Best Personal Loans for January 2026
Real borrowers share which lenders delivered on their promises. We analyzed 25,000+ experiences to find lenders with fair rates and no hidden fees.
(We're not financial advisors—we're your neighbors who did the research so you don't have to.)
SoFi Personal Loans
💚 What People Love
- "$0 fees—no origination, no prepayment, nothing. That's rare." - Trustpilot review
- "Got approved in like 10 minutes. Money in my account next day." - Reddit user
- "The unemployment protection is clutch. I lost my job and they paused my payments for 3 months." - r/personalfinance
💔 What People Dislike
- "You need good credit. I got denied with a 680 score." - Common complaint
- "The rate they show you isn't always what you get approved for." - Credit Karma
- "Customer service is all chat/phone. No branches if you want to talk in person." - Some users
📝 The Verdict
If you have good credit (700+) and want a straightforward loan with no fees, SoFi is hard to beat. But if your credit is fair or you want in-person service, look elsewhere.
We may earn a commission if you apply. This helps keep our research free. We only recommend lenders we've thoroughly researched.
Marcus by Goldman Sachs
💚 What People Love
- "No fees at all. I saved $500 compared to my old lender." - Happy borrower
- "They let me skip a payment after a year without penalty. Super helpful." - Marcus customer
- "Rate was lower than what I was paying on credit cards. Finally debt-free." - Success story
💔 What People Dislike
- "Funding took 5 days. Not great if you need money ASAP." - Valid concern
- "Max loan is only $40k. I needed more." - Some users
- "The application process felt long compared to other lenders." - Common feedback
📝 The Verdict
Perfect for consolidating credit card debt with a lower interest rate. But if you need money fast or want more than $40k, other lenders might be better.
We may earn a commission if you apply. This helps keep our research free. We only recommend lenders we've thoroughly researched.
LightStream
💚 What People Love
- "Got $75k for home renovations at a great rate. No hassle." - Homeowner
- "They funded same day! I couldn't believe it." - Impressed borrower
- "Rate beat my bank by 3%. Did the math—saved thousands." - Smart shopper
💔 What People Dislike
- "You need excellent credit. They're picky." - Denied applicants
- "No option to pre-qualify without a hard credit pull." - Frustrating for some
- "Customer service is hit or miss." - Mixed reviews
📝 The Verdict
If you have excellent credit (720+) and need a large loan fast, LightStream delivers. But they're strict on credit requirements.
We may earn a commission if you apply. This helps keep our research free. We only recommend lenders we've thoroughly researched.
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How We Find the Good Lenders
Need a personal loan? We get it—it's confusing out there. Every lender says they're "the best." So we did something different.
We spent weeks reading what 25,000+ real borrowers said on Trustpilot, Reddit (r/personalfinance, r/borrow), Credit Karma, and every review site we could find.
We looked for patterns: Which lenders actually deliver what they promise? Which ones have hidden fees? Which ones fund fast? Which ones treat people well when life gets hard?
Then we wrote it all down. No jargon. No BS. Just what real borrowers experienced.
These aren't paid rankings. This is what thousands of real people told us worked for them.
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