American Express Personal Loans Review

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Editorial Rating

Editorial Rating

What we like:

Funds for any purpose

Rates (APR)	6.98% – 19.97%
Loan Terms	1 – 3 years
Loan Amounts	$3,500 – $40,000
Fees	Origination fee: None Prepayment penalty: None Late fee: $39

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American Express, or Amex, was founded in 1850 and is a financial powerhouse. Amex offers a wide array of financial services, including credit cards, gift cards, business services, and insurance. It also offers personal loans to well-qualified borrowers at affordable interest rates.

American Express personal loans are just one of the many options you have when you’re looking to borrow money. As with most personal loans, you have the flexibility to use the proceeds from an Amex loan for almost anything you’d like, including debt consolidation, home improvement, or paying for special events, such as a vacation or your wedding. However, you can’t use the funds for certain purposes, such as buying real estate, purchasing a vehicle, or paying for school.

As with most loan providers, you have a choice of repayment terms and loan rates vary depending upon your credit score, financial situation, the amount borrowed, and the length of the loan. This American Express personal loan review will help determine what you may pay for borrowing with American Express and whether the loan option is a good one for you.

In this review:

• Applying for an American Express Personal Loan
• American Express Personal Loan Rates, Terms, Fees, and Limits
• Benefits of Amex Personal Loans
• Downsides of Amex Personal Loans

Applying for an American Express Personal Loan

If you’re interested in applying for a personal loan with American Express, you can complete the process with a quick online application. However, only pre-approved American Express card members are eligible for loans, so unless you’re already an Amex customer, you won’t be able to successfully apply.

The pre-approval you received from American Express will specify the maximum loan amount you’ve been pre-approved for, but Amex stresses that you aren’t guaranteed a loan just because you’re pre-approved. American Express will need information from you during the application process and may require verification of certain financial information. Based on eligibility requirements, you may be approved to borrow less than you originally were pre-approved for or may be denied a loan.

The online application is quick and simply requests some basic details, including your Social Security number, the amount you wish to borrow, the reason you’re requesting the loan, and your desired repayment period. You may also need to provide other financial details, including your income.

When you apply, there’s no impact on your credit score because Amex will not do a hard credit check that gets recorded on your credit report, which is good since too many hard inquiries can cause your FICO score to fall.

>> Read More: What credit score is needed for a personal loan?

After you submit your application, you’ll receive a decision within seconds. Once you’ve been approved and told the loan terms, you’ll be given the chance to review and accept or reject the loan offer.

After approval, your loan funds could either be paid directly to credit card accounts if you’re taking out a loan to consolidate or refinance debt. You’ll just need to designate in your application which creditors should receive the money and the requested amount you want each creditor to receive. You could also opt to have the loaned proceeds deposited directly into an eligible bank account that American Express has on file for you or that you designate as your chosen account.

After the funds are disbursed, you’ll pay back Amex according to a fixed payment schedule, with monthly payments based on the amount borrowed, your repayment timeline, and your interest rate.

American Express Personal Loan Rates, Terms, Fees, and Limits

It’s important to understand the interest rate and terms Amex offers you before taking out an American Express personal loan. Some of the key features of American Express personal loans include the following:

• You can borrow between $3,500 and $40,000.
• There is no origination fee or prepayment penalty associated with American Express personal loans.
• Applying for a personal loan from Amex won’t affect your credit and you’ll receive an instant decision.
• The annual APR for Amex personal loans currently ranges between 6.98% and 19.97%.
• There’s a $39 late fee.
• You have a choice of loan terms. Options include one-year, two-year, or three-year repayment.
• You will typically receive funds within three to five business days after your loan is approved.
• American Express does not allow cosigners or co-borrowers. Only pre-approved card members are eligible for personal loans from American Express.

It’s important to get quotes from several lenders when you’re looking for a personal loan. You should compare what Amex is offering with competitors to find the best personal loan rates.

Pros and Cons of Amex Personal Loans

Bottom Line: American Express Personal Loans Can Be a Viable Option for Some Borrowers

American Express personal loans are an option only for certain borrowers who are pre-approved credit card members. They’re an especially great option if you’re looking to consolidate credit card debt because Amex is one of few lenders that will pay off your other creditors directly when you get a loan.

If you don’t already have an American Express card, you’ll need to look elsewhere for your personal loan. But, if you can qualify, interest rates are competitive, you have a choice of loan amounts and repayment terms, and you won’t pay fees to borrow so your upfront costs are lower than with some competitors. That makes American Express personal loans a worthy choice for those who are eligible.