At a Glance
Rating Breakdown
Performance Overview
Scores out of 5, based on our editorial analysis
About Best Egg
Best Egg is the consumer brand of Marlette Holdings, Inc., a fintech company that partners with Cross River Bank and Blue Ridge Bank to originate unsecured and secured personal loans. Since launching in 2014, the platform has funded over $24 billion across more than two million loans. The bank-partner model means Best Egg itself is not a bank: Cross River or Blue Ridge issues the loan, Marlette services it, and the interest-rate ceiling is governed by the issuing bank's home-state usury laws rather than the borrower's state, which is how APRs up to 35.99% are available nationwide. Underwriting at Best Egg uses a proprietary risk model that weighs FICO score, debt-to-income ratio, free cash flow, and credit-utilization trajectory. The minimum score is 600, but the median funded borrower sits around 700. A unique feature is the secured personal loan option: borrowers can pledge a vehicle as collateral to potentially access lower APRs. However, this introduces repossession risk that does not exist on unsecured loans, and the rate improvement is typically only 1-3 percentage points, so the tradeoff is modest. Best Egg's core audience is borrowers who need money fast for a specific purpose, particularly emergency home repairs, medical bills, or consolidating credit card debt under $50,000. Funding can arrive as soon as the next business day, which is fast by industry standards. The origination fee ranges from 0.99% to 8.99% and is deducted from proceeds. Borrowers should note that Best Egg does not accept co-signers or joint applications, so the approval decision rests entirely on the primary applicant's profile. If you have thin credit or high DTI on your own, this is not the right lender.
Key Features
Next-Day Funding
Qualified borrowers can receive funds as soon as the next business day after completing verification.
Flexible Loan Amounts
Borrow from $2,000 to $50,000 with fixed rates and predictable monthly payments.
Secured Loan Option
Optional secured personal loan backed by a vehicle, which may offer lower rates for some borrowers.
How It Works
Pre-Qualify Online
Enter basic information to receive personalized rate offers via soft credit inquiry.
Select Your Loan
Review your available loan amounts, rates, and repayment terms.
Verify Your Identity
Upload required documents for income and identity verification.
Get Funded
Funds are deposited as soon as the next business day upon final approval.
What They Do
- Debt Consolidation
- Home Improvement Financing
- Major Purchase Loans
- Wedding Financing
- Moving Expenses
Debt Types They Take On
- Credit Card Debt
- Medical Debt
- Personal Debt
- Retail Debt
Fee & Cost Structure
Regulatory & Trust
Review Summary
Notable Case Studies
Emergency Water Damage Repair
A homeowner discovered a burst pipe on a Friday evening, with restoration companies quoting $14,500 for remediation and drywall replacement. Their emergency fund covered only $2,000, and their credit cards had a combined $8,000 available limit.
Credit Card Payoff Before Rate Reset
A borrower had $27,000 across four credit cards, two of which were ending 0% promotional APRs and resetting to 26.99% within 60 days. Minimum payments would jump from $540/month to $890/month.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Next-business-day funding is achievable for borrowers who complete verification quickly, making this one of the fastest personal loan lenders in the market
- Loan ceiling of $50,000 is higher than most online lenders, covering substantial consolidation or home improvement projects in a single loan
- Secured loan option backed by a vehicle can reduce APR by 1-3 percentage points for borrowers willing to accept repossession risk
- Origination fee floor of 0.99% is among the lowest in the industry for borrowers with excellent credit, meaning high-FICO applicants lose very little off their proceeds
- No prepayment penalty and daily interest accrual means every extra dollar paid goes directly to principal reduction, which can save thousands on 48-60 month terms
Cons
- No co-signer or joint application option means borderline applicants cannot use a partner's income or credit to improve their offer, unlike LendingClub or SoFi
- Origination fee ceiling of 8.99% is the highest among major online personal loan lenders, and borrowers near the 600-score floor will typically pay close to that maximum
- Not available in Iowa, Vermont, West Virginia, or US territories, limiting access for residents of those states
- Customer service is phone-and-email only with no in-app chat, and hold times during peak hours can exceed 20 minutes based on consumer reports
User Reviews (15)
second loan, even smoother than the first
Paid off my first Best Egg loan ($15K) in 2024. Applied again in January 2026 for $25K home improvement. As a returning customer, the verification was faster and my rate was lower (9.99% vs 12.49% first time). My credit improved from the first loan which helped. Best Egg seems to reward repeat business with better terms. If you had a good experience the first time, going back is a no-brainer.
went from 5 payments to 1, credit score up 55 points
Had $35K across 5 credit cards. Utilization was at 78%. Best Egg gave me $35K at 13.99% over 48 months. Paid off all 5 cards on the same day the loan funded. My utilization dropped to 4% (one card with a small recurring charge). Credit score went from 655 to 710 within 60 days. The interest rate improvement alone saves me about $6K over the life of the loan vs minimum payments on the cards. This is exactly what personal loans are for.
good for home improvement but compare with HELOCs first
Got $40K at 13.99% for a home addition. Works fine as a personal loan but tbh if you're a homeowner, check HELOC rates first. My credit union offers HELOCs at 8.5%. The advantage of Best Egg is speed (funded in 2 days vs 30-45 days for a HELOC) and no home appraisal required. If you need money fast, personal loan wins. If you can wait, a HELOC is usually cheaper for home improvement specifically. Worth knowing your options.
secured option barely changed my rate
Tried both secured (using my car as collateral) and unsecured quotes. Unsecured: 16.9%. Secured: 15.1%. A 1.8% improvement for putting my car at risk of repossession? Not worth it imo. On a $15K loan over 36 months, that's only about $420 in savings. If the rate difference was 4-5% I could see the argument. But for under 2% I'll keep my car title free and clear thanks.
money in my account the next morning
Applied Sunday night, got my rate quote immediately. Accepted Monday morning, uploaded my paystubs and ID. Verified by Monday afternoon. Money was in my checking account Tuesday at 6am. $18K at 11.99% for a bathroom renovation. This is as fast as personal lending gets. If you need money quickly and have decent credit (mine was 710), Best Egg delivers on the speed promise.
covered cross country move costs
Relocating from Boston to Denver for a new job. Moving company, security deposit, first month rent, shipping my car -- total was about $12K. Best Egg approved $12,500 at 11.49% over 24 months. Monthly payment $585. My new job pays $15K more per year so the loan pays for itself in 10 months. Sometimes borrowing money is an investment. Best Egg made the logistics of my career move possible.
checked 5 lenders, Best Egg had the best combo
Ran soft pulls at LendingClub, Best Egg, Upstart, SoFi, and Discover. My profile: 690 score, $72K income, 28% DTI. LendingClub was 14.2%, Best Egg was 12.49%, Upstart was 16.8%, SoFi declined me, Discover was 13.99%. Best Egg won on rate AND their $50K max was higher than I needed. The origination fee was 3.99% which was middle of the road. For mid-tier credit scores, Best Egg is consistently competitive.
not available in Vermont either
Another state they don't serve. Vermont, Iowa, West Virginia -- all excluded. At least they tell you early in the process now (after someone probably complained). But it's still frustrating when every comparison site lists them as a top lender and you can't even apply. If you're in one of the excluded states, save yourself the click and go straight to Discover or a credit union.
financed our wedding, no regrets
Used Best Egg for $22K to cover our wedding costs. 13.5% APR over 48 months. Could we have done a cheaper wedding? Sure. But we wanted what we wanted and Best Egg made it possible without maxing credit cards. Monthly payment is $601 which fits our budget. The secured loan option would have saved us about 2% but I wasn't putting a car up as collateral for a wedding loan lol. Unsecured was the right call.
they show you multiple offers which is helpful
After pre-qualifying, Best Egg showed me 4 different loan options: different amounts, terms, and rates. I could see exactly how the monthly payment and total cost changed between a 36-month and 60-month term. This transparency helped me make a better decision. I went with 36 months at a higher monthly payment to save $3,200 in total interest vs the 60-month option. Wish every lender presented options this clearly.
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Important Lending Disclaimers
- Annual Percentage Rates (APRs), loan amounts, and terms displayed are estimates based on publicly available information and may vary based on your creditworthiness, income, and other factors. Actual rates, terms, and availability may differ from what is shown here.
- Checking your rate or pre-qualifying with a lender typically involves a soft credit inquiry that does not affect your credit score. However, submitting a formal application will result in a hard credit inquiry, which may temporarily lower your score.
- Origination fees, late fees, prepayment penalties, and other charges vary by lender. Review all loan terms, fees, and conditions in the loan agreement before signing.
- Personal loans are not suitable for all financial situations. Failure to repay a personal loan can result in collection activity, negative credit reporting, lawsuits, and wage garnishment. Consider your ability to repay before borrowing.
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