Credit Builder Loans

Credit builder loans are primarily targeted toward individuals with low credit scores or limited to no  credit history. As a result, some credit-building loans do not have a specified minimum credit score requirement. The type of loan you use to build your credit can influence requirements as well. At Acorn Finance our network of top national lenders specialize in personal loans. Offers will be more likely to be returned for borrowers with fair, good, average, or excellent credit. Most lenders on the Acorn Finance platform have a credit score cutoff of 600 or above. If you are unable to qualify for a traditional loan to build credit, you may need to explore the avenue of an actual credit builder loan. Banks and credit unions can offer these types of loans, but credit score requirements can vary.

Building or rebuilding your credit score can be a challenge, but it's definitely achievable with patience and time. The good news is that you can prove your responsibility as a borrower by making timely payments and keeping your credit utilization low. Consistency is crucial, so only borrow what you can afford to pay every month and stay within your budget! With dedication and some consistency, you’ll see that you can improve your credit score and achieve your financial goals.

Everyone has to start their credit journey somewhere, and getting a credit-building loan is a great way to get started on the path to smart financial choices. Aside from getting a credit builder loan, you can consider getting a cosigner with good credit or becoming an authorized user on someone else’s account. The goal is to show that you can be trusted with the financial responsibility of major accounts and loans.  

To get a credit score, FICO requires at least one credit account that’s been open for at least six months. Once your new account is open that long, you can monitor your score and continue to build credit with on-time payments, responsible borrowing and staying current on your accounts. 

If you’re ready to start building credit, here are a few suggested options: 

• Try a beginner or secured  credit card: Some banks can offer credit cards made just for those with no credit. They can be either secured or unsecured, and your usage is reported each month to the credit bureaus. This can help you start to establish credit and allow you to upgrade to a better or larger account eventually. 

• Be added as an authorized user:  If you have a family member who trusts you, you can see if they’ll add you to their account as an authorized user.
• Pay your utility bills: If you pay your own bills, some companies can report your payments to the credit bureau, which will help you establish your credit.

It is estimated that a credit builder loan could raise the average credit score of a person who has little to no previous credit history or debts by 60 points when compared to people with similar credit profiles who did not take out a credit-builder personal loan.

Yes, some banks may offer credit builder loans, however, they may be more common among smaller financial institutions like credit unions and community banks. There are some online lenders who may offer credit builder loans as well.

When you apply for a credit builder loan, the lender places that amount into a savings account for you. For example, you could apply for a $2,000 credit builder loan. You and the lender then determine a loan term and split the $2,000 into monthly payments. The lender may or may not charge interest on the loan, and if they do, they may keep a portion of the interest as payment for services or they may return all of the interest paid back to you once the loan term is complete. This detail can vary by lender, therefore it is extremely important you understand all the conditions of the credit builder loan before signing.
Let us say you take out a credit builder loan for $2,000 over 12-months with a 10% interest rate. Each month you can make the monthly payments of $183.33 to the lender, and at the end of the 12-month repayment period, you should have reached around $2,200. It is at this point that the lender may wire you the $2,200, or they may wire you a less amount no less than $2, 000 if part of the conditions of the credit builder loan is that the lender gets to keep a portion of the $200 of interest accumulated as a service fee. At the end of the 12-month period, you should have 12-months of successful and positive payment history that should have helped boost your credit score enough that you may be able to qualify for a different line of credit on your own.

Each lender is different and the terms and conditions of credit builder loans can vary. Some lenders may want to keep a portion of any interest paid on the credit builder loan as a payment for their services. Always check with the lender to understand what their credit builder loan program entails before signing onto one.

Typically, it can take a minimum of 6-months of payment history and/or credit activity to establish enough history to impact your score. If you only have a small credit builder loan, you may not see much of a change but it should lay the path to qualify for other types of credit. Establishing a good credit score requires awareness and attention. No effort you make is worthless, so keep making good financial decisions and working on boosting your score.

When you work with Acorn Finance, you’re more than just a transaction. We believe in giving you a full picture of your credit and lending options, so you can make the right choice when it comes to getting a credit-building loan. By using our simple and secure platform, you can receive offers in seconds with no impact to your credit score. The opportunity to get prequalified quickly and without credit score impact can help you expedite your financial journey and build your credit.