Best Bad Credit Personal Loans in Florida in 2026
Florida LendingTree users with credit scores below 580 typically borrow about $11,000
What are the best lenders for bad credit loans in Florida right now?
Borrowers with bad credit in Florida often face unique challenges, especially those who rely on fixed or irregular income such as retirees, gig workers and seasonal workers. Lenders place significant weight on income stability, which can make qualifying even harder for some Floridians to qualify.
To make your search easier, our experts analyzed more than 40 lenders and loan marketplaces. In fact, this review is written by a Florida resident who has firsthand experience with the local borrowing landscape. All of our picks do business in Florida and generally work with borrowers who have credit scores below 580.
Best for: Loans if you have thin or no credit – Oportun
- APR
- Up to 35.95%
- No minimum credit score
- Can still qualify on a lower income
- Can use car as collateral in Florida
- Potential for a high origination fee
- May find a better rate elsewhere if you have a credit score
Oportun specializes in personal loans for people who have thin or no credit history.
Oportun is an online lender and Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). A CFDI is a lender or financial institution that has a goal of helping lower income and underserved communities. CFDIs generally have easier-to-meet lending requirements, so those with bad or no credit can qualify.
Oportun offers secured loans in Florida, using your car as collateral. Secured loans from Oportun can have lower rates, longer terms and bigger amounts (33.95% – 35.95%, 24 to 64 months and $2,525 – $18,500).
If your credit is poor but close to fair, you might find a better rate with another lender. Oportun’s unsecured loans have a flat rate of 35.95%. It doesn’t matter if you have no credit or bad credit, everyone pays the same rate as long as they’re accepted.
Oportun does not have a minimum credit score requirement, but it will review your credit history. If it approves you, here’s what you’ll need to provide to complete the process:
- A government-issued ID
- Proof of address, like an electric bill
- Proof of income, such as a paystub
- A list of your recurring debt payments
- Vehicle title and registration for secured loans
Oportun unsecured loans are available nationwide. Secured loans are only available in California, Florida, Texas, New Jersey, Arizona, Illinois, Nevada and Utah.
Best for: Avoiding payday loans – Upstart’s Relief Loan
- APR
- Up to 36.00%
- Can borrow as little as $200
- Much cheaper than a standard payday loan
- Repayment is easier to manage compared to a payday loan
- No mobile app for Android, only iPhone
- No prepayment penalties, but paying loan off still might not save you much money
Upstart’s Relief Loan is like a payday loan, but with much friendlier terms.
If you think that a payday loan is your only option, consider Upstart’s Relief Loan. You could qualify with a 300+ credit score (or no credit, if you’re an eligible college student or grad).
Upstart’s Relief Loans start at $200. But unlike payday loans, you’ll have a minimum of three months to repay. Payday loans usually require that you repay your loan in full in a week or two.
Upstart’s Relief Loan doesn’t carry interest. Instead, Upstart charges an origination fee (up to 36.00%). This is common on short-term relief loans.
This structure means that paying your loan off early might not be worth it like it can be with a standard personal loan. You might get part of your origination fee refunded, but there’s no guarantee.
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: Emergency bad credit loans – OneMain Financial
- APR
- 18.00% – 35.99%
California residents must borrow at least $3,000
- Can get your loan within an hour by getting it sent to your debit card
- Able to use your car as collateral for a bigger loan or lower rate
- Brick-and-mortar offices if you want to apply in person
- Loans start at $1,500
- Origination fee can get expensive
- Larger loan amounts require collateral
You could get your loan within an hour after finishing your paperwork with OneMain Financial.
Between searching for a lender and waiting for approval, getting a loan quickly isn’t always easy when you have bad credit. OneMain can do same-day bad credit emergency loans. To qualify, you must get your money sent to your debit card.
You can unlock larger loan amounts by using your car as collateral. This can be risky. If you fall too far behind on loan payments, OneMain can repossess your car — potentially creating a chain of financial problems.
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: Personal loans backed by individual investors – Prosper
- APR
- 8.99% – 35.99%
- Could qualify with no credit history
- Easier to meet debt-to-income ratio requirements
- Can get a rate discount of 0.50% to 1.00% if you join Teachers Federal Credit Union (which has open membership)
- Approval decisions can take up to five business days
- Still might not get a loan even if Prosper approves you, investors also need to fund your loan
Prosper is a peer-to-peer lender. Compared to banks, peer-to-peer loans are typically easier to get.
Prosper is a peer-to-peer lender. That means that individual investors provide funding, not Prosper itself. Peer-to-peer loans usually have lower credit requirements, and Prosper is no exception.
Prosper accepts bad credit scores (560+) and debt-to-income (DTI) ratios of 50% or less. Your DTI measures how much debt you already have compared to how much you earn. Generally, lenders consider a DTI ratio of 35% or less as “good.” The higher your DTI, the worse it is.
Peer-to-peer lending isn’t always a fast process. It’s possible to get a next-day loan with Prosper, but that may not be the case if you have bad credit.
First, you have to be approved by Prosper. Then, if individual investors don’t fund at least 70% of your loan within 14 days after approval, your loan posting will expire and you’ll have to try again.
To get a loan with Prosper, you must meet the following requirements:
- Age: Be 18 or older
- Administrative: Have a U.S. bank account and Social Security number
- Residency: Not live in Iowa or West Virginia
- Credit score: 560+
Best for: Bad credit loan from a Florida credit union – VyStar Credit Union
- APR
- 10.00% – 18.00%
- Emergency loans available with less-than-perfect credit
- Unlimited free financial counseling sessions
- Multiple financial hardship options if you’re having trouble paying
- Can get your money within 15 minutes after approval
- Must become a member to qualify (but it’s easy to join)
- Willing to work with less-than-perfect credit, but credit score minimum isn’t specified
- Can’t check your eligibility without taking a ding to your credit
VyStar Credit Union offers more than just bad credit loans. Membership also comes with perks that can help you improve your financial situation.
VyStar is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). These are banks, credit unions, lenders and other institutions that aim to improve the financial lives of communities who are underserved due to lean credit, bad credit or lower income.
Along with the typical options you’d expect from a credit union, VyStar also offers bad credit emergency loans with rates capped at 18.00%. This is much lower than many online lenders, especially those that are willing to work with borrowers with rocky credit.
You have to become a member before you can get a personal loan from a credit union. You can join VyStar and apply for a loan online. Unfortunately, VyStar doesn’t allow you to check rates without taking a hard credit pull.
VyStar doesn’t specify its minimum credit score requirements, but it states that it has options for bad credit. You’ll have to contact the credit union for more information.
To join the credit union, you must meet at least one of the membership requirements below:
- Work or live in an eligible Florida or Georgia county
- Be related to a current member
- Be a military member, veteran, military dependent or work for the armed forces as a civilian
- Work for or are a client of Brightway Insurance
If you don’t meet any of these guidelines, you can also join by donating at least $5 to the VyStar Foundation. All members must also open a VyStar savings account with a deposit of at least $5.
Average personal loan rates in Florida by credit tier
Personal loan rates in Florida are slightly higher than the national average, for the most part. Still, loan applications are like a fingerprint — no two are alike. Using LendingTree to compare offers from multiple lenders is one of the best ways to find a deal that works for you.
| Credit tier | National average APR | Florida average APR |
|---|---|---|
| Excellent (800 and above) | 11.77% | 11.88% |
| Very good (740-799) | 14.74% | 15.23% |
| Good (670-739) | 22.72% | 23.70% |
| Fair (580-669) | 30.17% | 32.65% |
| Poor (Under 580) | 32.19% | 38.81% |
How to qualify for a loan in Florida if your credit is below 580
You could boost your odds of loan approval or qualify for a lower rate with the strategies below.
-
Include a co-borrower
See if a creditworthy friend or family member and see if they’ll take a joint loan with you. Just remember that late payments hurt their credit just as much as theirs. -
Offer collateral
A secured loan requires collateral. With a personal loan, collateral is usually your car. To qualify you must own your car outright and usually need full coverage car insurance. If you don’t pay your loan, the lender will likely repossess your car. -
Request a smaller loan with a shorter term
It’s typically easier to get a smaller loan, as the lender has less to lose if you don’t pay. Shorter terms also usually mean lower rates because you have less time to fall behind.
Just over 60% of Floridians with credit scores below 580 got a personal loan through LendingTree for debt consolidation and credit card refinancing in Q3 2025.
If you’re interested in consolidating high-interest debt with less-than-perfect credit, check out our picks for best bad credit debt consolidation loans.
How to compare bad credit loan options
Knowing what these terms mean can help you more confidently compare your loan offers.
-
Annual percentage rate (APR)
An APR shows you how much a loan costs over a one year period, including interest and fees. APR is determined by your credit score, credit history and other factors. -
Loan term
Loan term is the amount of time you have to pay off your loan. A longer loan term means lower monthly payments, but more overall interest. Shorter terms have higher monthly payments, but less overall interest. -
Loan amount
Only borrow what you need to avoid unnecessary debt. At the same time, don’t request too little. Personal loans come as a one-time lump sum. -
Funding speed
Pay attention to how fast a lender can approve an application and how fast it sends the money afterwards. -
Origination fee
Origination fees are common when you have bad credit. You usually don’t pay these up front. Instead, the lender will deduct it from your loan amount.
Why compare bad credit loans with LendingTree?
Finding a loan with less-than-perfect credit can be tough, but Floridians have more options than they might think. LendingTree makes it easy to compare bad credit loans from trusted lenders so you can choose the offer that fits your situation, not just the first one you see.
One application, multiple offers
Gain access to our expansive network of lenders in just two minutes. Last year in 2024, LendingTree funded over $149M in personal loans for those with a credit score of 580 or lower.
Only soft credit check to prequalify
Worried you won’t qualify? Comparing offers won’t impact your credit score. Plus, more than a million LendingTree users with a credit score of 580 or lower received at least one personal loan offer last year.
Transparent comparisons, vetted lenders
Having bad credit can make you a target for predatory lending. Compare multiple offers from up to five trustworthy lenders and pick the loan that works best for you. You could get your money in as soon as 24 hours.
Florida loan laws and borrower protections
On a federal level, borrowers are protected by The Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA).
The TILA requires lender transparency. Lenders must clearly disclose APRs, fees and repayment schedules.
The ECOA curbs discrimination. Lenders aren’t allowed to base rates on race or color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age and/or whether the borrower receives public assistance.
Florida also has state-specific loan laws that help protect borrowers, especially those with bad credit or are a target for predatory lending.
Florida Deferred Presentment Statute (payday loan protection)
You might be wondering how payday loans can charge triple-digit rates, considering the rate caps above.
That’s because Florida payday loans are regulated by different laws, primarily Florida Statute §560.404, or the Deferred Presentment Statute. Legally, Florida refers to payday lenders as “deferred presentment providers.”
Among other protections, The Deferred Presentment Statute states that Florida payday loans lenders can’t:
- Charge fees higher than 10% of the loan amount, with some exceptions
- Automatically withdraw repayment before the borrowers check hits their bank account
- Offer loans terms shorter than seven days or longer than 31 days
- Provide payday loan rollovers
- Lend to borrowers who currently have an unpaid payday loan, or who have repaid a payday loan within the last 24 hours
Remember that APRs represent the cost of a loan over a year’s time. Even though payday loans can’t exceed 10% of the loan amount, payday loan fees can still equate to APRs of around 400% because of short loan terms.
Florida elder exploitation law
Under Florida Statute §825.103, it’s a felony offense to knowingly take advantage of those 60 and older. Florida has some of the strongest anti-exploitation laws in the country.
Many financial abuse cases involve caregivers and family, the statute also covers lenders and other financial institutions.
If a lender knowingly takes advantage of someone 60+ years old who cannot understand or consent to a loan in order to benefit themselves, Florida law may consider it financial abuse.
If you suspect a lender (or anyone else) of elder abuse, report it to the Florida Attorney General’s Senior Protection Team.
Alternatives to personal loans in Florida
Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs)
A CDFI is a mission-driven lender that brings fair and affordable loans to lower-income communities. There’s no guarantee that you’ll qualify, but your odds are likely better with a CDFI than they are with a traditional bank.
Use this CDFI tool, choose Florida in the dropdown and find a participating lender near you.
211
Think of 211 as an emergency number for social assistance. This line is open 24/7 and is run by multiple organizations, such as United Way and Goodwill. The operator can help you find local resources if you’re facing a financial crisis. The call is free and can be confidential.
Using an LLM (large language model) to find emergency financial assistance can be a smart way to find benefits and assistance.
According to a LendingTree survey, almost a quarter of people who have used chatbots sought financial advice from them. Of those, 40% used it to find public assistance like Medicaid.
Here’s a prompt you can try:
“Help me find emergency assistance resources near me. I am looking for local or federal programs that offer things like rental assistance, utility assistance, housing support, food programs or other community aid. Please focus only on nonprofit, government or community-based resources. I am located in [your city, state or ZIP code].”
Buy now, pay later
Buy now, pay later (BNPL) can be easier to qualify for because it typically doesn’t require a hard credit check. These apps split up retail purchases into smaller payments.
The most common payment plan requires you to pay 25% upfront, though many apps also offer six- to 24- month financing with zero down.
BNPL apps can be helpful in a pinch, but it can be easy to get in over your head. Use them only when absolutely necessary and save up for nonessentials.
At the time of this writing, LendingTree’s buy now, pay later tracker shows that 41% of BNPL users have paid late at least once in the past year.
How to avoid predatory lenders in Florida
Bad credit can make you a target for predatory lending. The best practice nationwide is to avoid loans with rates above 36%. Many financial experts agree that this is the threshold between an affordable loan and a high-interest loan.
Not all high-interest loans are necessarily predatory, but they are very expensive. Use a personal loan calculator to decide whether borrowing is worth it. Aside from rates, below are some potential red flags that could be a sign that you’re dealing with a shady lender.
- Pressures you to sign paperwork before you’re ready
- Says that you’re guaranteed to be approved
- Charges an application fee
- Is not transparent about the rates and fees it charges
- Encourages loan rollovers if you express doubt about your ability to repay
- Only offers weeks-long repayment terms
- Does not have or is not willing to share its physical address
- Cold calls you to offer a loan
Before doing business with a lender, make sure that it’s licensed to do business in Florida using the Florida Office of Financial Regulation’s RealSystem licensing search.
If the lender doesn’t appear in this database and is not a bank, credit union, pawn shop or title loan company (which are regulated through their own specific laws), then it’s likely that it’s operating illegally.
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Frequently asked questions
It’s possible to get a personal loan in Florida, even with bad credit. You could qualify for a no-credit-check loan, but these are very expensive. All of the lenders on this page accept bad credit, including:
- Oportun: None
- Upstart: 300+
- OneMain Financial: 500+
- Prosper: 560+
- VyStar Credit Union: Not specified, but states that it works with less-than-perfect credit
Many personal loan lenders cap their APRs at 35.99%, even for borrowers with poor credit. However, payday loans can come with rates well over 100%. In Florida, payday loans aren’t subject to the same interest rate limits or consumer protections that apply to standard personal loans.
Interest rates in general vary widely depending on the lender, your credit score and the type of loan you choose.
Yes. Personal loans in general are usually unsecured, meaning they don’t require collateral. Secured loans (or loans that require collateral) are typically easier to qualify for, so some personal loan lenders accept collateral as an option. Secured loans can be risky. If you don’t pay back your loan, the lender can repossess your collateral.
How we chose the best bad credit personal loans in Florida
We reviewed more than 40 lenders and loan marketplaces to determine the overall best bad credit personal loans in Florida. To make this list, the company must offer personal loans in Florida and accept credit scores of less than 580 and/or say it works with poor-credit borrowers.
From there, we assessed each lender or marketplace across four categories: eligibility and access; cost to borrow; loan terms and options; repayment support and tools.
According to our standardized rating system, the best personal loans in Florida for bad credit come from: Oportun, Upstart, OneMain Financial, Prosper and VyStar Credit Union.
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 companies 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.