- Best Home Improvement Loans of December 2024
- What is a home improvement loan?
- Home improvement loans vs. equity financing
- Home improvement loan pros and cons
- How to compare home improvement loans
- Home improvement loan rates
- Where to get a personal loan for home improvements
- How to get a home improvement loan
- How to use a home improvement loan
- Frequently asked questions
- Other types of home improvement financing
LightStream: Best for Long repayment terms
Est. APR
6.99-25.29%
Loan amount
$5K-$100K
Min. credit score
660
View details
Qualifications:
LightStream offers no fees, low rates and terms up to 12 years on home improvement loans. Borrowers can apply for a joint loan, which may help them get a lower rate or higher loan amount.
- Minimum credit score: 660, but can vary depending on the loan purpose and amount.
- Maximum debt-to-income ratio: 50%.
- Minimum credit history: 3 years.
- Income sources accepted: Employment, retirement, rental income, alimony, child support, Social Security payments and disability benefits.
- Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident who is at least 18 years old and has a U.S. bank account.
- Origination fee: None.
- Late fee: None.
SoFi Personal Loan: Best for Joint loans
Est. APR
8.99-29.99%
Loan amount
$5K-$100K
Min. credit score
None
View details
Qualifications:
SoFi is a strong option for good-credit consumers, offering low rates, no fees and flexible payments. Borrowers can add a co-signer or co-borrower to improve their chances of qualifying.
- Must be at least 18 years old in most states.
- Must be a U.S. citizen, permanent or non-permanent resident, including DACA recipients and asylum seekers.
- Must be employed, have sufficient income from another source, or have an offer of employment to start within the next 90 days.
- Acceptable income sources: Employment, spouse’s income, retirement, alimony, child support, Social Security payments and disability benefits.
- Origination fee: 0% to 7%.
- Late fee: None.
Discover® Personal Loans: Best for Excellent credit
Est. APR
7.99-24.99%
Loan amount
$2.5K-$40K
Min. credit score
660
View details
Qualifications:
For good- to excellent-credit borrowers, Discover offers perks like a mobile app to manage your loan and a unique money-back guarantee.
- Minimum credit score: 660.
- Minimum annual household income: $25,000. Income can come from employment, retirement, alimony, child support, Social Security payments and disability benefits.
- Must provide a valid U.S. address and email address.
- Must be 18 years old with a valid Social Security number.
- Origination fee: None.
- Late fee: $39.
Upgrade: Best for Credit-building tools
Est. APR
9.99-35.99%
Loan amount
$1K-$50K
Min. credit score
580
View details
Qualifications:
Upgrade lets borrowers add a co-signer or co-borrower to improve their chances of qualifying for a lower rate. It also has a mobile app to manage your loan.
- Minimum credit score: 580.
- Minimum number of accounts on credit history: One account.
- Maximum debt-to-income ratio: 75%, including mortgage payments.
- Minimum length of credit history: Two years.
- Minimum income requirement: None. Lender accepts income from alimony, retirement, child support, Social Security, disability benefits and other sources.
- Origination fee: 1.85% to 9.99%.
- Late Fee: $10.
- Failed payment fee: $10.
Wells Fargo Personal Loan: Best for Existing bank customers
View details
Qualifications:
Wells Fargo customers may be eligible for personal loan rate discounts and large loan amounts. Long terms and the lender's joint loan option help this loan stand out for home improvement projects.
- Must be an existing Wells Fargo customer.
- Must provide personal information, including Social Security number or individual tax identification number.
- Must provide employment and income information; documentation may be required to verify this information.
- Late fee: $39.
Rocket Loans: Best for Fast approval
Est. APR
8.99-29.99%
Loan amount
$2K-$45K
Min. credit score
640
View details
Qualifications:
- Minimum credit score: 640.
- Minimum annual gross income: $24,000.
- Maximum debt-to-income ratio: 40% or 70% including a mortgage.
- Minimum credit history: 2 years.
- Must be at least 18 years old.
- Must be a U.S. resident living in one of the states where the lender does business.
- Origination fee: Up to 9%.
- Late fee: $15.
- Non-sufficient funds fee: $15.
Best Egg: Best for Secured loans
Est. APR
7.99-35.99%
Loan amount
$2K-$50K
Min. credit score
600
View details
Qualifications:
Best Egg offers secured home improvement loans that use your home’s fixtures or vehicle as collateral.
- Minimum credit score: 600.
- Maximum debt-to-income ratio: 70% including a mortgage.
- Minimum credit history: 3 years and 1 account.
- Acceptable income sources: Employment, household income, alimony, retirement, child support, Social Security payments and disability benefits.
- Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and at least 18 years of age.
- Origination fee: 0.99% - 9.99%.
Navy Federal Credit Union Personal Loan: Best for Credit union members
View details
Qualifications:
- Must be a Navy Federal Credit Union member to apply.
- No minimum credit score requirement.
- Must provide personal information and contact details.
- Must provide information on income and employment.
- Origination fee: None.
- Returned payment fee: $29.
- Late fee: $29.
- Federal Express fee: $5.65.
- Certified Mail fee: $5.83.
LightStream: Best for Long repayment terms
Est. APR
Loan amount
Min. credit score
View details
Qualifications:
LightStream offers no fees, low rates and terms up to 12 years on home improvement loans. Borrowers can apply for a joint loan, which may help them get a lower rate or higher loan amount.
- Minimum credit score: 660, but can vary depending on the loan purpose and amount.
- Maximum debt-to-income ratio: 50%.
- Minimum credit history: 3 years.
- Income sources accepted: Employment, retirement, rental income, alimony, child support, Social Security payments and disability benefits.
- Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident who is at least 18 years old and has a U.S. bank account.
- Origination fee: None.
- Late fee: None.
SoFi Personal Loan: Best for Joint loans
Est. APR
Loan amount
Min. credit score
View details
Qualifications:
SoFi is a strong option for good-credit consumers, offering low rates, no fees and flexible payments. Borrowers can add a co-signer or co-borrower to improve their chances of qualifying.
- Must be at least 18 years old in most states.
- Must be a U.S. citizen, permanent or non-permanent resident, including DACA recipients and asylum seekers.
- Must be employed, have sufficient income from another source, or have an offer of employment to start within the next 90 days.
- Acceptable income sources: Employment, spouse’s income, retirement, alimony, child support, Social Security payments and disability benefits.
- Origination fee: 0% to 7%.
- Late fee: None.
Discover® Personal Loans: Best for Excellent credit
Est. APR
Loan amount
Min. credit score
View details
Qualifications:
For good- to excellent-credit borrowers, Discover offers perks like a mobile app to manage your loan and a unique money-back guarantee.
- Minimum credit score: 660.
- Minimum annual household income: $25,000. Income can come from employment, retirement, alimony, child support, Social Security payments and disability benefits.
- Must provide a valid U.S. address and email address.
- Must be 18 years old with a valid Social Security number.
- Origination fee: None.
- Late fee: $39.
Upgrade: Best for Credit-building tools
Est. APR
Loan amount
Min. credit score
View details
Qualifications:
Upgrade lets borrowers add a co-signer or co-borrower to improve their chances of qualifying for a lower rate. It also has a mobile app to manage your loan.
- Minimum credit score: 580.
- Minimum number of accounts on credit history: One account.
- Maximum debt-to-income ratio: 75%, including mortgage payments.
- Minimum length of credit history: Two years.
- Minimum income requirement: None. Lender accepts income from alimony, retirement, child support, Social Security, disability benefits and other sources.
- Origination fee: 1.85% to 9.99%.
- Late Fee: $10.
- Failed payment fee: $10.
Wells Fargo Personal Loan: Best for Existing bank customers
View details
Qualifications:
Wells Fargo customers may be eligible for personal loan rate discounts and large loan amounts. Long terms and the lender's joint loan option help this loan stand out for home improvement projects.
- Must be an existing Wells Fargo customer.
- Must provide personal information, including Social Security number or individual tax identification number.
- Must provide employment and income information; documentation may be required to verify this information.
- Late fee: $39.
Rocket Loans: Best for Fast approval
Est. APR
Loan amount
Min. credit score
View details
Qualifications:
- Minimum credit score: 640.
- Minimum annual gross income: $24,000.
- Maximum debt-to-income ratio: 40% or 70% including a mortgage.
- Minimum credit history: 2 years.
- Must be at least 18 years old.
- Must be a U.S. resident living in one of the states where the lender does business.
- Origination fee: Up to 9%.
- Late fee: $15.
- Non-sufficient funds fee: $15.
Best Egg: Best for Secured loans
Est. APR
Loan amount
Min. credit score
View details
Qualifications:
Best Egg offers secured home improvement loans that use your home’s fixtures or vehicle as collateral.
- Minimum credit score: 600.
- Maximum debt-to-income ratio: 70% including a mortgage.
- Minimum credit history: 3 years and 1 account.
- Acceptable income sources: Employment, household income, alimony, retirement, child support, Social Security payments and disability benefits.
- Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and at least 18 years of age.
- Origination fee: 0.99% - 9.99%.
Navy Federal Credit Union Personal Loan: Best for Credit union members
View details
Qualifications:
- Must be a Navy Federal Credit Union member to apply.
- No minimum credit score requirement.
- Must provide personal information and contact details.
- Must provide information on income and employment.
- Origination fee: None.
- Returned payment fee: $29.
- Late fee: $29.
- Federal Express fee: $5.65.
- Certified Mail fee: $5.83.
What is a home improvement loan?
A home improvement loan is an unsecured personal loan that you use to cover the costs of home upgrades or repairs. Lenders provide these loans for up to $100,000. A home improvement loan comes in a lump sum and you repay it in monthly installments, usually over two to 12 years.
How do home improvement loans work?
Unlike home equity financing, home improvement loans do not require collateral. Whether you qualify and the loan’s interest rate are based on information like your credit and income. Once approved, you may receive your loan within one to two days. Missed or late loan payments will negatively impact your credit, but you won’t risk losing your home.
» MORE: How home improvement loans work
Home improvement loans vs. equity financing
A home improvement loan makes sense if you don’t have enough equity in your home or don’t want to use it as collateral. Equity is your home’s value minus what you owe.
If you have equity, you could get a lower monthly payment with a home equity loan or line of credit. This type of financing typically requires a home appraisal, which means a longer funding time.
Home equity loan
Home equity loans come in lump sums and have fixed interest rates, so monthly payments never change. You repay this loan in monthly installments over a term as long as 30 years.
Compare to personal loans: Home equity loans work similarly to personal loans, but they often have lower rates and longer repayment terms.
Home equity line of credit
A HELOC is an open credit line that you draw on as needed and pay interest only on what you borrow. This variable-rate option works best if you don’t know how much the home improvement will cost and are comfortable with a fluctuating monthly payment.
Compare to personal loans: A HELOC lets you borrow at any time for about 10 years, which can be ideal for long-term projects or unexpected expenses. A personal loan is a one-time cash influx.
» MORE: NerdWallet’s best HELOC lenders
Ask NerdWallet: How do I choose the right home improvement financing option?
"Sometimes, the project itself will give one type of financing an edge. When I needed a new roof on my house, I went with a personal loan because that repair wouldn't wait, and borrowing against my home equity would have taken way too long. But if you're looking to borrow a larger amount for a major renovation or you want a longer time to pay back the loan, borrowing against your home equity may make more sense."
— Kate Wood, Home & Mortgage expert
Home improvement loan pros and cons
Here are the pros and cons of using personal loans for home improvement projects:
- Payments are fixed.
- Funding is fast.
- No collateral required.
- They can have high rates.
- No tax benefits.
Pros
Payments are fixed. Personal loans have fixed monthly payments, so you can reliably budget for them.
Funding is fast. Online applications typically take a few minutes, and funds are often available within a day or two, while funds from a HELOC or home equity loan can take a few weeks to become available.
No collateral required. Unlike an auto or home loan, unsecured personal loans don’t require collateral, so the lender can’t take your possessions if you don’t make the payments.
Cons
They can have high rates. Because the loan is unsecured, the interest rate may be higher than on a home equity loan or home equity line of credit, which typically have single-digit rates.
No tax benefits. You can’t claim a tax deduction on the interest paid on home improvement loans as you might be able to do with mortgage interest.
How to compare home improvement loans
Pre-qualify and compare offers from multiple lenders to find the right loan for your project. Here are important features to compare among home improvement loans:
Annual percentage rate: APRs represent the entire cost of the loan, including fees the lender may charge. If you’re a member of a credit union, that may be the best place to start. The maximum APR at federal credit unions is 18%.
Monthly payment: Even if you get a low rate, be sure the monthly payments fit into your budget. Use a home improvement loan calculator to see what loan amount, rate and repayment term you need to get an affordable monthly payment.
Loan amount: Many lenders cap amounts at $30,000 to $50,000. If you think your project will cost more than that, look for a lender that offers larger loans.
Loan term: A loan with a long repayment term may have low monthly payments, but you’ll pay more interest over the life of that loan than one with a shorter repayment term.
Ability to add a co-signer or co-borrower: Some lenders let you add a co-signer or co-borrower to your application. Adding someone with better credit or higher income to the loan application may reduce your APR or increase the amount you can borrow.
Home improvement loan rates
Home improvement loan annual percentage rates range from about 7.5% to 36%. Lenders decide your rate on a home improvement loan primarily by evaluating your credit score, credit history and debt-to-income ratio.
Here's what personal loan rates look like, on average:
Borrower credit rating | Score range | Estimated APR |
Excellent | 720-850. | 11.11%. |
Good | 690-719. | 14.35%. |
Fair | 630-689. | 17.46%. |
Bad | 300-629. | 22.37%. |
Source: Average rates are based on aggregate, anonymized offer data from users who pre-qualified through NerdWallet from Oct. 1, 2024, through Oct. 31, 2024. Rates are estimates only and not specific to any lender. The lowest credit scores — usually below 500 — are unlikely to qualify. Information in this table applies only to lenders with maximum APRs below 36%.
Where to get a personal loan for home improvements
Online lenders offer a convenient way to find and compare personal loans from anywhere.
Some national banks offer personal loans with competitive rates and in-person support.
Credit unions may offer lower annual percentage rates and flexible terms for their members.
» MORE: Where to get a personal loan
How to get a home improvement loan
Get a firm cost estimate. Identify the size of your project and get quotes or estimates to determine how much you need to borrow. Knowing the total cost can help you decide which financing option is best.
Compare options. Compare the best home improvement lenders against other financing options, like credit cards and home equity financing. You're looking for the one that costs the least in total interest, has affordable monthly payments and fits your project cost and timeline.
Check your rate and monthly payments. Many online lenders and some banks let borrowers pre-qualify to see potential personal loan offers before applying. Pre-qualifying involves a soft credit pull that doesn’t impact your score.
Prepare documents. Once you've chosen a lender, gather the documents you'll need to apply. This can include W-2s, pay stubs, proof of address and financial information.
Apply. You may have to apply in person at smaller banks and credit unions, but larger ones and online lenders have online applications. Many lenders can give you a decision the same day you apply. After that, expect to see the funds in your bank account in less than a week.
How to use a home improvement loan
Unsecured loans can cover almost any purchase. How much you need varies based on your location, home size and how extensive your plans are.
Here are some common projects and how much you could pay for each, based on the most recent cost estimates available:
Project type | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
$79,982. | |
$25,251. | |
$17,615. | |
$20,948. | |
$30,680. | |
$66,151. | |
$3,525. | |
Sources: Remodeling Magazine 2024 Cost vs Value Report, EnergySage, Angi. | |
Frequently asked questions
- How much can you borrow with a home improvement loan?
Home improvement loan amounts range from $1,000 to $100,000. You receive the loan all at once and repay it with interest over two to 12 years.
- What type of loan is best for home improvements?
The best way to finance home improvements depends on factors such as your home equity, how much money you need to borrow and your credit score. Compare home improvement loans with home equity loans, home equity lines of credit, cash-out refinancing and federal programs.
- What are home improvement loan rates?
Home improvement loan rates typically range from about 7.5% to 36%. The best personal loan rates typically go to borrowers with high credit scores and credit histories showing consistent on-time payments toward other loans and credit cards.
Other types of home improvement financing
Government assistance
Some government programs can help pay for a home renovation. The Federal Housing Administration has two programs: Title I loans and Energy Efficient Mortgages. You can search for a “Title I Property Improvement” lender in your state on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development website.
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, or IRA, allows homeowners to get tax credits for energy-efficient updates, like new doors, windows, insulation, heat pumps and air conditioners. The Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit and Residential Clean Energy Credit are listed on the IRS website.
Additional rebates for larger energy-efficient updates are in progress in some states. You can check your state’s progress on the Department of Energy website.
The North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center maintains a database that includes state and local incentives for eco-friendly home improvement projects.
When it’s best: Consider applying if your project and finances meet the criteria outlined by these programs. They can help make upgrades more affordable.
Cash-out refinancing
You can refinance your existing mortgage into a higher loan amount and use the difference to pay for your renovation.
When it’s best: Consider this option if mortgage rates are lower than the one you're paying now.
Credit card
Strategic use of a credit card can cover the cost of your upgrades. Home improvement store cards can earn cashback as you upgrade, while a card with a 0% introductory APR can cover short-term home renovations.
When it’s best: Use a credit card for projects small enough that you won’t max it out. You should typically aim to pay your full balance every month. You’ll need good or excellent credit (690 credit score or higher) to qualify for a zero-interest or rewards card.
Last updated on November 11, 2024
- 35+ personal loans reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
- 20+ years of combined experience covering personal loans and financial topics.
- Objective, comprehensive star rating system assessing 20+ categories and 70+ data points.
- Governed by NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
Methodology
NerdWallet’s review process evaluates and rates personal loan products from more than 35 financial technology companies and financial institutions. We collect over 50 data points and cross-check company websites, earnings reports and other public documents to confirm product details. We may also go through a lender’s pre-qualification flow and follow up with company representatives. NerdWallet writers and editors conduct a full fact check and update annually, but also make updates throughout the year as necessary.
Our star ratings award points to lenders that offer consumer-friendly features, including: soft credit checks to pre-qualify, competitive interest rates and no fees, transparency of rates and terms, flexible payment options, fast funding times, accessible customer service, reporting of payments to credit bureaus and financial education. Our ratings award fewer points to lenders with practices that may make a loan difficult to repay on time, such as charging high annual percentage rates (above 36%), underwriting that does not adequately assess consumers’ ability to repay and lack of credit-building help. We also consider regulatory actions filed by agencies like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. We weigh these factors based on our assessment of which are the most important to consumers and how meaningfully they impact consumers’ experiences.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for our star ratings. Read more about our ratings methodologies for personal loans and our editorial guidelines.
NerdWallet's Best Home Improvement Loans of December 2024
- LightStream: Best for Long repayment terms
- SoFi Personal Loan: Best for Joint loans
- Discover® Personal Loans: Best for Excellent credit
- Upgrade: Best for Credit-building tools
- Wells Fargo Personal Loan: Best for Existing bank customers
- Rocket Loans: Best for Fast approval
- Best Egg: Best for Secured loans
- Navy Federal Credit Union Personal Loan: Best for Credit union members
