Upgrade Review
Personal loans, a cash rewards card, and credit tools in one app. Independent Upgrade review: 3.9/5 for credit & loans.
By Michael Hewitt, Founder & Editor-in-Chief. Rates last checked September 7, 2026.
Our verdict
Upgrade's personal loans run 7.74% to 35.99% APR, and an origination fee of 1.85% to 9.99% comes out of the proceeds before you see the money. You can prequalify with a soft pull, rates and payments are fixed, and it pays creditors directly on consolidation loans. Prequalify, then check what you'll net after the fee.
Skip it if your credit points to the 35.99% end of the range, or you want an autopay rate discount.
About Upgrade
Personal loans, a cash rewards card, and credit tools in one app. Upgrade is offered by Upgrade, Inc. Our editorial rating is 3.9 out of 5.
Best for: Personal loans and all-in-one credit tools.
Editorial grade: B (composite score 78/100).
Highlights
- Personal loans from $1,000 to $50,000 with APRs ranging 7.74%–35.99%
- Fixed-rate, fixed-term loans from 24 to 84 months
- Upgrade OneCard Essentials with 3% unlimited cash back on gas, groceries, streaming and utilities, 1% on everything else, no annual fee
- Upgrade Rewards Checking Preferred with up to 2% cash back on debit purchases and 55,000+ fee-free Allpoint ATMs
What we like
- Prequalify with a soft credit pull (no impact on score)
- Fixed rates and fixed monthly payments, with no surprises
- 0.25%–0.50% rate discount for Upgrade Rewards Checking customers
- Pays creditors directly for consolidation loans (saves a step)
Where it falls short
- Origination fees of 1.85%–9.99% deducted from loan proceeds upfront
- APRs reach 35.99%, the high end of the personal loan market
- No rate discount for autopay enrollment (some competitors offer this)
Fees, minimums, and rates
Monthly fee: 1.85%–9.99% origination. Minimum to open: $0. Current APY: 3.05% (Performance Savings). Rates and fees last checked on September 7, 2026.
How we reviewed it
This is a desk review: we have not opened an account with Upgrade, Inc.. It is built from Upgrade, Inc.'s published rates, fee schedule and terms and from the public complaint record, and compared with the other products in the Credit & Loans shortlist. The rubric is the same for every brand.
Not a bank. Deposits are held at
- Cross River Bank, FDIC certificate 58410: capital, loan quality, every office and the complaint record.
Similar products to compare
Read our full editorial methodology for how we review products.