Best Personal Loans Debt Consolidation Home Improvement Bad Credit Loans More More Personal Loan Categories Best Loans Pre-qualify Best Bad Credit Loans Fair Credit Loans Good Credit Loans Excellent Credit Loans No Credit Check Loans Hardship Loans Emergency Loans Unsecured Loans Secured Personal Loans Debt Consolidation Loans Home Improvement Loans Credit Card Consolidation Co-sign and Joint Personal Loans Veterans Loans Auto Loans Vacation Loans Wedding Loans Medical Loans Quick Loans Online Personal Loans Banks Offering Personal Loans Credit Union Personal Loans Personal Loan Calculator Debt Consolidation Calculator Personal Loan Categories Best Loans Pre-qualify Best Bad Credit Loans Fair Credit Loans Good Credit Loans Excellent Credit Loans No Credit Check Loans Best Bad Credit Loans Fair Credit Loans Good Credit Loans Excellent Credit Loans No Credit Check Loans Hardship Loans Emergency Loans Unsecured Loans Secured Personal Loans Emergency Loans Unsecured Loans Secured Personal Loans Debt Consolidation Loans Home Improvement Loans Credit Card Consolidation Co-sign and Joint Personal Loans Veterans Loans Auto Loans Vacation Loans Wedding Loans Medical Loans Quick Loans Debt Consolidation Loans Home Improvement Loans Credit Card Consolidation Co-sign and Joint Personal Loans Online Personal Loans Banks Offering Personal Loans Credit Union Personal Loans Online Personal Loans Banks Offering Personal Loans Credit Union Personal Loans Personal Loan Calculator Debt Consolidation Calculator Personal Loan Calculator Debt Consolidation Calculator We collected data from nearly 40 online lenders, banks and credit unions and found seven that stand out for home improvement loans. The lenders below are all highly rated for affordability, with starting annual percentage rates below 8% plus rate discounts for some. These lenders also offer some of the largest loan amounts out there — up to $75,000 and $100,000 — which could be helpful for pricey home renovation projects. We also chose a range of lenders that work for different kinds of borrowers, like those without great credit or who want to co-sign with another applicant or secure their loan with collateral. ✅ No impact to your credit score Competitive APRs Large loans and long repayment terms Same-day funding Limited ability to pre-qualify High minimum loan amount No direct payment to creditors ✅ No impact to your credit score Multiple rate discounts. Secured and co-signed loans. Wide range of loan amounts and repayment terms. Origination fee No option to choose repayment date ✅ No impact to your credit score Multiple rate discounts. Hardship assistance. High minimum loan amount. No secured loans. ✅ No impact to your credit score No origination fees. Potential rate discount for on-time payments. Wide range of loan sizes and terms. You may not qualify if you have bad credit. You must become a member of the credit union. Funding can take 2-3 days. ✅ No impact to your credit score Multiple rate discounts. Next-day funding. Wide range of loan amounts and repayment terms. May have an origination fee. Debt-to-income ratio cannot exceed 40%. ✅ No impact to your credit score No credit score requirement. Wide range of loan amounts. Range of loan amounts Origination fee. Only two repayment term options. No direct payment to creditors. ✅ No impact to your credit score Offers secured and unsecured loans. Works with a variety of credit situations. Lets you pre-qualify with a soft credit check. Will directly pay your creditors when the loan is for debt consolidation. Has an origination fee. Requires at least a 600 credit score. Doesn't offer co-signed or joint loans. Short repayment terms aren't available. Our take on the best home improvement loans Learn more about why the NerdWallet editorial team chose these lenders for home improvement loans. LightStream : Best for overall home improvement loan Why we like it: For pricey projects, LightStream offers personal loans up to $100,000 to those who qualify. It also offers repayment plans up to 20 years for loans that are greater than $25,000 and used for home improvement purposes. LightStream can fund your loan within a day or two, or you can choose to receive your money up to 90 days after approval. That’s a unique feature among lenders that lets you align funding with your project. The downside: LightStream’s minimum credit score is relatively high, at 660, and it seeks borrowers with good or excellent credit. If that’s not you, look into a lender with lower requirements. Upgrade : Best for borrowers with fair credit Why we like it: Upgrade offers loan amounts from $1,000 to $75,000 and a wide variety of repayment terms. Its minimum credit score requirement of 600 is ideal for borrowers with fair credit, who can increase their odds of approval by opting for a co-signed or secured loan. The downside: Upgrade charges an origination fee of 1.85% to 9.99%. SoFi : Best for large loan amounts Why we like it: SoFi offers loans up to $100,000, as well as joint loans — ideal for large, shared home improvement expenses. SoFi also stands out for offering multiple rate discounts, as well as hardship assistance for a job loss. The downside: SoFi doesn’t offer secured loans, which are typically easier to qualify for and may help borrowers get a lower rate or higher loan amount. Patelco Credit Union : Best for its members Why we like it: Patelco’s rates are among the lowest of lenders we review. The state-chartered credit union caps its APRs below 18% — many other reputable lenders have maximums near 36%. Its opportunities for rate reductions and the fact that it doesn’t charge an origination fee also make this a more affordable loan. We also appreciate Patelco's wide range of loan amounts, from $300 to $100,000, that could cover just about any home expense. The downside: Funding can take two or three days, which is slower than what the online lenders on this list offer. And while you don’t need to be a Patelco member to pre-qualify, you must join if you decide to proceed with an offer. Happen Bank (formerly LendingClub): Best for low rates What we like: Happen Bank boasts low minimum APRs compared to competitor lenders. On top low rates, you can get a 0.5-percentage-point reduction for enrolling in autopay. The lender’s maximum loan amount is $75,000, which you can manage with a co-borrower. Opting for a joint loan may help you secure a lower rate than you would on your own. The downside: Happen Bank charges an origination fee that can be up to 8% of the loan amount. Upstart : Best for thin- or low-credit borrowers Why we like it: While most lenders focus a lot on credit to determine whether an applicant qualifies and for what rate, Upstart has no minimum credit score and accepts applicants without much credit history. Instead, it considers factors like education and work experience. The downside: Loans offered through Upstart may have an origination fee up to 12%. Other lenders charge origination fees, but they’re typically capped at 10% or less. Best Egg : Best for secured loans Why we like it: Best Egg offers secured loans, meaning you back them up with collateral, which is property that the lender can take if you don’t repay. Secured loans are typically easier to qualify for and may lead to lower rates or higher amounts than you would have been offered for an unsecured loan. (Best Egg offers unsecured loans, too.) Best Egg accepts permanent home fixtures (like built-in cabinets, light fixtures and bathroom vanities) as collateral and may allow you to borrow up to $50,000. The downside: Best Egg charges an origination fee from 0.99% to 9.99%. How we chose the best personal loans Our team of consumer lending experts follows an objective and robust methodology to rate lenders and pick the best. Lenders reviewed We review over 35 lenders, including major banks, top credit unions, leading digital platforms, and high interest installment lenders operating across multiple states. Categories assessed Each lender is evaluated across five weighted categories and 27 subcategories, covering affordability, eligibility, consumer experience, flexibility, and application process. Data points analyzed Our team tracks and reassesses hundreds of data points annually, including APR ranges, fees, credit requirements, and borrower tools, ensuring up to date, accurate comparisons. Star rating categories We evaluate more categories than competitors and carefully weigh how each factor impacts your experience.

We review lenders’ annual percentage rate offerings and the competitiveness of each lenders’ APR range. We also assess whether a lender charges an origination fee and any opportunity for borrowers to receive a rate discount. We consider the experience of the consumer trying to manage a personal loan, which means accessibility of customer service representatives, whether borrowers can choose and change their payment due date, and the ability to track their loan on a mobile app. We consider the rigorousness of each lender’s underwriting practices and how widely available their loans are. This category includes whether a lender does a hard credit check before providing a loan, the range of credit profiles they accept and how many states their loans are offered in. We assess how flexible lenders can be with borrowers, including whether they offer multiple loan types, personal loan amounts and repayment term options and whether they offer direct payment to creditors on debt consolidation loans. We consider the lender’s full application process, including a borrower’s ability to preview their loan offer via pre-qualification, whether basic loan information such as APR range and repayment terms are available and easy to find online and how quickly a loan can be funded after approval. NerdWallet’s review process evaluates and rates personal loan products from more than 30 financial technology companies and financial institutions. We collect over 60 data points and cross-check company websites, earnings reports and other public documents to confirm product details. We may also go through a lender’s pre-qualification flow and follow up with company representatives. NerdWallet writers and editors conduct a full fact check and update annually, but also make updates throughout the year as necessary. Our star ratings award points to lenders that offer consumer-friendly features, including: soft credit checks to pre-qualify, competitive interest rates and no fees, transparency of rates and terms, flexible payment options, fast funding times, accessible customer service, reporting of payments to credit bureaus and financial education. Our ratings award fewer points to lenders with practices that may make a loan difficult to repay on time, such as charging high annual percentage rates (above 36%), underwriting that does not adequately assess consumers’ ability to repay and lack of credit-building help. We also consider regulatory actions filed by agencies like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. We weigh these factors based on our assessment of which are the most important to consumers and how meaningfully they impact consumers’ experiences. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for our star ratings. Read more about our ratings methodologies for personal loans and our editorial guidelines . What rates should I expect on a home improvement loan? Home improvement loan rates range from about 7% to 36%, with the lowest rates going to borrowers with high credit scores and income. Here are the average APRs by credit band that borrowers who pre-qualified for home improvement loans with NerdWallet received over the last 30 days: Borrower credit rating Source: Average rates are based on aggregate, anonymized offer data from users who pre-qualified through NerdWallet in the last 30 days. Rates are estimates only and not specific to any lender. » MORE: Current average personal loan rates Example of how rates affect loan costs To understand how much APR affects your monthly payments and total costs, here’s an example of two rates on a five-year, $20,000 home improvement loan. 15% APR : $476 monthly payments and $8,548 in total interest. 25% APR : $587 monthly payments and $15,222 in total interest. Home improvement loan calculator Experiment with the calculator below to get an idea of how much you would pay each month on a home improvement loan. The more you borrow and the higher the interest rate, the more expensive your monthly payment. Shorter loan terms mean higher monthly payments but less interest paid overall. With longer repayment terms, you’ll have lower monthly payments but pay more in interest over the life of the loan. How to get a home improvement loan Get a firm cost estimate. Identify the size of your project and get quotes or estimates to determine how much you need to borrow. Knowing the total cost can help you decide which financing option is best. Compare options. Compare the best home improvement lenders against other financing options, like credit cards and home equity financing. You're looking for the one that costs the least in total interest, has affordable monthly payments and fits your project cost and timeline. Check your rate and monthly payments. Many online lenders and some banks let borrowers pre-qualify to see potential personal loan offers before applying. Pre-qualifying involves a soft credit pull that doesn’t impact your score. Prepare documents. Once you've chosen a lender, gather the documents you'll need to apply, which may include W-2s, pay stubs, proof of address and financial information. Apply. You may have to apply in person at smaller banks and credit unions, but larger ones and online lenders have online applications. Many lenders can give you a decision the same day you apply. After that, expect to see the funds in your bank account in less than a week. Pros and cons of home improvement loans Fixed payments. Fixed payments. Fast funding, typically within a few days. Fast funding, typically within a few days. Potentially large loan amounts. Potentially large loan amounts. No collateral usually required. No collateral usually required. Potentially high interest rates. Potentially high interest rates. Potentially high payments. Potentially high payments. No tax deductions. No tax deductions. Fixed payments. This means you know exactly how much you need to pay each month and for how long. That consistency can help you budget for payments. Fast funding. Most lenders approve and fund loans within a week, and several do so within a day or two. This timing could be crucial if you need to quickly fund an emergency repair or replacement. Potentially large loan amounts. Home improvement projects come with hefty price tags. Personal loans can help cover the costs with amounts up to $100,000 from some lenders (though many borrowers qualify for less depending on credit and income). No collateral usually required. Most personal loans are unsecured, meaning that if you miss payments, your credit may be damaged but no property will be seized. Potentially high interest rates. Interest rates on personal loans range from 7% to 36%, with the lowest rates going only to applicants with good or excellent credit. Potentially high payments. Personal loan terms are typically around two to seven years. Pair the higher interest with shorter terms, and monthly payments are typically more expensive. No tax deductions. Interest paid on a personal loan is not tax-deductible as it can be with other types of financing, including home equity loans. » MORE: Personal loan application requirements Costs of home improvement projects Unsecured loans can cover almost any home improvement project. How much you need varies based on your location, home size and how extensive your plans are. Here are some common projects and how much you could pay for each, based on the most recent cost estimates available: Kitchen remodel Bathroom remodel Deck addition (wood) Solar panel installation Roof replacement (asphalt) In-ground swimming pool Sources: Remodeling 2025 Cost vs Value Report, EnergySage, Angi. Home improvement loans vs. equity financing Home improvement loans are far from the only way to fund a project. You may also consider tapping your home’s equity, which is its value minus what you owe. That equity serves as collateral, meaning that if you don’t repay, the lender could take your house. In turn for that risk, you may be more likely to qualify or secure lower rates than you would for a personal loan. Also note that this type of financing can take longer to fund, because it typically requires a home appraisal. Here are two types of equity financing: Home equity loan Home equity loans work similarly to personal loans: borrowers receive the funds in a lump sum, and the loans typically have fixed interest rates. You repay this loan in monthly installments over a term as long as 30 years. Because you’re offering your home as collateral, home equity loans often have lower rates and longer repayment terms than personal loans. » Dive deeper: Personal loan vs. home equity loan Home equity line of credit A HELOC is pretty different from both personal loans and home equity loans. Rather than a fixed amount of money, a HELOC is an open credit line that you draw on as needed, for about 10 years. Unlike personal and equity loans, interest rates are variable, meaning monthly payments fluctuate. How do I choose the right home improvement financing option? "Sometimes, the project itself will give one type of financing an edge. When I needed a new roof on my house, I went with a personal loan because that repair wouldn't wait, and borrowing against my home equity would have taken way too long. But if you're looking to borrow a larger amount for a major renovation, or you want a longer time to pay back the loan, borrowing against your home equity may make more sense." Other types of home improvement financing Government assistance Some government programs can help pay for a home renovation. The Federal Housing Administration has two programs: Title I loans and Energy Efficient Mortgages . You can search for a “Title I Property Improvement” lender in your state on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development website . The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, or IRA, allows homeowners to get tax credits for energy-efficient updates, like new doors, windows, insulation, heat pumps and air conditioners. The Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit and Residential Clean Energy Credit are listed on the IRS website . When it’s best: Consider applying if your project and finances meet the criteria outlined by these programs. They can help make upgrades more affordable. Cash-out refinancing A cash-out refinance is a new home loan for more than what you owe on your house. You can use this new loan to pay off your original mortgage, then use the extra cash for your renovation. When it’s best: Consider this option if mortgage rates are lower than the one you're paying now. Strategic use of a credit card can cover the cost of your upgrades. Home improvement store cards can earn cash back as you upgrade, while a card with a 0% introductory APR can cover short-term home renovations. When it’s best: Use a credit card for projects small enough that you won’t max it out. You should typically aim to pay your full balance every month. You’ll need good or excellent credit (690 credit score or higher) to qualify for a zero-interest or rewards card. Frequently asked questions How do home improvement loans work? A home improvement loan is a lump sum of money that you repay in fixed monthly installments over two to 12 years. Unlike home equity loans or home equity lines of credit, the loans are not secured by your home, and approval is based mainly on your creditworthiness. How do home improvement loans work? A home improvement loan is a lump sum of money that you repay in fixed monthly installments over two to 12 years. Unlike home equity loans or home equity lines of credit, the loans are not secured by your home, and approval is based mainly on your creditworthiness. How much can I borrow with a home improvement loan? Home improvement loan amounts range from $1,000 to $100,000. However, many lenders cap amounts at $30,000 to $50,000. If you think your project will cost more than that, look for a lender that offers larger loans. How much can I borrow with a home improvement loan? Home improvement loan amounts range from $1,000 to $100,000. However, many lenders cap amounts at $30,000 to $50,000. If you think your project will cost more than that, look for a lender that offers larger loans. What type of loan is best for home improvements? The best way to finance home improvements depends on factors such as your home equity, how much money you need to borrow and your credit score. Compare home improvement loans with home equity loans, home equity lines of credit, cash-out refinancing and federal programs. What type of loan is best for home improvements? The best way to finance home improvements depends on factors such as your home equity, how much money you need to borrow and your credit score. Compare home improvement loans with home equity loans, home equity lines of credit, cash-out refinancing and federal programs. Where can I get a personal loan for home improvements? Online lenders. Choose an online lender if you need funds fast and you don't mind sharing your financial info electronically. Credit unions. If you're already a member in good standing at a credit union, you may get a lower rate and more flexible terms on a home improvement loan. Banks. Your bank may offer personal loans with competitive rates and in-person support. » MORE: Where to get a personal loan Where can I get a personal loan for home improvements? Online lenders. Choose an online lender if you need funds fast and you don't mind sharing your financial info electronically. Credit unions. If you're already a member in good standing at a credit union, you may get a lower rate and more flexible terms on a home improvement loan. Banks. Your bank may offer personal loans with competitive rates and in-person support. » MORE: Where to get a personal loan How can I get a home improvement loan with bad credit? Look for online lenders that accept lower credit scores or don’t have a minimum score requirement. Comparing lenders and pre-qualifying can help you find the best rates and terms without hurting your credit. Adding a co-signer or choosing a secured loan may also improve your chances of approval. How can I get a home improvement loan with bad credit? Look for online lenders that accept lower credit scores or don’t have a minimum score requirement. Comparing lenders and pre-qualifying can help you find the best rates and terms without hurting your credit. Adding a co-signer or choosing a secured loan may also improve your chances of approval. Discover additional loan resources and tools Learn more about personal loans Getting a personal loan starts with checking your credit, getting pre-qualified and comparing loan offers. Co-signing a loan may help the borrower qualify, but it could also hurt your credit score and overall finances. You can get a personal loan from an online lender, credit union or bank. There are pros and cons to each option. A personal loan can build your credit scores in the long term — as long as you consistently repay the debt on time. How to Get a Personal Loan in 7 Steps By Ronita Choudhuri-Wade, Nicole Dow Getting a personal loan starts with checking your credit, getting pre-qualified and comparing loan offers. Read the article Getting a personal loan starts with checking your credit, getting pre-qualified and comparing loan offers. Co-signing a Loan: Risks and Benefits By Jackie Veling Co-signing a loan may help the borrower qualify, but it could also hurt your credit score and overall finances. Read the article Co-signing a loan may help the borrower qualify, but it could also hurt your credit score and overall finances. Where to Get a Personal Loan By Nicole Dow You can get a personal loan from an online lender, credit union or bank. There are pros and cons to each option. Read the article You can get a personal loan from an online lender, credit union or bank. There are pros and cons to each option. How Does a Personal Loan Affect Your Credit Score? By Nicole Dow, Robin Hartill, CFP® A personal loan can build your credit scores in the long term — as long as you consistently repay the debt on time. Read the article A personal loan can build your credit scores in the long term — as long as you consistently repay the debt on time.