Name: Credible
Item: Credible
Rating: 4.2
Author: Lauren Nowacki

At a glance

Find my best rate

with Credible

4.2

Bankrate Score

Repayment Options

4.6

Affordability

3.8

Customer Experience

4.3

Full methodology

Credible isn’t a student loan lender itself — it’s an online student loan marketplace that lets borrowers compare multiple lenders and rates. If you have good financial health or a co-signer and want to compare multiple offers, Credible is a good option. However, a number of major private student loan lenders aren’t listed on Credible’s site, so while it’s a useful tool, it shouldn’t be the only resource used to compare potential rates.

Lender Details

Loan amount

Varies by lender

APR from

3.04%-17.99% Fixed; 4.13%-17.99% Variable

Term lengths

5 to 20 years

New vs. refinance student loans with Credible

As an online student loan marketplace, Credible offers refinancing and private student loans that can be used for undergraduate and graduate school, law school, medical school and MBA degrees. The APRs, loan terms and loan limits will depend on the lender you choose, but Credible's marketplace features a range of each to choose from.

	Fixed APR	Variable APR	Dollar amount	Term range
New private student loans	3.04% - 17.99%	4.13% - 4.13%	$1,000 - 100% total cost of attendance	5 - 20 years
Refinance student loans	3.99% - 10.49%	4.31% - 11.40%	$5,000 to 100% balance owed	5 - 20 years

New private student loans

By working with many different financial providers, Credible can offer competitive rates and terms for private student loans that start at a minimum of $1,000 and can cover up to 100% of the total cost of attendance. Within its private student loan marketplace, Credible can help borrowers find undergraduate, graduate, parent, law school, medical school and MBA loans — each product featuring the same APR, term and loan amount range under the private loan umbrella.

Depending on the lender and private student loan product you choose, you may have the following repayment options:

Immediate payment: You begin paying a full monthly payment on principal and interest once loan funds are disbursed.
Interest-only payment: You only pay interest on the loan while in school.
In-school payment: You make a lower monthly payment on principal and interest while in school.
Deferred payment: You don't pay anything on the loan until after you graduate, when your grace period, usually six months, ends. However, interest still accumulates while you're in school.

Credible student loan refinancing

Credible's refinance marketplace helps you compare various refinance products for private student loans and parent loans. You can also refinance federal student loans through Credible, though you'll lose certain benefits, like access to income-driven repayment plans and possible student loan forgiveness. Credible also offers refinancing for those who didn't graduate.

Since there are various lenders on Credible's platform, rates and terms vary. The APR range starts below 4 percent and maximum limits can go up to 100 percent of the amount you owe on the loans you're refinancing.

Where Credible stands out

Free lender marketplace: Compare prequalified rates from multiple lenders in one place without hurting your credit.
Variety of student loan options: By working with multiple lenders, Credible is able to offer a range of rates, terms and products, making it easier to find the loan that best fits your situation.
Best rate guarantee: If you close with a better rate somewhere else than what you prequalified for on Credible, the lender will give you a $200 gift card.

Where Credible falls short

Limited selection of lenders: While Credible partners with a good selection of lenders, it does not partner with all major players in the student loan space.
Loan details vary: While you can compare some information about the lenders you're matched with, you won't get specific loan details, including qualification requirements, fees and grace periods.
Account required: In order to compare prequalification rates from lenders or apply for a loan, you'll need to create an account.

Credible customer service

There are many ways to contact customer support, including online AI chat, email, postal mail and by phone.

Customer support hours of operation are from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Saturday.

How this lender compares

4.2

Bankrate Score

APR from

3.04%-17.99% Fixed; 4.13%-17.99% Variable

Loan Amount

Varies by lender

Min Credit Score

Not disclosed

Compare rates

on Bankrate

4.4

Bankrate Score

APR from

4.25%-10.49% Fixed; 5.88%-10.49% Variable (with autopay)

Loan Amount

$1,000 to total cost of attendance; $400,000 lifetime maximum

Min Credit Score

650

Read our review

on Bankrate

4.8

Bankrate Score

APR from

3.23% Fixed; 4.39% Variable (with autopay)

Loan Amount

$1,000 to total cost of attendance

Min Credit Score

640

Read our review

on Bankrate

Credible vs. Earnest

Credible and Earnest both offer refinancing and private loan options for parents, undergrads, graduate school students and those pursuing law, medical or MBA degrees. Though Credible's variety of lenders give borrowers flexibility to pick a loan that best fits their financial situation, Earnest's loan features provide flexibility, too, including the ability to pick from four payment options, skip one payment each year and enjoy a nine-month grace period, longer than most student loans.

Both lenders feature a rate guarantee, but while Credible gives a $200 gift card and Earnest gives a $100 card, Earnest will also match the best rate.

Credible vs. SoFi

Since SoFi is a single lender, borrowers are able to dive deeper into the lender's requirements and loan details, including its minimum credit score of 640. And while SoFi is the Bankrate 2025 award winner for borrowers with good credit, it may not be the best option for those with average-to-low credit. Since Credible works with multiple lenders, it may have better student loan options for bad-credit borrowers.

Do you qualify for a student loan with Credible?

Because Credible isn’t a loan originator, there is no set of minimum requirements to be approved for a loan. Eligibility requirements are all dependent on the individual lender. However, the prequalification tool is a great way to find out what loans you might qualify for.

In general, borrowers should be in good financial standing and meet the lender's credit score requirement to be eligible for a private student loan. Borrowers should also be a U.S. citizen or legal resident and be at least the age of 18 or hold a high school diploma. Those who don’t meet all of the requirements are free to add a co-signer to improve their chances of approval and to potentially qualify for better rates.

How to apply for a student loan with Credible

Since Credible is a student loan marketplace, there are a couple additional steps you'll need to take before filling out an application. That includes comparing lenders Credible surfaces based on information you provide. You can complete the whole process online.

Visit Credible and select “Find My Rate” under the Private Student Loan or Refinance Student Loan option.
Enter your personal information and answer a few questions to get matched with a few lenders.
Compare your lenders based on loan terms, repayment plans and personalized rates to find the best loan product for your needs.
Once you choose your lender, then fill out the application and upload the necessary documents. If you have a cosigner, you'll need their information and documentation as well.
Submit the application, sign the loan agreement and wait for the funds to be distributed to your school.

How Bankrate ranks Credible student loans

Overall Score	4.2
Repayment Options	4.6	Many details of Credible loans depend on the lender you’re matched with — but there is the potential for a wide range of repayment terms and loan amounts.
Affordability	3.8	Fees and grace periods depend on the specific lender, but in general, Credible’s lending partners offer low starting interest rates.
Customer Experience	4.3	Credible offers customer support six days a week and recurring payment options. Its lack of app brings the score down.

Overall Score	4.5
Repayment Options	5.0	Credible's wide range of lenders means it offers some of the best refinance rates around.
Affordability	4.1	The maximum APR is on the higher side, depending on the lender you're matched with.
Customer Experience	4.3	Customer support is available six days a week and recurring payments may be available, depending on the lender you match with.

Methodology

Bankrate uses two methodologies to score lenders that have new student loans and refinance products.

Bankrate's trusted student loans industry expertise

Read our full methodology

48

years in business

25

lenders reviewed

16

loan features weighed

400

data points collected

The Bankrate team uses a 16-point system to evaluate student loan lenders. This scoring criteria measures how lenders perform across three main categories.

Minimum and maximum loan amounts, the lender’s eligibility requirements, cosigner option, degrees covered and state availability are included in this category. Lenders that offer the most flexibility, have the widest service footprint and provide many loan types receive higher scores.
This category measures fixed and variable interest rates, fees, penalties and discounts. Higher scores go to lenders with the lowest rates, fewer fees and multiple discounts.
An online application and account management tools, customer support hours and repayment options are all considered in this category. Lenders get bonus points for providing a well-rated app.

Bankrate's trusted student loans industry expertise

Read our full methodology

48

years in business

15

lenders reviewed

13

loan features weighed

195

data points collected

The Bankrate team uses a 13-point system to evaluate student loan refinance products. This scoring criteria measures how lenders perform across three main categories.

Minimum and maximum loan amounts, state availability and repayment options are included in this category. Lenders that offer the most flexibility and have the widest service footprint receive higher scores.
Fixed and variable interest rates, fees, penalties and discounts are measured in this category. Higher scores go to lenders with the lowest rates, fewer fees and multiple discounts.
An online application and account management tools, customer support hours and repayment options are all considered in this category. We also consider whether a well-rated app is available as a bonus.

Editorial disclosure: All reviews are prepared by Bankrate.com staff. Opinions expressed therein are solely those of the reviewer and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including rates and fees, presented in the review is accurate as of the date of the review. Check the data at the top of this page and the lender’s website for the most current information.

What customers think

What people across the web are saying about Credible

As of February 28, 2025, Credible has a rating of 4.8 out of five stars on Trustpilot. Of the more than 8,200 reviews, more than 90 percent are four or five stars. Positive reviews praise the process, with many describing it as easy and fast.

One client who refinanced their student loans through Credible said:

5.0

“The process was very easy. We did it all from our couch. We had tried to refinance 3 other times with 3 different banks and none of them were interested, even with a co-signer who has a credit score greater than 810. For anyone looking to refinance private student loans, I highly recommend working through Credible.”

Trustpilot user

Posted on Trustpilot

While many felt positive about their process from start to finish, others didn't have the same experience. Many of the negative reviews centered around inaccurate rate quotes, trouble with their recommended lender and communication issues.

As one reviewer wrote:

1.0

“I tried to set up my student loan refinance and I never got the email to set it up all the way. Customer service seemed helpful but I still never got the email they said I would receive. I did my refinance through the bank itself because credible was unreliable.”

Trustpilot user

Posted on Trustpilot

Outlinked content may contain views and opinions that do not reflect the views and opinions of Bankrate. Please see the issuer’s website for updated terms and conditions.

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Credible Student Loans: 2025 Review

The Bankrate promise

At a glance

Lender Details

Loan amount

APR from

Term lengths

New vs. refinance student loans with Credible

New private student loans

Credible student loan refinancing

Where Credible stands out

Where Credible falls short

Credible customer service

How this lender compares

Credible vs. Earnest

Credible vs. SoFi

Do you qualify for a student loan with Credible?

How to apply for a student loan with Credible

How Bankrate ranks Credible student loans

Methodology

Bankrate's trusted student loans industry expertise

Availability

Affordability

Customer experience

Bankrate's trusted student loans industry expertise

Availability

Affordability

Customer experience

What customers think

What people across the web are saying about Credible

We wanna know what you think about Credible

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