Personal Loans With a Max APR Under 36%: How to Compare Lenders (October 2026)

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Quick answer

“Fair credit” has no single definition; each lender sets its own requirements.

Compare the maximum APR and any origination fee, not just the lowest advertised rate.

To see whether you are eligible, check your rate with a soft credit pull where offered; a full application usually triggers a hard inquiry (CFPB).

No lender approves everyone. Be skeptical of any offer that promises guaranteed approval.

Benchmark

The Fed’s G.19 average APR on 24-month personal loans at commercial banks was 11.90% for August 2026 (preliminary, released October 7, 2026). It is commercial banks’ most common rate; finance companies and online lenders are not included, and it is not specific to fair-credit borrowers.

Lenders that publish a maximum APR under 36%

Listed in alphabetical order; not a ranking. Each lender below publishes a maximum APR under 36% on its own site. Inclusion does not mean a lender accepts any particular credit score; none of these pages states a minimum score. To see whether you are eligible, check your rate with a soft credit pull on the lender’s site. Data accessed October 19, 2026; confirm on the lender’s site.

Avant

APR: 9.95%–35.99% (10/19/2026)
Fees: Admin/origination fee up to 9.99%
Loan amounts: $2,000–$35,000
Terms: 24–60 months
Note: Issued by WebBank

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Best Egg

APR: 6.99%–35.99% (10/19/2026)
Fees: Origination 0.99%–9.99%
Loan amounts: $2,000–$50,000
Terms: 36–60 months
Note: Cross River Bank or Column N.A.

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Happen Bank, N.A.

APR: 5.96%–35.99% (as of 7/6/2026)
Fees: Origination 0%–8%
Loan amounts: $1,000–$75,000
Terms: 24–84 months
Note: Formerly LendingClub

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Upgrade

APR: 7.74%–35.99% (10/19/2026)
Fees: Origination 1.85%–9.99%
Loan amounts: $1,000–$50,000
Terms: 24–84 months
Note: Loans by Upgrade bank partners

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Upstart

APR: 6.3%–35.99% (10/19/2026)
Fees: Origination range not published
Loan amounts: $1,000–$75,000
Terms: 3 or 5 years
Note: Marketplace; bank partners fund loans

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Best Egg’s online payment calculator lists “Fair (560 to 669)” as one of its credit score input options. That is a calculator setting, not a lending requirement.

Lender rates pages: Avant · Best Egg · Happen Bank · Upgrade · Upstart

Loan terms and representative example

Repayment period: Minimum: 24 months (Upgrade, as of 10/19/2026). Maximum: 84 months (Upgrade, as of 10/19/2026).
Maximum APR: 35.99% (Upgrade, as of 10/19/2026)
Representative example: Upgrade, as of 10/19/2026 (https://www.upgrade.com/personal-loans/): "For example, if you receive a $10,000 unsecured loan with a 36-month term and a 17.59% APR (which includes a 13.94% yearly interest rate and a 5% one-time origination fee), you would receive $9,500 and would have a required monthly payment of $341.48. Over the life of the loan, your payments would total $12,293.46." Total of payments: $12,293.46. Total cost of the loan (interest plus origination fee): $2,793.46, based on $9,500 received. Of which interest: $2,293.46 on $10,000 borrowed. (Cost and interest lines are our calculations from Upgrade's stated figures.)

Your actual APR, fees and term depend on your credit profile and the lender's underwriting, and are not guaranteed. We do not cover payday, title or similar short-term loans.

Things to check before you apply

Maximum APR and total cost. A higher APR raises total interest. Our personal loan calculator can show the difference.
Origination fee. It can reduce the cash you receive.
Alternatives: a loan from a credit union (find one with the NCUA locator), or waiting to apply while paying down balances.

Drawbacks

Higher APRs and fees mean borrowing costs more. Multiple full applications can add hard inquiries.

How we research and compare products

General information, not financial advice. Moneysilk is not a lender.

Sources

What is the difference between a loan interest rate and the APR?, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (accessed October 19, 2026)
Consumer Credit - G.19 (release of October 7, 2026, August 2026 data), Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (accessed October 19, 2026)
What is a credit inquiry?, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (accessed October 19, 2026)
NCUA Credit Union Locator, National Credit Union Administration (accessed October 19, 2026)
Avant personal loans, Avant (credit products issued by WebBank) (accessed October 19, 2026)
Best Egg personal loans, Best Egg (loans made by Cross River Bank or Column N.A.) (accessed October 19, 2026)
Happen Bank personal loan rates and fees, Happen Bank, N.A. (accessed October 19, 2026)
Upgrade personal loans, Upgrade, Inc. (accessed October 19, 2026)
Upstart personal loans, Upstart Network, Inc. (accessed October 19, 2026)

General information only; not financial, legal or tax advice. Moneysilk is not a lender and does not make credit decisions. Read our editorial standards and corrections policy.