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If you’re planning to take out a $20,000 loan to consolidate debt, fund a major purchase or advance another financial goal, it’s important to weigh your options.
Traditional personal loans tend to have lower rates than credit cards, so they can be an attractive option. But you’ll want to consider your personal finances and what terms you’re likely to qualify for, as well as how payments will fit into your monthly budget.
We’ll review lenders you may want to consider and guide you through the process of applying for a loan.
Monthly payments for a $20,000 personal loan
Loan duration
Average monthly payments ($20,000 loan)
Poor credit
Average credit
Good credit
Excellent credit
1–12 months
$2,474.39
$1,888.70
$1,780.82
$1,737.06
13–24 months
$979.41
$953.17
$927.95
$905.85
25–36 months
$702.84
$681.07
$649.41
$623.79
37–48 months
$586.09
$559.82
$530.02
$503.50
The best $20,000 personal loans
How to get a $20,000 loan
FAQs about $20,000 loans
The best $20,000 personal loans
U.S. Bank
U.S. Bank offers unsecured personal loans, and you’ll typically find out whether your loan is approved quickly. U.S. Bank doesn’t charge any origination fees or prepayment penalties. To find the best options, you may want to become a U.S. bank customer before applying for a personal loan.
OneMain Financial
OneMain offers flexible repayment terms, and you can use its loan and payment calculator to estimate your potential monthly payments. There are lots of fees with this lender though, including origination fees, late payment fees, nonsufficient funds fees and governmental fees. OneMain’s starting interest rates are relatively high compared to traditional lenders — you may find a better deal elsewhere if you’ve got good credit.
PNC Bank
A PNC Bank personal loan might be worthwhile if you need a personal loan and have good credit or can apply with a co-applicant with a solid credit history. But it’s not available in every state, and you’ll need to borrow a larger sum of money to lock in the lowest rate.
PenFed Credit Union
PenFed Credit Union is worth considering if you have good credit and need a small personal loan. You don’t need to be a member to apply, but the credit union charges late fees and returned payment fees.
SoFi
You may need strong credit to qualify with SoFi. But if you do, you can access specialized perks in addition to competitive rates. And if you lose your job through no fault of your own while you’re paying off a SoFi loan, you may be able to temporarily modify your payments.
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How to get a $20,000 loan
Applying for a $20,000 loan can take some work, but it’s worth the effort if you can save money by consolidating debt at a lower rate or finance a necessary purchase.
Start by collecting basic information about your finances, such as …
From there, it’s a good idea to apply for prequalification. This lets you preview your potential rate without a hard credit inquiry. It will also give you a good idea of which lender may be the best fit for you.
Once you decide to move forward and officially apply though, the lender will likely perform a hard credit inquiry that can have a temporary effect on your credit scores.
If you apply for a personal loan, you may be able to access money within a few days.
FAQs about $20,000 loans
Is a $20,000 loan hard to get?
Your ability to get a $20,000 loan typically depends on your credit profile and a lender’s requirements for approval. For instance, a borrower with bad credit may only be able to get approved from a lender that specifically advertises loans for people with less-than-perfect credit. Applicants with lower credit scores will likely get offers with higher interest rates and fees than people with stronger credit scores get.
Can you get a $20,000 loan with no credit?
$20,000 loans may be available to people with no credit or bad credit, these options likely will come with higher interest rates, fees, or even the need to provide collateral to get approved. If you don’t have a strong credit history, lenders might consider you a risk and structure your loan terms with that in mind. It’s a good idea to apply to prequalify with various lenders so you can shop around and compare potential offers without a hard credit inquiry that can temporarily hurt your credit scores.
You will likely need a credit score of 660 or higher for a $20,000 personal loan. Most lenders that offer personal loans of $20,000 or more require fair credit or better for approval, along with enough income to afford the monthly payments.
You will likely need a credit score of 660 or higher for a $20,000 personal loan. Most lenders that offer personal loans of $20,000 or more require fair credit or better for approval, along with enough income to afford the monthly payments.
What is the easiest loan to get approved for? The easiest types of loans to get approved for don't require a credit check and include payday loans, car title loans and pawnshop loans — but they're also highly predatory due to outrageously high interest rates and fees.
A $20,000 loan at 5% for 60 months (5 years) will cost you a total of $22,645.48, whereas the same loan at 3% will cost you $21,562.43. That's a savings of $1,083.05. That same wise shopper will look not only at the interest rate but also the length of the loan.
$20,000 loans may be available to people with no credit or bad credit, these options likely will come with higher interest rates, fees, or even the need to provide collateral to get approved. If you don't have a strong credit history, lenders might consider you a risk and structure your loan terms with that in mind.
The credit score needed for a $20,000 loan varies by lender. Generally, you'll need a good to excellent credit score — 670 or higher — to qualify for a $20,000 loan. The higher your credit score, the better your chances of qualifying for a loan and securing a lower interest rate.
This is a mobile loan available to Amref Sacco members. To qualify for a loan, you need to have 3 months of active membership. The credit limit will be graduated upward from KSh 10,000, 20,000,30,000,40,000 to 50,000 depending on repayment history and credit scoring.
Even if you have Chase credit cards, a Chase mortgage, and Chase bank accounts in good standing, you can't get a personal loan through Chase. Fortunately, you have many personal loan lenders to choose from.
LendingTree is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and has an A+ rating. Several customer complaints mention unwanted marketing contact from the company and difficulty unsubscribing. LendingTree is typically quick to respond.
Unlike many banks, Bank of America does not offer personal loans. It has quite a few credit card options — and a small loan for unexpected expenses — but you will need to look elsewhere if you want to borrow a large personal loan.
If you struggle to get approved for a personal loan or need a loan in a hurry, products like emergency loan and payday loans may be appealing. All may come with higher interest rates and shorter repayment timelines than a standard personal loan.
What Is A Hardship Loan? A hardship loan is a type of financing that helps people dealing with a financial crisis caused by an emergency expense or an income shortfall. You can use a hardship loan to cover everything from a surprise medical or car repair bill to necessities like food and rent.
It's one of the fastest overall in terms of loan funding speed, with borrowers able to obtain funds as quickly as the same day they're approved. LightStream loanscan be used to cover a variety of expenses, from debt consolidation to home renovations to emergency car repairs.
You can borrow $50,000 - $100,000+ with a 720 credit score. The exact amount of money you will get depends on other factors besides your credit score, such as your income, your employment status, the type of loan you get, and even the lender.
Most personal loans require a score of at least 660 for approval, so having a 640 credit score constrains your options. Any loans you do qualify for are likely to charge an origination fee, as...
With FICO, fair or good credit scores fall within the ranges of 580 to 739, and with VantageScore, fair or good ranges between 601 to 780. Many personal loan lenders offer amounts starting around $3,000 to $5,000, but with Upgrade, you can apply for as little as $1,000 (and as much as $50,000).
You can borrow over $100,000 with a 780 credit score if you get a mortgage or a home equity loan. Keep in mind, the exact amount of money you will get depends on other factors in addition to your credit score, such as your income, your employment status and even the lender.
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