Key takeaways
- Personify stands out for dedicated customer service, but its steep maximum interest rates make it a risk for most.
- Upstart uses AI technology to determine eligibility and is best for advanced underwriting criteria.
- Due to Personify’s higher rates and lower loan amounts, Upstart is the better choice for most borrowers.
Personify Financial and Upstart are online lenders that offer unsecured personal loans. Both work with borrowers who don’t have the best credit, but Upstart will be a better choice for most. It offers larger loans at significantly lower rates than Personify.
Both lenders claim their lending decision software considers advanced criteria other lenders might miss or dismiss.
Upstart states its artificial intelligence-driven software weighs non-traditional criteria, like career and educational background, when making lending decisions. Personify offers fewer specifics but states its decision software uses “advanced technology” to “see your entire financial story.”
Either option could be a good choice if you can’t find a better bad credit personal loan rate elsewhere. Just be aware of the total cost, especially how much interest you will be charged when you borrow.
Personify Financial vs. Upstart at a glance
Both Personify and Upstart offer unsecured personal loans. However, Personify offers limited amounts and much higher APRs.
| Personify Financial | Upstart | |
|---|---|---|
| Bankrate Score | 4.1 | 4.8 |
| Better for | Personalized customer service experience | Bad credit |
| Loan amounts | $500-$15,000 | $1,000–$50,000 |
| APRs | 19.00%-179.50% | 7.80%-35.99% |
| Loan term lengths | 12 to 48 months | 3 – 5 years |
| Fees | 5% origination fee | Up to 12% origination fee |
| Minimum credit score | Not disclosed | No requirement |
| Time to funding | 1-2 business days | 1-3 business days |
Personify Financial personal loans
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Bankrate’s view: Personify Financial offers speedy personal loans with a simple application process. Personify emphasizes personalized customer service. It states those calling customer support can always speak to a live representative, not just a machine. It claims to look at the overall picture of a person rather than just numbers to determine eligibility for a loan.
Upstart personal loans
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Upstart uses artificial intelligence to assess borrowers’ creditworthiness. Its AI model considers not only your credit history but also your education, job history and other relevant factors. This approach lets Upstart lend to borrowers with limited credit history demonstrating potential for financial responsibility.
How to choose between Personify Financial and Upstart
Both Personify and Upstart offer online lending experiences that differ from what you will get with a traditional lender for personal loans. Consider the ins and outs of the lenders to get the best personal loan for your needs.
APR range
Personify has much steeper interest rates than that of Upstart — up to almost 180 percent. This is significantly higher than almost every other non-payday lender, including Upstart, which has a maximum rate of 35.99 percent.
Three-digit APRs are more common among payday lenders. By comparison, the average personal loan interest rate is just above 12 percent.
Upstart also has a lower minimum rate than Personify, 7.80 percent versus 36.00 percent.
Minimum credit score
Upstart states borrowers may qualify with them even with poor or no credit history or score. Personify does not state a minimum, though its rates suggest it caters to bad-credit borrowers.
Repayment terms
Personify offers a wider range of repayment terms. Personify allows borrowers to finance for as little as one year or up to 48 months. Upstart offers only 36- and 60-month terms.
Time to receive funds
The two lenders offer similarly fast funding timelines, up to three days with Upstart and up to two with Personify. However, Upstart says on its site that 99 percent of its applicants will receive their funding in just one business day following loan acceptance.
Personify also shares that funds will be available in as soon as one business day. However, your funds’ availability depends on how fast your banking institution processes the transfer.
Fees
Both lenders charge a loan origination fee. Upstart’s is up to 12 percent of your loan amount, one of the highest in the business. Personify, on the other hand, charges 5 percent.
Unlike most lenders, Personify adds the amount of the fee to your total amount borrowed rather than subtracting it. This means you get the full amount you applied for — but it also means paying interest on a higher starting balance.
The bottom line: Which lender is best?
Ultimately, your choice will depend on both the total cost and the customer experience you prefer. However, due to Personify’s high rates, we only recommend it as a last resort if you cannot get a bad credit personal loan and your only alternative is a payday loan.
Compare lenders before applying
Before making a final decision, compare more lenders to see how Personify and Upstart stack up. Since most online lenders now offer prequalification to check your rate without impacting your score, you can submit an application and see what fits your needs best.
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