Best Personal Loans in Bridgeport, CT: Top Lenders & Best Picks for You

Updated: October 3, 2024

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WHAT WE’RE GEEKING OUT ON

MoneyGeek's Picks for Best Personal Loan Lenders in Bridgeport, CT

MoneyGeek uses a ranking system that evaluates more than 30 data points to recommend the best personal loan lenders in Bridgeport, placing the most weight on categories that are important to borrowers. We compared each lender’s loan amount ranges, interest rates and other important features to help make shopping easier.

LightStream is the best personal loan lender in Bridgeport, Connecticut. However, SoFi is the best option for borrowers with good credit, and Upstart is the best for bad credit. Meanwhile, Upgrade is a good choice for debt consolidation personal loans, and Best Egg excels at providing home improvement loans.

Best Overall Personal Loan Lender in Bridgeport: LightStream


  • LightStream
    • 4.49% to 20.49%APR Range
    • 660Minimum Credit Score
    • $5,000 to $100,000Loan Amount Range
    • 24 to 84 monthsRepayment Terms
    • Same DayTime to Receive Funds

    For the average borrower in Bridgeport, LightStream is the best overall personal loan lender. This lender provides loans with reasonable fixed interest rates and flexible repayment terms as well as quick disbursement periods.

    Depending on your creditworthiness and eligibility, you can borrow anywhere from $5,000 to $100,000. However, you must be able to meet LightStream’s credit score requirements. If you qualify for a loan offer at a lower interest rate from a competitor, LightStream will beat it with a rate of 0.1% lower through its Rate Beat Program. There are no prepayment, origination or late fees.

    Pros

    • Broad range of repayment terms
    • Autopay discount
    • Quick fund disbursement
    • No prepayment, origination or late fees
    • Allows joint loans

    Cons

    • Hard credit pull
    • Restrictions on fund usage
    • No co-signers
    • Won’t accept people with new or no credit
    • High minimum loan amount
    LightStream

Best Personal Loan Lender for Bad Credit in Bridgeport: Upstart


  • Upstart
    • 3.22% to 35.99%APR Range
    • 300Minimum Credit Score
    • $1,000 to $50,000Loan Amount Range
    • 36 to 60 monthsRepayment Terms
    • Next DayTime to Receive Funds

    Borrowers in Bridgeport can use Upstart if they need funding anywhere from $1,000 to $50,000 and can repay it in a period of 36 or 60 months. Personal loans from Upstart can be used for a variety of purposes, including debt consolidation, medical expenses, student debt and major life events, such as weddings and moves.

    However, because of its AI-based model that does not solely consider credit scores, our rankings identified Upstart as the best lender option in Bridgeport for people with bad credit. Because it performs a soft credit pull during the initial application, you can easily see if you qualify without affecting your credit scores. If you pay off your Upstart personal loan early, there are no prepayment penalties, but there may be origination and late payment fees.

    Pros

    • No prepayment fees
    • Soft credit inquiry
    • Funds education-related expenses
    • Low credit score requirement
    • Low minimum APR

    Cons

    • Only two repayment term options
    • No mobile app to manage account
    • Origination and late payment fees
    • High maximum APR
    • Low maximum loan amount
    Upstart

Best Personal Loan Lender for Good Credit in Bridgeport: SoFi


  • SoFi
    • 5.74% to 20.28%APR Range
    • 680Minimum Credit Score
    • $5,000 to $100,000Loan Amount Range
    • 12 to 60 monthsRepayment Terms
    • Two DaysTime to Receive Funds

    SoFi loans for Bridgeport borrowers range from $5,000 up to $100,000 and come with fixed interest rates. This lender performs a soft credit pull during the initial application and requires at least a 680 credit score to qualify.

    What distinguishes SoFi from other Bridgeport lenders is its unemployment protection program, which delays or adjusts your payments if you lose your job. Also, there are no origination or closing costs and no prepayment penalties. However, it does have an income requirement and does not allow co-signers.

    Borrowers who maintain a good credit score have an increased chance of being approved for most loans. With an impressive credit profile, you may be eligible for some of the lowest interest rate offers.

    Pros

    • Soft credit pull
    • Unemployment protection
    • Autopay discount
    • A+ BBB rating
    • No prepayment, late or origination fees

    Cons

    • High minimum loan amount
    • No co-signers
    • Income requirements
    • Somewhat high credit score requirement
    • Won’t accept borrowers with new or no credit
    SoFi

Best Personal Loan Lender for Debt Consolidation in Bridgeport: Upgrade


  • Upgrade
    • 5.94% to 35.47%APR Range
    • 560Minimum Credit Score
    • $1,000 to $50,000Loan Amount Range
    • 36 to 60 monthsRepayment Terms
    • Same DayTime to Receive Funds

    If you have multiple debts that incur significant interest charges each month, Upgrade can help streamline your payments with fixed interest rates on debt consolidation loans, allowing you to save money and increase your convenience by only paying one loan.

    Upgrade is the best personal loan lender in Bridgeport for debt consolidation. This lender offers loans from $1,000 up to $50,000, with potentially affordable interest rates depending on your creditworthiness. There are no prepayment penalties when you use Upgrade personal loans, and the company also offers an autopay discount. However, expect high origination fees and high maximum interest rates, particularly for borrowers with poor credit.

    Pros

    • Broad range of repayment terms
    • Low minimum APR
    • Pays creditors directly for debt consolidation
    • Autopay discount

    Cons

    • High maximum APR
    • Moderate credit score requirement
    • High origination fees
    Upgrade

Best Personal Loan Lender for Home Improvement in Bridgeport: Best Egg


  • Best Egg
    • 4.99% to 35.99%APR Range
    • 700Minimum Credit Score
    • $2,000 to $50,000Loan Amount Range
    • 36 to 60 monthsRepayment Terms
    • Next DayTime to Receive Funds

    Based on MoneyGeek’s rankings, Best Egg is the best personal loan in Bridgeport for home improvements. Bridgeport residents can borrow up to $50,000 with fixed interest rates and manageable monthly payments from Best Egg for any major home renovation.

    Best Egg performs a soft credit pull, and loans do not have prepayment penalties, allowing you to pay off your debt at any time. Borrowers in Bridgeport with credit scores of 700 or higher, as well as those who meet the minimum individual income requirement, are eligible for Best Egg loans.

    However, we will note that Best Egg has high interest rates, and it also has a low maximum loan amount.

    Pros

    • Soft credit pull
    • Autopay discount
    • No prepayment penalties

    Cons

    • High minimum credit score requirement
    • Minimum income requirement
    • No co-signers
    • Charges late and origination fees
    • High interest rates
    Best Egg

Where to Start: How to Choose the Best Personal Loan Lender in Bridgeport for You

In Connecticut, borrowers owe an average of $14,038 on personal loans. The best personal loans in Connecticut vary based on each borrower’s requirements and credit profile.

If you are looking for the best personal loan lender in Bridgeport, Connecticut, we recommend going through the following step-by-step guide.

1
Ask Yourself the Important Questions

Lenders analyze a borrower's credit score, existing debt, income and debt-to-income ratio to evaluate their entire financial profile. Before you even begin to compare personal loans in Bridgeport, it’s important to have answers to the following questions:

  • How much funding do I need? Only borrow the amount that you need. Overborrowing can make a loan difficult to repay.
  • What is my credit score? Lenders set specific credit score requirements to approve you for a loan.
  • Can I afford the monthly payment? Make sure your monthly payments will fit into your budget, or you could find yourself in a worse financial situation than you started in.
  • How much debt do I already have? It is generally not advisable to add more debt if your debt-to-income ratio is already high.
2
Do Your Research

MoneyGeek’s recommendations of the best personal loan lenders prioritize the average borrower’s best interests in Bridgeport. That said, it still helps to do your own research before applying with any lender. Just like MoneyGeek evaluates lenders, you may also compare lenders based on how they differ in loan amounts, APR ranges, disbursement times and credit score requirements.

3
Wait

Don’t feel the need to accept an offer immediately. Lenders usually give you a few days to decide. You can take this time to think it over by weighing the pros and cons of getting a personal loan and whether it is a smart decision to get one.

4
Read the Fine Print

Take the time to review the fine print and ask questions if there are fees that aren’t clear to you. It can help save you a lot of money by avoiding lenders that charge prepayment, origination and late payment fees.

5
Apply

To process your loan, lenders will require several documents to prove your income, existing debts and more.

What to Do if You Can’t Get a Personal Loan in Bridgeport

Personal loan lenders set requirements that may limit some borrowers’ ability to qualify for a personal loan. The loan amount, repayment terms, credit score, income and current debts will determine a borrower’s creditworthiness and ability to pay off the loan. Depending on each lender’s evaluation, it could reject an application if it determines you are borrowing more than you can afford or do not meet the requirements.

Several online lenders allow you to check your rates by submitting an initial application. This performs a soft credit pull and allows you to make adjustments until you find the right loan amount and repayment terms for your budget and situation. If a lender rejects your application after a hard credit pull, you should inquire about the reasons for the rejection. Recognizing the reasons for your initial rejection may help you make improvements and ultimately submit successful applications in the future.

If a personal loan is not an option, other financial options, such as credit cards, home equity and more, are available. However, beware of the types of loans to avoid, such as payday loans, which have exorbitant interest rates and extremely short repayment terms.

Frequently Asked Questions About Personal Loans in Bridgeport

MoneyGeek helps borrowers find the best personal loans in Bridgeport. We answered some of the most frequently asked questions about personal loans in the city.

What is the best personal loan lender in Bridgeport?
Which lender in Bridgeport has the lowest interest rate?
Can I use a personal loan for vacations in Bridgeport?
Can I use a personal loan for home improvement in Bridgeport?
What can I not use my personal loan for in Bridgeport?
How much can I borrow in Bridgeport?
How long does it take to get a personal loan in Bridgeport?
Can I pay off my loan early in Bridgeport?

Our Personal Loan Methodology

Here at MoneyGeek, we thoroughly review each lender to recommend the best personal loan lenders to borrowers in Bridgeport. Our team of contributors and experts work together to make a thorough analysis and calculation when choosing a lender to recommend. We developed a ranking system that looks at 35+ distinct factors in six critical categories — loan affordability, accessibility, consumer friendliness, customer service, flexibility and lender transparency. We evaluated more than 30 personal loan lenders.

We considered specific variables, such as APR ranges, the maximum loan amount, the required credit score, the required minimum income, the application cost and the disbursement period.

We also have taken into account each lender's customer service, business ratings and any extra features that could help you decide on the personal loan that suits you best.

About Christopher Boston

Christopher Boston headshot

Christopher (Croix) Boston was the Head of Loans content at MoneyGeek, with over five years of experience researching higher education, mortgage and personal loans.

Boston has a bachelor's degree from the Seattle Pacific University. They pride themselves in using their skills and experience to create quality content that helps people save and spend efficiently.

sources
Shield Insurance

The content on this page is accurate as of the posting/last updated date; however, some of the rates mentioned may have changed. We recommend visiting the lender's website for the most up-to-date information available.

Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses and recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any bank, lender or other entity. Learn more about our editorial policies and expert editorial team.

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