At a glance

- Availability
- Affordability
- Customer Experience
- Transparency
About Carvana
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Loan amount
Not specified
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Min. credit score
No minimum
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APR from
Not specified
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Funds available in
As soon as one day
Loan amount
Not specified
Min. credit score
No minimum
APR from
Not specified
Funds available in
As soon as one day
Carvana lets you skip the hot car lot and hours of paperwork at the dealership. Instead, you can take advantage of a seamless shopping and application process from your couch. Carvana may also be a good fit for people who lack good credit but need an auto loan with a competitive interest rate and affordable monthly payment.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what Carvana offers.
Good credit not required
Money-back guarantee
One-stop-shop
Limited to Carvana inventory
Down payment
APR ranges not disclosed
Carvana offers auto loans for all types of borrowers. It’s available to consumers looking to purchase a vehicle on Carvana’s website and have it delivered to their doorstep or using a “car vending machine” in their local area. You don’t need perfect credit to qualify for financing, and you can view potential loan offers with no impact on your credit score.
You must live in the contiguous U.S. to shop through Carvana; it doesn’t operate in Alaska or Hawaii. Carvana only lists the following qualification requirements:
You’ll need to provide documentation, like a recent utility bill, loan statement or lease agreement, for address verification purposes. Carvana will also verify your income through your two most recent consecutive pay stubs, three most recent bank statements or Plaid.
Both online shopping platforms offer a seven-day money-back guarantee and coverage options to protect your investment. However, while Carvana's loan terms start at an unusually low 12 months, Shift’s minimum is a more conventional 36 months.
Additionally, you can avoid delivery fees by picking up your vehicle from a Carvana car vending machine. That’s not an option Shift offers. But, while Carvana requires you to pay a down payment to buy a car, it may be optional with Shift. See our full Carvana vs. Shift comparison for more details.
Like Carvana, CarMax offers a convenient online shopping and financing experience. Both feature options for consumers with varying credit backgrounds, and you can get prequalified with no impact to your credit score. The two offer similar limited warranties — CarMax’s lasts 90 days, while Carvana’s stretches to 100 days.
But there are some key differences to be aware of. CarMax offers brick-and-mortar locations if you prefer an in-person shopping experience. Plus, CarMax’s 30 day money-back guarantee (capped at 1,500 miles) is much longer than the seven days/400 miles Carvana provides. If you want more time to fall in or out of love with your car, Carmax might be a better choice.
Carvana simplifies the car-buying process, but there are limitations to consider.
Carvana provides extensive customer support that goes beyond normal business hours to make your purchase as painless as possible. Support is available online and by phone from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. ET. You can also text with a live advocate from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET seven days a week.
You can use a bank or credit union to finance your used car purchase — or streamline the process with financing from Carvana.
Carvana features auto loan financing for used vehicles purchased on their platform. While Carvana doesn’t list a funding amount range on its website, its chatbot stated Carvana’s loans can be used to finance any vehicle for sale on the site at any price.
Their loans are available to borrowers with all credit types as long as you make at least $4,500 per year, have six or more months of credit history and don't have active bankruptcies. Even better, the loan terms are flexible, and you could get approved for financing and finalize your loan the same day.
You can get prequalified for an auto loan with Carvana on its website. It only takes two minutes of your time and won’t impact your credit score. If there’s a match, you will be able to view actual loan terms and monthly payments for the vehicles available for sale on the platform.
To prequalify you will need to enter your:
If you plan to sign off on financing with the help of a co-signer, simply input their information on the first application page. Your co-signer must also be present for vehicle pick-up or delivery.
Some borrowers who enroll in autopay are eligible for a discounted interest rate. Another key benefit is the accessibility of the customer support team — you don’t have to pick up the phone to get the assistance you need since it’s also available by chat or text.
Additionally, like many car-selling websites, Carvana has a return policy. You can return the car within seven day after driving it up to 400 miles and get your money back, minus shipping charges. It also offers a free limited warranty for the first 100 days or 4,189 miles (whichever comes first).
Shipping and delivery fees apply when you choose to purchase and finance with Carvana. However, you can avoid the latter by choosing to have the vehicle delivered to a Carvana location or vending machine where you can pick it up. Some cars also include free shipping, which is disclosed in the listing.
You’ll also face fees for late payments or having insufficient funds in your account.
Overall score | 4.4 | |
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Availability | 3.9 | Carvana requires you to use its marketplace if you want to use its financing option. It also doesn’t offer more than used car loans. |
Affordability | 4.3 | The minimum APR of 6.85 percent is fairly middle of the road, and it charges standard NSF and late fees. But its acceptance criteria is more flexible than other lenders. |
Customer experience | 5 | Carvana offers support seven days a week. It also has a large shopping window — 45 days — and full online access. |
Transparency | 4.5 | Carvana allows prequalification and clearly lists almost all of its rates and fees. |
Bankrate considers 18 data points when selecting top auto loans. Acceptance criteria, whether rates and fees are available and APR range all influence lender scores. These scores are broken up into four categories.
Editorial disclosure: All reviews are prepared by Bankrate.com staff. Opinions expressed therein are solely those of the reviewer and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including rates and fees, presented in the review is accurate as of the date of the review. Check the data at the top of this page and the lender’s website for the most current information.