Best Home Improvement Loans of January 2022
Home improvement loans can help you finance repairs, renovations and additions to your home. Compare offers from multiple lenders to find the best rates and terms.
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An unsecured home improvement loan can help you pay for renovations and repairs. You can use this type of personal loan to upgrade your kitchen, put in a new swimming pool, or repair your roof.
Home improvement loans let you finance your renovation without using your home as collateral. They're also usually funded more quickly than other financing options. Always compare offers from multiple lenders to find a loan that suits the size of your project and your budget.
Best Home Improvement Loans:
Best for large loans with low rates: SoFi
Best for low rates and long repayment terms: LightStream
Best for credit-building tools: Upgrade
Best for small loans with low rates: Marcus
Best for excellent-credit borrowers: Discover
Best for small loans with a co-borrower: Prosper
Best for existing customers: Wells Fargo.
An unsecured home improvement loan can help you pay for renovations and repairs. You can use this type of personal loan to upgrade your kitchen, put in a new swimming pool, or repair your roof.
Home improvement loans let you finance your renovation without using your home as collateral. They're also usually funded more quickly than other financing options. Always compare offers from multiple lenders to find a loan that suits the size of your project and your budget.
Best Home Improvement Loans:
Best for large loans with low rates: SoFi
Best for low rates and long repayment terms: LightStream
Best for credit-building tools: Upgrade
Best for small loans with low rates: Marcus
Best for excellent-credit borrowers: Discover
Best for small loans with a co-borrower: Prosper
Best for existing customers: Wells Fargo.
Best Home Improvement Loans
Lender | NerdWallet Rating | Est. APR | Loan Amount | Min. Credit Score | Learn More |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() SoFi Get rate on SoFi's website | Best for Large loans with low rates | 4.99-19.63% | $5,000-$100,000 | 680 | Get rate on SoFi's website |
LightStream Get rate on LightStream's website | Best for Low rates and long repayment terms | 4.49-20.49% | $5,000-$100,000 | 660 | Get rate on LightStream's website |
Upgrade Get rate on Upgrade's website | Best for Credit-building tools | 5.94-35.47% | $1,000-$50,000 | 560 | Get rate on Upgrade's website |
Marcus by Goldman Sachs Get rate on Goldman Sachs's website | Best for Small loans with low rates | 6.99-19.99% | $3,500-$40,000 | 660 | Get rate on Goldman Sachs's website |
Discover® Personal Loans Get rate on Discover's website | Best for Loans for excellent-credit borrowers | 5.99-24.99% | $2,500-$35,000 | 720 | Get rate on Discover's website |
![]() Wells Fargo Personal Loan See my rates on NerdWallet's secure website | Best for Existing customers | 5.74-19.99% | $3,000-$100,000 | None | See my rates on NerdWallet's secure website |
Our pick for
Large loans with low rates
Our pick for
Low rates and long repayment terms
Our pick for
Credit-building tools
Our pick for
Small loans with low rates
Our pick for
Loans for excellent-credit borrowers
Our pick for
Existing customers

on NerdWallet's secure website
Wells Fargo Personal Loan

Est. APR
5.74-19.99%Loan Amount
$3,000-$100,000Min. Credit Score
Noneon NerdWallet's secure website
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 fixes. Lenders provide these loans for up to $100,000. A home improvement loan comes in a lump sum all at once, and you repay it in monthly installments, usually one to 12 years.
Because you don’t use your house as collateral for the loan, your interest rate is based on information like your credit and income. If you can’t repay a home improvement loan, your credit will take a hit.
Benefits and drawbacks of home improvement loans
If you don’t have enough equity in your home to cover the project, or you don’t want to use your home as collateral, a home improvement loan may make sense.
These loans can be tens of thousands of dollars, making them ideal for bigger projects, while a credit card may be ideal for smaller DIY projects.
Here's what to know about home improvement loans:
They can have high rates. Since 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 rates in the single digits.
Usually, you make fixed payments. Personal loans have fixed monthly payments, so you can reliably budget for them.
The funding is fast. Online applications typically take a few minutes, and funds are available within a day or two at some lenders, while funds from a HELOC or home equity loan can take a few weeks.
You don't get tax benefits. You can’t claim a tax deduction on the interest on personal loans as you might be able to do with mortgage interest.
How to compare home improvement loans
Shopping around and pre-qualifying can help you find the loan with the best rate and features. These are a few important features to compare between home improvement loans.
Annual percentage rates: APRs represent the entire cost of the loan, including any 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%.
Loan amount: Some lenders cap amounts at $35,000 or $40,000. If you think your project will cost more than that, look for a lender that offers higher loan amounts.
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. You can use a home improvement loan calculator to see estimated payments on loans with different terms.
Ability to add a co-signer or co-borrower: Some lenders will let you add a co-signer or co-borrower to your loan application. Adding someone with better credit or higher income to the loan application may help reduce your APR or increase the amount you can borrow.
How to get a home improvement loan
To get a home improvement loan, first compare lender offers with other options, check your rate and monthly payments, prepare documents and finally apply.
Let's break down those steps:
Compare options. Compare the best home improvement lenders against each other and with 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 timeline.
Check your rate and monthly payments. Try to set your project's estimated cost by this step. Many online lenders and some banks let borrowers pre-qualify to see potential personal loan offers before applying — but you'll be asked how much you want to borrow. The process involves a soft credit pull. You can compare rates and monthly payments from multiple online lenders at once by pre-qualifying on NerdWallet.
Prepare documents. Once you've chosen a lender, gather the documents you'll need to apply. This can include things like W-2s, paystubs, 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 usually offer online applications. Many lenders can give you a decision within a day or two of applying. After that, expect to see the funds in your bank account between one and seven business days later.
» GET STARTED: Check your rate with multiple lenders on NerdWallet
Home improvement loan rates
Current home improvement loan rates are between 5.99% and 35.99%. Lenders decide your rate on a home improvement loan primarily by using your credit score, credit history and debt-to-income ratio.
Here's what personal loan rates look like, on average:
How's your credit? | Score range | Estimated APR |
Excellent. | 720-850. | 11.2%. |
Good. | 690-719. | 15.5%. |
Fair. | 630-689. | 20.5%. |
Bad. | 300-629. | 25.3% (Lowest scores unlikely to qualify). |
Source: Average rates are based on aggregate, anonymized offer data from users who pre-qualified in NerdWallet’s lender marketplace from July 1, 2020, to July 31, 2021. Rates are estimates only and not specific to any lender.
» MORE: See the best personal loan rates
How to use a home improvement loan
Unsecured loans can cover almost any purchase. How much you’ll need will vary based on your location, home size and how extensive your plans are.
Americans spent an average of $18,216 on room additions and renovations in 2019, according to the most recent available data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey.
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 |
---|---|
$75,571 | |
$24,424 | |
$16,766 | |
$20,000 | |
$8,371 | |
$14,940 | |
$2,797 | |
Sources: The U.S. Census Bureau's 2019 American Housing Survey, Remodeling Magazine 2021 Cost vs Value Report, HomeAdvisor, Center for Sustainable Energy. |
Other types of home improvement financing
You have a long list of options to finance your project, including a home equity loan or line of credit, cash-out refinancing or an unsecured home improvement loan to pay for your home improvement project.
Federal programs
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 HUD website.
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.
Home equity loans and HELOCs
HELOCs have variable rates and allow you to borrow as you go and repay only what you borrow. A home equity loan, on the other hand, has a fixed rate and comes to you in a lump sum that you repay over time.
Both options typically have lower monthly payments than personal loans, with repayment terms up to 20 years. These home equity options use your home as collateral, meaning you could lose your house if you fail to repay.
Compare home equity loans and HELOCs to decide which fits best with your plans.
When it’s best: If you have equity in your home, you want a low rate and longer repayment period, and you don’t mind putting your house up as collateral.
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 current mortgage rates are lower than the one you're paying now.
Credit cards
You can strategically use a credit card to cover the cost of your upgrades. Rewards cards can get you paid 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 them out. You should typically aim to pay your full balance every month. You’ll need good or excellent credit (690 or higher) to qualify for a zero-interest or rewards card.
Last updated on January 3, 2022
Methodology
NerdWallet’s review process evaluates and rates personal loan products from more than 35 financial institutions. We collect over 45 data points from each lender, interview company representatives and compare the lender with others that seek the same customer or offer a similar personal loan product. 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. 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.
This methodology applies only to lenders that cap interest rates at 36%, the maximum rate most financial experts and consumer advocates agree is the acceptable limit for a loan to be affordable. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for our star ratings. Read more about our ratings methodologies for personal loans and our editorial guidelines.
To recap our selections...
NerdWallet's Best Home Improvement Loans of January 2022
- SoFi: Best for Large loans with low rates
- LightStream: Best for Low rates and long repayment terms
- Upgrade: Best for Credit-building tools
- Marcus by Goldman Sachs: Best for Small loans with low rates
- Discover® Personal Loans: Best for Loans for excellent-credit borrowers
- Wells Fargo Personal Loan: Best for Existing customers
Frequently asked questions
A home improvement loan is a lump sum of money that you repay in fixed monthly installments over one to 12 years. Unlike home equity loans or HELOCs, the loans are not secured by your home, and approval is based mainly on your creditworthiness.
Home improvement loan amounts range from $1,000 to $100,000. Here are the loan amounts each lender offers:
SoFi: $5,000 to $100,000.
LightStream: $5,000 to $100,000.
Upgrade: $1,000 to $50,000.
Marcus: $3,500 to $40,000.
Discover: $2,500 to $35,000.
Prosper: $2,000 to $40,000.
Wells Fargo: $3,000 to $100,000.
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, HELOCs, cash-out refinancing and federal programs.
Home improvement loan rates typically range from 3.99% to 35.99%. 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.