Best Military Personal Loans in 2026
Personal loans with low rates, better terms and perks for military members
| Lender | Best for | APR | Term | Amount | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Military loans overall | 8.74% – 18.00% | Up to 60 months |
$250 – $50k |
|
|
Bank military loans | Starting at 9.64% (with autopay) | 12 to 84 months |
$2.5k – $100k |
|
|
Joint military loans | 8.99% – 29.99% | 24 to 60 months |
$5k – $50k |
|
|
Military loans with repayment assistance | 7.99% – 24.99% | 36 to 84 months |
$2.5k – $40k |
|
|
Military loans for excellent credit | 6.24% – 24.89% (with autopay) | 24 to 84 months |
$5k – $100k |
|
|
Quick military loans | 8.74% – 35.49% (with discounts) | 24 to 84 months |
$5k – $100k |
|
|
Military loans for bad credit | 6.50% – 35.99% | 36 to 60 months |
$1k – $75k |
Read more about how we made our picks for the best military loans.
Best military personal loans at a glance
Best for: Military personal loans overall – Navy Federal Credit Union
- APR
- 8.74% – 18.00%
- 0.25% interest rate discount for eligible active duty and retired military
- Borrow as little as $250 (most loans start at $1,000)
- Eligible cadets and midshipmen can get an ultra-low interest rate of 0.75% with a Career Kickoff Loan
- Can’t check your eligibility or rates without taking a ding to your credit
- No payment extensions
- People with excellent credit may get lower rates with another lender
Navy Federal Credit Union (NFCU) is our pick for best military personal loans because it offers competitive rates and discounts exclusively to military members and their relatives. For instance, active-duty and retired military members can get an APR discount as long as they also receive direct deposit.
If you have excellent credit, you may be able to qualify for lower rates with a lender like LightStream. Also note that NFCU doesn’t let you prequalify for a personal loan. You’ll have to agree to a hard credit pull to see if you’re eligible.
NFCU is only available to:
- Active-duty members of the military (regardless of branch)
- Veterans, retirees and annuitants
- Those in the Delayed Entry Program (DEP)
- DoD Officer Candidates and ROTC
- DoD Reservists
- Immediate family of military members, as well as household members
You’ll also need to meet the following requirements to borrow:
- 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 [/partner-data]
Best for: Bank military personal loans – USAA Bank
- APR (with autopay)
- Starting at 9.64%
- Offers membership perks
- Insurance, banking and investing available
- Short- and long-term loan options
- Must join USAA before you can check eligibility
- Can’t see rates without affecting credit score
USAA Bank is a good choice for borrowers with military affiliations who want to bank, borrow and get insured all with the same company. As a member of USAA Bank, you’ll get access to special deals and discounts on rental cars, theme park tickets and more. Plus, you can choose between stretching out your payments over several years and paying off your USAA Bank loan in just 12 months.
Unfortunately, USAA Bank doesn’t specify some important information, like how long it takes to get your money after approval. You also can’t check rates before joining USAA Bank.
You must be a USAA member before you can get a personal loan, and USAA has strict eligibility requirements. It only accepts active-duty military members, veterans, precommissioned officers or eligible family members. Veterans must also have an honorable discharge status at the time of separation.
Once you are a member, you can apply for a loan online. Unfortunately, USAA doesn’t have a prequalification process, so you must fill out an application and take a hard credit hit to see if you’re eligible.
Best for: Joint military personal loans – Achieve
- APR
- 8.99% – 29.99%
- Can get a rate discount for adding a second person to your loan
- Offers two more discounts: one for debt consolidation and one for having a healthy retirement account
- Dedicated consultant available to help you apply
- Must take out at least $5,000
- Will keep 1.99% – 9.99% of your loan for itself as an origination fee
Taking out a joint loan with a lender like Achieve can boost your odds of getting a personal loan. Not all lenders allow joint loans, but Achieve does — and it offers discounted interest rates when you add a qualified co-borrower to your application.
Achieve’s credit score requirements are on the low side, so qualifying is possible if you have fair credit. But regardless of your credit score, prepare to pay an origination fee — Achieve charges one on every loan. This is an amount that Achieve deducts from your loan funds before sending them to you.
Other than a credit score of at least 640, Achieve typically asks for 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: Military personal loans with repayment assistance – Discover
- APR
- 7.99% – 24.99%
- Willing to work with you if you’re having trouble making payments
- No fees
- Customer service is based in the U.S. and is available seven days a week
- Hard to qualify for
- Can’t get a loan with another person
Discover offers repayment assistance programs to get you back on track if you’re having trouble making payments on your military loan. Plus, its U.S.-based loan specialists are available until 11 p.m. Eastern time on weekdays and 6 p.m. on weekends if you have questions.
Borrowers with bad credit are typically not eligible for a Discover loan, and you can’t add a co-borrower, either.
You’ll need to meet these eligibility criteria to get a Discover loan:
- Age: Be at least 18
- Citizenship: Have a Social Security number
- Administrative: Have a physical address, an email address and internet access
- Income: Minimum income of $40,000 (individually or as a household)
- Credit score: 720+
Best for: Military personal loans for excellent credit – LightStream
- APR (with autopay)
- 6.24% – 24.89%
Your loan terms, including APR, may differ based on loan purpose, amount, term length, and your credit profile. Excellent credit is required to qualify for lowest rates. Rate is quoted with AutoPay discount. AutoPay discount is only available prior to loan funding. Rates without AutoPay are 0.50% points higher. Subject to credit approval. Conditions and limitations apply. Advertised rates and terms are subject to change without notice. Payment example: Monthly payments for a $25,000 loan at 6.49% APR with a term of 3 years would result in 36 monthly payments of $766.11. © 2024 Truist Financial Corporation. Truist, LightStream and the LightStream logo are service marks of Truist Financial Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Lending services provided by Truist Bank.
- Low rates for borrowers with excellent credit
- Offers up to $100,000 (many loans max out at $50,000)
- Will beat competitors’ rates (stipulations apply)
- Must take out at least $5,000
- Won’t qualify if you have fair or bad credit
- Can’t check rates without damaging your credit
Military members with excellent credit can qualify for some of the lowest rates on the market with LightStream. You can borrow up to $100,000 without paying any upfront fees, making LightStream a good choice for a large expense. If you do happen to find a lower rate, LightStream may beat it through its Rate Beat Program.
Note that LightStream only approves borrowers with good to excellent credit, you can’t prequalify to see if you’re eligible.
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, an investment account or a retirement account
Best for: Quick military personal loans – SoFi
- APR (with discounts)
- 8.74% – 35.49%
Fixed rates from 8.74% APR to 35.49% APR. APR reflect the 0.25% autopay interest rate discount and a 0.25% SoFi Plus interest rate discount. SoFi Platform personal loans are made either by SoFi Bank, N.A. or , Cross River Bank, a New Jersey State Chartered Commercial Bank, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender. SoFi may receive compensation if you take out a loan originated by Cross River Bank. These rate ranges are current as of 11/03/25 and are subject to change without notice. Not all rates and amounts available in all states. See SoFi Personal Loan eligibility details at https://www.sofi.com/eligibility-criteria/#eligibility-personal. Not all applicants qualify for the lowest rate. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. Your actual rate will be within the range of rates listed above and will depend on a variety of factors, including evaluation of your credit worthiness, income, and other factors. Loan amounts range from $5,000– $100,000. The APR is the cost of credit as a yearly rate and reflects both your interest rate and an origination fee of 9.99% of your loan amount for Cross River Bank originated loans which will be deducted from any loan proceeds you receive and for SoFi Bank originated loans have an origination fee of 0%-7%, will be deducted from any loan proceeds you receive. Autopay: The SoFi 0.25% autopay interest rate reduction requires you to agree to make monthly principal and interest payments by an automatic monthly deduction from a savings or checking account. The benefit will discontinue and be lost for periods in which you do not pay by automatic deduction from a savings or checking account. Autopay is not required to receive a loan from SoFi. SoFi Plus Discount: SoFi Plus members are eligible for an interest rate reduction of 0.25% on a Personal Loan. To be eligible for the discount, you must meet the SoFi Plus eligibility criteria within 31 days of the funding of your loan. For complete SoFi Plus eligibility, please see the SoFi Plus terms. When you enroll in SoFi Plus, the discount will lower the interest rate that applies to your loan only during periods in which you are enrolled in SoFi Plus. The discount will be removed during periods in which SoFi determines you are not enrolled in SoFi Plus. Each time your loan is re-amortized, your monthly payment amount will change based upon the interest rate that was in place. SoFi reserves the right to change or terminate this offer for unenrolled participants at any time. You are not required to enroll in SoFi Plus to be eligible for Loan approval. Terms and conditions apply. SOFI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY OR DISCONTINUE PRODUCTS AND BENEFITS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. To qualify, a borrower must be a U.S. citizen or other eligible status, be residing in the U.S., and meet SoFi’s underwriting requirements. Not all borrowers receive the lowest rate. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. If approved, your actual rate will be within the range of rates at the time of application and will depend on a variety of factors, including term of loan, evaluation of your creditworthiness, income, and other factors. If SoFi is unable to offer you a loan but matches you for a loan with a participating bank, then your rate may be outside the range of rates listed above. Rates and Terms are subject to change at any time without notice. SoFi Personal Loans can be used for any lawful personal, family, or household purposes and may not be used for post-secondary education expenses. Minimum loan amount is $5,000. The average of SoFi Personal Loans funded in 2024 was around $33K. Information current as of 11/03/25. SoFi Personal Loans originated by SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. NMLS #696891 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). See SoFi.com/legal for state-specific license details. See SoFi.com/eligibility for details and state restrictions.
- Can get money the day you sign
- Borrow up to $100,000 (many loans max out at $50,000)
- No late payment fees
- Must take out at least $5,000
- Can’t qualify with bad credit
- May need to pay upfront fee to get lowest rates
SoFi is ideal for military members who need a quick loan, as long as they have decent credit. Same-day loans aren’t terribly uncommon, but most lenders have a mid-afternoon application cutoff time. Any later than the cutoff, you’ll have to wait until the next day to get your loan. At SoFi, you’ll have until 5:30 p.m. Eastern time to sign your documents.
SoFi doesn’t charge any required fees, but you can choose to pay an upfront loan processing fee called an origination fee to get a lower interest rate. Also, look elsewhere if you need a small loan, since the smallest loan SoFi offers is $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 an 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: Military personal loans for bad credit – Upstart
- APR
- 6.50% – 35.99%
- One of the lowest credit score requirements on the market
- If you graduated from college, you might not need a credit score at all to qualify
- Borrow as little as $1,000
- May charge a high upfront fee
- Bad-credit loans can be helpful, but they usually have high rates
- Only offers two repayment lengths (36 or 60 months)
Upstart isn’t military-specific, but this lending platform does serve non-traditional borrowers, including those with lower credit scores. If you need a bad-credit loan, you can qualify with Upstart with a score as low as 300 — one of the lowest thresholds on the market. But watch out for Upstart’s rates. If you have bad credit, you’ll likely pay rates close to 36%.
If you have excellent credit, lenders on the Upstart platform offer some of the most competitive starting interest rates. That said, Upstart may charge you a high upfront loan processing fee called an origination fee.
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)
What to know about military personal loans
Whether you’re looking to consolidate debt or you need cash for an unexpected expense, a personal loan can help you get back on your feet (when used responsibly).
Lenders like Navy Federal Credit Union and USAA Bank specialize in serving military members, but members of the armed forces can get loans from any lender as long as they follow the rules in the Military Lending Act (MLA).
Some special rules and benefits apply to loans for military members and their eligible dependents. Here’s what you need to know:
| Loans opened during service | Loans opened pre-service |
|---|---|
Under the MLA, loans offered to active-duty military members, their spouses and certain dependents must not:
| The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) can help active-duty military (and at times, their dependents) by:
|
The MLA applies to most installment loans. This list of benefits and protections is just a general guideline. For more information regarding your specific situation, contact a legal professional who is well-versed in military law.
Applying for a military personal loan
Although the process of applying for a personal loan is similar for military members and civilians, there are two key differences:
- Some loans will not be available to you because of MLA restrictions, so your pool of potential lenders may be smaller. For instance, many no-credit-check loans come with APRs above 36%, making them unavailable to active military members.
- You’ll need to provide proof of service if you’re applying for a loan only open to military members. This may include providing information about your branch, rank and date of service.
How to compare military loans with LendingTree
When every dollar counts, comparing your options can make a big difference. LendingTree users can save around $1,659 on average by reviewing at least six personal loan offers and choosing the one with the lowest rate. Here’s how.
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.
Grants for veterans and other financial assistance
The MLA and SCRA provide protections for active-duty military, but they don’t apply to personal loans for veterans. For that reason, it’s especially important for veterans to ensure they aren’t taking out a loan with predatory rates and terms.
When personal loans aren’t an option, veterans can find financial help through nonprofit organizations and government programs.
If you think you may be eligible for VA benefits but are having a hard time navigating the system, make an appointment with your local Veteran Service Officer (VSO). A VSO’s main duty is to help veterans find and use their benefits.
Operation First Response
Open to: Disabled veterans, first responders and their families
Disabled veterans and their families can get financial assistance through Operation First Response. This charity’s Family Assistance Program provides funds for groceries, utility bills, mortgage payments and other everyday items.
USA Cares
Open to: Post-9/11 military members and their families
USA Cares provides emergency financial assistance for military members who served after 9/11. This organization also focuses on getting veterans set up for a successful post-military life by providing career transition training.
VFW’s Unmet Needs
Open to: Active-duty servicemembers and their families
Active-duty servicemembers experiencing financial hardship due to deployment or military-related activity and/or injury could qualify for a grant of up to $2,500 through VFW’s Unmet Needs program. These funds can be used for “daily necessities,” which could include mortgage payments, child care, vehicle repairs and other expenses.
HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing
Open to: Homeless veterans and their families
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has partnered with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to create the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program, otherwise known as HUD-VASH.
HUD-VASH helps homeless veterans and their families by providing housing assistance through a dedicated case manager.
How we chose the best military loans
We reviewed more than 40 lenders and loan marketplaces to determine the overall best seven military loans. To make our list, lenders must offer personal loans with competitive APRs. From there, we prioritized lenders that cater to military members.
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 military loans come from Navy Federal Credit Union, USAA, Achieve, Discover, LightStream, SoFi and Upstart.
While they didn’t make our shortlist, Omni Military Loans, Armed Forces Bank and Service Credit Union offer loans specifically for military members.
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
You can get a loan in the military, as long as the lender follows the MLA. That means you aren’t allowed to get a loan that has a rate higher than 36%, and lenders can’t charge you prepayment penalties.
If you’re looking to get a loan from the military, note that the VA itself doesn’t provide personal loans (just home loans).
Regardless of your military status, the credit score you need for a personal loan varies from lender to lender. Upstart is a good lender to start with if you have bad credit. It only requires a credit score of 300, and it waives its credit requirements for eligible college students and grads. Upstart also caps its rates at 35.99%, so it falls under MLA guidelines.
The Military Lending Act makes it illegal for lenders to offer loans with interest rates above 36% to members of the military. Since payday loans come with high rates, military members can’t get them.