Prosper personal loans review: Peer-to-peer loans available to borrowers with fair credit
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BLUEPRINT
Updated 5:09 a.m. UTC March 6, 2024
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Peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platform Prosper offers a range of loan options with competitive interest rates and repayment terms of up to five years. This lender also allows for investing in a portfolio of loans in order to earn potential returns.
If you’re considering a personal loan from Prosper, here’s what you should know.
Prosper overview
Since its founding in 2005, Prosper has issued more than $25 billion in loans to over 1.4 million borrowers. Its P2P platform provides personal loans (which are originated by WebBank) as well as home equity loans, home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) and credit cards.
Prosper’s personal loans range from $2,000 to $50,000 and come with terms from two to five years.
In addition to providing lending products for borrowers, Prosper also works with individual and institutional investors allowing them to invest in loans through the Prosper platform and earn returns as loans are repaid. Average historical returns on Prosper loans are around 5.6%. For context, from 2005 to 2023, the S&P 500 returned an average of 11.05% while U.S. Treasury bonds returned an average of 3.18%.
How to qualify for a Prosper personal loan
Lenders have various criteria borrowers need to meet to get approved for a personal loan. Typically, they’ll assess your creditworthiness, income and debt level.
To qualify with Prosper, you’ll need a credit score of at least 560 (or a creditworthy joint applicant). You must also be at least 18 years old and have a valid U.S. bank account and Social Security number. Its income and debt requirements aren’t specified.
How to apply for a Prosper personal loan
- Get pre-qualified. Pre-qualification allows you to see what rate and terms you might qualify for with only a soft credit check that won’t impact your credit score. To pre-qualify with Prosper, you can enter your desired loan amount and loan purpose as well as some basic income and expense information on the Prosper website. This will allow you to view your estimated loan rate and monthly payment amount.
- Formally apply. If you’re happy with your estimated rate and payment amount, you can move forward with a formal loan application. At this point, you’ll undergo a hard credit check, which could cause a slight but temporary drop in your credit score. Be prepared to verify your identity, income, assets and more. Prosper might also request supporting documentation, such as a copy of your W2s, pay stubs and bank statements.
- Get your funds. Prosper mentions that its loan review and verification process takes around five business days. If you’re approved for a Prosper personal loan, you could receive your loan funds as soon as the next business day. If you’re denied, you might consider re-applying with a co-borrower who has stronger credit to increase your chances of loan approval.
Tip: Be sure to compare your loan options with not only Prosper but as many personal loan lenders as possible to find the right loan for your needs. Many lenders allow you to pre-qualify to see your personalized rates and terms.
Pros of a Prosper personal loan
- Offers P2P lending.
- Competitive minimum APR.
- Accepts fair credit scores.
- Permits joint applications.
Cons of a Prosper personal loan
- Verification and approval process can take a few days.
- Limited repayment term options.
- Charges an origination fee.
- Charges fees for check payments, late payments and insufficient funds.
Prosper perks and special features
Offers P2P lending
Unlike traditional lending which requires borrowers to ask financial institutions for money, peer-to-peer lending connects borrowers with private investors who fund the loans. Because this cuts out the middleman, it can be easier to qualify for a P2P loan compared to a standard personal loan. This can be seen in Prosper’s acceptance of fair credit scores.
Competitive minimum APR
Prosper’s minimum annual percentage rate (APR) is competitive compared to the offerings of some other lenders, though its maximum APR is on the higher end. If you have excellent credit and can qualify for the lowest rate, Prosper is worth considering.
Accepts fair credit scores
Borrowers with credit scores of 560 and above could qualify for a Prosper personal loan, which could make it ideal if you have fair credit. Considering that most personal loan lenders require good to excellent credit, Prosper’s minimum requirement is relatively low.
Permits joint applications
If you’re worried your credit might be a barrier to getting approved for a Prosper personal loan, you can opt to apply with a joint applicant (also known as a co-borrower) who has stronger credit. Having a co-borrower could also qualify you for a better rate or higher loan amount than you’d get on your own.
Not all lenders allow joint applications, so this makes Prosper stand out among competitors.
How Prosper could improve
Shorten the verification and approval process
Prosper mentions its verification process can take up to five business days, though loan funds are typically disbursed as soon as the next business day after approval. Some competitors offer a faster verification and approval process, which could make them a better option if you need funds quickly to cover an emergency expense.
Expand repayment term options
Some lenders offer repayment terms from one to seven years — or even up to 12 years, such as with a LightStream home improvement loan. Prosper, on the other hand, only offers terms from two to five years. If you’re seeking a longer repayment term, you might need to look elsewhere.
Charge fewer fees
Unlike some competitors that charge few or no fees, there are four fees that potential Prosper borrowers will need to consider: an origination fee as well as fees for check payments, late payment and insufficient funds. All of these can increase your total borrowing costs.
Prosper’s origination fee alone ranges from 1% to 7.99% of the amount borrowed, and it’s deducted from your total loan before it’s disbursed to you. For instance, if you borrow $10,000 and your origination fee is 4%, you’d receive a total of $9,600.
If you want to make check payments, you’ll pay a processing fee of $5 or 5% of your payment (whichever is less). The lender also assesses a late payment fee of $15 or 5% of the unpaid amount (whichever is greater) and an insufficient funds fee of $15.
Prosper customer service and reviews
Prosper offers a comprehensive help center. Borrowers can also reach its customer service team by phone or email. For questions about existing loans, representatives can be reached over the phone Monday to Friday from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. Pacific Time (PT). For questions about recent loan application submissions, representatives can be reached on those same days from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT.
- Phone: 866-615-6319.
- Email: support@prosper.com.
Prosper also has a mobile app that you can use to apply for or manage an existing loan. It’s available for Android and iPhone.
Like many other financial companies, Prosper has received mixed reviews. On Trustpilot, it has a star rating of 4.6 out of 5.0 based on over 12,300 reviews as of Jan. 11, 2024. However, it has earned just 1.04 out of 5.0 stars across 140 customer reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website as of Jan. 11, 2024. Satisfied borrowers praise its excellent customer service and smooth loan application process, while dissatisfied borrowers mention issues with loan applications and high interest rates.
Prosper alternatives: Prosper vs. LendingClub vs. Upstart
If a Prosper personal loan doesn’t sound right for you, there are many other loan options available. LendingClub and Upstart both offer personal loans that could be worth considering. Here’s how the three lenders compare:
| PROSPER | LENDINGCLUB | UPSTART | |
|---|---|---|---|
Interest rates
| 8.99% to 35.99%
| 5.66% to 35.99%
| 7.8% to 35.99%
|
Loan amounts
| $2,000 to $50,000
| $1,000 to $40,000
| $1,000 to $50,000
|
Repayment terms (years)
| 2 to 5
| 2 to 5
| 3 or 5
|
Min. credit score
| 600 | No specific minimum
| 300 |
Best for
| Fair credit
| Small loans
| Thin credit
|
All rates include discounts where noted by the lender and are current as of Jan. 11, 2024.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Yes, Prosper is a legitimate loan company that’s been in business since 2005. It offers personal loans, home equity loans, HELOCs and credit cards for consumers. Since its inception, it has issued over $25 billion in loans.
If you formally apply for a personal loan through Prosper, it will conduct a hard credit inquiry. This will likely cause your credit score to drop by a handful of points. However, this impact on your credit is usually only temporary. Additionally, if you make consistent, on-time payments each month on your Prosper loan, your credit score could increase over time.
Prosper will likely verify your income as part of its loan decision process. You might need to provide copies of recent W2s, pay stubs or bank statements. The lender might also contact your employer to verify that you’re currently working.
Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.
