Where to Get a Personal Loan Online: 5 Smart Options to Compare Before You Apply

Wondering where to get a personal loan online? Compare BestMoney, Best Egg, LendingClub, Upstart, and Prosper on rates, fees, speed, and fit.

If you are trying to figure out where to get a personal loan, you are not alone. Household debt in the U.S. reached $18.8 trillion at the end of 2025, and credit card balances alone hit $1.28 trillion. At the same time, the Federal Reserve’s latest terms-of-credit data showed the average rate on credit card plans at 21.00% for all accounts in 2026 Q1, while the average rate on 24-month personal loans at commercial banks was 11.40%. That gap helps explain why many borrowers start looking at personal loans for debt consolidation, big expenses, and emergency costs.

The good news is that there is no single best answer to where to get a personal loan online. The right choice depends on what you value most: fast funding, lower advertised APRs, flexible underwriting, a co-applicant option, or the ability to compare multiple offers in one place. In this comparison, I focus on the five brands you requested: BestMoney, Best Egg, LendingClub, Upstart, and Prosper. One key distinction matters right away: BestMoney is a comparison platform, not a direct lender, while the other four are lender or lending-platform options tied to actual loan offers.

Quick comparison table

Brand	What it is	Current official snapshot	Best for
BestMoney	Loan comparison marketplace	Personalized rates in under 2 minutes, no credit-score impact for matching, offers are from lending partners, not from BestMoney directly	Comparing multiple offers before choosing a lender
TapInLoan	Loan connection service	Request up to $5,000, simple online form, funds may arrive as soon as the next business day if approved, works with a network of lenders	Smaller loan requests and fast lender matching
Best Egg	Direct lender / lending brand	Loan amounts from $2,000 to $50,000, APRs from 6.99% to 35.99%, funding in as little as 24 hours, many standard terms disclosed at 36 to 60 months	Fast application, mid-size loans, borrowers who want a simple online process
LendingClub	Direct lender / marketplace bank model	Loan amounts from $1,000 to $60,000, APRs from 6.53% to 35.99%, terms from 24 to 84 months, funding in as little as 24 hours	Debt consolidation and borrowers who want fixed terms with direct creditor payoff options
Upstart	Lending platform	Loan amounts from $1,000 to $75,000, fixed APRs from 6.2% to 35.99%, 3- or 5-year terms, funds as fast as 1 business day, underwriting considers more than a credit score	Borrowers who want fast funding and a broader underwriting approach
Prosper	Online lending platform	Personal loans up to $50,000, APRs from 8.99% to 35.99%, terms from 2 to 5 years, funding as soon as 1 business day, co-applicant option mentioned on site	Fair-credit borrowers and people applying with a co-applicant

So, where to get a personal loan?

For most readers, the smartest path is to split the question into two parts.

First, decide whether you want a marketplace or a direct lender. A marketplace can save time because it helps you compare offers quickly. BestMoney says it asks questions, provides tailored offers from top lenders, and lets you choose based on rate, monthly payment, and terms. It also states clearly that it does not issue loans directly and that approval decisions come from the actual lenders. That makes BestMoney useful at the shopping stage, especially if your top goal is comparing options with one form.

Second, decide what matters most after comparison. If speed and a straightforward online flow matter most, Best Egg, LendingClub, Upstart, and Prosper all market quick funding. If you care most about a flexible underwriting model, Upstart stands out because it says its model considers factors such as education and employment in addition to traditional credit factors. If you want a co-applicant path, Prosper explicitly says applying with a co-applicant could improve your chances and might lower your rate.

BestMoney, best when you want to compare first

BestMoney is the outlier in this group, and that is not a bad thing. If you do not yet know which lender fits you, this may be the most efficient starting point. Its personal-loan shopping page says you can get personalized rates in less than two minutes, that checking does not affect your credit score, and that it works with lending partners and platforms. BestMoney also discloses that it is not a loan provider and that final approval and terms come from the lender.

That means BestMoney is best for shoppers asking, “I know I need a loan, but I do not know which lender is right.” It is less useful if you already know you want one brand, one funding style, or one exact feature. In plain English, BestMoney is where to start when your question is broad. It is not the final stop.

TapInLoan, a simple option for smaller loan requests

TapInLoan is best for borrowers who want a quick and lightweight way to check loan options online. According to its website, it helps connect consumers with lenders in its network, allows requests up to $5,000, and says approved funds may arrive as soon as the next business day. It also states that the service is free to use and that lenders in its network may consider more than just your credit score.

The biggest strength of TapInLoan is convenience. The application flow is built for speed, and the site emphasizes a short form, fast lender matching, and flexible use for expenses like bills, repairs, or emergency costs. That makes it a reasonable choice for readers who are still deciding where to get a personal loan and want a fast starting point rather than committing to one lender immediately.

The main downside is that TapInLoan is not the lender itself. Its disclosures say it does not make credit decisions, does not guarantee approval, and does not control the final rates, fees, or terms. In other words, it is more of a loan-connection platform than a true lender review target like Best Egg, LendingClub, Upstart, or Prosper.

Best Egg, best when you want a simple, fast online process

Best Egg positions itself as an easy online option for goals like debt consolidation and home improvement. On its official personal loans page, it says checking your rate will not impact your credit score, that you can check your rate in minutes, and that funding can happen in as little as 24 hours. Its disclosures page lists loan amounts from $2,000 to $50,000 and standard Best Egg loan terms with a minimum of 36 months and maximum of 60 months, plus APRs from 6.99% to 35.99%.

Best Egg is a strong fit if you want a fairly focused personal-loan experience without getting lost in too many lender choices. It also says it looks at more than just your credit score, which may appeal to borrowers who are solid but not perfect on paper. For an internal link opportunity, this section naturally supports anchors like debt consolidation loans or home improvement financing.

LendingClub, best for debt payoff planning

LendingClub is especially compelling for borrowers who want structure. Its official pages say you can borrow from $1,000 to $60,000, choose terms from 24 to 84 months, and see APRs from 6.53% to 35.99%. It also highlights that you may receive funds in as little as 24 hours after approval and notes that it can pay creditors directly in some debt-paydown situations.

This makes LendingClub a particularly strong answer to where to get a personal loan if your main goal is simplifying several payments into one fixed monthly bill. The direct-creditor-payoff option can reduce friction, and the wider term range gives borrowers more room to balance monthly payment size against total interest cost. A good internal link anchor here would be how debt consolidation works.

Upstart, best for fast funding and broader underwriting

Upstart stands out because its official personal-loans page is explicit about what makes it different. It says borrowers can request $1,000 to $75,000, choose 3- or 5-year fixed terms, and see rates from 6.2% to 35.99% APR. It also says rate checks do not affect your score, approved borrowers can receive funds as fast as 1 business day, and its model considers factors such as education and employment.

That last point matters. Some borrowers have a thin credit file, a short credit history, or a financial profile that looks stronger in real life than it does in a traditional score-only screen. Upstart is not promising approval, but it is clearly advertising a broader review model. If your question is where to get a personal loan online when your credit file is not ideal but your overall profile is improving, Upstart deserves a close look.

Prosper, best for co-applicants and fair-credit shoppers

Prosper’s official page says its personal loans have fixed rates, terms of 2 to 5 years, and APRs from 8.99% to 35.99%, with origination fees from 1% to 9.99%. It also says approved borrowers may receive funds as soon as 1 business day after completing the necessary steps. One especially helpful detail on the site is that applying with a co-applicant could improve your chances and might lower your rate.

Prosper also states that borrowers who accept a personal loan through Prosper must have a credit score of 640 or higher. That is not the same as saying everyone with a 640 gets approved, but it does give shoppers a clearer line in the sand than many lenders publish. If you are applying with a spouse, partner, or trusted co-borrower, Prosper may be one of the more practical places to look first.

What the best choice depends on

If your goal is speed and simplicity, Best Egg and Upstart are both strong contenders. If your goal is debt consolidation with fixed terms and possible direct creditor payment, LendingClub is especially attractive. If your goal is applying with another person, Prosper is the most obvious fit from this list. If your goal is pure comparison shopping before committing, BestMoney makes the most sense as a starting point.

That also means the best answer to where to get a personal loan is not always “the lender with the lowest advertised APR.” Advertised ranges are broad, and your real offer depends on credit, income, debt load, state rules, fees, and term length. LendingClub, Best Egg, Upstart, and Prosper all say, in different ways, that actual pricing depends on your application profile and that the lowest rates go to the most qualified borrowers.

Questions readers also ask

Is it better to get a personal loan online or from a bank?

Online lenders usually win on speed and convenience. Traditional banks may appeal if you already bank there and want an in-person relationship. BestMoney’s guide also notes that personal loans can come from online lenders, banks, or credit unions, which is why comparison shopping matters so much.

Does checking my rate hurt my credit score?

Usually, no, not at the prequalification stage. BestMoney, Best Egg, LendingClub, and Upstart all say that checking your rate or getting matched does not affect your credit score, because that step is generally based on a soft inquiry. A formal application can still trigger a hard inquiry later.

How fast can you get the money?

Among these five, the official pages commonly advertise funding from as little as 24 hours to 1 business day after approval and verification, though actual timing can vary by bank and documentation. If you need money fast, speed should be one of your first filters, not an afterthought.

What should you compare before you apply?

Compare APR first, then origination fees, then term length, then monthly payment, then funding speed. LendingClub’s rates-and-fees page makes the APR point especially clear, stating that APR is the best way to compare the total annual cost because it includes interest and fees.

Final takeaway

If you came here asking where to get a personal loan, the clearest answer is this: start with a comparison tool if you want to shop broadly, then move to the lender whose strengths match your real need. BestMoney is the best starting point for comparison. Best Egg is strong for a streamlined borrowing experience. LendingClub is strong for debt consolidation. Upstart is strong for fast funding and broader underwriting. Prosper is strong for co-applicant scenarios and borrowers who want a more defined qualification line.

Before you apply, prequalify with at least two or three options, compare APR and fees, and borrow only what your monthly budget can comfortably handle. That is the step that turns a personal loan from an expensive mistake into a useful financial tool.

The responses below are not provided, commissioned, reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any financial entity or advertiser. It is not the advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.