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Personal Loans

Upgrade Review

Small loans, flexible approval

Finmatchly editorial score · 5,540 reviews
Best for Bad-credit borrowers and joint applicants
See RatesSecure site · Updated July 2026
APR range
8.49%–35.99%
Loan amount
$1K–$50K
Min. credit score
580
Funding time
Within 1 business day
Why it stands out

Upgrade highlights

  • Joint and secured applications improve approval odds
  • Free credit health tools and score tracking
  • Loans from $1,000 for smaller borrowing needs
  • Autopay and direct-pay discounts available
The verdict at a glance

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Works with borrowers who have bruised credit
  • Co-applicant option can secure a better rate
  • Fast funding within a day of clearing verification

Cons

  • Origination fee of 1.85%–9.99% comes off the top
  • Top-tier APRs are steep for weaker credit
  • Smaller maximum loan than the leading lenders
Our full review

Our take on Upgrade

Upgrade accepts co-applicants and secured loans to widen approval, and it pairs each loan with free credit monitoring tools. Rates run high at the low end of the credit spectrum, and an origination fee applies.

Advertiser disclosure: Finmatchly may earn a commission when you visit a partner. This never affects our editorial rankings. Learn more

Figures shown are illustrative editorial examples and may change. Confirm current rates, fees, and terms on Upgrade’s own site before you apply.

The alternatives

How Upgrade compares

Other top-rated lenders in Personal Loans. Compare the numbers side by side before you decide.

At-a-glance comparison of the top lender options
#ProviderRatingAPR rangeBest for
1
SSoFi logoSoFi
4.9
8.99%–29.49%Strong-credit borrowers who want extrasSee Rates
2
LLightStream logoLightStream
4.8
7.49%–25.99%Excellent-credit borrowers chasing low APRSee Rates
3
MMarcus by Goldman Sachs logoMarcus by Goldman Sachs
4.6
9.99%–24.99%Consolidating debt without any feesView Offer
4
UUpstart logoUpstart
4.4
7.80%–35.99%Thin or fair credit filesSee Rates
See all personal loans