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Self

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LAST UPDATED: May 13th, 2023

Self, formerly known as Self Lender, is a Texas-based company that offers credit building solutions. Thus, it is important to note that Self isn’t a credit repair service. Instead, the company offers a Credit Builder Account that functions like an installment loan — consumers receive a specific amount of money which must be paid off over a period of 24 months. The Credit Builder Account is designed to help consumers establish and build good credit through responsible payment habits. You can choose from various credit building plans to tailor your account to your financial goals and needs.

Self reports to all three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — and provides customers with a user-friendly online dashboard.

Keep reading to learn more about Self's Credit Builder Account or to read Self reviews from real customers.

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The Good

  • Helpful Online Dashboard
  • Competitive Monthly Fees
  • Responsible Credit Building
  • Educational Resources

Helpful Online Dashboard

Self has an online dashboard that customers can access if they want to view their balance, download account documents, see their repayment schedule, and check their credit score.

If customers need to update any personal information that has already been given to the company, they can do so via their account dashboard.

Each customer will have access to this dashboard with a username and password.

Competitive Monthly Fees

Self offers fairly competitive monthly fees for its Credit Builder Account in comparison to other companies in the credit repair industry.

Customers can choose from the following four credit building plans to determine the costs associated with their Credit Builder Account:

  • Small Builder — $25 per month for 24 months
  • Medium Builder — $35 per month for 24 months
  • Large Builder — $48 per month for 24 months
  • X-Large Builder — $150 per month for 24 months

Each plan above requires a $9 one-time, non-refundable administrative fee.

Responsible Credit Building

The company's Credit Builder Account involves customers receiving a small, FDIC-insured installment loan. The next month after they receive the loan, they begin making payments to their account.

Self will report these equal payments each month to all three of the major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Customers have the option to pay off the account or close the account early.

After the loan is paid off, the customer should have an improved credit score due to the controlled payment history. Overall, customers have the opportunity to build credit through the company's responsible Credit Builder Account product.

If consumers cannot make their payments, the company encourages them to cancel their account before they miss a payment. Consumers who have past-due payments (of 15-30 days) will be charged a late fee.

Educational Resources

Self offers a few different educational resources on its website that all website visitors can learn from. These resources include a personal finance blog and several articles that cover what a Credit Builder Account is, how credit works, how credit scores are calculated, and more.

The company also provides a frequently asked questions section and is fairly transparent about the services it offers.

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The Bad

  • Non-Traditional Credit Repair

Non-Traditional Credit Repair

Self is not a credit repair service — the company doesn’t work with credit bureaus beyond sending your Credit Builder Account activity monthly. Instead, Self helps customers build credit and build savings through a consumer making on-time payments on their Credit Builder Account which functions like an installment loan. 

Thus, the company's Credit Builder Account may not be what some customers with bad credit are looking for, especially if they are expecting and/or looking for services that will work to remove inaccurate or negative information from their credit report.

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The Bottom Line

Self, previously known as Self Lender, offers a user-friendly customer dashboard along with a fairly competitive monthly fee.

The Texas-based company focuses on helping customers build credit and build savings through a Credit Builder Account that acts like an installment loan — you make payments and your payment activity is reported to the three main credit bureaus. Self doesn’t work on your behalf with credit bureaus to repair your credit; you are responsible for your credit improvement. However, Self provides customers with helpful online resources that can help them learn more about credit and personal finance. 

While the company does not offer traditional credit repair options and relies on consumers to make responsible decisions, Credit Builder Accounts provide positive results, especially if consumers are dedicated to making on-time payments. 

If you are interested in a Self Credit Builder Account, we recommend that you visit the company's website and read several customer reviews to learn more about how this program could benefit you. 

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