Achieve Personal Loans Review: What You Need to Know

Quick take: Achieve offers personal loans from $5,000 to $50,000 and multiple ways to score a lower rate, it's a strong contender for borrowers with fair-to-good credit. You'll get a dedicated loan consultant in your corner, plus flexible repayment terms. Just keep in mind there's an origination fee baked in, so do the math before you commit.

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.

Pros & Cons

Consider the pros and cons of personal loans before deciding.

Pros

• Discounts available: Borrowers may be able to qualify for discounts up to 4% if they meet certain qualifications

• Accepts fair credit borrowers: You may be able to qualify for funding even with less-than perfect credit

• Offers a joint loan option: Adding a co-borrower can help improve approval odds and secure better rates

• Fast funding: Funding times can be as fast as 24 to 72 hours

• Dedicated loan consultants: Personalized support available seven days a week throughout the application process

• Direct payment to creditors: Achieve can pay your creditors directly for debt consolidation loans

• No prepayment penalties: Pay off your loan early without any extra fees

Cons

• Origination fee: Charges 1.99% to 8.99%, deducted from loan proceeds

• High minimum loan amount: $5,000 minimum may be too much for those needing smaller amounts

• Not available in all states: Achieve personal loans are not available in all states, you’ll need to check if you can qualify based on your location

• Maximum annual percentage rate (APR) can be high: APRs range up to 29.99%, which can be on the costlier side

Company Overview

Achieve traces its roots back to 2002, when it was founded as Freedom Financial Network by co-CEOs Andrew Housser and Brad Stroh in San Mateo, California. 

Achieve primarily targets borrowers who are looking to consolidate high-interest credit card debt or other unsecured loans into a single, more manageable monthly payment. 

Since 2002, Achieve has served over 450,000 members and funded more than $13 billion in loans. The company maintains an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and a 4.8 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot based on over 12,000 reviews.

Key Features

Interest Rates

Achieve offers APRs ranging from 8.99% to 29.99%. These rates include applicable origination fees. The lowest rates require excellent credit, a loan amount under $12,000, and a 24-month repayment term.

Adding a co-borrower with sufficient income; using at least 85% of the loan proceeds to pay off qualifying existing debt directly, or showing proof of sufficient retirement savings, could also help you qualify for lower rates.

Loan Amounts

Achieve personal loans range from $5,000 to $50,000. Note that loans of $35,000 or more require a minimum credit score of 660. 

Repayment Terms

Loan terms are available from 24 to 60 months (two to five years). Achieve personal loans feature fixed interest rates and fixed monthly payments, so you can rest easy with predictable payments throughout the life of the loan. 

Funding Speed

Once approved, Achieve funds loans typically within 24 to 72 hours. For debt consolidation loans, Achieve can send payments directly to your creditors, which simplifies the payoff process and ensures your old debts get paid off promptly.

Fees

Achieve charges an origination fee ranging from 1.99% to 6.99%, which is deducted from your loan proceeds before disbursement. For example, if you're approved for a $10,000 loan with a 5% origination fee, you'll receive $9,500. There are no prepayment penalties, so you can pay off your loan early without extra charges. 

Achieve doesn’t disclose its late payment fees, so you’ll need to check your loan agreement, but they may apply if you miss a due date.

How To Apply

Applying for an Achieve personal loan is straightforward. Here's how it works:

1. Check your rate: Visit Achieve's website and complete a brief prequalification form. This involves a soft credit check that won't impact your credit score.

2. Review your offers: If prequalified, you'll see potential loan amounts, rates and terms. Compare your options to find the best fit.

3. Complete your application: Select your preferred offer and submit additional documentation. This may include proof of income and identity verification.

4. Undergo verification: Achieve will perform a hard credit inquiry and verify your information. This step may require additional documents.

5. Receive your funds: Once approved, funds are typically deposited within 24 to 72 hours. For debt consolidation, Achieve will pay your creditors directly.

👉 How to Apply for a Personal Loan

Comparable Options

Considering other lenders? Here's how Achieve personal loans stacks up.*

When SoFi might be better: If you have good to excellent credit and want to avoid origination fees entirely, alongside prepayment penalties and late fees. SoFi also offers larger loan amounts (up to $100,000).

When Upgrade might be better: If you need a smaller loan (as low as $1,000) or want the option for secured loans. Upgrade also accepts co-signers and offers a wider variety of repayment terms. 

👉 Best Installment Loans

Who It's Best For

Achieve personal loans are ideal for:

• Borrowers with fair to good credit looking for debt consolidation options

• Those who want to apply with a co-borrower to improve approval odds or get a lower rate

• People who can qualify for rate discounts (co-borrower, direct pay or retirement savings)

• Those who need $5,000 to $50,000 for debt consolidation, home improvements or major purchases

Consider looking elsewhere if:

• You need to borrow less than $5,000

• You want to avoid origination fees entirely

• Your credit score is below 620

• You live in state where Achieve doesn’t provide loans

Final Take

Achieve is a solid choice if debt consolidation is your primary goal. Their expertise in debt relief, combined with competitive rates for fair-to-good credit borrowers and the convenience of direct creditor payments, makes the consolidation process much smoother. 

Just be mindful of the origination fee, which gets deducted from your loan amount upfront. If you're not focused on debt consolidation or have excellent credit, shopping around with other lenders might land you a better deal. But for those ready to tackle high-interest debt head-on, Achieve delivers a straightforward path to financial simplification.

FAQs

Does Achieve allow co-borrowers on personal loans?

Yes! Achieve is one of the few online lenders that offers joint loans. Adding a qualified co-borrower can help you get approved and may qualify you for a co-borrower rate discount off your APR.

What credit score do I need for an Achieve personal loan?

Achieve requires a minimum credit score of 620 to 640 for most loans. For loan amounts of $35,000 or more, you'll need at least a 660 credit score. You can prequalify with a soft credit check to see if you're likely to be approved.

How long before funds arrive?

After approval, funds are typically disbursed within 24 to 72 hours. However, some customer reviews note that funding can occasionally take longer than expected, so Achieve may not be ideal if you need money urgently.

Can I pay off my Achieve loan early?

Yes. Achieve doesn't charge prepayment penalties, so you can make extra payments or pay off your loan early to save on interest without any additional fees.

Is Achieve available in all states?

No. Achieve personal loans are not available in all 50 states. You’ll need to verify if they provide loans in your state. Achieve also doesn't directly provide debt relief in CT, GA, NH, NJ, IL, KS, ME, OH, SC and VA.

Can I use an Achieve loan to pay off credit card debt?

Yes. Debt consolidation is one of the most common uses for Achieve personal loans. You can even have Achieve pay your creditors directly, which may even help qualify you for an additional rate discount.

Sources

The information in this article was compiled from the following sources:

• Achieve.com - Official Achieve Personal Loans website

• Achieve.com - What Credit Score Do You Need for a Personal Loan? 

• Sofi.com - Official Achieve Personal Loans website

• Sofi.com - Is There a Minimum Credit Score for Getting a Personal Loan?

• Upgrade.com - Official Upgrade Personal Loans website

• Upgrade.com - What Credit Score Is Needed for a Personal Loan?