we strongly recommend you consider).
How we chose the best emergency loans for bad credit
We reviewed more than 40 lenders and loan marketplaces that offer personal loans to determine the overall best five bad credit emergency loan lenders. To make this list, the company must accept credit scores below 580, or have no minimum credit score requirement. The lender must also offer same-day or next-day loans.
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 bad credit emergency loans come from OneMain Financial, Upstart, Avant, CreditNinja and OppLoans.
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.
Frequently asked questions
A bad credit emergency loan is a type of personal loan designed for borrowers with FICO Scores below 580 who need cash fast. These loans are often funded the same day or the next day after approval and are repaid in fixed monthly installments with interest and fees included.
Bad credit emergency loans can be very expensive, sometimes with APRs between 100%-300%. Many finance professionals recommend that you avoid APRs above 35.99%.
If you’ve exhausted all options (including borrowing from friends or family) and have no other choice than a high-interest loan, read your offer carefully and make sure you can afford the monthly payments. Never allow yourself to be pressured into signing and if the offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Even with bad credit, you could get a loan the same day that you apply. All of the lenders on this page offer same- or next-day loans to credit scores of 550 and below. Some are no-credit-check lenders that don’t have a specific credit score requirement.
No, emergency loans and payday loans aren’t the same thing. The biggest differences between the two are loan term lengths, rates and loan amounts.
An emergency loan is a type of personal loan. It comes as a lump sum of money (hundreds to thousands, usually). You typically have months to years to pay back an emergency loan. Longer repayment periods mean lower monthly payments but more interest over time.
A payday loan is a small-dollar, high-interest that you are required to pay back in full on your next payday. Payday loans can have APRs as high as 400%. Some emergency loans can have triple-digit interest rates, but typically lower than 400%. Some may even max out at 35.99%.
Bad credit emergency loans aren’t automatically unsafe, but you must look over your terms carefully, understand how much interest you’ll pay and recognize the signs of predatory lending.
If a personal loan isn’t the best option for you, some safe alternatives can include:
- Paycheck advance apps: You could borrow from your next paycheck using a paycheck advance app. If you’re new to the app, you might not qualify for a lot of money (maybe $50 – $150). You can unlock higher amounts over time.
- Buy now, pay later app: Break up a purchase into installments using buy now, pay later (BNPL). The most common payment plan requires 25% down. Then, you’ll pay three more installments, each due every two weeks. BNPL can lead to overspending — they’re usually easy to use and qualify for.
- Credit card cash advance: It’s possible to get cash from a credit card at an ATM. This is called a credit card cash advance. They’re generally safe but usually have higher APRs than your standard charge. Interest also begins to accrue immediately.