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Best Joint Personal Loans in January 2024

Personal loan lenders that offer joint loans

How Does LendingTree Get Paid?
LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.

How Does LendingTree Get Paid?

LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.
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Best joint personal loan lenders

Written by Carol Pope | Edited by Jessica Sain-Baird and Pearly Huang | Updated December 28, 2023
How Does LendingTree Get Paid?
LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.

How Does LendingTree Get Paid?

LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.
LenderUser ratingsBest for…APR rangeLoan termsLoan amountsCredit score requiredOrigination fee
LendingClub logo
(6,387)
User Ratings & Reviews rating-reviews-tooltip-icon

Ratings and reviews are from real consumers who have used the lending partner’s services.

Small joint personal loans9.57% - 35.99%24 to 60 months$1,000 - $40,0006003.00% - 8.00%
SoFi logo
(7,957)
User Ratings & Reviews rating-reviews-tooltip-icon

Ratings and reviews are from real consumers who have used the lending partner’s services.

Large joint personal loans8.99% - 25.81% (with discounts)24 to 84 months$5,000 - $100,0006800.00% - 6.00%
LightStream logoLong-term joint personal loans7.49% - 25.49% (with autopay)24 to 144 months$5,000 - $100,000Not specifiedNo origination fee
Upgrade logoFair-credit borrowers personal loans8.49% - 35.99% (with discounts)24 to 84 months$1,000 - $50,0005801.85% - 9.99%
Prosper logo
(3,619)
User Ratings & Reviews rating-reviews-tooltip-icon

Ratings and reviews are from real consumers who have used the lending partner’s services.

Excellent-credit borrowers6.99% - 35.99%24 to 60 months$2,000 - $50,0005601.00% - 7.99%

Read more about how we chose our picks for the best joint personal loans.

Best for small joint personal loans

LendingClub logo

APR range9.57% - 35.99%
Loan amounts$1,000 - $40,000
Loan terms24 to 60 months
Origination fee3.00% - 8.00%
Minimum credit score600
ProsCons

 Lower minimum loan amount than some lenders

 Will pay creditors on your behalf on debt consolidation loans

 Could be approved in just a few hours

 Low maximum loan amount may not meet everyone’s needs

 Origination fee of 3.00% - 8.00%

 Lackluster Google Play reviews for mobile app

 Depending on credit, could pay relatively high APR

Best for large joint personal loans

SoFi logo

APR range8.99% - 25.81% (with discounts)
Loan amounts$5,000 - $100,000
Loan terms24 to 84 months
Origination fee0.00% - 6.00%
Minimum credit score680
ProsCons

 Loans up to $100,000 available

 Unemployment protection offered during economic hardship

 Offers 0.25% interest rate discount

 No late fees

 Not everyone will qualify, based on minimum credit requirements

 High minimum loan amount

 Origination fee may be required for lower rates

Best for long-term personal joint loans

LightStream logo

APR range7.49% - 25.49% (with autopay)
Loan amounts$5,000 - $100,000
Loan terms24 to 144 months
Origination feeNo origination fee
Minimum credit scoreNot specified
ProsCons

 Offers one of the longest repayment terms on the market

 May find a discounted APR with Rate Beat program

 Same day funding is possible

 Company does not disclose minimum credit score requirements

 Mobile app is poorly rated by both Apple and Android users

 No prequalification

Best joint personal loans for fair-credit borrowers

Upgrade logo

APR range8.49% - 35.99%
Loan amounts$1,000 - $50,000
Loan terms24 to 84 months
Origination fee1.85% - 9.99%
Minimum credit score580
ProsCons

 Low minimum loan amount

 Low minimum credit score requirement

 Repayment term of up to seven years

 Potential for high origination fee

 Fair-credit borrowers that qualify will see high APRs

 Email support is available, but no live chat

Best joint personal loan for excellent-credit borrowers

Prosper logo

APR range6.99% - 35.99%
Loan amounts$2,000 - $50,000
Loan terms24 to 60 months
Origination fee1.00% - 7.99%
Minimum credit score560
ProsCons

 Some of the lowest APRs around for excellent-credit borrowers

 Those with less-than-perfect credit may still qualify

 Maximum APR is high

 Long approval timeline

 Late payment fee is a bit steep: 5% of the unpaid amount, or $15, whichever is greater.

What is a joint application loan?

A joint application loan (or joint personal loan) is similar to a traditional personal loan, but instead of only having one borrower, the loan has two. Both borrowers are equally responsible for the loan.

During the application process, the lender will assess both the borrower and co-borrower’s creditworthiness. If you have a less-than-perfect credit profile, a lender might be more likely to approve you for a personal loan if your co-borrower has excellent credit.

In the same way, your chances of qualifying for a larger loan amount may be higher if you apply for a joint personal loan, because a lender will be considering both you and your co-borrower’s incomes.

How to compare joint personal loans

To compare joint personal loans, first you’ll need to make sure that the lenders you’re targeting write joint personal loans, as not all do. You’ll also have to keep your co-borrower’s credit profile in mind as well as your own. When shopping for a joint personal loan, pay special attention to:

Credit and underwriting requirements: When applying for a joint personal loan, it’s important to make sure that both you and your co-borrower meet the lender’s credit requirements.

APRs: Keep in mind that your annual percentage rate (APR) will depend on not only your credit profile, but also your co-borrower’s.

Fees: Always research the lender to learn about possible origination fees, late fees and prepayment penalties.

Loan amounts: Figure out how much money you’d like to borrow before applying. For instance, if you’re looking for a wedding loan, you may want to get a few estimates first. Taking out a personal loan can negatively impact your credit (temporarily, as long as you repay on time), so you want to be sure to borrow enough to cover what you need.

  Use our personal loan calculator to understand the true cost of your loan, considering interest.

Loan terms: How long will you need to pay back your loan? Some lenders offer longer terms than others but remember — although a longer repayment term will decrease your monthly payments, you’ll pay more interest over the life of the loan.

Funding timeline: If you need your money fast, look for lenders that offer same-day — or close to same-day — approval. Also, know that with two borrowers on the loan, the lender may need extra time to complete their underwriting process.

How to apply for a joint personal loan

Check your credit scores

Lenders take a holistic approach by evaluating borrowers on a range of metrics, but knowing your credit scores is a good first step. Signing up for a credit monitoring service can help you keep your pulse on your scores and overall credit health.

Prequalify with more than one lender

Prequalification will give you an idea if you and your co-borrower meet a lender’s underwriting guidelines before actually applying for the loan. Prequalification doesn’t affect your credit score, and it’s worth prequalifying with several lenders so you can compare offers and choose the one with the most favorable terms.

Fill out the application and supply necessary documents

Applying for a personal loan is fairly straightforward. Usually, you’ll fill out an application online. For a joint personal loan, you’ll provide your co-borrower’s information as well as your own.

You’ll both also need to provide proof of identity and income by providing copies of certain documents. These could include your driver’s licenses, passports, bank statements, W-2s or offers of employment.

Sign your promissory note and receive your funds

If the lender approves your loan application, you and your co-borrower will sign your promissory note. Think of the promissory note as the contract between you and your lender — it spells out the terms of your loan and is a written promise that you and your co-borrower will repay your loan on time.

Once the lender receives your promissory note, you’ll receive your funds (typically by direct deposit). The time between loan approval and when your loan is released depends on your lender’s funding timeline.

Begin repayment

Repayment typically begins 30 days after your loan is disbursed with payments due monthly. Even if you have a co-borrower, you will only receive one monthly bill.

Before applying for the loan, you should discuss with your co-borrower how you’d like to handle repayment. This may be easier for co-borrowers that share finances — many borrowers opt for automatic payments for an APR discount, and this can be tricky for borrowers who don’t have the same bank account.

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Joint personal loans vs. individual personal loans

Joint personal loans and individual personal loans are similar. However, rather than only evaluating your creditworthiness, the lender considers your co-borrower’s creditworthiness, too. This could either help or hinder your ability to get a personal loan at an APR you can afford. Everything hinges on both you and your co-borrower’s credit profile.

If you’re considering a joint personal loan, choose your co-borrower carefully. If you have a falling out with your co-borrower, you’ll have to figure out amongst yourselves how to divide up your debt over your remaining loan term.

Co-borrowers vs. cosigners

Co-borrowers and cosigners are not the same. A co-borrower is equally responsible for a joint loan and has equal ownership of the loan funds. A cosigner, on the other hand, is only responsible for paying a shared loan if the primary borrower defaults on the loan.

Unlike co-borrowers, cosigners do not have rights to the loan funds. Instead, you can think of cosigners as reassurance for the lender — if the borrower doesn’t repay a personal loan with a cosigner, the lender knows that the cosigner must pay instead. Outside of that, cosigners have nothing else to do with the loan. Getting a personal loan with a cosigner could make more sense if you need help being approved, but don’t want to share the funds.

How we chose the best joint personal loans

We reviewed more than 28 lenders to determine the overall best five joint personal loans. To make our list, lenders must offer joint loans with competitive annual percentage rates (APRs) From there, we prioritize lenders based on the following factors:

  • Accessibility: Lenders are ranked higher if their personal loans are available to more people and require fewer conditions. This may include lower credit requirements, wider geographic availability, faster funding and easier and more transparent prequalification and application processes.
  • Rates and terms: We prioritize lenders with more competitive fixed rates, fewer fees and greater options for repayment terms, loan amounts and APR discounts.
  • Repayment experience: For starters, we consider each lender’s reputation and business practices. We also favor lenders that report to all major credit bureaus, offer reliable customer service and provide any unique perks to customers, like free wealth coaching.

Frequently asked questions

Not necessarily. Yes, adding a creditworthy co-borrower could boost your odds of loan approval (depending on your own credit profile). But if your co-borrower has bad credit, no credit, excessive debt or is unemployed, your terms will likely be unfavorable (if the lender doesn’t decline your personal loan altogether).

Yes. As long as both you and your co-borrower meets the lender’s credit requirements and underwriting guidelines, you can get a personal loan together even if you aren’t married.

Yes. A co-borrower, joint borrower or joint applicant all mean the same thing: An additional person listed on a joint loan alongside the primary borrower.