Best Debt Consolidation Loans

Young Americans have a lot of debt—an average of $5,472 in credit card debt, $27,975 in student loan debt, and $201,811 in mortgage debt, according to a recent LendEDU report.

Debt can be a major challenge, especially if you owe multiple creditors. One step toward becoming debt-free may be consolidating your debt—using a new loan to pay off multiple debts, so you’re left with a single payment each month instead of many—especially if you can qualify for a lower rate.

This guide to debt consolidation loans will help you decide whether consolidation can help you get out of debt, and it will also help you compare the best debt consolidation lenders. 

In this guide:

• Best debt consolidation loans
• How to find the best rates
• What to consider before applying
• Alternatives to consider

Best debt consolidation loans

LendEDU ranked and rated the best debt consolidation loans from financial institutions including banks and online lenders. Borrowers can compare loan offers to find the loan that’s right for them.

LightStream

LightStream, our best overall personal lender, offers a loan product specifically for credit card debt and debt consolidation. Their products boast low rates and no fees, and LightStream is willing to beat competitors’ rates by 0.10 percentage points. They’re a great choice for customers with good to fair credit scores.

• Credit score category: Excellent, good
• Soft credit pull to check rates: Not available
• Deposit time: As soon as the same day
• Origination fee: 0%
• Late fee: None
• Discounts: 0.50% interest rate reduction for enrolling in autopay
• Repayment terms: 24 – 84 months

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Upgrade

Upgrade offers a personal loan product that can be used for debt consolidation, and the company’s low minimum loan amount makes it great for consolidating smaller amounts of debt. Borrowers with lower credit scores are eligible, and you can check your rate without hurting your credit score.

• Credit score category: Fair, bad
• Soft credit pull to check rates: Yes
• Deposit time: As soon as the next day
• Origination fee: 2.9% – 8%
• Late fee: $10
• Repayment terms: 36 or 60 months

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LendingClub

LendingClub is a peer-to-peer lender offering loans that can be used for debt consolidation. They lend to borrowers with lower credit scores, and their small minimum loan amount makes the company a good choice for those looking to consolidate smaller sums of debt.

• Credit score category: Fair, bad
• Soft credit pull to check rates: Yes
• Deposit time: As soon as 4 business days
• Origination fee: 1% – 6%
• Late fee: $15 or 5% of payment amount
• Repayment terms: 36 or 60 months

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Avant

Avant has lower minimum credit score requirements than many competitors, making the company a handy option for many who are looking to consolidate debt. There are no prepayment fees, so you can pay back your loan as quickly as you like.

• Credit score category: Fair, bad
• Soft credit pull to check rates: Yes
• Deposit time: As soon as the next day
• Origination fee: 4.75%
• Late fee: $25
• Repayment terms: 24 – 60 months

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Upstart

Upstart is an online platform that utilizes machine learning to streamline the loan process. If you need cash fast, Upstart is a great option because you may be able to access your money in as fast as one business day.³

• Credit score category: Fair, bad
• Soft credit pull to check rates: Yes
• Deposit time: As fast as one business day³
• Origination fee: 0% – 10%
• Late fee: $5 or 15% of payment (whichever is higher)
• Repayment terms: 36 months or 60 months¹

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How to find the best debt consolidation loan rates

Rates for debt consolidation loans vary based on several financial factors including:

• Your credit score.
• The types of outstanding debt you carry.
• Your debt-to-income ratio.

Some lenders are more willing to make loans to people with poor credit, while others have stricter standards. Get personalized quotes from at least three of the best personal loan lenders before applying to find the best rate and terms for your situation.

How do debt consolidation loans work?

When you want to consolidate debt, the first step is to find and apply for a new loan. Personal loans make excellent debt consolidation loans since they can be used for pretty much anything.

Ideally, this loan will be enough to pay off your existing debts. Depending on your needs, you’ll also want the loan to have a lower interest rate or lower monthly payment (or both) to reduce your cost and simplify repayment.

Once you’re approved for a debt consolidation loan, the money goes to repay your existing debt. In some cases, the lender will send the money directly to your creditors. In others, you’ll receive the funds and pay off your debts yourself. 

Once your other debts are repaid, you’ll just be responsible for the monthly loan payment on the new consolidation loan.

What types of debts can I combine with personal loan consolidation?

Because many personal loan lenders simply send you borrowed funds, you should be able to use your consolidation loan to repay almost any debts. This can include credit card balances, medical bills, home repair debt, and even other personal loans.

Most people use them to pay off high-interest debt, like credit card debt.

Some personal loan lenders restrict the loan purpose from paying off certain types of debt. Mortgage refinancing and student loan consolidation, for example, require specific types of refinancing loans.

What to consider before applying for a debt consolidation loan

Before you apply for a debt consolidation loan, consider the interest rate, the loan term, and any lender fees. 

The interest rate

It’s generally a good idea to consolidate debt if you can qualify for a new loan at the same or lower interest rate than existing debts. A higher rate would just make your debt cost more.

You’re best off applying for a debt consolidation loan after you’ve taken steps to improve your credit score from where it was when you incurred the debt. That’ll improve your chances of qualifying for a lower rate.

You could also consider asking a creditworthy cosigner to help you qualify for a loan at a better rate than you could secure on your own. 

The loan term

If you’re having trouble making monthly payments on existing debt, a longer loan term could help simplify your debt management and help you keep up with repayment.

Think carefully about the repayment timeline, as this affects both your monthly payment and the total loan cost. Look for a long enough repayment timeline that your monthly payment is affordable, but don’t extend the loan term so much you have to pay a fortune in interest. 

The fees

Some lenders charge origination fees, processing fees, and late fees, which can increase the cost of borrowing your debt consolidation loan. Your existing creditors may also charge prepayment penalties for the debt payoff.

Also look for discounts, such as autopay interest-rate reductions, which could reduce your cost of borrowing.

Alternatives to traditional debt consolidation loans

Unsecured personal loans are typically easy to apply and qualify for, even with some rough spots on your credit report, and they provide funding quickly. This makes them ideal for debt consolidation. 

However, you may wish to consider these other financing options before committing to a personal loan, or if you have trouble qualifying for one. 

Secured debt consolidation loans

If you have equity in your home, you may be able to consolidate debt with a home equity loan or home equity line of credit. 

Consolidation loans secured by your home equity often come with lower interest rates because your home acts as collateral to reduce a lender’s risk.

However, you need to build equity to qualify, your home is on the line, and the application process is typically longer and more costly than for unsecured loans.

Balance transfer credit cards

Many people trying to consolidate debt are hoping to move away from owing money to credit card companies. This is typically a good idea, which is why none of the best debt consolidation loans we rated above involve credit cards.

However, there are situations where signing up for a new card can help—provided you’re committed to paying down your debt. This can make sense if you’re able to qualify for a balance transfer credit card with a 0% APR on transferred debt for a period and no balance transfer fee. 

If you can pay off the credit card debt before the 0% APR period ends, this can be a great way to consolidate debt from multiple credit cards and save money on interest. If you can’t pay it off in time, however, the interest rate will likely jump and increase the cost of your debt.

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Ready to consolidate your debt? Check out a personal loan from Upgrade

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1 The full range of available rates varies by state. The average 3-year loan offered across all lenders using the Upstart platform will have an APR of 15% and 36 monthly payments of $33 per $1,000 borrowed. There is no down payment and no prepayment penalty. Average APR is calculated based on 3-year rates offered in the last 1 month. Your APR will be determined based on your credit, income, and certain other information provided in your loan application. Not all applicants will be approved.

2 Your loan amount will be determined based on your credit, income, and certain other information provided in your loan application. Not all applicants will qualify for the full amount. Loans are not available in West Virginia or Iowa. The minimum loan amount in MA is $7,000. The minimum loan amount in Ohio is $6,000. The minimum loan amount in NM is $5100. The minimum loan amount in GA is $3,100.

3 If you accept your loan by 5pm EST (not including weekends or holidays), you will receive your funds the next business day. Loans used to fund education related expenses are subject to a 3 business day wait period between loan acceptance and funding in accordance with federal law.