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OneMain Financial Personal Loans: 2024 Review

Updated on March 21, 2024

At a glance

4.4
Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
Bankrate Score
Caret Down
Availability
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
5.0
Affordability
Rating: 3.9 stars out of 5
3.9
Customer Experience
Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
4.4
Transparency
Rating: 4.2 stars out of 5
4.2

About Bankrate Score

Bankrate take: OneMain Financial is unique in that it has secured and unsecured options. Low amounts and no prepayment penalties make it a good option for those who can pay off their loan quickly.

Lender Details

Moneybag
Loan amount $1,500–$20,000
Rates
APR from 18.00%–35.99%
Clock Wait
Term lengths 24-60 months

OneMain Financial is best for same day bad credit loan funds

Borrowers in a financial crunch may get relief the same day they apply for a personal loan with OneMain Financial. Most lenders require at least a business day before funds are disbursed. 

The lender doesn’t disclose a minimum credit score, which means you may qualify for a loan with a score below the 600 minimum set by other bad credit companies. If the rate on an unsecured loan doesn’t meet your needs, you can explore OneMain’s secured loan options.

OneMain Financial doesn’t charge prepayment penalties, so you can pay extra or pay the balance in full without worrying about extra charges. 

OneMain Financial personal loan purposes

Funds from a OneMain Financial personal loan can be used for everything from paying for an emergency car repair to putting in a pool before the summer heat kicks in. Borrowers can choose a secured loan to buy a car, RV boat or motorcycle. 

If you need some extra money and own a car that’s almost paid off, OneMain Financial even offers a cash-out refinance option using your car as collateral. The lender prohibits using personal loan funds for college or trade school tuition, business purposes or to invest in the stock or crypto market. 

Where OneMain Financial stands out

  • Same-day funding possible for bad credit borrowers: If you’re a morning person with not-so-great credit who needs funds quickly, you could have OneMain Financial personal loans funds by noon on the same day you apply. Most personal loan lenders require at least one business day to disburse funds. 
  • Can add a co-applicant to help you qualify: Borrowers with low income or too much credit card debt to qualify on their own can add a co-signer to help. Many personal loan lenders don’t permit co-borrowers or co-signers. 
  • Secured loan options are also available: If you have a newer car with no loan on it, OneMain Financial is one of only a few lenders that allows you to use it as collateral for a personal loan. Your rate may be lower than an unsecured loan. 

Where OneMain Financial falls short

  • Higher start rates than other bad credit lenders: You’ll pay at least an 18 percent rate for a personal loan at OneMain Financial. If your score is in the fair or good credit range, other lenders offer lower APR options. 
  • Smaller loan amount maximums: OneMain Financial borrowers are limited to a $20,000 maximum loan amount, which is significantly less than the $35,000 or more offered by other bad credit lenders. 
  • More expensive fees than other lenders: Loan origination fees range from 1 percent to 10 percent of the amount you borrow, making it a pricey loan option. You may also pay a late payment fee, non-sufficient funds fee and fees related to getting a secured loan on your vehicle. 

OneMain Financial customer experience

Customer support

Customer service is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. There are dedicated customer service numbers for help with current customers, new loan applications and OneMain Financial’s mobile app. 

Customers can also email a question for an answer back within one to two business days, according to the lender’s website. You can apply online, over the phone or in person at one of the over 1,300 branches throughout the country. 

Digital experience

OneMain Financial customers can manage their loan from the company’s online app, which has a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars from the 3,800 App Store user reviews. The website also offers a resources tab with helpful explainer content about different types of personal loans as well as financial calculators and guidebooks that cover a variety of personal finance topics. 

What people are saying about OneMain Financial 

Out of over 62,500 reviews featured on the lender’s Trustpilot, 89 percent of them give OneMain Financial a 5-star rating as of March 19, 2024. Reviewers consistently cited the easy process and helpful staff as reasons for the high ratings. 

Negative reviews made up less than 3 percent of the total reviews, and seemed to consistently revolve around not qualifying. OneMain Financial provided responses to almost all negative reviews and some positive ones. 

How this lender compares

logo
Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
4.4
Bankrate Score
APR from
18.00%–35.99%
Loan Amount
$1,500–$20,000
Term Length
24-60 months
Min Credit Score
Not disclosed
logo
Rating: 4.7 stars out of 5
4.7
Bankrate Score
APR from
9.95% to 35.99%
Loan Amount
$2,000 - $35,000
Term Length
12 to 60 months
Min Credit Score
550
logo
Rating: 4.3 stars out of 5
4.3
Bankrate Score
APR from
34.00%-155.00%
Loan Amount
$1,000-$10,000
Term Length
Not disclosed
Min Credit Score
Not disclosed

OneMain Financial vs. Avant

OneMain Financial’s same day funding option for qualified borrowers makes it a quicker cash option than Avant, which takes an average of 4.3 days to fund for Bankrate users. However, the average APR for Bankrate users who took out a personal loan from Avant was 14.59 percent, much lower than the average APR of less than 26 percent offered to OneMain Financial borrowers. 

Read a full comparison of OneMain Financial vs. Avant

OneMain Financial vs. NetCredit

OneMain Financial gives you much more borrowing power at significantly lower rates than NetCredit. You’re capped at a $10,000 maximum loan amount for a NetCredit loan at rates ranging between 34 percent and 99.99 percent, compared to a $20,000 loan amount maximum with a rate range of 18 percent to 35.99 percent at OneMain Financial. 

Read a full comparison of OneMain Financial vs. NetCredit

Do you qualify for a OneMain Financial personal loan? 

You’ll need to document your income and expenses, and your credit report will be pulled to finalize your loan offer. There are also some unique qualifying requirements for OneMain Financial personal loans.

  • For personal loans secured by your car, the car must meet specific conditions and age requirements and proof of insurance is required. 
  • OneMain Financial loans aren’t available in Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont or U.S. territories.

How to apply for a personal loan with OneMain Financial

  1. Get a quote: You can prequalify and get a preliminary offer within minutes without affecting your credit score. 
  2. Add information and finalize your application: You’ll need to add information for a co-signer if you need extra help qualifying. Prepare to provide proof of income and identity with items like a pay stubs and a government ID. If you apply for a secured loan you'll also need to provide details about your car. 
  3. Review the loan details: Review the final loan terms and conditions and make sure you understand all of the terms before you sign off on the paperwork. If you start your application early enough in the day, you could have your funds by that afternoon. 

How Bankrate rates OneMain Financial

Overall score 4.4 Explanation
Availability 5.0 Same-day funding options with co-signer flexibility
Affordability 3.9 Higher start rates and smaller maximum loan amounts than other bad credit lenders
Customer Experience 4.4 Highly rated app for online users and over 1,300 stores for borrowers that prefer in-person service
Transparency 4.2 Credit requirements not listed online, but fully discloses rates and fees on website

Methodology

Bankrate's trusted personal loans industry expertise

57

years in business

30

lenders reviewed

20

loan features weighed

665

data points collected

Bankrate considers 20 factors when reviewing lenders. Credit requirements, APR ranges, fees, loan amounts and flexibility are all taken into account so that ratings are representative of how competitive lenders are for a wide range of credit profiles and budgets. The Bankrate Score for personal loans consists of four categories:

  • Availability: What the minimum loan amounts are, its eligibility requirements and loan turnaround are considered in this category.
  • Affordability: The interest rates, penalties and fees are measured in this section of the score. Lower rates and fees and fewer potential penalties result in a higher score.
  • Customer experience: This category covers customer service hours, if online applications are available, online account access and mobile apps.
  • Transparency: This category is measured by how accessible credit requirements, rates and fees are on the lender's page. We also considered whether prequalification was available, as all these factors are key for consumers to make an informed decision.

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.