Personal loans can be used for almost anything, so loan amounts vary greatly. You can find lenders that will approve borrowers for as little as a few hundred dollars and some that will OK as much as $100,000 or more.
Find out how much you can borrow with a personal loan, learn what determines the amount you’re approved for and discover lenders that approve the largest (and smallest) loans.
How much of a personal loan can you borrow?
Many lenders offer personal loans that range from $1,000 to $50,000. Smaller loans are harder to find, but PenFed Credit Union approves financing for as little as $600, with competitive financing and no origination fees.
Oportun specializes in small personal loans starting at $300. It works with applicants with bad or limited credit. It does charge an origination fee, so consider whether the cost of borrowing is worth it for such a small amount.
Borrowers with good-to-excellent credit who want competitive rates andno upfront fees should consider PenFed. Its $50,000 loan cap means it might not be the right lender for larger expenses.
- Approves loans as small as $600.
- Membership available with a $5 deposit in a savings account.
- Can pick up a physical check at a branch.
- Can apply with a co-borrower.
- Maximum loan amount is $50,000.
- Generally need good to excellent credit.
- Most branches are in D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
Oportun is a good option for borrowers with weak or no credit, especially if you don’t need a large loan. But the flexible requirements and fast funding are offset by a high maximum APR.
- Accepts borrowers with no credit history
- Same-day funding available
- Loan amounts start as $300
- Car-title loans available
- May charge an administrative fee of up to 10%
- Not available in all states
On the other end of the spectrum, SoFi and Alliant Credit Union approve loans for as much as $100,000. Both lenders advertise the availability of same-day funding.
We like that SoFi has high loan caps and doesn’t charge any origination fee, so borrowers get the full amount funded. The credit requirements can be stringent, however, and interest rates for weaker applicants are on the higher side.
- Loans approved for up to $100,000
- No origination fee or late fee
- Next-day funding available
- Accepts co-borrowers
- Minimum loan amount is $5,000
- High APR for fair/low credit
Fixed rates from 6.49% APR to 34.99% APR reflect the 0.25% autopay interest rate discount and a 0.25% member rate discount. SoFi rate ranges are current as of 10/20/26 and are subject to change without notice. The average of SoFi Personal Loans funded in 2024 was around $33K. Not all applicants qualify for the lowest rate. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. Your actual rate will be within the range of rates listed and will depend on the term you select, evaluation of your creditworthiness, income, and a variety of other factors.
We like how Alliant Credit Union combines competitive rates with easy membership requirements and high loan limits. There are no physical branches, however, which could be a deal-breaker if you want in-person banking.
- No origination fee.
- Loan limit of $100,000, which is higher than many other credit unions
- Quick approval with potential same-day funding into an Alliant account.
- Membership only requires joining the Alliant Credit Union Foundation, with dues waived.
- You must be a member for at least 90 days before applying
- Alliant does not offer prequalification
- You can’t add a co-signer or collateral.
BHG Financial approves up to $250,000, the largest loan cap we’ve seen. Loan terms can go up to 120 months, and you don’t need to secure the loan with collateral, but it can take up to five days to receive your money.
This non-bank lender is a standout for large loan amounts, flexible credit score requirements and generous repayment terms. But borrowers typically need income of at least $100,000 and you can’t secure your loan with collateral.
- Approves loans for as much as $250,000.
- Accepts borrowers with 640+ FICO Score.
- Repayment terms of up to 10 years.
- Allows co-applicants.
- $100,000 minimum income requirement.
- 1% to 5% origination fee.
- Does not offer secured loans.
Navy Federal Credit Union‘s minimum loan amount is just $250 and its maximum is $150,000, but only with a co-applicant — and membership in NFCU is limited to current and former service members, Department of Defense employees and their families.
| Lender | Loan limits | Repayment terms |
| Alliant Credit Union | $1,000 to $100,000 | 12 to 60 months |
| BHG Financial | $20,000 to $250,000 | 24 to 120 months |
| Navy Federal Credit Union | $250 to $150,000 (with co-applicant) | 6 to 60 months (up to 180 months for home improvement and secured loans) |
| SoFi | $5,000 to $100,000 | 24 to 120 months |
| Wells Fargo | $3,000 to $100,000 | 12 to 84 months |
What determines how much you can borrow?
Just because a bank has a high loan cap doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to be approved for that amount. Lenders consider a variety of factors when deciding how much to lend.
Credit score
Typically, the larger the loan, the better your credit needs to be. Some lenders require a FICO Score of at least 670 for standard loans (considered “good” credit), but you may need a 720 or better for loans in the $50,000 to $100,000 range. Negative marks like late payments, accounts in collections or many recent inquiries can shrink your approved amount.
Income and employment history
You should be able to verify that you make enough to make payments on a large loan, and that it’s a stable source of income. Most lenders don’t publicly disclose their minimum income requirements, but BHG Financial requires an annual salary of at least $100,000.
Debt-to-income ratio
Your debt-to-income ratio, or DTI, is how much debt you have in relation to how much you earn. A lower DTI means you have sufficient income to take on more debt. For a personal loan, a DTI of 36% is considered a good, but applicants with 10% or less tend to get approved for the lowest advertised APRs and highest loan amounts.
Collateral
Most personal loans are unsecured by default, but if you don’t have great credit, using collateral can help you get approved for more favorable terms and higher loan amounts. Upgrade approves borrowers for as much as $50,000 and allows secured loans backed by either a car title or the fixtures in your home.
We like that Upgrade considers borrowers with fair credit and allows co-borrowers, which can improve the odds of approval and receiving favorable rates. The maximum interest rate is on the high side, however.
- Accepts applicants with fair credit
- Approves loans of up to $75,000
- Discount for having creditors paid directly
- Funding in as little as one day
- Accepts co-borrowers
- High maximum interest rate
- Origination fee of up to 9.99%
- No physical branches
Why Upgrade is the best for financial literacy:
- Free credit score simulator to help you visualize how different scenarios and actions may impact your credit
- Charts that track your trends and credit health over time, helping you understand how certain financial choices affect your credit score
- Ability to sign up for free credit monitoring and weekly VantageScore updates
Co-borrowers
Applying with a co-borrower with good credit and high income can increase your odds of getting approved for a lower interest rate or a larger loan. Consider getting a joint loan if you have poor or insufficient credit, low income or a DTI that’s too high. Happen Bank allows joint applications and approves loans of up to $75,000, with funds often available in as little as 24 hours.
Formerly LendingClub, Happen Bank offers competitive rates on a wide range of loan amounts, with funds available in as little as 24 hours after final approval.
- Accepts borrowers with fair credit.
- High loan limit of $75,000.
- Funds may be available in as little as 24 hours.
- Repayment terms range from two to seven years.
- Co-borrowers are permitted.
- Origination fee of 2% to 6%.
- No autopay discount.
- No physical branches
Loan purpose
If you’re using the money for home repairs or debt consolidation, many lenders will have a higher lending cap compared to a loan for discretionary spending, like a wedding or vacation.
Bad credit? You can still get funding for major expenses.
Offers in this section are from affiliate partners and selected based on a combination of engagement, product relevance, compensation, and consistent availability.
Annual percentage rate (APR)
How much can you afford to borrow?
Just because you qualify for a large loan doesn’t mean you should automatically borrow that much. Always consider what you can reasonably afford to pay back.
Look at your income, existing debts and other current and future financial obligations. How will a new loan payment affect your spending or savings goals?
Getting prequalified will give you an idea of how much you can borrow, and the rate and loan terms you qualify for. But it won’t tell you how it will fit in with your budget.
Different repayment terms will have a significant impact on the total cost of borrowing. For example, a $50,000 loan with a 10% interest rate would accrue much more interest over seven years than it would over three years.
| Loan term | Monthly payment | Total interest paid |
| 3 years | $1,613 | $8,081 |
| 5 years | $1,062 | $13,741 |
| 7 years | $830 | $19,725 |
Extending the loan to seven years lowers your monthly payment by about $783, but adds an additional $11,644 in interest over the life of the loan.
FAQs
What’s the largest personal loan you can get?
The highest loan cap we’ve found is with BHG Financial, which approves up to $250,000. Other lenders, like SoFi, Wells Fargo and Alliant Credit Union will greenlight borrowers for up to $100,000.
How small of a personal loan can you get?
The smallest personal loans we’ve found that are available to the general public are with PenFed Credit Union, which approves borrowers for as little as $600, and Oportun, which OKs loans for as little as $300.
Should you borrow the maximum amount you’re approved for?
Not necessarily. Consider how much money you actually need and whether you can comfortably afford to make the monthly payments. Borrowing more than necessary means paying more in interest than you need to and can make repayment more difficult.
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