PrimeRates provides access to personalized loan offers through our simple and quick pre-qualification application. Once you’re pre-qualified, you can select the best offer for you and finalize the loan application with the lender.
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Simple pre-qual application in less than 1 minute.
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Choose the offer that best fits your needs.
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Finalize your loan offer, get approved, and receive funds.
Best Egg has originated over $24 billion in personal loans since 2014, making it one of the most established online lenders. They offer loans from $2,000 to $50,000 with a minimum credit score of 640.
Best Egg is known for fast funding — often by the next business day — and a straightforward online application process. They also offer secured loan options that can provide lower rates.
Best Egg has been lending since 2014, and it’s built a reputation for speed and simplicity. The Wilmington, Delaware-based lender (loans issued by Cross River Bank, Column N.A., and Blue Ridge Bank) focuses on a clean, online-only experience: apply in minutes, get a pre-approval decision instantly via soft credit pull, and receive funds as quickly as the next business day. Over the years, they’ve extended into secured lending territory — something most online personal loan lenders don’t offer — making them unusually versatile for a fintech platform.
The pitch works best for mid-range borrowers. If you’ve got a 700+ credit score and solid income, Best Egg’s rates are competitive with top-tier lenders. If you’re in the 640-700 range, the secured options (home fixtures or vehicle equity) can unlock rates you wouldn’t qualify for unsecured. Below 640, you’ll want to look at Upgrade or Upstart instead — Best Egg won’t approve you. And unlike some competitors, there’s no co-signer or joint application option, so you need to qualify entirely on your own merits.
The Trustpilot score of 4.6/5 is unusually high for a personal loan company. Customer reviews consistently highlight two things: the speed of funding and the straightforwardness of the process. The most common complaints revolve around origination fees (which every informed borrower should expect) and marketing calls from third-party companies after applying. Overall, Best Egg sits comfortably in the upper tier of online personal loan lenders — not the absolute cheapest, but reliable, fast, and more flexible than most.
Pre-qualifying with Best Egg uses a soft credit check and takes about 3 minutes — your score won’t be affected.
APR range: 6.99%-35.99%. The floor of 6.99% is competitive — not the absolute lowest in the market (LightStream starts at 6.49%, Upstart at 6.20%), but close. Best Egg’s best rates require a 700+ FICO score and $100,000+ annual income. Realistic rates for a 680-score borrower with moderate income land in the 12-18% range. At the top end, 35.99% is high but consistent with what lenders charge the riskiest approved borrowers.
Origination fee: 0.99%-9.99%. This is deducted from your loan proceeds before you receive them. On a $15,000 loan with a 5% origination fee, you get $14,250 but owe $15,000 plus interest. The fee is baked into the APR, so when you’re comparing Best Egg’s APR against a fee-free lender like LightStream, you’re comparing apples to apples. Still, the fee means you need to borrow slightly more than your actual need to account for the deduction. For loans with terms of 4 years or longer, the origination fee is at least 4.99%.
Loan amounts: $2,000-$50,000. The minimum is $2,000 nationally, though Massachusetts requires $6,500+, Ohio $5,001+, and Georgia $3,001+. You can take a second Best Egg loan if your combined balance stays under $100,000. The $50,000 ceiling puts Best Egg behind SoFi ($100,000) and LightStream ($100,000) for borrowers with large financing needs.
Terms: 36-60 months (3-5 years). This range is narrower than competitors like LightStream (24-144 months) and Upgrade (24-84 months). If you want a 2-year payoff or a 7-year extended term, Best Egg won’t accommodate you. For most borrowers, 3-5 years is the sweet spot, but the lack of flexibility is a real limitation for people who want to minimize monthly payments with a longer term.
No prepayment penalty. You can pay off your loan early without any fees, which means if you land a bonus or windfall, you can eliminate the debt ahead of schedule and save on remaining interest. This is standard among reputable lenders but worth confirming.
Homeowner-secured personal loan. This is Best Egg’s most distinctive product. Instead of pledging your house as collateral (like a HELOC or home equity loan), you pledge your home’s fixtures — things like cabinets, countertops, vanities, and built-in appliances. It sounds odd, but it works: the collateral reduces Best Egg’s risk enough to offer rates approximately 20% lower than unsecured loans. On a $20,000 loan where the unsecured rate would be 14%, the homeowner-secured rate might be 11.2% — saving roughly $1,700 over the loan term.
No appraisal is required, which means you skip the $300-$600 appraisal fee and the 2-week scheduling delay that home equity products require. The practical risk is minimal — it’s hard to imagine Best Egg sending someone to remove your kitchen cabinets — but it’s a legal obligation worth understanding. This product isn’t available in Connecticut, Iowa, Louisiana, Vermont, West Virginia, or Washington, D.C.
Vehicle equity loan. If you own a car outright (no existing auto loan), Best Egg lets you borrow up to 250% of the vehicle’s value using it as collateral. A car worth $12,000 could secure a loan up to $30,000. Rates are lower than unsecured options because the vehicle reduces lender risk. The verification process involves uploading documents and mailing some additional paperwork, and funds aren’t released until the mailed documents are approved — adding a few days to the timeline. This option works well for borrowers who have equity in a paid-off vehicle and want to convert it into lower-rate financing.
| Lender | APR Range | Loan Amount | Terms | Orig. Fee | Min. Score |
| Best Egg | 6.99%-35.99% | $2K-$50K | 36-60 mo | 0.99%-9.99% | 640 |
| LightStream | 6.49%-25.99% | $5K-$100K | 24-144 mo | $0 | ~720 |
| SoFi | 7.99%-23.43% | $5K-$100K | 24-84 mo | $0 (optional) | None stated |
| Upstart | 7.80%-35.99% | $1K-$75K | 36-60 mo | 0-12% | None |
| Upgrade | 7.74%-35.99% | $1K-$50K | 24-84 mo | 1.85%-9.99% | 580 |
Rates as of March 2026. Your actual rate depends on credit, income, loan amount, and term. Lowest rates require excellent credit.
Pre-qualifying with multiple lenders — including Best Egg — lets you compare actual rates side by side before committing.
What Best Egg does well. Speed is the standout — about half of approved borrowers get funded the next business day, and the rest within 3 days. The two secured loan options (homeowner fixtures and vehicle equity) genuinely differentiate Best Egg from most online lenders, giving borrowers with collateral a path to lower rates without the full HELOC process. The direct-pay feature for debt consolidation sends funds straight to your creditors, removing the temptation to spend the money elsewhere. And the free Financial Health platform (credit monitoring, spending tracking, debt payoff tools) adds value beyond the loan itself.
Where Best Egg falls short. The origination fee is the biggest negative — especially the 4.99%+ minimum on loans of 4 years or longer. LightStream, SoFi, and Discover all offer competitive personal loans with zero origination fees. The 36-60 month term range is narrow; if you want a shorter or longer payoff, you’re out of luck. No co-signer or joint application option means borderline borrowers can’t get a boost from a creditworthy partner. And the $50,000 maximum loan amount leaves larger projects underserved — SoFi and LightStream go to $100,000.
Not available everywhere. Residents of Iowa, Vermont, West Virginia, Washington D.C., and U.S. territories can’t apply. Massachusetts, Ohio, and Georgia have higher minimum loan amounts. Check availability before you start the application.
Best Egg is a strong fit if: you’re a homeowner with good credit (680+) who wants lower rates through the secured loan option, you need debt consolidation with direct creditor payment, you value fast funding (1-3 days), or you’re a borrower in the 640-720 credit range where Best Egg’s secured options make the rate competitive with premium lenders.
Look elsewhere if: you have excellent credit (740+) and can qualify for LightStream or SoFi at better rates with no fees, you need to borrow more than $50,000, you want a term shorter than 3 years or longer than 5, you need a co-signer to qualify, or you live in an excluded state. Upgrade is the better choice for borrowers with credit below 640, and Upstart is strongest for thin-file borrowers with limited credit history.
The total-cost comparison. On a $15,000 loan over 5 years: Best Egg at 11% APR (including a 3% origination fee) costs $19,505 total. LightStream at 8.5% with no fee costs $18,415. SoFi at 9% with no fee costs $18,714. Best Egg’s fee makes it roughly $800-$1,100 more expensive than fee-free alternatives at similar rates. But if Best Egg’s secured option drops your rate to 9% from a would-be 13% unsecured elsewhere, the math flips in Best Egg’s favor. Always run the total-cost comparison for your specific scenario.
Step 1: Pre-qualify (3 minutes, soft pull). Enter your desired loan amount, loan purpose, personal info, and income. Best Egg runs a soft credit check and shows you estimated rates and terms within minutes. This doesn’t affect your credit score. If you received a pre-approval offer by mail, you can enter your offer code to skip ahead.
Step 2: Review and accept your offer. If pre-qualified, you’ll see your specific loan amount, APR, monthly payment, origination fee, and total cost. Review the numbers carefully — particularly the origination fee deduction. If the offer works, accept it and proceed to verification.
Step 3: Verify your identity and income. Best Egg may request documentation: government-issued ID, pay stubs, bank statements, or tax documents. Homeowner-secured and vehicle equity loans require additional documentation. Submitting a complete application triggers a hard credit inquiry.
Step 4: Receive funds. After final approval, Best Egg deposits funds directly into your bank account — next business day for about half of borrowers, 1-3 days for the rest. For debt consolidation with direct pay, funds go to your creditors instead. For vehicle equity loans, funding waits until mailed documentation is approved.
Best Egg generally approves borrowers with a 640+ FICO score. The best rates (starting at 6.99% APR) require 700+ and $100,000+ annual income. There’s no co-signer option, so you need to qualify on your own credit and income.
Yes — 0.99% to 9.99% of the loan amount, deducted from proceeds before disbursement. For loans with terms of 4+ years, the minimum origination fee is 4.99%. On a $20,000 loan with a 5% fee, you receive $19,000 but repay $20,000 plus interest.
About half of approved borrowers receive funds the next business day. Most others get funded within 1-3 business days. Vehicle equity loans may take longer due to additional documentation requirements.
Yes — Best Egg offers a direct-pay option that sends funds straight to your creditors, simplifying the process and potentially qualifying you for better rates. The fixed-rate structure gives you a clear payoff date and predictable monthly payment.
You pledge your home’s fixtures (cabinets, countertops, appliances) as collateral — not the home itself. No appraisal is required. This reduces your APR by approximately 20% compared to unsecured loans. It’s not available in CT, IA, LA, VT, WV, or DC.
Rates and terms are subject to change. This is not financial advice. All information is for educational and comparison purposes only. Verify current rates directly with Best Egg before committing to any loan agreement. Best Egg loans are made by Cross River Bank, Column N.A., or Blue Ridge Bank, all Members FDIC.
Best Egg has funded over $24 billion in loans since 2014. They offer a simple online application with funding as fast as one business day. Origination fees range from 0.99% to 8.99%.
SoFi offers some of the largest personal loan amounts available, up to $100,000. SoFi charges no origination fees, no prepayment penalties, and no late fees. Members get access to financial planning, career coaching, and unemployment protection that pauses payments if you lose your job.
Upgrade accepts credit scores as low as 580 and offers loans from $1,000 to $50,000. Reports to all three credit bureaus, helping build credit with on-time payments. Funds typically deposited within one business day.
Marcus charges no fees — no origination fees, no prepayment penalties, and no late fees. Backed by Goldman Sachs, Marcus offers competitive rates and flexible payment terms from 36 to 72 months.
Prosper is a peer-to-peer lending marketplace connecting borrowers with individual investors. Offers loans from $2,000 to $50,000 with terms of 24 to 60 months.
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