Upstart
check_circleverifiedUpstart is a peer-to-peer lending personal loan company that offers financial solutions primarily for recent college graduates and young professionals. Borrowers can obtain unsecured loans at fixed rates.
What separates Upstart from other personal loan online lenders is its unique approval process. For a recent college graduate, Upstart looks at other factors such as education and employment history instead of only credit history. Because this process is tailored to meet the individual applicant, Upstart states it is able to save its borrowers over 23 percent compared to high-interest credit card rates, and it does not require an excellent credit score. Read Upstart reviews below to see what consumers have to say about the online lending service.
The Good
- High Likelihood of Approval
- Flexible Options, Fast Disbursements
- Upstart Reviews
- Upstart Loan Amount
- Check Your Rate with No Credit Penalty
- Three & Five Year Loans Terms
High Likelihood of Approval
Upstart is an excellent choice of lender for applicants who have little to no credit history and a quality education or a high-paying job. Upstart personal loans are tailored to meet the needs of the individual applicants. This is especially helpful for young professionals or recent college graduates. There is a minimum credit score requirement of 620, but there are no minimum lines of credit or years of credit required in order to borrow money. Factors that go into determining eligibility include:
- Education
- Area of Study
- Job History
- Credit Score
- Years of Credit
Flexible Options, Fast Disbursement
The loan application process is tailored to the needs of the applicant. This enables Upstart to pass on its savings directly to the borrower. This can be seen in its APR Range (lowest rate: 9.57 percent, highest rate: 29.99 percent), low fees, and competitive max loan terms (five years).
The process is also incredibly fast. Most borrowers are able to receive their funds the day after they apply and are approved (it takes up to three days for education loans). It is at least a day faster than some top personal loan lenders.
Upstart Reviews
As of Early 2019, Upstart has a 4.5/5 star rating from consumers with hundreds of reviews. Upstart reviews highlight quick approval and fund transfer (money can be transferred to your bank account as soon as one business day after approval), quality customer service, and reasonable rates (9.57% - 29.99%).
Upstart Loan Amount
Upstart loans range from $1,000 to $50,000. Borrowers' qualified loan amounts are based on credit scores, income, and other determining factors provided on the loan application. Note that some states have minimum loan amounts that may affect your eligibility for smaller loans, depending on which state you are a permanent resident of. For example, Upstart states the minimum loan amount in Massachusetts is $7,000; the minimum loan amount in Ohio is $6,000; the minimum loan amount in New Mexico is $5,100; the minimum loan amount in Georgia is $3,100.
Check Your Rate with No Credit Penalty
To initially check your loan rate with Upstart, it will not affect your credit. Upstart checks your credit report with a soft inquiry, which does not negatively affect your credit as a hard inquiry does. Then, if you choose to accept the rate offer and continue through the loan process, Upstart will do a hard credit inquiry, which is common within the industry and will affect your credit. Having the rate check be a soft inquiry can give consumers peace of mind that it will not ding their credit if they decide not to accept the initial offer.
Three & Five Year Loan Terms
Upstart offers three-year or five-year loans. Having this option allows you to select the option that works best for your financial situation, and because Upstart does not charge a prepayment fee, you can pay off your loan at any time, regardless of the loan term.
The Bad
- May Not Be Ideal for Debt Consolidation
- Fees Can Add Up
May Not Be Ideal for Debt Consolidation
Although the approval process is tailored to meet the needs of the individual applicant, being approved can be challenging. The average Upstart personal loan borrower has the following credentials:
- Credit Score of Roughly 620
- Debt-to-income Ratio of 18%
- Mid-twenties to Mid-thirties
The above credentials can be difficult to meet because most borrowers are looking to consolidate debt, like credit card debt or student loans.
Fees Can Add Up
Upstart unsecured personal loans do have fees to consider. It enforces a loan origination fee of one percent to six percent. The loan origination fee is taken out of the loan before the funds are disbursed to you, so the payment doesn't have to come out of your pocket. This percentage is determined by how qualified the borrower is. The higher rates go to less qualified applicants.
Upstart also charges a fee at a standard rate of five percent or $15 (whichever is greater) on late payments. It's a good idea to make sure your monthly payments arrive on time. However, this is quite common within the lending industry, and unlike some of its competitor lending companies, Upstart does not charge a check processing fee or a prepayment penalty. A prepayment penalty is an additional charge for paying off a loan early.
The Bottom Line
When choosing a lending company, Upstart is a solid lender to consider for young professionals with a good credit score, but little to no credit or credit history. Its unique application process allows these individuals to receive competitive terms.
Potential borrowers should be aware of the loan origination fee and late payment fees. However, this is common within the lending industry. There is also no prepayment penalty or check processing charges. Upstart unsecured personal loans are funded the day after an applicant has been approved, which makes them a great choice for someone in need of money quickly. Upstart has positive consumer reviews and a wide range of loan offerings, ranging from $1,000 to $50,000.
With all Upstart has to offer, we suggest looking into the loan service provider. Especially since Upstart does not require a high credit rating and takes into account additional factors (such as education, job history, and income) to determine eligibility, it could be a great choice for your borrower needs.
Disclaimer
As part of our service, we attempt to partner with all the companies that we review, and may get compensated when you click or call them from our site; however, regardless of any current, past, or future financial arrangements, companies listed on Best Company cannot buy their position, nor do we manipulate or inflate a company's ranking for financial gain. A company’s ranking is based on and calculated by an objective set of ranking criteria, as well as user reviews. See our How We Rank page for more information regarding our ranking algorithm.
All user reviews posted on Best Company are subject to screening and approval. We reserve the right to approve or deny any review posted to this site in accordance with our Review Guidelines. Best Company never suppresses user reviews—unless they are being investigated for authenticity, or if they violate our review guidelines. We encourage anyone who suspects a user review to be fraudulent or intentionally inaccurate to please notify our review moderation team.
User Reviews
Star Rating
333 Reviews
Review Breakdown
Sentiment Criteria
The customer service was stellar, and the loan application process was very easy, no initial credit check until you accept the loan, so you can see your interest rate without hurting your credit with another credit check!
Working with Upstart was BY FAR the easiest and most stress-free experience I've every had with a financial institution. Consolidating high-interest CC debt into a single monthly payment is a great boost to stability. And all was accomplished via my desk-top: computer transactions and a single 10 min. skype call.
Extremely fast and helpful service.
Overall good experience
There was quite a bit of information to provide to verify who I am and employment, etc. yet I can understand that was needed. All in all, it was a simple procedure and the staff was helpful. I would recommend Upstart to anyone.
Very helpful staff. Loans are at very reasonable rates. A mistake in my birthdate at one of the credit reporting agencies caused a 3 week delay, but Upstart stuck with me and helped me through making the correction, and then completed the loan when the correction was made. I am sure the process would have been almost effortless had not the reporting agency been in error.
Upstart was very easy to work with and will be tremendous help in getting my finances together.
Super easy, great people to talk too.
The process was quick and easy. The rep I spoke to on the phone was easy to talk to and explained the loan thoroughly. I'm really hoping this service helps me to manage my debt to become debt-free!
Everything about this process has been super easy, and fast! Great customer service as well :)
Easy and quick funding. Great customer service and wonderful experience. JM
Upstart loan application process was as stated, simple, fast and fair. They matched my loan request to a rate that equally rewarded me to my credit ratings. The review was took only 24 hours after I uploaded the required documentation. The site process to accomplish this was fast and simple. I received my funds the following business day after the review was completed as promised. Thanks Upstart.
Very easy and straight forward process.
Very good customer service.
I have nothing but great things to say about Upstart. They are an innovative company who truly understands lending. The person with whom I worked, Manny, was professional, courteous, and genuinely interested in finding me the best loan. I have always felt that most lenders were much too beholden with a person's FICO score; Upstart has realized there is much more to a person character than a number.
everything went great. another company was offering me the same loan but for a 25% apr. I got it done with upstart with a 15% apr. the only thing I think they should improve is when a customer makes a salary and bonuses that are consistent. Other than that, everything went great.
So pleased with the whole loan process- very expedient and easy to do. Highly recommending if you have credit card debt accruing excessive interest.
I'm very excited about this opportunity. I'm starting a new job soon and wanted to get my finances organized before making more money. I feel like the decision to use Upstart was a very smart one, and I finally feel like I can take control of getting my debt paid!
The only thing I was disappointed in was the "quote" was significantly different than my actual loan terms. It felt a little like "bait and switch." Otherwise, I am completely satisfied.
Very easy process. I applied on a Sunday and received my loan on a Wednesday!
Overall, the process was very nice. It was a little pushy in the emails, but on the phone very pleasant. I had some issues with confirming my account due to how my bank works with the differentiation of saving and checking accounts.
Easy, fast and the recommended over the competition. Other took 0.5 to 1 month and upstart only took a few days.
Fast, easy, efficient! Well done. I will definitely recommend this to others (I already have!).
I have had an amazing experience with Upstart!! They were wonderful to deal with and I was able to receive a loan to pay off my credit cards and pay much less a month to pay off the loan in only 3 years! I am looking forward to being debt free and Upstart has helped me get on the road to be there very soon!
Everything about my experience with Upstart was exceptional. The application process was very easy and straightforward. Approval was fast and I was able to transfer the new funds to my credit cards within just a couple of days. Life changing, seriously.
Really appreciated how easy it was. The website is very simple to use, and I loved being able to interact with an actual human both through email and on the phone. The rates are really competitive and I feel like I can breathe easier knowing that my debt will be paid off in just 3 years or less. Thank you!
Super easy, straight-forward, and customer service folks were friendly and down to earth.
each and every member of your team has been SO helpful! my loan process was quick and easy, without a big fuss or "long processing" request. I am glad I went through you for my loan and I will definitely refer your company to friends and family. thank you!!! :)
Upstart was very user-friendly, great customer service, and QUICK!
Very easy to use. They replied to my email inquiry within a reasonable time and with a direct answer to my question. Very straightforward.
fast, friendly and a great experience!
Overall the experience was good. The only question I had is if I submitted my graduate transcript showing my Masters degree being awarded. Why does the loan officer need to see a picture of my bachelors degree? It didn't make any since. If a customer has a master degree they had to have a bachelor's degree.
The application process was very quick and easy. I would definitely recommend Upstart to anyone needing a small loan in a hurry.
Loan was quick and easy. Interest rates weren't that great but otherwise I am grateful.
The process was handled smoothly and professionally. I received my loans within a week of starting the process and was offered an amazing rate. I highly recommend upstart!
The Upstart team was awesome! Courteous and efficient. My process was done in a matter of days.
Very smooth process. Would highly recommend!
the application was simple and very easy to follow. I was very happy how fast the loan was approved and it was sent to my bank account
Upstart was very prompt returning emails etc. I was extremely satified with their service!
I found this to be a painless process. Would definitely recommend Upstart.
I have never had an easier process in obtaining a loan! Everyone I worked with was kind, informative, and helpful.
I lost my job and got myself into a bad situation with my credit and with high-interest debt. Few lenders are interested in the story behind the numbers. Upstart, however, made it possible to refinance debt at 25% interest down to under 13%. I can regain my financial footing much faster thanks to Upstart. Pros: painless, easy application process. They consider much more than just your credit score when considering your eligibility for a loan. Excellent customer service. Fast funding. Up-front and honest about additional fees. Cons: Loan origination fees are steep (5%).
The process was quick and easy. I am extremely impressed.
I had been trying to get a loan of this size at a similar rate for a while now and was having no luck. Upstart was very easy, and had great communication.
Upstart made it easy to get the funds I needed and at an affordable rate!
Great overall experience!!! The process was super easy and the customer service was super helpful!
The experience was awesome! Very prompt communication and processing ..... 2 days from application to funds deposited. The staff was knowledgeable, polite, and made me feel important.
Very easy process and I appreciate that everything is done online.
Excellent customer service during the application process. Very professional and expedient process.
I had an excellent experience with upstart! I love that they didn't deny me for the little credit history I had. Instead they looked at the fact that I was a recent college graduate with a job who simply needed some money to take care of some extra needs. The process was quick and simple and I highly recommend it to any college graduate!