The best credit counseling services of September 2026

If you’re trapped under a mountain of high-interest debt, a credit counseling service can provide budgeting tips and financial guidance. Many will also develop a debt management plan (DMP) and negotiate with your creditors to reduce your interest rates and fees. (Unlike debt settlement companies, however, they won’t get your principal balance lowered.)

While most credit counseling services are nonprofits, there are typically fees associated with DMPs. The top services report being able to save clients tens of thousands of dollars in interest.

We’ve selected the best credit counseling services for a variety of needs. Here’s how they compare and what to consider before choosing one. For more on how we made our selections, read our methodology.

Best for debt settlement: Money Management International

Who’s this for? Money Management International offers both credit counseling and debt settlement plans, which it calls debt resolution plans. A counselor will review your finances and help map out a strategy that works for you, without the high-pressure sales tactics you might get from for-profit debt settlement companies.

Standout benefits: MMI reports that debt management plan clients save an average of $48,850 and pay off their debt roughly 26 years earlier than they would by making minimum payments alone.

Best for customer service: Greenpath Financial Wellness

Who’s this for? Greenpath Financial Wellness has been offering budgeting advice and financial education since 1961. It earned an A+ from the Better Business Bureau and has an “excellent” rating on Trustpilot.

Standout benefits: GreenPath claims clients who enroll in its DMP save, on average, $199 in monthly minimum payments and $29,700 in interest charges.

Best for low fees: Apprisen

Who’s this for? Apprisen has lower fees than many competitors, and hardship waivers are available for its debt management program.

Standout benefits: IRIS, Apprisen’s secure, online digital tool, allows clients to access a financial assessment, budgeting tools and a custom roadmap without phone calls or video chats.

Best for lowering interest rates: InCharge Debt Solutions

Who’s this for? InCharge Debt Solutions reports its debt management program can lower credit card interest rates to an average of 8.4%.

Standout benefits: Clients enrolled in an InCharge debt management plan can save an average of $75 to $300 per month and pay up to 50% less than making minimum card payments alone, according to the company.

Best for housing assistance: American Consumer Credit Counseling

Who’s this for? In addition to debt management plans, American Consumer Credit Counseling offers counseling on first-time homebuying, reverse mortgages, foreclosure and other housing topics.

Standout benefits: In 2025, clients spent an average of 33 months in ACCC debt management plans. According to the company, 4,594 people completed its DMP in 2025 and paid off more than $82 million in debt.

Credit counseling services can help consumers learn better financial habits, draft personalized budgets and set up payment plans with creditors.

Credit counseling services are often conflated with debt settlement companies because both help consumers tackle high-interest debt. Credit counseling companies are typically nonprofit and, unlike debt relief, the aim is to create a plan to pay your balance in full, not lower your principal balance. Credit counseling organizations also offer free or low-cost classes and programs addressing topics like bankruptcy, credit card debt, mortgages, foreclosure, student loans and small business loans.

You should be offered a free initial consultation with a credit counselor, who will review your finances to find where the problem is.

After your consultation, your counselor will recommend steps towards improving your financial situation, including a debt management plan (DMP). With a DMP, the service negotiates with your creditors to lower your interest rate, waive certain fees or make other concessions.

A credit counseling agency may offer a debt management plan (DMP) to help you pay off unsecured debts faster. There is usually no minimum debt amount required to enroll, but you need to prove you have a regular income that can cover monthly payments.

Your initial consultation should be free, but debt management plans usually include a startup fee, which can range from $30 to $75, and a recurring monthly service charge, which can be anywhere from $20 to $75.

Fees are regulated at the state level: In California, for example, the initial fee is limited to $50 and monthly charges are capped at 8% or $35, whichever is less. In Texas, setup fees are capped at $144, with monthly service fees limited to $14 per account or $72 total.

While a credit counseling service can help tackle high-interest debt, it’s not the right solution for everyone

Pros

• Can usually get a free initial consultation
• A debt repayment plan can result in lower interest rates and fees
• Usually simplifies bills into one monthly payment to the counseling agency
• Limited impact on your credit score

Cons

• Doesn’t reduce your principal
• Plans usually have startup and monthly fees
• Only available for unsecured debts
• Usually requires you to close your credit cards
• Repayment usually takes an average of three to five years
• Creditors don’t have to accept a debt management plan

Find a nonprofit credit counseling agency that helps you understand your options and doesn’t pressure you into a debt management plan. Look at:

1. The services provided

Beyond a debt management plan, you may benefit from help with creating a budget, managing debt or understanding bankruptcy or foreclosure. Only consider agencies that offer a free initial consultation with a certified counselor, and make sure you understand the services, recommendations and fees before enrolling.

3. Its track record and reputation

Look for accreditation from the Council on Accreditation and membership in organizations such as the National Foundation for Credit Counseling or the Financial Counseling Association of America.

It’s also worth researching the agency’s Better Business Bureau profile and Trustpilot reviews, and whether it’s been subject to formal complaints or legal actions from consumer protection authorities.

4. The fees it charges

Before signing up for a debt management plan, ask for a detailed explanation of charges, including any initial enrollment fee and monthly charges. Consider the expected duration of the plan to get a clearer idea of the total cost.

5. The creditors the service works with

Before enrolling, ask the agency whether it works with the companies you owe money to and whether those creditors have generally accepted its plans in the past.

Before you start sending payments, confirm with your creditors that they’ve agreed to the proposed terms.

While a debt management plan from a credit counseling service can save you thousands of dollars, it’s not the only way to tackle debt

0% APR credit cards

If your debt is because of a short-term snafu, rather than a sign of an ongoing financial problem, you may want to consider applying for a credit card with a 0% intro APR on balance transfers. You’ll have months with no interest (up to nearly two years in some cases) to chip away at your principal. Don’t consider a balance transfer if you don’t have a solid strategy for paying off the balance before the intro APR period expires, though.

Home equity loans/HELOCs

If you’re a homeowner with significant home equity, you can leverage that into cash to pay down your debt. Home equity loans are usually lump-sum financing, while HELOCs, or home equity lines of credit, enable you to borrow only as much as you need. Both have interest rates that are usually well below high-interest credit card APRs, but you risk foreclosure if you are in default on your payments.

Debt consolidation loans

Like a debt management plan, a debt consolidation loan streamlines your debts into one payment, usually at a much lower interest rate. But you don’t have to rely on your creditors agreeing to negotiate. In some cases, your lender may even pay your creditors directly.

Debt settlement companies

Like credit counseling services, debt settlement companies negotiate with your creditors. But instead of lowering rates or fees, they work to get your balances lowered. There’s no guarantee of success, and it can cost 17% to 25% of your enrolled balance. In addition, because debt settlement agencies require clients to stop paying their creditors, your credit score can take a major hit.

Bankruptcy

If your debt has become truly unmanageable and you’re unlikely to be able to repay it, you may be a candidate for filing for bankruptcy. Some debts may be eliminated or payments restructured, although you may have to forfeit some assets and there can be significant long-term consequences to your credit profile. All of the credit counseling services on this list provide bankruptcy support, although you should consult a qualified bankruptcy attorney before deciding whether it’s the right alternative.

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To find the best credit counseling services, CNBC Select reviewed more than a dozen top agencies, focusing on services, fees, reputation and transparency.

We narrowed our list by only considering agencies that are nonprofits accredited by the Council on Accreditation, which reviews community-based social services. We also considered:

• Available services: We considered an agency’s range of services, including debt management plans, budgeting help, housing counseling, student loan advice and bankruptcy workshops
• Startup and monthly maintenance fees: Agencies that charged lower average rates for their debt management plans, or that waived fees for financial hardship, were given more weight.
• Agency reputation: We considered Better Business Bureau ratings, Trustpilot scores and whether agencies had complaints or regulatory actions with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or other government entities.
• Debt management plans: We considered how much an agency could lower a client’s interest rates, the number of clients it had serviced and the amount it had saved clients.
• Availability: All of the agencies on this list operate in all 50 U.S. states, although fees and services may vary by location.
• Transparency: We considered how clearly an agency explains its services and fees and whether information was clearly posted online.
• Digital experience: Agencies with free online budgeting tools and other educational materials, as well as ways for clients to check on their accounts, were given more weight.

We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.