Is a credit-builder loan a secured loan?

Yes, a credit-builder loan is a good idea because it’s an easy, low-risk way to establish or rebuild your credit history, especially if you don’t want to get a credit card for one reason or another. With a credit-builder loan, the lender will put money into a savings account for you and you’ll make payments to them over a set time. These payments will add up to the amount of money the lender put in the savings account, plus interest. You’ll get the money in the savings account at the end of the loan term once you make all the payments. … read full answer

Reasons Why a Credit-Builder Loan is a Good Idea

• Your money may be put in an interest-bearing account.
• You may get a portion of your interest payments back.
• If you’re establishing credit from scratch, you may have a score of 630 - 650 by the end of the loan term.
• The APR range on a credit-builder loan is lower than on a conventional loan or credit card.
• The lender gives you the money in the savings account in a lump sum at the end of the loan term if you make all your payments.

Just because a credit-builder loan is a good way to improve your credit score does not mean it is the best, though. The best approach is to use a credit card, perhaps supplemented by a credit-builder loan, because the issuer will report positive information to the credit bureaus whether you pay the bill on time each month or leave your card with a $0 balance.