Best Egg vs. Laurel Road: Which offers better personal loans?

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Best Egg and Laurel Road both offer personal loans as online lenders. Best Egg has a 95 percent customer satisfaction rating and has funded 1.1 million in personal loans. Laurel Road has been around as a lender since 2013, and became a part of Key Bank in 2019. The lenders both offer mid-range APRs compared to competitors and fund loan amounts up to $50,000.
Best Egg vs. Laurel Road at a glance
Compare the details for Best Egg and Laurel Road to see the main differences between these two online personal loan lenders.
Best Egg | Laurel Road | |
---|---|---|
Bankrate Score | 4.6 | 4.3 |
Better for | Borrowers with fair credit | Affordable personal loans |
Loan amounts | $2,000-$50,000 | $5,000-$50,000 |
APRs | 8.99%-35.99% | 8.99%-24.50%* with AutoPay |
Loan term lengths | 36-60 months | 36-60 months |
Fees | Origination fee, returned payment fee | None |
Minimum credit score | 600 | Not disclosed |
Time to funding | Within as little as 24 hours | Within 24 hours of approval |
Best Egg personal loans
Pros
- Prequalification available.
- Quick funding.
- Lower minimum credit score than competitors.
Cons
- No in-person branches.
- Origination fee.
- Not available in all states.
As a lender with higher user ratings, Best Egg has provided over 1.1 million in personal loans. The online lender offers quick funding and the option to check your rate without impacting your credit score. Best Egg also evaluates more than just credit score to determine if a loan will be approved. And, the lender has lower credit score minimums than many competitors.
However, Best Egg may not be the best lender for everyone. Unfortunately, they do have an origination fee. However, this is included in the principal loan amount and is deducted from what you deposit on the loan. Best Egg also doesn’t fund loans for residents of Iowa, Vermont, West Virginia or any U.S. Territories, so residents of these states will need to look elsewhere for a personal loan.
Laurel Road personal loans
Pros
- No fees.
- Allows co-signers.
- Autopay discount.
Cons
- Qualification factors unclear.
- Long approval process.
- No in-person branches.
Laurel Road is an online lender offering personal loans that can be used for almost anything but educational expenses. Compared to other personal loan lenders, Laurel Road offers average APRs on their loans. Loan amounts start relatively higher than competitors but are otherwise average.
There are a few ways Laurel Road stands out, though. The lender allows co-signers for applicants who can’t qualify for a loan on their own. Additionally, Laurel Road works to make their loans affordable by charging no upfront fees and providing an autopay discount.
How to choose between Best Egg and Laurel Road
Both Best Egg and Laurel Road offer online personal loans with mid-range APRs and minimal frills. However, there are a few key ways the lenders differ.
Best Egg is best for borrowers with fair credit or higher
Best Egg is the best lender option for lenders who have fair credit. While Laurel Road doesn’t disclose exact credit score minimums required for applicants, they do state that they work with “credit-worthy borrowers.”
However, Best Egg works with those who have a credit score of at least 600. This is considered fair credit, and is a lower minimum than most competitors, making Best Egg a good fit for this type of credit applicant.
Laurel Road makes personal loans affordable
Laurel Road has several loan features that make them an affordable option for borrowers. First of all, they offer an autopay discount that lowers the interest rate by 0.25 percent. They also don’t charge any upfront fees on their personal loans. Best Egg charges an origination fee on all their personal loans.
Compare lenders before applying
Laurel Road and Best Egg are two solid options for personal loan lenders. However, they aren’t the only options out there. When you are shopping for a personal loan, keep your options open. Talk to several lenders and consider different lender types. You may find a better deal where you least expect it.
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