Avant vs. Upstart: Which Personal Loan Is Better?

Upstart offers a wider loan range, a slightly lower advertised starting rate and a shorter minimum credit score floor, while Avant offers a partial fee refund for early payoff and reports to all three credit bureaus.

Neither lender is automatically cheaper or easier to qualify for than the other, so compare your personalized APR, fee and total repayment before choosing.

Key Takeaways

• Loan amounts differ significantly. Avant offers $2,000 to $35,000, while Upstart offers $1,000 to $75,000, giving Upstart the edge for both smaller and much larger loans.

• Avant's starting APR is higher. Avant runs 9.95% to 35.99%, while Upstart currently advertises fixed rates from 6.3% to 35.99%. The lowest rates go only to the most qualified applicants at each lender.

• Origination fees can meaningfully reduce your proceeds. Avant charges an administration fee up to 9.99%, and any portion above 5% is refundable on a prorated basis if you pay off the loan early. Upstart charges 0% to 12%, deducted from your loan before funding.

• Repayment terms work differently. Avant offers 24 to60 months across a range of lengths, while Upstart offers only two fixed options: 36 or 60 months.

• Neither lender publishes one guaranteed minimum credit score. Avant's own reviewer disclosures suggest most approved borrowers score between 600 and 700, while Upstart cites a 300 minimum in most states and instead weighs income, education and work history alongside credit.

• Avant doesn't accept co-signers or secured loans, while Upstart also requires borrowers to qualify individually, so neither lender lets you strengthen a weak application with a co-applicant.

Summary generated by AI, verified by MoneyLion editors

Avant vs. Upstart at a Glance

Rates, fees and minimums can vary by state, so treat the figures below as general guidelines rather than a guarantee for your specific offer.

Here's how Avant and Upstart stack up:

Avant vs. Upstart: Which Is Better?

Avant may be the better fit if you need between $2,000 and $35,000, want more flexibility in choosing your exact term length, and like the idea of a prorated refund on your fee if you pay the loan off early. Upstart may be the better fit if you need less than $2,000 or more than $35,000, or if you have a thin credit file and want a lender that weighs factors beyond your credit score like income, education and work history.

Neither lender is automatically cheaper. The only way to know which one actually costs less for your situation is to check your personalized rate at both, then compare the total repayment, not just the advertised range.

How Avant Personal Loans Work

Avant Loan Amounts and Terms

Avant's unsecured personal loans include:

• Loan amounts. $2,000 to $35,000, though minimum amounts can vary by state.

• Loan terms. 24 to 60 months.

• APR. Fixed for the life of the loan.

• Availability. Nationwide, with state-specific rules that can affect minimum amounts.

Avant APR and Fees

Avant's APR runs 9.95% to 35.99%. On top of interest, Avant charges an administration fee of up to 9.99% of your loan amount, which is deducted from your proceeds before you receive funds and is treated as part of your principal, meaning interest accrues on it. One detail worth knowing: any portion of that fee above 5% of your loan amount is refundable on a prorated basis if you pay the loan off before the end of its original term, a rare feature among personal loan lenders that most competitors don't offer.

Avant also charges a $25 late fee if a payment is more than 10 days past due (this can vary by state — for example, it's capped at 5% of the payment, up to $5, in Oregon) and a $15 fee if a scheduled payment is returned for insufficient funds. There's no prepayment penalty.

Who Typically Gets an Avant Loan?

Avant doesn't publish one universal minimum credit score across all its materials, and reviewer sources vary: some cite an official floor around 580 to 600, while independent data suggests most borrowers who actually receive a loan have scores somewhere between 600 and 700.

Having a score in that range doesn't guarantee approval, since Avant also weighs income, existing debt and other factors as part of the full application. Avant doesn't accept co-signers, co-borrowers or secured loans, so you'll need to qualify entirely on your own financial profile.

Avant Funding and Repayment Features

Funds are generally deposited by ACH for next-business-day delivery if you're approved by the lender's daily cutoff. Avant reports payment history to all three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion), so consistent on-time payments can help build your credit over time, while missed payments can do the opposite.

How Upstart Personal Loans Work

Upstart Loan Amounts and Rates

• Loan amounts. $1,000 to $75,000, though minimum amounts vary by state (for example, $3,100 in Georgia, $1,500 in Hawaii and $7,000 in Massachusetts).

• APR. 6.3% to 35.99% fixed, based on Upstart's current rate disclosures.

• Terms. 36 or 60 months only, no other options.

• Your actual offer depends on your credit, income and other application information.

Upstart's Lending Marketplace Model

Upstart isn't the lender itself. It connects applicants with partner banks, including Cross River Bank, that each apply their own underwriting criteria. That means your exact fee structure can depend on which partner ultimately funds your loan.

Upstart Eligibility

Upstart's own current disclosures cite a minimum credit score of 300 in most states, though the company emphasizes that its underwriting model weighs more than a traditional score. According to Upstart, its model can consider more than 2,500 variables as of a March 2026 disclosure, including factors like employment history, education, and income, alongside traditional credit data. That broader approach means applicants with a limited or thin credit history may still qualify based on other financial signals, though it also means Upstart doesn't guarantee approval or a specific rate based on any single factor.

Upstart Funding

Funds are typically sent as soon as the next business day once you accept your offer by the lender's daily cutoff, though your specific receiving bank determines exactly when the money becomes available in your account.

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.

Avant vs. Upstart Rates and Fees

Both lenders advertise appealingly low starting rates, but that alone doesn't determine which offer will actually be cheaper for you.

How Upfront Fees Affect What You Receive

Because both lenders deduct their fee from your loan proceeds upfront, you may need to request a larger loan amount than your actual need to net enough cash. Here's how a $10,000 loan looks at a few different fee levels:

Avant vs. Upstart Loan Amounts

Upstart has the clear edge on loan amount range, starting as low as $1,000 and going up to $75,000. Avant's range is narrower, from $2,000 to $35,000. If your borrowing need falls outside Avant's range on either end, Upstart is the only one of the two that can accommodate it. Keep in mind that both lenders' minimums can shift depending on your state.

Avant vs. Upstart Repayment Terms

Avant offers more flexibility here, with terms from 24 to 60 months. Upstart offers only two fixed options: 36 or 60 months. A shorter term generally means a higher monthly payment but less total interest paid over the life of the loan, while a longer term lowers your monthly payment but increases your total interest cost.

Which Is Easier to Qualify For?

Neither Avant nor Upstart publishes a single credit score threshold that guarantees approval. Most Avant borrowers who receive a loan have scores between 600 and 700, while Upstart cites a 300 minimum in most states and instead weighs employment history, education, income and other financial signals alongside a traditional credit score.

If your credit history is thin or limited, Upstart's broader underwriting model may be worth checking first; if you have an established but imperfect credit profile, either lender could be worth a look.

Which Is Better for Debt Consolidation?

Neither Avant nor Upstart pays your creditors directly as part of a debt consolidation loan; you receive the funds and pay off your existing debts yourself.

Here's an illustrative comparison of how a $20,000, four-year (48-month) loan might look at each lender's fee ends, assuming the same 22% APR for both to isolate the effect of the fee alone. Your actual APR will depend on your specific credit profile and application.

The monthly payment and total repayment above reflect the loan's principal and interest only; the fee itself doesn't change your scheduled payment, but it does change how much cash actually lands in your account.

That's why comparing your net proceeds, not just the advertised rate, matters just as much as the APR itself.

Which Is Better for Fast Funding?

Both lenders offer comparable timelines. Each promotes potential next-business-day funding for approved applicants, but both also depend on an approval or acceptance cutoff and your receiving bank's own processing schedule, so neither should be treated as a guaranteed same-day option.

Avant vs. Upstart Prequalification and Credit Checks

Both lenders let you check your rate with a soft credit inquiry that won't affect your score. Once you formally apply for either loan, expect a hard inquiry as part of the full underwriting process. In both cases, a quoted rate from prequalification isn't the same as final approval.

Pros and Cons of Avant

Pros and Cons of Upstart

How to Choose Between Avant and Upstart

1. Check your personalized rate with both lenders using their soft-pull prequalification tools.

2. Compare the full APR, not just the advertised range.

3. Subtract any origination or administration fee from the approved amount to see your real net proceeds.

4. Compare the monthly payment and total repayment side by side.

5. Confirm the loan amount you're offered actually covers your intended expense after fees.

6. Compare at least one additional lender's offer before accepting either one.

Bottom Line

Upstart may be the better fit if you need less than $2,000 or more than $35,000, or if you want a lender that weighs factors beyond a traditional credit score. Avant may be more appealing if its 24-to-60-month term flexibility fits your budget and you like the idea of a prorated fee refund if you pay off the loan early. Neither lender is automatically cheaper or easier to qualify for than the other. Check your potential rate from both, compare the net amount you'd actually receive, and choose only a monthly payment that fits comfortably into your budget.

If you want to see how either lender stacks up against other options, compare personal loan requirements or check out our review of Upstart personal loans in more depth.

Key Terms

• Annual percentage rate (APR): The yearly cost of borrowing, including interest and applicable finance charges, expressed as a percentage.

• Administration fee: Avant's name for its upfront loan fee, deducted from your proceeds before funding.

• Origination fee: A fee some lenders, including Upstart, charge for processing and issuing a loan.

• Net proceeds: The amount actually deposited into your account after any upfront fees are deducted from your approved loan amount.

• Soft credit inquiry: A credit check used for prequalification that doesn't affect your credit score.

• Hard credit inquiry: A formal credit check tied to a full loan application that can cause a small, temporary dip in your credit score.

• Lending marketplace: A platform, like Upstart, that connects applicants with participating banks or credit unions rather than funding loans directly itself.

• Total repayment: The full amount you pay over the life of a loan, including both principal and interest.

Summary generated by AI, verified by MoneyLion editors

Sources

• Avant: Personal Loans

• Upstart: Personal Loans

• Upstart: What Is a Personal Loan Origination Fee?

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: What Is a Personal Loan?; What Is a Hard Inquiry?

• Better Business Bureau: Avant, LLC Business Profile

• Better Business Bureau: Upstart Network, Inc. Business Profile

Summary generated by AI, verified by MoneyLion editors

FAQ

Here are quick answers to common questions about Avant vs. Upstart personal loans:

Is Avant better than Upstart?

It depends on what you need. Avant may be better if you want more repayment term options within a $2,000-to-$35,000 loan range and like the idea of a partial fee refund if you pay off early. Upstart may be better if you need a larger or smaller amount, or want a lender that considers factors beyond a traditional credit score.

Does Avant require a 550 credit score?

Avant doesn't publish a single universal minimum credit score across all its official materials, and reviewer sources vary on the exact figure. Independent data suggests most borrowers who actually receive an Avant loan have scores between 600 and 700, but approval depends on your full application, not one number.

Does Upstart have a minimum credit score?

Upstart's current disclosures cite a minimum credit score of 300 in most states, though approval also depends on income, employment history, education and other financial factors weighed by its underwriting model. Some applicants with limited credit history may still qualify based on these additional signals.

Which has lower rates, Avant or Upstart?

Upstart currently advertises a lower starting APR (6.3% versus Avant's 9.95%), but that doesn't guarantee every applicant gets a cheaper offer from Upstart. Your actual rate depends on your personal credit profile, so compare your personalized APR, fees and total repayment from both before deciding.

Which lender funds loans faster?

Both advertise potential next-business-day funding for approved applicants under qualifying conditions. The exact timing depends on when your approval or acceptance is completed and how quickly your receiving bank processes the deposit.