How to Get a $10,000 Personal Loan

Whether you’re tackling a big expense, consolidating debt, or funding that long-overdue vacation, a personal loan can be the boost you need. But navigating the loan process can feel like walking a financial tightrope. Here’s how to secure a $10,000 personal loan in a way that makes sense for you—without the stress.

MoneyLion offers a service to help you find personal loan offers. Based on the information you provide, you can get matched with offers for up to $100,000 from our top providers. You can compare rates, terms, and fees from different lenders and choose the best offer for you.

What Are Your Options for a $10,000 Loan?

Here are some options to explore:

• Banks: You might start with a bank where you have an existing checking or savings account.

• Credit union: They often have more favorable terms like lower rates than major banks, as well as online-only lenders like SoFi®. For instance, PenFed Credit Union is offering rates as low as 8.99% APR.

• Peer-to-peer lending (P2P): Other people can lend money to you and vice versa. Some P2P lending platforms include LendingClub, Prosper and Upstart.

How To Qualify for a Loan

To qualify for a $10,000 personal loan and get your funds as soon as possible, keep the following tips in mind.

1. Check Your Credit and Financial Situation

• Check your credit score: Most lenders have minimum credit scores to qualify for a loan, so you'll want to know whether you have a shot at getting approved.

• Get prequalified: Some lenders offer prequalification. You'll provide some financial details and the lender does a soft pull of your credit. This isn't a guarantee that you'll be approved for a loan, but if you're prequalified it usually gives you a good idea of what loan terms you can expect.

• Have a source of steady income: Showing that you have steady income or employment can improve your chances of getting approved.

• Gather your documents: Be prepared to show documentation including your ID, bank account info and proof of income, such as pay stubs or a tax return.

• Keep your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) low: You'll want to show a low DTI, which means you spend less money than you earn.

2. Consider a Cosigner If You Need To

If your credit score or overall financial picture is shaky, you can apply for a loan with a cosigner.

Choosing a cosigner means you have someone you trust that also has a good credit score. A cosigner is meant to help you get a loan that you can't qualify for on your own.

A cosigner will have to sign the loan agreement and will be on the hook to pay back the borrowed funds if you're not able to.

3. Get Funding Fast

Consider starting your search with online lenders, as they are the most likely to offer fast funding and favorable rates. Consider LightStream, for example, with rates as low as 6.49%.

If you go through a brick-and-mortar bank or credit union, it may take longer.

To get paid as quickly as possible, you'll also want to use direct deposit versus getting the loan funds mailed to you by check. Confirm that this is an option with the lender before signing your loan agreement.

What's Your Reason for Borrowing?

Everyone has different reasons for needing a $10,000 loan. Here's how to find the right option based on your goals.

Emergency Expenses

If you're looking for a loan to cover an emergency expense such as medical debt, car repair, or urgent home fixes, your top priority should be a loan that offers fast funding and flexible terms, like a variety of payoff timeframes.

Best option: Same-day personal loans, generally from an online lender

Debt Consolidation

For debt consolidation, whether that's combining multiple credit card balances or high-interest loans into one payment, you'll want a personal loan with a low APR and without a prepayment penalty so there's no downside to paying your balance off early.

Best option: Debt consolidation loans, either from an online lender or a major bank

Home Improvements

If you're looking for a $10,000 loan to fund repairs or renovations on your home without using a home equity line of credit (HELOC), you'll want to choose a lender that offers longer terms and higher loan limits.

Best option: Home project loans from a lender like LightStream or SoFi

Moving or Relocation Costs

For a loan to cover moving expenses such as a security deposit and truck rentals, look for lenders that offer quick decisions, fast funding and flexible uses.

Best option: A personal loan from a bank or online lender — most allow flexible uses

Starting a Side Hustle or Small Business

If you need a loan to help fund your side hustle or small business, you can choose either a personal loan or a business loan. Business loans are harder to qualify for, and lenders will evaluate your business financials as well as your business score, so use a personal loan if you don't qualify yet.

Best option: Any flexible-use personal loan

Special Occasions or Big Purchases

If you'll use your loan to fund a big event like a wedding or trip or even to fund a big purchase, look for a lender with no fees or early payoff penalties.

Best option: A personal loan from a lender without a prepayment penalty, such as Avant or Upgrade

Have Trouble Qualifying for a Loan? Try Other Options

Secured Loan

A secured loan is backed by collateral such as your car, home or a savings account, which makes the loan less risky for the lender, even if your credit or income doesn't make for a strong application.

Credit Card Cash Advance

This essentially involves borrowing money against your credit card's line of credit, but it typically involves a high transaction fee as well as charging you interest.

For this reason, credit card cash advances aren't recommended for long-term borrowing and are best as a last resort for smaller amounts.

FAQs

Can I get a $10,000 loan with bad credit?

You may be able to get a $10,000 loan with bad credit, especially if you apply for a secured loan or use a cosigner.

Will applying affect my credit?

Applying for a loan will generally impact your credit slightly in the medium term because the lender will perform a hard credit pull to confirm your eligibility. But if you pay off your loan on time, it can positively impact your credit in the long run.

Can I repay the loan early?

You can generally repay loans early, but some lenders do charge early repayment fees.