Loans.net is a free online marketplace that lets you compare loan offers from multiple vetted lenders in one place. Instead of applying separately to different banks or online lenders and filling out the same paperwork over and over, you complete one short form and see which lenders are willing to work with you and at what rate.

We are not a lender. We don’t fund loans, set underwriting rules, or hold your money. Our role is to match you with lending partners across categories like personal loans, bad credit loans, mortgages, auto loans, student loans, business loans, and credit cards, so you can compare real options side by side before you commit to anything.

No. Loans.net is a comparison marketplace, not a lender, a bank, or a broker of record on your loan. We arrange introductions between you and our network of lending partners — we do not make loans ourselves. Each lender in our network sets its own rates, terms, and approval criteria, and each is responsible for underwriting and funding any loan you accept.

This matters because it means our incentive is to show you accurate, competitive offers rather than push you toward a single in-house product. If a lender’s rates or service quality slip, we can remove them from the network — something a direct lender obviously can’t do to itself.

Comparing rates on Loans.net never costs you anything. We’re compensated by a lender only if you choose to move forward with them and a loan is actually disbursed — similar to how a real estate agent or insurance broker is paid by the seller, not the buyer.

That compensation does not change which lenders you see, how your matches are ranked, or what rate you’re offered. Lenders in our network compete for your business on the same terms, and you’re never charged a fee by Loans.net to compare or apply.

It’s a three-step process designed to take a couple of minutes:

1. Tell us what you need. Choose a loan category (personal, mortgage, auto, and so on) and answer a short set of questions about the amount, purpose, and your financial situation.

2. Compare real offers. We run a soft credit check and match your profile against our network’s current criteria, then show you prequalified rates from multiple lenders side by side — not generic advertised rates, but ones based on your actual credit profile.

3. Choose and apply. Pick the offer that fits your budget and finish the application directly with that lender. At that point the lender takes over underwriting, documentation, and funding.

No. Getting your prequalified rates on Loans.net uses a soft credit inquiry, which does not affect your credit score no matter how many times you check or how many lenders you compare. Soft inquiries are visible only to you, never to other lenders or creditors.

A hard inquiry — the kind that can cause a small, temporary dip in your score — only happens later, and only if you decide to move forward and formally apply with a specific lender. You’ll always know before that happens, since it requires a separate step with the lender you choose.

A soft inquiry is a background check lenders use to estimate what they’d likely offer you, without it appearing on the credit reports that other lenders can see. It has no impact on your score. A hard inquiry is a full credit pull tied to an actual loan application; it can appear on your credit report and cause a small, temporary score decrease (typically a few points).

Comparing rates on Loans.net only triggers soft inquiries. A hard inquiry is only initiated by the individual lender, and only after you formally apply with them — not during the comparison step.

The rates you see after completing the comparison form are prequalified rates, meaning they’re based on the information you provided and a soft credit check. They’re a strong indicator of what you’ll likely qualify for, but they are not a firm, final offer of credit.

Once you apply directly with a lender, that lender will verify your income, employment, and full credit history through underwriting. Final rates and terms can shift slightly from the prequalified estimate based on that full review, and every loan remains subject to the lender’s approval.

Lenders in our network weigh a combination of factors, including your credit score and credit history, income and debt-to-income ratio, loan amount and term, the loan type (a secured auto loan, for example, typically carries a lower rate than an unsecured personal loan), and current market rate conditions.

Because every lender weighs these factors a little differently, the same borrower can receive noticeably different offers across our network — which is the entire point of comparing multiple lenders at once rather than applying to just one.

Our marketplace covers the borrowing needs most people run into:

Personal loans ($1,000–$100,000, 12–84 months) for debt consolidation or major expenses. Bad credit loans for borrowers with less-than-perfect credit histories. Mortgage/home loans (up to $2M, 10–30 year terms) for purchasing or refinancing a home. Auto loans ($4,000–$150,000, 24–84 months) for new, used, or refinanced vehicles. Student loans covering up to 100% of certified school costs after financial aid. Business loans ($5,000–$500,000, 6–60 months) for working capital and expansion. And credit cards with a range of rewards, balance-transfer, and credit-building options.

There’s no single minimum score across the whole marketplace, because each lender sets its own criteria. That’s actually the advantage of comparing through Loans.net: our network includes lenders who specialize in near-prime and bad-credit borrowers alongside lenders who focus on prime, excellent-credit applicants.

If your credit is less than perfect, our Bad Credit category is built specifically to surface lenders more likely to work with your profile, typically at a higher APR to offset the added risk. The only way to know exactly what you’ll qualify for is to complete the short comparison form — since it costs nothing and doesn’t affect your score, there’s no downside to checking.

Loan amounts and terms vary by product. Personal loans typically range from $1,000 to $100,000 over 12 to 84 months. Auto loans run $4,000 to $150,000 over 24 to 84 months. Mortgages go up to $2 million with terms of 10 to 30 years. Business loans range from $5,000 to $500,000 over 6 to 60 months. Student loan amounts are generally capped at your certified cost of attendance minus other aid.

Your actual approved amount and term will depend on your income, creditworthiness, and the specific lender’s underwriting — the comparison results will show you the real range available to you personally.

Funding speed depends on the loan type and lender. Personal loans and some bad-credit or business loans can fund as soon as the next business day once you’re approved and finish the lender’s application. Auto loans are often similarly fast, especially for refinancing. Mortgages take considerably longer — typically several weeks — because of appraisal, title, and full underwriting requirements. Student loans usually follow your school’s disbursement schedule.

Your comparison results will show estimated funding timelines from each matched lender, so you can factor that into your decision if speed matters to you.

The initial rate comparison only asks for basic information — no document uploads required. If you move forward and formally apply with a specific lender, they’ll typically ask for proof of identity (driver’s license or state ID), proof of income (pay stubs, tax returns, or bank statements), and proof of address. Mortgage and business loan applications usually require additional documentation, such as tax returns, bank statements, or a business plan, given the size and complexity of those loans.

Each lender will list exactly what they need once you begin their application, so you’re never guessing.

Our marketplace and lending partners generally operate across the United States, but availability of specific products and lenders can vary by state due to differing lending laws and licensing requirements. Some products, such as certain short-term or bad-credit loans, may not be offered in states with stricter rate caps.

When you complete the comparison form, we only show you offers from lenders licensed and able to serve your state, so you won’t see options you’re not actually eligible for.

We use bank-level, 256-bit SSL encryption on every request, and we only share your details with the specific lenders you choose to be matched with — not with our entire network by default. We limit the data we collect to what’s needed to match you with relevant offers, and our practices align with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and, for California residents, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

You can review the full details, including your rights to know, delete, and opt out of data sharing, in our Privacy Policy.

Our marketplace is built to defend you from unwanted marketing — sales calls are blocked by default, and we only share your information with the lenders you specifically select, not the entire network. That said, once you provide your phone number and submit an inquiry, you are consenting to be contacted by us and the lending partners you chose regarding that inquiry, in line with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).

If you’d like to opt out of marketing calls or texts at any point, you can reply “STOP” to any text message or contact us directly — though a lender may still need to reach you about a pending application you’ve already started.

You’re under no obligation to accept anything. Comparing rates is entirely free and non-binding — if none of the matched offers fit your budget or needs, you can simply close the page. There’s no penalty, fee, or mark on your credit report for walking away.

You’re also welcome to check back later. Rates and lender availability change over time, so if your credit profile improves or you’re not in a rush, revisiting the comparison in a few months may surface better offers.

Once you select an offer, you’ll be taken to that lender’s application to finish the process directly with them. They’ll typically run a hard credit check, verify your income and identity documents, and finalize the exact rate, term, and monthly payment. From that point forward, the lender — not Loans.net — owns the underwriting, funding, and servicing of your loan.

We recommend reviewing that lender’s own terms, fees, and privacy policy before signing, since they may differ from what’s described on Loans.net.

For questions about using the Loans.net marketplace, our comparison tool, or your privacy rights, reach out through our Contact page or email privacy@loans.net for data-specific requests. For questions about a specific loan you’ve already applied for or accepted — payment due dates, funding status, or account issues — you’ll need to contact that lender directly, since they service the loan once you leave the Loans.net comparison flow.