Pros
- APRs as low as 8.49%
- Loans as high as $50,000
- Joint applications allowed
- Get funded in 2 - 5 business days
- Accepts passport in place of SSN
Cons
- APRs as high as 35.99%
- 1.85% - 9.99% origination fee
- Late fee: $10 (after 15-day grace period)
Upgrade Personal Loan Review Summary
Upgrade Personal Loan personal loans offer quick decisions and funding, with the whole process taking 2 - 5 business days. You can get your money as soon as one business day after the loan is approved. The loans are also fairly easy to get, requiring a credit score of only 620 for approval. Plus, Upgrade loans are available to U.S. citizens as well as permanent residents of the U.S. and immigration-visa holders.
The unfortunate part is that Upgrade Personal Loan have a one-time origination fee of 1.85% - 9.99% that will be deducted from the loan amount. People with bad credit will also have to deal with interest rates as high as 35.99%. And while people with excellent credit can qualify for rates as low as 8.49%, they can get better deals from other lenders.
Below, you can see how WalletHub rates Upgrade Personal Loan in three key categories: Terms, Requirements & Application, and Reviews & Transparency. You’ll also see how they compare to loans from some other popular lenders.
Upgrade Personal Loan Terms
 | |
| APRs | 8.49% - 35.99% |
| Loan Amount | $1,000 - $50,000 |
| Loan Terms | 24-84 months |
| Origination Fee | 1.85% - 9.99% |
| Prepayment Fee | $0 |
| Late Fee | $10 (after 15-day grace period) |
| Minimum Credit Score | Fair* |
| Minimum Income | Not disclosed |
| Loan Purpose | Debt Consolidation, Refinance, Home Improvement |
| Time to Receive Loan Money | 2 - 6 business days |
| Other Requirements |
|
According to multiple third-party sources | |
Upgrade Personal Loan Rates, Fees & Other Terms
Category Rating: 3.2/5
- Overall APR range: Upgrade offers fixed rate personal loans with an APR range of 8.49% - 35.99%. Their personal loan rates are fairly standard for an online lender. They’re not the cheapest on the market but not especially high, either.
- How rates are determined: The exact rate you will get largely depends on your credit score. Upgrade Personal Loan will also look at your income, recent inquiries, and more when making a decision.
- Fees: Upgrade Personal Loan come with an origination fee of 1.85% - 9.99% which will be deducted from the loan amount. Upgrade Personal Loan also charges a late fee of $10 (after 15-day grace period). There are no fees for paying off a loan early.
- Loan amounts & timelines: Upgrade Personal Loan offers loan amounts of $1,000 - $50,000, and their repayment terms range from 24-84 months..
Upgrade Personal Loan Requirements & Application Info
Category Rating: 4.5/5
- Minimum credit score: According to company representatives, you will need a credit score of at least 620 for approval.
- Minimum income: Upgrade Personal Loan does not disclose minimum income requirements.
- Age: You must be at least 18 years old (19 years old in Alabama and certain other states).
- Citizenship: You must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or immigration visa holder.
- Identification: You can apply with either a Social Security number or a passport.
- Bank account: Upgrade Personal Loan are disbursed through an electronic funds transfer. You must have a verifiable U.S. bank account to receive it.
- Pre-qualification: Upgrade Personal Loan shows you what rates you might qualify for based on your desired loan amount, the purpose of the loan, and personal information, such as your address and income. This pre-qualification process does not affect your credit score, and it also doesn’t guarantee approval.
- Ways to apply: If you decide to apply, you can do so online or by calling Upgrade Personal Loan at (844) 311-008.
- Joint loans: Upgrade Personal Loan accepts joint loan applications, which means they allow a co-borrower to share responsibility for the loan.
Upgrade Personal Loan Reviews & Transparency
Category Rating: 3.3/5
- Better Business Bureau: Upgrade Personal Loan has been in business since 2017 and has been accredited by the BBB since 2017 as well. They currently have an A+ rating from the bureau.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: There have only been 25 complaints filed with the CFPB about Upgrade Personal Loan since the company started doing business in 2017. Some of the existing complaints include customers getting denied for a loan after pre-qualification and being charged too much interest for their principal balance. Upgrade Personal Loan consistently responds in a “timely” manner to complaints.
- WalletHub: Upgrade has an average user score of 3.3 from more than 635 reviews.
- Transparency: Upgrade’s personal loan APRs are openly displayed on their website, though their fees are harder to find. Upgrade does offer customers the ability to get pre-qualified for a loan online and see their potential rates. Upgrade is also transparent about their credit score requirement but it is not easily found on their website, and they don’t disclose what they require in terms of income.
Upgrade Personal Loan’s score in this category takes a small hit from their less-than-perfect transparency, despite the company’s good reputation overall.
Summary: Upgrade Personal Loan Score by Review Category
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Rates, Fees & Other Terms | 3.2/5 |
| Requirements & Application Info | 4.5/5 |
| Reviews & Transparency | 3.3/5 |
| OVERALL | 11/15 |
Upgrade Personal Loans vs. Popular Competitors
| Info | Upgrade Personal Loan | Marcus by Goldman Sachs | Discover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reviews | |||
| APRs | 8.49% - 35.99% | 6.99% - 24.99% | 6.99% - 24.99% |
| Loan Amounts | $1,000 - $50,000 | $3,500 - $40,000 | $2,500 - $40,000 |
| Loan Terms | 24-84 months | 36 - 72 months | 36, 48, 60, 72 or 84 months |
| Minimum Credit Score | Fair* | Good* | Fair* |
Methodology
In order to provide the most accurate review of Upgrade Personal Loan, WalletHub used 17 key metrics grouped into three overall sections: Terms, Requirements & Application, and Reviews & Transparency. We rated each section on a scale of 0 to 5, with 5 being the best, and then averaged the scores of the three sections to produce an overall rating for the loan.
- The “Terms” section includes information about how expensive the loan is, including rates and fees. It also takes into consideration how much consumers can borrow and how quickly they must pay it back. For companies where APR and fee ranges differ greatly by state, we used data from the most populous state serviced by the company. Terms on Upgrade Personal Loan do not fluctuate significantly by state, however.
- The “Requirements & Application” section examines how easy it is to apply for a loan and how long it takes to receive the money. It also looks at exactly who is eligible to apply.
- The “Reviews & Transparency” section measures the loan provider’s reputation as well as how clearly the lender discloses its terms and requirements. This takes into account user reviews and information from watchdog organizations.
The average of these three scores reflects how close a loan offer is to WalletHub’s definition of a 5-star loan. For more information, please read WalletHub’s full methodology.
* Personal loans made through Upgrade feature Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) of 8.49%-35.99%. All personal loans have a 1.85% to 9.99% origination fee, which is deducted from the loan proceeds. Lowest rates require Autopay and paying off a portion of existing debt directly. Loans feature repayment terms of 24 to 84 months. For example, if you receive a $10,000 loan with a 36-month term and a 17.59% APR (which includes a 13.94% yearly interest rate and a 5% one-time origination fee), you would receive $9,500 in your account and would have a required monthly payment of $341.48. Over the life of the loan, your payments would total $12,293.46. The APR on your loan may be higher or lower and your loan offers may not have multiple term lengths available. Actual rate depends on credit score, credit usage history, loan term, and other factors. Late payments or subsequent charges and fees may increase the cost of your fixed rate loan. There is no fee or penalty for repaying a loan early. Personal loans issued by Upgrade's bank partners. Information on Upgrade's bank partners can be found at https://www.upgrade.com/bank-partners/.
