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Upgrade Personal Loans Review

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Upgrade is a lending company based in San Francisco, California. It is an online lending platform that offers consumers free credit monitoring and access to personal loans of up to $50,000.

The company’s co-founder and CEO Renaud Laplanche is the former head of LendingClub, an online lending company that has lent more than $28 billion to over 2 million borrowers since 2007.
 
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How Do We Rate Upgrade?

Breakdown

0.0/5
Flexibility
0.0/5
Interest Rates
0.0/5
Discounts & Fees
0.0/5
Customer Service and Reputation

Our Overall Rating: 3.1 / 5 (Very good)

Although Upgrade is a young company, it is already making waves in the online personal loan market thanks to its competitive offerings and streamlined application process. Unlike most personal lending companies, Upgrade focuses on a borrower’s cash flow rather than income, which means people with a lower salary may qualify for a bigger loan based on cash flow.

Upgrade is an overall good choice for borrowers searching for quick access to personal loans with reasonable rates and flexible loan options. 

Upgrade Loan Specifics

Loan Specifics - 4 / 5

Upgrade loans have a flexible price range, ranging from $1,000 to $50,000, and have a fixed term length of 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, or 84 months. They take only minutes to tell customers if they were approved or not for the loan they applied for. If approved, the amount will be directly deposited into a customer's bank account in 24 hours (after clearing verifications).

There are a few things Upgrade loans cannot be used for, including post-secondary education, investments, illegal activities, or gambling of any kind.

Loan Uses

Debt/Credit Card Consolidation
Buy Home
Major Purchase
Home Improvement
Medical Expenses
Wedding
Moving/Relocation
Vacation
Start Business
Education
Taxes
Loan Minimum
$1,000.00
Loan Maximum
$50,000
Term Length
24, 36, 48, 60, 72, or 84 months. 
Direct Deposit
Yes
Pay Creditors Directly
No
Decision Time
Undisclosed
Disbursement Time
Within 1 business day†
Credit Insurance
No
Unemployment Protection
No

Representative Loan Sample

Personal loans made through Upgrade feature Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) of 7.99%-35.99%. All personal loans have a 1.85% to 9.99% origination fee, which is deducted from the loan proceeds. Lowest rates require Autopay and paying off a portion of existing debt directly. Loans feature repayment terms of 24 to 84 months. For example, if you receive a $10,000 loan with a 36-month term and a 17.59% APR (which includes a 13.94% yearly interest rate and a 5% one-time origination fee), you would receive $9,500 in your account and would have a required monthly payment of $341.48. Over the life of the loan, your payments would total $12,293.46. The APR on your loan may be higher or lower and your loan offers may not have multiple term lengths available. Actual rate depends on credit score, credit usage history, loan term, and other factors. Late payments or subsequent charges and fees may increase the cost of your fixed rate loan. There is no fee or penalty for repaying a loan early. Personal loans issued by Upgrade's bank partners. Information on Upgrade's bank partners can be found at https://www.upgrade.com/bank-partners/.

Upgrade Qualification

Qualifications & Flexibility - 3.5 / 5

Upgrade does a soft credit check first to get customers rates they qualify for. Then, once the customer applies for an specific loan, they do a hard credit pull on their score. Upgrade loans require a minimum FICO score of 620, but applicants should keep in mind that Upgrade also looks at how much money they have left at the end of the month after expenses. This means applicants with lower scores might be approved for better rates if they have enough cash flow.

Applicants must have at least $1,000 left to be approved for a loan.
Minimum FICO Score
620
Personal Income Considered
Yes
Education Requirements
none
Debt to Income Ratio
40% maximum debt-to-income ratio excluding mortgage
Verify Bank Account
Yes
U.S. Citizen
Yes
Hard Credit Pull
Yes

Upgrade Cost of Loan

Costs, Interest Rates, Discounts & Fees - 4 / 5

Upgrade offers loans within a 7.99%-35.99% APR range. A customer's actual rate will depend on their credit score, credit usage and history, loan term, and other factors.

The best rates are only available for applicants with excellent scores and who authorize automatic payments.

They charge an origination fee of 1.85 to 9.99%, and will charge customers a $10 fee for any failed electronic or check payment attempts.

If you miss your payment with Upgrade, they will charge up to $10.
APR Range
7.99%- 35.99%
Origination Fee
1.85 to 9.99%
Missed Payment Penalty
Up to $10 if your payment is not received in full within 15 calendar days of your payment due date

Other Fees

Application Fee
Pre Payment Penalty
Administration Fee
Returned Check Fee
Check Processing Fee

Upgrade Reputation

Customer Service and Reputation - 3.5 / 5

Upgrade is a BBB-accredited business and has an outstanding A+ rating and 868 customer reviews with them.

It also has an excellent 4.8 out of 5 Trustpilot score, and only 4 complaints on the CFPB. This is noteworthy considering Upgrade was founded only recently, in 2016.
Type of Institution
Peer to Peer
Year Founded
2016
BBB Rating
A+
Trust Pilot Rating
4.8 out of 5
Consumer Financial Protection Board (CFPB) Complaints
4
Date Collected
2020-03-25

Disclaimer

Personal loans made through Upgrade feature Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) of 7.99%-35.99%. All personal loans have a 1.85% to 9.99% origination fee, which is deducted from the loan proceeds. Lowest rates require Autopay and paying off a portion of existing debt directly. Loans feature repayment terms of 24 to 84 months. For example, if you receive a $10,000 loan with a 36-month term and a 17.59% APR (which includes a 13.94% yearly interest rate and a 5% one-time origination fee), you would receive $9,500 in your account and would have a required monthly payment of $341.48. Over the life of the loan, your payments would total $12,293.46. The APR on your loan may be higher or lower and your loan offers may not have multiple term lengths available. Actual rate depends on credit score, credit usage history, loan term, and other factors. Late payments or subsequent charges and fees may increase the cost of your fixed rate loan. There is no fee or penalty for repaying a loan early. 

† Accept your loan offer and your funds will be sent to your bank or designated account within one (1) business day of clearing necessary verifications. Availability of the funds is dependent on how quickly your bank processes the transaction. From the time of approval, funds sent directly to you should be available within one (1) business day. Funds sent directly to pay off your creditors may take up to 2 weeks to clear, depending on the creditor.
Headquarters Address
275 Battery Street, 23rd Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94111
Homepage URL
https://www.upgrade.com
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Customer Comments

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cchristo5370
7/3/2023
The process was fast and easy. I applied with another company and it was intrusive and difficult which made me extra appreciative of the way Upgrade processed my loan. The verbiage in the communications from the start of to the completion of the loan was clear. I was able to understand the percentage rate, pay back of the loan and other pertinent details along the process. Thank you for helping me on my way to achieve my financial goals!
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peter.johnson7383
6/26/2023
My experience with upgrade has been very positive. The company is very easy to work with and respond to questions in a very quick and timely fashion. Definitely recommend them them for your financial needs.
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jennifer.slocum
6/20/2023
Super fast approval and funding Next day was in my account. This is my second loan through upgrade and it definitely won’t be my last. Competitive rates and easy payment schedules
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T
Terry D
6/14/2023
My back was literally up against the wall, but Upgrade came through and assisted me in paying off debt that was holding me back from reaching my financial capabilities. Great company and I appreciate the assistance and the relief from undue stress due to financial issues.
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sonnyttu
6/13/2023
Upgrade Personal Loans assisted me with excellent service and quick disbursement of funds. I received all information in a timely manner. Their service will greatly assist me with my debt consolidation plan along with a few additional purchases for home and vehicle necessities. No vacation here...LOL
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David L
5/18/2023
Awesome Lender.. Fast and easy . Paid off credit cards in fast time
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S
Scott T
5/15/2023
Best customer service ever!! Hands down the easiest company to deal with!!
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Katie S
5/10/2023
I was approved within an hour and my fund’s deposit in 48 hours. The process is very simple but read through everything. You may find other companies offering solutions that are better for your needs. For me this worked out well.
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wallace961
4/20/2023
Overall, the process was very good. One of my disbursements did not get taken care of and it resulted in me getting late fees- I didn't have any communication about that it and was very discouraging. I like the company, but customer service is lacking.
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Kim R
4/19/2023
I just went through my 2nd Upgrade Personal Loan process. Navigating the application is a breeze! I knew that when I decided to use them this second time, it would be no different. The process is quick and pain-free. You can proceed with confidence, and also be assured that if you need support, they are extremely responsive and helpful. Upgrade has been a pleasure to work with...Twice!
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Our Partner

Personal loans from $1,000 to $50,000

  • Loan APR range: 7.99% - 35.99%¹
  • Fast Funding. Money is sent to your bank account within a day of clearing any verifications
  • Transparent terms and absolutely no prepayment penalties
  • Access to free credit monitoring, alerts, and features to help you understand your credit
  • No obligation and no impact to your credit score when you check your rate
  • Dedicated to serving since 2016
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