Best Personal Loans of 2026
Quick answer
Our top pick is the Wells Fargo Personal Loan, which has a published APR range of 6.74% to 26.74% and no origination fee, though it is only available to existing Wells Fargo customers (as of 2026-10-02). Discover Personal Loans charge no fees of any kind but top out at $40,000. Happen Bank (the lender now behind lendingclub.com's loan page) has the lowest starting APR at 5.96% but charges a fee of up to 8%, and Upgrade charges a 1.85% to 9.99% fee. APRs depend on credit and change often, so confirm with each lender. Rankings follow our published methodology and no lender paid for placement.
A personal loan is a fixed rate installment loan, usually unsecured, that you repay in equal monthly payments over a set term. The two numbers that matter most are the APR, which includes any origination fee, and the fee itself, because an origination fee is often taken out of the loan before you receive it. We read each lender's own disclosures for APR ranges, fees, amounts and terms, and every figure here is (as of 2026-10-02). APRs depend on your credit, the amount and the term, and lenders change their ranges often, so treat these figures as a reference and confirm your offer before accepting. We score each lender on Fees 25%, Value & Returns 25%, Transparency 20%, Security & Trust 15%, and Support 15%. This is information, not financial advice.
How we scored: every product below was rated 0–10 on five weighted criteria — Fees (25%), Value & Returns (25%), Transparency (20%), Security & Trust (15%), and Support (15%). Advertiser compensation never affects scores or rank order; rates and fees are cited to each provider's official disclosures with an as-of date. Read our full methodology.
2026 rankings at a glance
| # | Product | Rating | Best for | Price | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wells Fargo Personal LoanNot an affiliate — no commission earned | 8.1/10 | Existing Wells Fargo checking customers who want a no origination fee loan with a long term option | Fixed APR 6.74% to 26.74% (includes a 0.25% relationship discount); $3,000 to $100,000; 12 to 84 months; no origination fee (as of 2026-10-02) | |
| 2 | Discover Personal LoansNot an affiliate — no commission earned | 7.7/10 | Borrowers who want to avoid all loan fees and need $40,000 or less | No fees of any kind; $2,500 to $40,000; 36 to 84 month terms; APR range shown as 6.99% to 24.99% in Discover's comparison table (as of 2026-10-02) | |
| 3 | Happen Bank Personal Loan (lendingclub.com)Not an affiliate — no commission earned | 7.1/10 | Borrowers who want a wide loan size range and are comfortable comparing offers that may include a fee | APR 5.96% to 35.96%; origination or processing fee 0.00% to 8.00%; $1,000 to $75,000; 24 to 84 months (as of 2026-10-02) | |
| 4 | Upgrade Personal LoanNot an affiliate — no commission earned | 6.2/10 | Borrowers who may not qualify at a bank and want flexible discount options, and who accept an upfront fee | APR 7.74% to 35.99%; origination fee 1.85% to 9.99% deducted from proceeds; $1,000 to $50,000; 24 to 84 months (as of 2026-10-02) |
Wells Fargo Personal Loan
8.1/10Wells Fargo personal loans have fixed APRs from 6.74% to 26.74%, including a 0.25% relationship discount, amounts from $3,000 to $100,000 and terms of 12 to 84 months, with no origination fee (as of 2026-10-02). They are only available to existing Wells Fargo customers. Rates change; check Wells Fargo's page.
- No origination fee, no closing fee and no prepayment penalty, per Wells Fargo's personal loans page (as of 2026-10-02)
- Only offered to existing Wells Fargo customers (as of 2026-10-02)
Discover Personal Loans
7.7/10Discover Personal Loans charge no fees of any kind and lend $2,500 to $40,000 over 36 to 84 months (as of 2026-10-02). Discover's comparison table shows an APR range of 6.99% to 24.99%, but the main rate text displayed placeholders when we checked, so confirm your rate with Discover.
- No fees of any kind, including no origination fee, per Discover's personal loans page (as of 2026-10-02)
- Maximum loan of $40,000, lower than the other lenders here (as of 2026-10-02)
Happen Bank Personal Loan (lendingclub.com)
7.1/10Happen Bank, the lender behind the lendingclub.com personal loan page, offers APRs of 5.96% to 35.96%, an origination or processing fee of 0.00% to 8.00%, and loans of $1,000 to $75,000 over 24 to 84 months (as of 2026-10-02). Rates and fees depend on credit; check Happen's official page.
- Lowest starting APR of the lenders here, at 5.96% (as of 2026-10-02)
- Origination or processing fee of up to 8.00% of the loan amount (as of 2026-10-02)
Upgrade Personal Loan
6.2/10Upgrade personal loans have APRs of 7.74% to 35.99% and an origination fee of 1.85% to 9.99% taken from the proceeds, with loans of $1,000 to $50,000 over 24 to 84 months (as of 2026-10-02). Upgrade is not a bank; loans come from its bank partners. Check Upgrade's page for current terms.
- No prepayment fees for paying off early (as of 2026-10-02)
- Origination fee of 1.85% to 9.99% is deducted from the loan, so you receive less than you borrow (as of 2026-10-02)
Frequently asked questions
What is an origination fee?
It is a one-time charge for making the loan, usually a percentage of the amount. Happen Bank (0.00% to 8.00%) and Upgrade (1.85% to 9.99%) deduct it from the proceeds, so you receive less than you borrow. Wells Fargo and Discover list no origination fee.
Why are SoFi and LightStream not on this list?
Both are real lenders, but when we checked (as of 2026-10-02) SoFi's site refused our request and LightStream's rate page displayed a blank maximum APR, so we could not read their current APR ranges from an official page. We only rank lenders whose key terms we could verify.
Does checking my rate hurt my credit?
Wells Fargo and Discover both say checking your rate does not affect your credit score. A hard inquiry generally happens only if you go ahead with an application or a loan is issued, so read each lender's disclosure before you proceed.
How do we rank these lenders?
We use a fixed methodology weighting Fees (25%), Value & Returns (25%), Transparency (20%), Security & Trust (15%), and Support (15%). Facts come only from each lender's own pages. We have no affiliate relationship with these lenders on this page.
Get evidence-based money picks in your inbox — no hype.
Join The Firsthand Money Brief for a weekly, research-first read.
We never sell your email. Unsubscribe anytime. See our privacy policy.