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LendingClub Review

Friday, September 29th

2023 Debt Consolidation Company Reviews

LendingClub Review 3 Star Rating

LendingClub

3 Star Rating
  • Fixed-rate loans from $1,000 to $40,000
  • Minimum loan amounts vary by state
  • APRs vary widely
  • Origination fees ranging from 3% to 6%
  • All loans have repayment terms of at least 36 months

LendingClub has experienced some big changes over the last few years. Originally created as a peer-to-peer platform, where individual and business investors could choose to fund consumer loans (hence the name LendingClub), this source of personal loans now operates like a traditional financial institution. All funding is provided by LendingClub's own bank by the same name, making the loan application extremely streamlined when compared with platforms that refer you to multiple lenders at once.

No surprises in the application process

To get a consolidation loan through LendingClub, start by entering your desired loan amount (between $1,000 and $40,000) and selecting the loan's purpose in the dropdown box, then click on "Check Your Rate" . Indicate whether you're applying alone or with a co-applicant, your date of birth, and your total annual income. Finally, enter your first and last name, plus your address, and LendingClub will try to verify your credit report. If it can't do so based on the information provided, you'll be asked for your Social Security Number.

Expect origination fees and just-average interest rates

What can you anticipate if you are matched with a loan? That largely depends on your details: how much you're trying to borrow, your credit history, your income, and so forth. All consolidation loans funded through LendingClub have a minimum repayment term of at least three years, giving you ample time to repay it. Interest rates here are fairly average, but vary widely. You should also expect origination fees ranging from 3% to 6%, which may or may not be rolled into the total cost of the loan or deducted from the payout deposited to your bank account. LendingClub's fine print at the bottom of the personal loans page said that their average loan has an origination fee of 5% and an APR of 15.95%.

Best Debt Consolidation Companies

Still being re-evaluated by the BBB

How about LendingClub's reputation? It's not really an apples-to-apples comparison, given how drastically their business model has changed since our last evaluation. However, a few items stand out and are worth keeping in mind. The company used to have an "A" rating from the Better Business Bureau, but their listing during our most recent check with the BBB was simply "Not Rated" . That indicates that LendingClub's new structure is still under consideration. More reassuringly, their sole lender WebBank received both accreditation and an "A+" from the BBB: you shouldn't encounter any issues with fraud or other problems if you pursue a consolidation loan through the LendingClub website.

Plenty of recent, positive customer comments

We also followed the link on the LendingClub site to see some of the more than 57,000 independently-verified reviews posted there, so that we could see what their most recent comments indicated about the new-and-theoretically-improved service. Most of the clients gave LendingClub a rating of 4 or 5 stars, and we were happy to see that a decent number of those came from repeat customers.

Wait and see

LendingClub appears to be on the right track, having made quite a few changes to their service that have gotten lots of positive feedback from borrowers. But, until the company has an actual rating from the BBB, we hesitate to give LendingClub a rating higher than average. Reputation matters, and while LendingClub seems to have fixed some of the issues that they had in the past, we'd like to see confirmation from the Better Business Bureau too. You should be fine if you choose a consolidation loan here, but we encourage you to consider other options first.

Who is the Best Debt Consolidation Company?

Maybe you've gotten overwhelmed by credit card payments and overdue bills, and now you're wondering if there's any light at the end of the tunnel. Or, perhaps you're a financially-savvy consumer who wants to take advantage of lower interest rates, in order to pay off your mounting credit cards bills. Debt consolidation can be a smart strategy either way.

What, exactly, is debt consolidation? It's important to understand that companies offering it may mean different things. For some, debt consolidation is offered as a personal loan: you borrow funds that you use to pay off all of your outstanding debts. Your interest rate should be much lower than your credit cards, and now you've got a simplified, single payment to make each month. This can be a great way to boost your credit score by reducing the likelihood of making late payments (or none at all) and get on your feet again financially. On the other hand, you're in charge of using your loan money responsibly - and not to buy things you don't need!

The Best Debt Consolidation Companies Compare Debt Consolidation Companies Compare Debt Consolidation Company Reviews What are the best Debt Consolidation Companies Best Debt Consolidation Company Reviews

Debt Consolidation Company FAQ

Debt consolidation is a strategy used to help consumers get control over high-interest debt and simplify their monthly payments. Instead of having multiple credit card bills and other accounts to pay, often with extremely high interest rates, debt consolidation reduces those individual debts into a single payment each month.
You may need to have a certain amount of unsecured debt to be accepted into a debt consolidation program (for example, $7,500 or more). If you're struggling to keep up with the minimum payments on your credit cards and loans, you could be a great candidate for debt consolidation.
That depends on the service, but yes: most debt consolidation programs give you a loan to pay off all of your outstanding debts. These loans usually have much lower interest rates and can help you get on top of your financial situation again.
Sure! You could try getting a traditional loan from your bank or credit union, borrow money from friends or family to pay off debts, or work on your side hustle to make extra cash to pay down what you owe. But, chances are good that you've tried that already and still find yourself struggling financially. Debt consolidation could help you handle it once and for all.
It should. One of the biggest black marks on your credit score is having late or missed payments, and consolidating all of your debt into one monthly payment makes it more likely you'll pay on time.
That varies. Some providers don't charge anything for their services, offering counseling and other tools to teach you how to manage your money and pay down your debts. Or, if you're taking out a loan to pay off higher-interest accounts, your fees will include your interest and any other charges associated with your application. Be sure to get your plan in writing before you make a commitment, so that you'll know what to expect.
Most of the time, no. If you take out a debt consolidation loan, it's on you to understand all of the terms and conditions before you sign off. However, there are a few fee-based services that do offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee that allows you to cancel without penalty.
Absolutely. Thousands of people use debt consolidation programs every year to tackle their toughest credit problems. It's a good idea to check out the reputation of any program you're considering: find out what other clients say about their experiences, see if the BBB has rated the company, and determine for yourself if their debt consolidation services are worth your time and (possibly) money.
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Continued from above...

Other providers of debt consolidation take a more hands-on approach, giving you credit counseling and even going to bat for you with your creditors. The services they provide may include negotiating a lower debt amount or getting your debt forgiven altogether! You might pay a monthly fee for this kind of debt consolidation, or it might be a flat fee based on how much money they saved you overall.

Either route you choose, there are a lot of options out there. How can you decide which one is right for you? Keep these points in mind as you weigh out the possibilities:

  • Approach. Is the debt consolidation accomplished by a personal loan that you have to pass along to your creditors, or is it a more involved strategy? Which one is more likely to leave you better off financially?
  • Education. What does the company offer to teach you how to make good financial decisions? Does the service make sure you understand what you're getting into with their approach?
  • Eligibility Requirements. Do you qualify for debt consolidation? Some programs require you to have $5,000 or more in unsecured debts. For consolidation via personal loans, you'll pay more in interest if you don't have a decent credit history already, or you may not be approved for a loan.
  • Fees. How much will you pay for your debt consolidation? If it's a loan, what's the interest rate and are there any origination fees? If it's a debt settlement strategy, what will your fees be and when will you have to pay them?
  • Reputation. What do clients say about the debt consolidation company? Did they get help that was appropriate for their situation from knowledgeable, friendly representatives? Has the Better Business Bureau rated the service? Do people report a significant improvement in their finances after (or preferably while) using the debt consolidation program?

TopConsumerReviews.com has evaluated and ranked the best debt consolidation options available today. We're confident that this information will help you choose a strategy to pay down your debts and get your finances in order!

Compare Debt Consolidation Companies

Select any 2 Debt Consolidation Companies to compare them head to head

best-debt-consolidation-companies
  • National Debt Relief
  • Credit.org
  • Upstart
  • Curadebt
  • Reach Financial
  • LendingTree
  • SoFi
  • SuperMoney
  • LendingClub
  • Payoff
  • American Debt Enders
  • Debt Consolidation Care
National Debt Relief vs Credit.org National Debt Relief vs Upstart National Debt Relief vs Curadebt National Debt Relief vs Reach Financial National Debt Relief vs LendingTree National Debt Relief vs SoFi National Debt Relief vs SuperMoney National Debt Relief vs LendingClub National Debt Relief vs Payoff National Debt Relief vs American Debt Enders National Debt Relief vs Debt Consolidation Care Credit.org vs Upstart Credit.org vs Curadebt Credit.org vs Reach Financial Credit.org vs LendingTree Credit.org vs SoFi Credit.org vs SuperMoney Credit.org vs LendingClub Credit.org vs Payoff Credit.org vs American Debt Enders Credit.org vs Debt Consolidation Care Upstart vs Curadebt Upstart vs Reach Financial Upstart vs LendingTree Upstart vs SoFi Upstart vs SuperMoney Upstart vs LendingClub Upstart vs Payoff Upstart vs American Debt Enders Upstart vs Debt Consolidation Care Curadebt vs Reach Financial Curadebt vs LendingTree Curadebt vs SoFi Curadebt vs SuperMoney Curadebt vs LendingClub Curadebt vs Payoff Curadebt vs American Debt Enders Curadebt vs Debt Consolidation Care Reach Financial vs LendingTree Reach Financial vs SoFi Reach Financial vs SuperMoney Reach Financial vs LendingClub Reach Financial vs Payoff Reach Financial vs American Debt Enders Reach Financial vs Debt Consolidation Care LendingTree vs SoFi LendingTree vs SuperMoney LendingTree vs LendingClub LendingTree vs Payoff LendingTree vs American Debt Enders LendingTree vs Debt Consolidation Care SoFi vs SuperMoney SoFi vs LendingClub SoFi vs Payoff SoFi vs American Debt Enders SoFi vs Debt Consolidation Care SuperMoney vs LendingClub SuperMoney vs Payoff SuperMoney vs American Debt Enders SuperMoney vs Debt Consolidation Care LendingClub vs Payoff LendingClub vs American Debt Enders LendingClub vs Debt Consolidation Care Payoff vs American Debt Enders Payoff vs Debt Consolidation Care American Debt Enders vs Debt Consolidation Care
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