Payment Options

1. SoFi

We recommend refinancing with SoFi for a variety of reasons, and medical debt is no exception. While it doesn’t have a specific program for medical debt, most personal loan lenders will allow you to use a personal loan for just about anything, medical expenses typically included.

SoFi has some of the lowest APRs of any lender, with fixed rates ranging from 5.99% to 17.67%, and variable rates ranging from 6.40% to 12.70%. You can refinance $5,000 to $100,000 on 24 to 84 month terms as well.

The minimum FICO score is 680. Having a stable employment and education history will help you qualify for a better rate, too. You must be employed to be approved for a loan, and SoFi’s personal loan isn’t available to residents of Mississippi.

SoFi uses a soft pull to provide you with estimated rates, and if you want to move forward with the loan, then it will use a hard credit pull. That means you can see if the loan is workable for you before committing and before having the inquiry impact your credit.

There are also no hidden fees with SoFi, so what you see is what you get in terms of the loan amount as there is no origination fee and no pre-payment penalty.

2. Earnest

Earnest is similar to SoFi in terms of its low APRs. Fixed APRs range from 5.99% to 17.24%, with terms that go from 36 to 60 months. With Earnest you can refinance $5,000 up to $75,000.

The only downside to Earnest is that it isn’t available in many states. You must be a resident of the following states to be approved: AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, HI, IL, IN, KS, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, Washington DC, WI, WV, and WY.

If you don’t reside in a state on this list, check back often as Earnest has been adding several states to its roster over the last year.

You should have a minimum credit score of 680 to be approved for a loan with Earnest, though it also takes into account your savings, employment history, education history, and income. You can apply for a loan using your LinkedIn account (which pre-fills some fields for you), but it isn’t necessary.

Earnest doesn’t have origination fees or pre-payment penalty fees, though it does use a hard credit inquiry when you complete the application. According to its FAQ, it is working on building a tool that will give you preliminary rates and terms on a personal loan without a hard pull.

3. LightStream

LightStream is an online division of SunTrust and offers great deals on personal loans. $5,000 up to $100,000 on terms ranging from 24 to 144 months. Fixed APRs range from 4.99% to 16.79%, and there is No origination fee. Rates do vary based on the term you select, so be sure to look at all your options here.

LightStream has one of the faster application processes – if you get all the necessary documents in by 2:30pm ET, you may be eligible for same-day funding. Additionally, if you’re unhappy with the services provided by LightStream, its customer service is backed by a $100 guarantee.

LightStream requires a hard credit inquiry, which makes it a slightly less attractive option. You might want to check with the personal loan lenders that use a soft credit pull first.