Best Personal Loans With No Origination Fees in April 2024

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Updated: April 30, 2024

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MoneyGeek picked First Tech as the best overall provider of personal loans with no origination fees, awarding it a MoneyGeek score of 98 out of 100 for its lack of fees and quality customer service. Following close behind is PenFed, which secured a MoneyGeek score of 96 out of 100 for its excellent reputation and competitive rates.

Lenders commonly charge an origination fee — which can range from 1% to 10% of the loan amount — to cover the costs of processing a new loan application. Opting for a loan without an origination fee can make the loan more affordable. We evaluated various lenders based on several criteria, including interest rates, fees, loan terms and customer service quality, to identify the best no-origination-fee options for you.

MoneyGeek’s personal loan scoring system analyzed each lender's performance in areas that matter most to borrowers. We scored lenders based on whether specific desirable features were present or absent across important categories. We filtered our analysis to exclude personal loan lenders that charge origination fees.


    Best Overall Personal Loan With No Origination Fee

  • First Tech

    • 98MG Score
    • 8.94% to 18.00%APR Range
    • UndisclosedMinimum Credit Score
    • $500 to $50,000Loan Amount Range
    • 6 to 84 monthsRepayment Terms

    Overall, First Tech Federal Credit Union offers the best personal loan with no origination fees, earning a MoneyGeek score of 98 out of 100. It allows its members to borrow as little as $500 or as much as $50,000, which can be paid off in six to 84 months. First Tech doesn’t charge origination fees, application fees or prepayment penalties. It also offers the option to defer the first loan payment for up to 45 days from the date the loan is funded.

    Pros

    • $500 minimum loan amount
    • No prepayment penalties
    • Defer first payment for up to 45 days

    Cons

    • Membership required to apply
    • No interest rate discounts
    • Doesn’t disclose eligibility criteria
    First Tech

    Runner-Up Best Personal Loan With No Origination Fee

  • PenFed

    • 96MG Score
    • 7.99% to 17.99%APR Range
    • UndisclosedMinimum Credit Score
    • Up to $50,000Loan Amount Range
    • Up to 60 monthsRepayment Terms

    PenFed received a MoneyGeek score of 96 out of 100, making it the runner-up for the best personal loan with no origination fees. It offers loans up to $50,000 with repayment options extending up to 60 months. While PenFed does not charge origination fees or prepayment penalties, it imposes a $29 late fee and a $30 fee for returned payments, whether by check or ACH. Interested borrowers don’t need to be members to apply for a loan. However, if you decide to proceed with your loan application, PenFed will initiate membership.

    Pros

    • Doesn’t charge prepayment penalties
    • Allows co-borrowers on loans
    • Performs soft credit inquiries

    Cons

    • Has a $29 late fee
    • Has a $30 returned loan payment, check or ACH fee
    • $50,000 borrowing limit
    PenFed

Other No-Origination-Fee Personal Loan Options

For you to do proper comparison shopping, we’ve provided some other lender options that don’t charge origination fees, including MoneyGeek’s take on what makes them worth considering.

Lender Review
Loan Amount
APR Range
Repayment Terms

From $3,500

8.74% to 17.39%

24 to 60 months

$1,000 to $100,​​​​​000

10.99% to 13.99%

12 to 60 months

$1,000 to $20,000

12.59% to 30.00%

Six to 60 months

$2,000 to $50,000

8.74% to 21.74%

12 to 60 months

$5,000 to $45,000

9.49% to 24.50%

36 to 60 months

PREPAYMENT PENALTIES

Some lenders charge a prepayment penalty on personal loans. This is a fee that lenders charge if you pay off your personal loan before the agreed-upon term. Some charge by a specific percentage of the remaining balance or have a sliding scale that decreases over time.

Before you borrow, review your loan agreement to determine whether this penalty is charged and, if so, the specific amount you’d have to pay.

Alvin Yam, CFP

How to Choose the Best No-Origination-Fee Loan for You

While origination fees are a significant consideration when shopping for personal loans, they aren't the only factor to consider. To find the best personal loan with no origination fees that meets your needs, you should also examine other key elements of your loan offers, such as:

    oneSign icon

    Interest Rates

    Interest rates determine the cost of borrowing money, directly impacting the total amount you will repay over the life of the loan. A lower interest rate can significantly reduce your monthly payments and overall financial burden.

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    Loan Amount

    The amount you can borrow impacts whether the loan can cover your needs, whether it’s for consolidating debt or financing a large purchase. Ensure the maximum loan amount meets your requirements without compelling you to borrow more than necessary.

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    Additional Fees

    Beyond origination fees, other personal loan fees can affect the cost of your loan. These include prepayment penalties (charged if you pay off your loan early), late fees (incurred for missing payment deadlines) and returned payment fees (applied if your bank rejects the loan payment, which can happen with insufficient funds or bank errors).

    fourSign icon

    Repayment Terms

    The length of the loan term affects both your monthly payment size and the total interest paid. Shorter terms generally mean higher monthly payments but lower interest costs overall, while longer terms spread out payments but increase total interest.

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    Eligibility requirements

    Lenders have specific criteria for approving loan applications, which may include credit score minimums, income levels and employment status. Understanding these requirements will help you determine if you qualify or need to improve your financial standing before applying.

HIGHER INTEREST RATES FOR RISKY BORROWERS

Lenders may offset a lack of origination fees by charging higher interest rates to borrowers with lower credit scores or higher-risk profiles. This can increase total borrowing costs, especially if you have a bad credit history.

Alvin Yam, CFP

Use MoneyGeek’s monthly payment calculator to experiment with different interest rates and terms to see what you can afford. Remember: only borrow what you can commit to repay. Missed payments stack up quickly and can affect future opportunities for other loans.

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Updated: Jul 26, 2024

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Although MoneyGeek partners with some of the companies we recommend, our content is written and reviewed by an independent team of writers, editors and licensed agents. Learn more about our editorial policies and expert editorial team.

FAQ: Personal Loans With No Origination Fees

We compiled a list of frequently asked questions about personal loans with no origination fees to help you in finding the best option that reduces your initial costs.

What is an origination fee?
How do I qualify for a no-origination-fee personal loan?
Can I still get competitive interest rates on loans without origination fees?
What impact does a no-origination-fee loan have on my total loan cost?
How long does it take to get funding for a no-origination-fee personal loan?
Can I use a no-origination-fee personal loan for any purpose?
How does my credit score affect my ability to get a no-origination-fee loan?
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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.