Personal Loans
Best Personal Loans for Fair Credit
A score in the low 600s does not lock you out of a decent personal loan, but it does make lender choice matter more. These are the lenders we rank highest for fair-credit borrowers.
Top matches
#1 PickUpgrade Personal Loan
- ✓Can pay your creditors directly
- ✓Accepts fair credit; low minimum score
- ✗Origination fee applies
Best Egg Personal Loan
- ✓Quick funding after approval
- ✓Secured loan option for lower rates
- ✗Origination fee applies
Upstart Personal Loan
- ✓6.20% - 35.99% APR fixed (July 2026)
- ✓Looks beyond FICO to approve thin files; fast funding
- ✗Origination fee up to 12% is higher than many peers
Prosper Personal Loan
- ✓8.99% - 35.99% APR fixed (July 2026)
- ✓Accepts fair credit; joint loan option
- ✗1% - 9.99% origination fee based on Prosper Rating
How we ranked these: We ranked every fair-credit-tagged lender in our database by our overall methodology score, which weighs approachability, rates and fees, and funding speed.
Last updated June 2026
Questions, answered
What credit score counts as fair for a personal loan?
Roughly 580 to 669 on the FICO scale. Lenders on this page approve applicants starting around 600 to 620. Below 580, options narrow sharply and rates climb. If you can spend a few months pushing the score above 620 first, do it. Real money.
What APR should I expect with fair credit?
Realistically somewhere between the middle and top of a lender's advertised range, often 18% to 32%. Always prequalify with a soft pull to see your actual rate before applying, and compare at least two or three offers. Not optional.
How do origination fees change the math?
An origination fee of 1% to 5% comes out of the loan before it reaches you. A $10,000 loan with a 5% fee delivers $9,500. Either borrow slightly more to cover it or factor the fee into your rate comparison. A no-fee loan at a slightly higher APR can still be cheaper.