Best Debt Consolidation Companies of 2023

Getting out of debt can feel like a monumental task, especially when it’s credit card debt. It can be easy to get complacent with low minimum monthly payments, but when combined with high interest rates, they can keep you in debt for years to come. This situation can also ruin your credit.

If you’re looking for a way out from under your credit card debt, there are several paths you can take to get out of debt. Debt consolidation is just one option, and if your credit is still in good shape, it may be the best.

Here’s our ranking of the best debt consolidation companies and what you should know before you choose one.

• Best for a variety of debt options: AmONE
• Best alternative to consolidation loans: Freedom Debt Relief
• Best for side-by-side comparisons: LoansUnder36
• Best for fast funding: Upstart
• Best for personal customer service: Happy Money
• Best for large loan amounts: SoFi
• Best for autopay discounts: Marcus by Goldman Sachs
• Best for low interest rates: Lightstream
• Best for credit card debt: Tally
• Best for lower credit borrowers: Best Egg
In this article
• The best debt consolidation loans of 2023
• Best for a variety of debt options: AmONE
• Best alternative to consolidation loans: Freedom Debt Relief
• Best for side-by-side comparisons: LoansUnder36
• Best for fast funding: Upstart
• Best for personal customer service: Happy Money
• Best for large loan amounts: SoFi
• Best for autopay discounts: Marcus by Goldman Sachs
• Best for low interest rates: Lightstream
• Best for credit card debt: Tally
• Best for lower credit borrowers: Best Egg
• What is a debt consolidation loan?
• How to apply for a debt consolidation loan
• How to pick the right debt consolidation loan for you
• Methodology
• FAQs about debt consolidation loans
• Bottom line

The best debt consolidation loans of 2023

	Loan amounts	Loan terms	APR	Credit needed
AmONE	$1,000 to $50,000	12 to 84 months	3.99%-35.99% (as of May 31, 2023)	600+
LoansUnder36	$100 to $35,000	91 days to 72 months	5.99%-35.99% (as of May 23, 2023)	No minimum stated
Upstart	$1,000 to $50,000	36 or 60 months	4.60%-35.99% (as of Sep. 6, 2023)	300+
Happy Money	$5,000 to $40,000	24 to 60 months	Starting from 11.52% (as of Sep. 6, 2023)	640+
SoFi	$5,000 to $100,000	24 to 84 months	As low as 8.99% (as of May 31, 2023) with all discounts	No minimum
Marcus	$3,500 to $40,000	36 to 72 months	6.99%-24.99% (as of May 31, 2023)	660+
Lightstream	$5,000 to $100,000	24 to 144 months	As low as 7.49% (as of Nov. 17, 2023)	670+
Tally	$2,000 to $25,000	N/A (line of credit)	7.90%-29.99% (as of May 4, 2023)	580+
Best Egg	$2,000 to $50,000	36 to 60 months	8.99%–35.99% (as of May 31, 2023)	Not disclosed

There are several ways you can consolidate your debt with a loan, but some are better than others. It’s important to shop around and compare multiple options before you decide on one. Here are our top choices:

Best for a variety of debt options: AmONE

• Loan amounts: $1,000 to $50,000
• Loan terms: 12 to 84 months
• APR: 3.99%-35.99% (as of May 31, 2023)
• Credit needed: 600

AmONE is a lending marketplace that can connect you with multiple lenders with a single inquiry.³ Loan amounts range from $1,000 to $50,000. AmONE works with credit scores from excellent to poor, or even those without a credit score, but it cannot guarantee loan approval.

If you don’t qualify for a personal loan to consolidate your debt, the company can provide you with some alternatives. More specifically, you may be able to get on a debt management plan or begin the process of debt settlement.

Both of these options aren’t as ideal as debt consolidation. In fact, debt settlement can pose a risk to your credit score because it requires you to stop making payments while you accumulate enough money to negotiate with your creditors. But if your credit is in poor shape and the only alternative is bankruptcy, these two choices could be much more appealing.

AmONE could be an excellent choice if your credit is bad, but even people with decent credit can benefit from the personal loan marketplace because it makes it possible to compare several options side by side.

Visit AmONE Personal Loans

… or read our detailed AmONE Personal Loans review


Borrow Up to $50k to Finally Crush Your Debt
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Best alternative to consolidation loans: Freedom Debt Relief

If you’re worried that debt consolidation and debt management aren’t in the cards for you, Freedom Debt Relief provides a direct way to start the debt settlement process.²

With Freedom Debt Relief, you don’t have to pay their fee until the company has successfully negotiated your balance. But that charge can be anywhere between 15% and 25% of your enrolled debt amount, so it can be expensive, depending on how much debt you have. Though debt settlement could still cost less than bankruptcy, and give you the clean financial slate you need to get back on the right track.

In general, debt settlement is best suited for people who are already behind on payments. Because the process requires you to stop making your payments for a period of time, the potential damage to your creditworthiness is a moot point if you’re already behind.

If your credit is in good enough shape for a debt consolidation loan and you can afford the monthly loan payments, it’s best to avoid the potential credit woes that debt settlement can cause.

Visit Freedom Debt Relief

… or read our detailed Freedom Debt Relief review


Great for Over $20K in Debt
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Best for side-by-side comparisons: LoansUnder36

• Loan amounts: $100 to $35,000
• Loan terms: 91 days to 72 months
• APR: 5.99%-35.99% (as of May 23, 2023)
• Credit needed: No minimum stated

LoansUnder36 isn’t actually a lender. Rather, it’s a lending marketplace that can connect you with more than 100 lenders in a matter of minutes. 

Each loan option offers interest rates under 36%, which is much lower than the triple-digit rates that are common with some bad credit personal loans and other short-term financing options.⁴

Once you submit your application, you’ll receive any loan offers that you qualify for. Some applicants may be able to compare loan offers from multiple lenders. Because LoansUnder36 gives you access to so many lenders at once, you’ll get a good idea of what you could qualify for when it comes to your goal of debt consolidation.

There’s no minimum credit score you need to apply. But remember that a higher credit score will give you better odds of getting approved and receiving the best loan terms. Loans range from $500 to $35,000, and you can choose a repayment plan from two months to six years.

It’s certainly a good option if your credit is less than stellar because it ensures a cap on the interest rate. But if you have good credit or excellent credit, you may still want to compare what you see from LoansUnder36 with other online lenders to get the lowest rate possible for you.

Visit LoansUnder36

… or read our detailed LoansUnder36 review

Best for fast funding: Upstart

• Loan amounts: $1,000 to $50,000
• Loan terms: 36 or 60 months
• APR: 4.60%-35.99% (as of Sep. 6, 2023)
• Credit needed: 300+

Upstart prides itself on fast funding for debt consolidation loans. You can start by checking your rate in about five minutes, and if you proceed and get approved, you may be able to secure funding in one business day. While the terms you can choose from are somewhat limiting at just three or five years, there are no prepayment penalties if you want to pay off your loan early.

Upstart also has flexible loan amounts ranging from $1,000 to $50,000, and very low rates starting at 6.5% for borrowers with excellent credit. While these rates are reserved for those with good credit, Upstart allows borrowers of any credit level to secure a loan. In fact, Upstart claims its approval system, which is not based entirely on credit, provides 43% lower rates than its competitors that use a credit score-only model.

Compare rates at Upstart

… or learn more in our Upstart review.

Best for personal customer service: Happy Money

• Loan amounts: $5,000 to $40,000
• Loan terms: 24 to 60 months
• APR: Starting from 11.52% (as of Sep. 6, 2023)
• Credit needed: 640+

Happy Money focuses on providing personal loans with an extra personal touch. They offer loans between $5,000 and $40,000 to borrowers with average credit or better.

Excellent credit borrowers can qualify for rates starting at 8.99%, which is a substantial decrease in interest compared to high-interest credit cards that charge double digits. Happy Money’s Member Advocates are there to answer your questions Monday through Friday, and Happy promises no long wait times when you need help.

Compare rates at Happy Money.

Best for large loan amounts: SoFi

• Loan amounts: $5,000 to $100,000
• Loan terms: 24 to 84 months
• APR: As low as 8.99% (as of May 31, 2023) with all discounts
• Credit needed: No minimum, but good credit borrowers get the best rates

SoFi offers a wide range of loan amounts from $5,000 to $100,000, and you can see if you prequalify for a loan in 60 seconds. While SoFi doesn’t have a minimum credit score requirement, those with good credit will be better off when it comes to interest rates. You also won’t pay any fees, a welcome relief for those trying to get away from more debt. When you are approved, you may have the ability to get funding that same day.

A particularly unique feature of SoFi is its unemployment protection. In the event that you lose your job, SoFi is willing to modify your payments until you get back on your feet. You’ll need to be in good standing with your loan and lose your job through no fault of your own. These payment modifications come in three-month increments and cap out at 12 months.

Compare rates at SoFi

… or find out more in our SoFi loans review.

Best for autopay discounts: Marcus by Goldman Sachs

• Loan amounts: $3,500 to $40,000
• Loan terms: 36 to 72 months
• APR: 6.99%-24.99% (as of May 31, 2023)
• Credit needed: 660+

With no sign-up, prepayment, or late fees associated with its loans, Marcus is a good option for borrowers looking to consolidate their debt at no extra cost.⁶ Marcus also has a range of loan terms, with options ranging from 36 to 72 months.

Marcus also offers an autopay discount of 0.25% on your interest rate. Marcus loans do have longer wait times than other lenders, typically about five days, but the application process takes just minutes.

Compare rates at Marcus

… or learn more in our Marcus personal loan review.

Best for low interest rates: Lightstream

• Loan amounts: $5,000 to $100,000
• Loan terms: 24 to 144 months⁵
• APR: As low as 7.49% (as of Nov. 17, 2023)
• Credit needed: 670+

For borrowers who qualify, Lightstream’s rates are some of the most competitive you’ll find. Lightstream’s personal loan rates start at 7.49% (as of Nov. 17, 2023). Lightstream offers loan amounts ranging from $5,000 to $100,000.¹

Lightstream also has a Rate Beat Program that will knock off 0.10% from the lowest interest rate offered by a competitor. Its Loan Experience Guarantee offers $100 if you have any complaints and are willing to fill out a survey that explains how Lightstream can do better.

Compare rates at Lightstream

… or learn more in our LightStream review.

Best for credit card debt: Tally

• Loan amounts: $2,000 to $25,000
• Loan terms: N/A (line of credit)
• APR: 7.90%-29.99% (as of May 4, 2023)
• Credit needed: 580+

Tally is a mobile app that goes beyond just giving you a loan — it actually helps you manage your debt consolidation and repayment process. If you get approved, Tally gives you a line of credit based on how much you owe and your high-interest debt is moved over to it.

Then, the lender takes over payments for your credit cards, ensuring that you’ll never risk making late payments again. It also runs the numbers to determine the smartest way to pay down your balances to save you money on interest. If you link credit cards to the app that have a lower interest rate than the Tally credit line, Tally pays just minimum payments on those cards.

You’ll receive one statement per month from Tally with a minimum payment due. The minimum payment is designed with the objective that you want to become completely debt-free. Depending on your goals, you may not want to hand off your debt management to someone else in this way. So you also have the option to turn off the automatic minimum payment feature. In that case, Tally will remind you to pay your bill, and you can make credit card payments in the app or directly with the card issuer.

If you’re overwhelmed and in need of help, Tally taking over the reins can be worthwhile. Check your credit score before you apply, though — the minimum FICO score to qualify is 660, which is considered a fair credit score.

Visit Tally

… or read our detailed Tally App review.

Best for lower credit borrowers: Best Egg

• Loan amounts: $2,000 to $50,000
• Loan terms: 36 to 60 months
• APR: 8.99%–35.99% (as of May 31, 2023)
• Credit needed: Not disclosed, Best Egg checks other factors in addition to your credit score

For those looking to consolidate debt with a poor credit score, Best Egg likely still has an option for you. In fact, applying for a loan with Best Egg won’t even affect your score if you’re not approved. If you are approved, you could receive funding in just 24 hours.

Best Egg also has tools to help you build your financial health. Along with a mobile app to manage your loan, you can access your credit score for free and get regular updates as you pay your loan down. You’ll also get insights so you can focus on making financial moves that improve your score.

Check out our Best Egg review for more details.

What is a debt consolidation loan?

A debt consolidation loan is typically an unsecured personal loan that you use specifically to pay off high-interest debts — typically, it’s to help you get out of credit card debt. Debt consolidation loans typically have a fixed rate, as opposed to the variable interest rate on your credit cards.

Here’s how it works: You find a personal loan lender, then you complete a loan application. Once you receive the funds, you use them to pay off your credit card balances. 

You’ll then have just one monthly payment on the new loan instead of multiple payments and due dates to handle with your credit cards. Of course, there are some exceptions to this process, as we discussed above with Tally. But in general, this is what you can expect.

Debt consolidation loans work best if the interest rate on the loan is lower than the rate on the debt you’re paying off. If they’re similar or even slightly higher, it still may be worth it because the loan gives you a set repayment schedule instead of a minimum payment that can keep you in debt indefinitely.

The best debt consolidation loans offer a mix of low interest rates, flexible repayment terms, easy payment options, no fees, and more.

In addition to getting rid of high-interest credit card debt, you can also use a debt consolidation loan to pay off other types of debt, including:

• Other personal loans
• Retail or store financing
• Payday loans and other short-term debt
• Medical bills

You can also technically pay off student loans, secured loans like an auto loan, and really any other type of loan, but it’s generally best to avoid using the money to pay those existing debts. You can typically refinance these types of loans at a much lower interest rate than offered by typical debt consolidation loans.

How to apply for a debt consolidation loan

To get approved for a debt consolidation loan, you typically need to provide information about yourself, including your name, address, Social Security number, date of birth, annual income, and contact information. You’ll also need to share how much you want to borrow.

In some cases, you may need to provide information about your debts. For example, Tally would need account access to make payments on your behalf. But with many personal loans, you’ll get the money directly from the lender, then use it to pay your balances.

Depending on the situation, a lender may also ask for documentation to verify your identity, address, and income. And you’ll typically need to provide your bank account information, so you can receive the funds.

During the loan approval process, the lender will look at several different factors to determine whether you're eligible for a loan and how much interest to charge you. 

Factors they typically look at for debt consolidation loan eligibility include your:

• Credit score
• Credit history
• Income
• Debt-to-income ratio (how much of your gross monthly income goes toward debt payments)
• Loan purpose or reason for borrowing

Each lender has a different set of criteria when it comes to qualifying potential borrowers, so how heavily weighted each of these factors are in the offer can vary.

How to pick the right debt consolidation loan for you

For the most part, debt consolidation loans all do the same thing. But each one can carry different features that can impact your ability to pay and how much interest gets charged. Here are some of the factors to consider when you’re shopping for a debt consolidation loan:

• Loan amounts: Make sure you pick a lender that can give you what you need. If your desired loan amount doesn’t meet a lender’s minimum loan amount, it’s better to go somewhere else than to borrow more than you need.
• Pre-qualification: Many lenders allow you to get pre-qualified and view a loan offer before you submit an application. This process involves just a soft credit check that doesn’t hurt your credit score. If you want to avoid multiple hard inquiries on your credit reports in a short time period, opt for lenders that offer pre-qualification as a first step.
• Repayment terms: The length of your loan determines how long you’ll be in debt and, to a lesser extent, what your monthly payments and interest rate will be. Longer repayment terms are typically associated with lower monthly payments but also higher interest rates.
• Interest rates: Some lenders specialize in working with people who have stellar credit and offer low loan rates. But others may provide more accessibility to people with lower credit scores in exchange for higher interest rates. This is the most important reason to shop around because scoring a lower interest rate can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
• Origination fee: Many lenders charge an upfront fee, which is taken from your loan disbursement before you receive it. These fees can range from 1% to 8% in some cases. Not all lenders charge one, so if you have great credit, look for lenders that don’t have an origination fee.
• Prepayment penalties: These are uncommon with personal loans, but they do exist. A prepayment fee penalizes you if you pay off your loan ahead of schedule. If you find a lender that charges one, it’s best to look elsewhere.
• Autopay: Most lenders offer this feature nowadays. With automatic payments, the lender is more likely to receive monthly payments on time, and you’re less likely to miss one or incur a late fee. Autopay can be a win for both parties.
• Approval time: Traditional banks and credit unions might take days to approve you for a loan, whereas you could be approved on the same day through an online lender. Some lenders can also get you your money as quick as the same day or the next business day.
• Other features: Some lenders may also offer other features to their borrowers, such as access to your credit score, unemployment protection, interest rate discounts, the ability to add a cosigner, joint applications, and more.

Resist the temptation to focus solely on the interest rate when choosing your loan, though. The best debt consolidation loans offer a mix of features that can make it easier to pay down your debt. 

With so many different features to watch out for, it’s crucial that you review each debt consolidation loan carefully, so you can pick the right one for you.

Methodology

In determining our list of the best debt consolidation options, we examined popular companies and organized them according to factors that we consider critical to the consumer. We did not evaluate all companies in the category, and we aimed to choose a variety of debt consolidation strategies so that the consumer can get a full picture of their options and decide which approach is the best fit for them and their specific financial situation.

FAQs about debt consolidation loans

Do consolidation loans hurt your credit score?

A consolidation loan could hurt your credit score, but it depends on your situation. Virtually anytime you apply for credit, the lender will perform a hard credit inquiry, which could affect your credit score. 

But if you’re paying off credit cards, a debt consolidation loan will reduce your credit utilization rate, which could help your credit score rather than hurt it. And as long as you make your payments on time, that positive payment history could help improve your credit score too.

What credit score do I need for a debt consolidation loan?

Debt consolidation loans are available for people across the credit spectrum. Unfortunately, lower credit scores typically correlate with higher interest rates, so if your credit is less than stellar, debt consolidation may not be the least expensive way to go.

Is a debt consolidation loan better than a balance transfer credit card?

Whether a debt consolidation loan or balance transfer credit card will be smarter for you depends on your situation. Unlike the best balance transfer cards, debt consolidation loans can’t offer promotions for a 0% annual percentage rate. 

But consolidation loans do provide a set repayment schedule, so if you’ve had a hard time staying motivated to pay off your debt, a consolidation loan may do a better job of keeping you on track than another credit card.

When is debt relief a better idea versus debt consolidation?

If you’re doing research to compare debt settlement vs. debt consolidation (the former is sometimes also called debt relief), you should know that the right one for you depends on your situation.

Debt settlement is typically best used if you’re behind on payments and wouldn’t be able to qualify for a debt consolidation loan or afford its monthly payment. Before you get to that point, consider a debt management plan, which can potentially give you better terms without ruining your credit.

Is a personal loan or home equity loan better for debt consolidation?

Home equity loans may be tempting to use for debt consolidation. They typically charge much lower interest rates and may appear to provide more savings. But there are a few issues to keep in mind before you apply for one.

First, you need to have a certain amount of equity in your home before you can get a home equity loan. Also, home equity loans typically come with high closing costs, which neutralize some of the benefits of a lower interest rate.

Finally, if you can’t repay your home equity loan, you may lose your house. That’s not the case with a personal loan, which is unsecured debt with no collateral backing it.




Bottom line

Learning how to pay off debt can feel overwhelming, but there are several approaches you can take. Debt consolidation is one of the best ways to pay down high-interest credit card debt, but it’s important to take your time to shop around and compare multiple loans and other approaches before you settle on one.

The most important thing is to be proactive about your debt situation and do the research required to find the most effective path forward for you.