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How to Get a Personal Loan With a 600 Credit Score

Several lenders offer personal loans for fair credit, but they often have higher interest rates.

Author
By Kat Tretina

Written by

Kat Tretina

Contributor

Kat Tretina has been a personal finance writer for more than eight years, specializing in mortgages and student loans. Her work has been featured by Buy Side from WSJ, U.S. News & World Report, Yahoo Finance, and MSN.

Edited by Charlie Tarver

Written by

Charlie Tarver

Former editor

Charlie was an editor for Credible’s personal loans vertical.

Reviewed by Meredith Mangan

Written by

Meredith Mangan

Senior editor, Credible

Meredith Mangan is a senior editor at Credible and expert on personal loans.

Updated October 8, 2024

Editorial disclosure: Our goal is to give you the tools and confidence you need to improve your finances. Although we receive compensation from our partner lenders, whom we will always identify, all opinions are our own. Credible Operations, Inc. NMLS # 1681276, is referred to here as “Credible.”

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With a 600 credit score, you can expect to pay a relatively high interest rate. Personal loan interest rates for fair credit were around 31% in September 2024, according to Credible data. 

 

So shop multiple lenders to find the lowest rates and, ideally, loans with no origination fees. Our top pick, Upgrade, offers competitive rates, discounts, and relatively quick funding on loans up to $50,000.

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Good to know

Origination fees are one-time fees deducted from the loan funds before you receive them. They can range from less than 1% to 12% of the loan amount and are more common on fair- and bad-credit loans.

Learn More: What Is a Personal Loan Origination Fee?

Personal loans for a 600 credit score

All of the lenders below offer loans to borrowers with credit scores as low as 600, but some only through direct application on the lender’s website. 

Best for fair credit

Upgrade

Upgrade

4.5

Credible Rating

Check Rates

on Credible’s website

Est. APR

9.99 - 35.99%

Loan Amount

$1,000 to $50,000

Min. Credit Score

600

Pros and cons

More details

Best debt consolidation loans for bad credit

Universal credit

Universal Credit

4.3

Credible Rating

Check Rates

on Credible’s website

Est. APR

11.69 - 35.99%

Loan Amount

$1,000 to $50,000

Min. Credit Score

560

Pros and cons

More details

Best peer-to-peer lender

Prosper

Prosper

4.2

Credible Rating

Check Rates

on Credible’s website

Est. APR

8.99 - 35.99%

Loan Amount

$2,000 to $50,000

Min. Credit Score

640

Pros and cons

More details

Best bad credit personal loans

One main

OneMain Financial

3.9

Credible Rating

Check Rates

on Credible’s website

Est. APR

18.00 - 35.99%

Loan Amount

$1,500 to $20,000

Min. Credit Score

540

Pros and cons

More details

Best for high close rates if pre-approved

Best Egg

Best Egg

4

Credible Rating

Check Rates

on Credible’s website

Est. APR

8.99 - 35.99%

Loan Amount

$2,000 to $50,000

Min. Credit Score

600

Pros and cons

More details

Borrowers with fair credit

60monthloans

60Month Loans

4

Credible Rating

Check Rates

on Credible’s website

Est. APR

-

Loan Amount

$1,000 to $10,000

Min. Credit Score

580

Pros and cons

More details

Best fast personal loans for all credit types

Upstart

Upstart

3.9

Credible Rating

Check Rates

on Credible’s website

Est. APR

7.80 - 35.99%

Loan Amount

$1,000 to $50,000

Min. Credit Score

620

Pros and cons

More details

Best for all credit types

Avant

Avant

3.9

Credible Rating

Check Rates

on Credible’s website

Est. APR

9.95 - 35.99%

Loan Amount

$2,000 to $35,000

Min. Credit Score

550

Pros and cons

More details

Best for short-term loans and same day funding

Zable

Zable

3.2

Credible Rating

Check Rates

on Credible’s website

Est. APR

-

Loan Amount

$1,000 to $35,000

Min. Credit Score

600

Pros and cons

More details

Methodology

Credible evaluated our picks for personal loans with a 600 credit score primarily on minimum score requirements. Maximum APRs, the ability to add a cosigner, and the availability of secured loans were also considered, along with available loan amounts, terms offered, fees, discounts, and more. Credible's team of experts gathered information from each lender's website, customer service department, directly from our partners, and via email support. Each data point was verified by a third party to make sure it was accurate and up to date.

Learn more about how Credible rates lenders by exploring our Personal Loans Lender Rating Methodology.

How to apply for a personal loan with a 600 credit score

Several personal loan lenders are willing to work with borrowers who have a fair credit score — generally meaning a FICO score between 580 and 669. You just need to know what to look for. 

  • First, check the minimum credit score required by the lender. Is it lower than yours? 
  • Next, make sure the lender offers the loan amount and terms you need. 

If you’re ready to apply for a fair credit personal loan, follow these four steps:

  1. Review your credit: Lenders will check your credit to determine if they should lend to you. It’s a good idea to review your credit report ahead of time to make sure there aren’t any errors dragging down your score. You can check your credit score for free using Credible's credit monitoring tool.
  2. Compare lenders and choose a loan option: Be sure to compare as many lenders as possible to find the right loan for you. Consider not only rates but also repayment terms and any fees the lender charges. After shopping around, choose the loan that best fits your needs.
  3. Submit the application: After deciding on a lender, you’ll need to complete a full application and submit any required documentation, such as tax returns or bank statements.
  4. Get your funds: If you’re approved, the lender will have you sign for the loan so they can release the funds to you (often through direct deposit). The time to fund for personal loans is typically a week or less — though some lenders offer same or next-day funding.

It’s also a good idea to consider how much a low interest personal loan will cost you over time. You can estimate how much you’ll pay for a loan using our personal loan calculator.

Can you get a personal loan with a 600 credit score?

Yes, you can get a personal loan with a 600 credit score — there are even lenders that specialize in offering fair credit personal loans.

But keep in mind that if you have a credit score between 580 and 669, you’ll generally be considered a “subprime” borrower — meaning lenders might see you as a more risky investment, and you'll need to find a personal loan for bad credit. Because of this, you’ll likely pay a higher interest rate than borrowers with good to excellent credit.

Even if you don’t need a cosigner to qualify, having one might get you a lower interest rate than you’d get on your own. Here are lenders that offer cosigned personal loans:

Advertiser Disclosure

All APRs reflect autopay and loyalty discounts where available | LightStream disclosure | SoFi Disclosures | Read more about Rates and Terms

If you decide to take out a personal loan, remember to consider as many lenders as possible to find a loan that fits your needs. Credible makes this easy — you can compare your prequalified rates from multiple lenders in two minutes

How to raise your credit score

If you can wait to take out a loan, spending some time improving your credit score first could help you qualify for lower interest rates and better loan terms. Having a lower interest rate could help you save money on your loan over time.

Here are several ways to potentially build credit:

  • Pay your bills on time: Your payment history accounts for 35% of your credit score. Paying all of your bills — such as utility and credit card bills — on time could help improve your credit over time, especially if you’ve missed payments in the past.
  • Pay down existing debt: Your credit utilization (the amount of credit you’ve used compared to your total available credit) makes up 30% of your credit score. If you can pay down the balances on your accounts, you might see a boost to your credit.
  • Dispute errors on your credit report: One in five people have errors on their credit reports, according to the Federal Trade Commission. If you’re one of these people, you could end up with less favorable loan terms — or even damaged credit. Take some time to review your credit report and dispute any issues with the major credit bureaus.
  • Reduce your debt-to-income ratio: Your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) measures the amount you pay in monthly debt compared to your income. This ratio informs lenders of your ability to manage monthly payments, and a good one is considered to be 36% or less.

“To calculate your DTI, add up your monthly debt payments and divide the total payment cost by your gross monthly income. Your DTI doesn’t directly affect your credit, but many lenders take it into consideration when deciding if they should approve your loan.” — Charlie Tarver, Editor, Personal Loans

Learn More: How To Build Credit

What credit score should I aim for?

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Meet the expert:
Kat Tretina

Kat Tretina has been a personal finance writer for more than eight years, specializing in mortgages and student loans. Her work has been featured by Buy Side from WSJ, U.S. News & World Report, Yahoo Finance, and MSN.