While you can easily find multiple loan options that will fit your needs, a long-term personal loan is a great way to pay for a really large purchase, like a car, a house, or for ongoing education costs. Long-term loans are also good for anyone who can’t afford to make larger monthly payments.
Most people think that having a bad or less than great credit rating is a deal-breaker when it comes to getting a loan. Actually, you can still get a loan but you’ll be seen as a somewhat higher risk by the lending company and this will probably be reflected in the terms of the loan. What does this mean on paper? Typically anything under 630 is considered a bad credit rating, and people in this range can expect to pay at least 25% APR. This means that if you take out a $5,000 loan at 25% interest over 5 years, you’d end up paying almost $4,000 in interest by the time the loan is paid off. If you paid it off in two years, you’d pay $1,404 in interest. In other words, while you can still get a long-term loan even with bad credit, it will make it far less economical to stretch out the repayment term due to the high-interest rate.
Compare Long-Term Loan Companies:
| Lender | APR |
|---|---|
| Credible | 6.94% - 35.99% |
| LendingTree | 6.99% - 35.99% |
| OneMain Financial | 18.00% - 35.99%* |
| Marcus | 6.99% - 19.99%* |
| SoFi | 8.99% - 29.99% (with all discounts) |
We’ve compared five of the most popular online long-term personal loan providers so that you can make a well-informed decision.
1. Credible
- Why go with Credible? You can view and compare up to 11 lenders in under 2 minutes
- Loan amount: $1,000 to $100,000
- APR: 6.94% - 35.99%
- Loan term: 24-84 months
- Minimum credit score: 680
Credible is a free brokerage tool that can provide you with quotes from up to 11 lenders at once. Aside from consolidating the time spent seeking quotes from individual lenders, Credible offers users a birds-eye view of loans available, with a large range of repayment terms, APRs, and loan amounts that makes it easier to choose the ideal loan for your circumstances. The longest repayment terms on Credible stretch to 84 months. The APRs range from 6.94% - 35.99% and loan amounts can range from $100 to $100,000. Users should note the minimum credit score of 680 means that Credible isn’t a suitable option for those with bad credit scores. But the flexibility and range of lenders and terms it summons in less than 2-minutes makes it an attractive tool for those navigating the lending market and exploring their options.
Read the full Credible review >>
2. LendingTree
- Why go with LendingTree? One of the longest repayment terms - up to 180 months
- Loan amount: up to $50,000
- APR: 6.99% - 35.99%
- Loan term: Up to 180 months
- Minimum credit score: none
LendingTree is a loan marketplace that gives borrowers a number of different pre-approved loan quotes from various lenders. The range of APRs is wide – from 6.99% - 35.99% for unsecured personal loans. LendingTree offers unsecured personal loans of up to $50,000, for periods from 3 months to 15 years, and has no minimum credit score requirements.
Higher amounts and lower APRs are available for long-term secured loans. LendingTree has home equity loans for up to $150,000 for 30 years at 3.7% APR. An average auto loan of $25,000 can be repaid over 5 years at 3.19% APR. LendingTree is unusual in that it also offers boat loans, RV loans, and power sport loans with no upper limit and for rates as low as 3.35%. LendingTree does not charge any fees, but prepayment charges, late payment fees, and personal check processing fees are all determined by the lender. LendingTree is a good choice for a long-term secured personal loan for people who want to compare rates before they commit to a lender.
Read the full LendingTree review >>
3. OneMain Financial
- Why go with OneMain Financial? You will be borrowing from a longstanding, trusted brand
- Loan amount: $1,500 - $20,000
- APR: 18.00% - 35.99%*
- Loan term: 24-60 months
- Minimum credit score: none
OneMain Financial is a subsidiary of OneMain Holdings, Inc., a publicly-traded financial services company founded in Baltimore in 1912. It specializes in providing unsecured and secured personal loans to consumers across America. It operates online and in branches around the country. As of the end of 2019, it had more than 1,500 branches in 44 states.
Read the full OneMain Financial review >>
4. Marcus
- Why go with Marcus? Great for those with good credit who need a small, all-purpose loan
- Loan amount:$3,500-$40,000
- APR: 6.99% - 19.99%*
- Loan term: 36-72 months
- Minimum credit score: 680
Marcus, a new personal loan provider by Goldman Sachs, offers loans that are fee-free and can be tailored to suit each individual customer. Fast funding is also a crucial component of the Marcus strategy, and many Marcus customers receive funds in as little as 5 days.
Read the full Marcus review >>
5. SoFi
- Why go with SoFi? Take out up to $100,000 with loan terms of up to 7 years
- Loan amount: up to $100,000
- APR: 8.99% - 29.99% (with all discounts)
- Loan term: Up to 84 months
- Minimum credit score: 680
The longest repayment period available for unsecured personal loans through SoFi is seven years, and there are no secured loans available. One of the main advantages of SoFi for a long-term personal loan is its flexibility. SoFi offers both variable rate and fixed rate loans, allows you to change your monthly payment date, and if you miss a payment, they will waive the late fee if you usually pay on time. Also, if you lose your job and have trouble making payments, you can ask for forbearance, where SoFi will permit you to suspend your monthly payments. You can request forbearance for three months at a time for up to 12 months, although the interest will continue to accrue. SoFi also offers members-only social events and networking to help you find a new job.
To qualify for a loan with SoFi, you need a credit score of at least 680 and to show a good amount of income left over after paying your expenses each month. However, there are no minimum income requirements or credit history. SoFi does not charge any fees for arranging the loan, processing a personal check, origination, or any prepayment fees. The late payment fee is only imposed after a 15 day grace period and is $5 or 4%, whichever is lower. SoFi’s low fees, flexible payments, and low APR make it a very good option for long-term personal loans.
Reasons to Take Out a Long-Term Personal Loan
Lower monthly payment
Typically, the shorter your loan term, the higher your monthly payments. This is offset by the fact that with a shorter-term you’ll end up paying less interest by the time it’s all said and done. For instance, if you take out a $10,000 loan at 10% interest with a 2-year repayment plan, you’ll pay $461.45 per month. If you instead paid it off over the course of 5 years, the monthly payment would be only $212.47 per month.
On the other hand, with the 5-year loan you’d end up paying a little over $2,700 in interest by the time it’s all paid off, as opposed to $1,074 with the 2-year plan.
You may have other monthly expenses that don’t leave you the breathing room for a large loan repayment bill every month and being on the hook for some extra interest could be worth making it easier on your monthly budget. It’s a personal issue and it’s up to you to decide.
Get more money
This might go without saying, but typically a bigger loan takes longer to pay back. One reason to take a long-term loan is simply that you need more money and more time to pay it off. This could be for a large project like a home renovation or debt consolidation, which could help out your monthly budget by giving you a loan with better interest and APR than your current credit card debt. Sometimes taking out a high loan amount can give you a bit of sticker shock, but if you spread it out over a long enough time, you can find the monthly rate that works for you.
Smarter than using your credit cards
A long-term personal loan can give you the funds needed to pay for a large expense without having to use your credit card. Personal loans tend to have interest rates ranging from 5-10%. If you took out a 5-year loan for $5000 at 5% interest you’d end up paying $5,661.37, while with a credit card with 16.71% interest, you’d end up paying $7,409 by the end of five years.
What this means is that if you’re on the hook for a personal loan it can mean you’ll have much easier repayment terms, much lower interest, and you’ll also be able to keep your credit card free in case of emergencies.
Flexibility with your payment plan
Personal loans usually allow you to pay more any given month if you have the funds. What this means is that while you can calibrate a monthly minimum that is easy to come up with, you’ll also want to have the option of paying extra in months that you’re flush, just to get a little ahead on the repayment.
When not to go for a long-term loan
With a long-term loan, you’ll end up paying more interest overall. Higher maximum loan amounts could also tempt you to borrow and spend more than you really need, causing you to end up with higher debt. The application process for long-term loans is longer and more stringent as well, and usually, requires you to put up collateral, so isn’t good if you need cash in a hurry.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Long-Term Loans
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
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How to Get a Long-Term Loan
Decide what you need
The amount of money you need is a personal decision that depends totally on your expenses or any upcoming projects you’re looking to undertake. Usually, it's recommended to only take out personal loans for things that you can expect to be able to pay back within a reasonable amount of time.
This is the case even if the lending company allows you to take out far more than you need. This may be tempting, but it’s more prudent to only take what you can repay so that you don’t go deeper into debt.
You also need to take a look at the initiating fees for the loan and how that will play into the overall repayment costs.
Shop around
When you’re looking around at different lending houses, you may at first come across some lenders that don’t quite offer you the terms you’d like. This is not the time to get discouraged. Do some more due diligence and you should be able to find a lender that works better for you.
Take a look at the interest rate, APR, repayment schedules, and also the initiating fees. All of these factors can really make a difference in living with the new loan.
Get your papers in order
Once you’ve found a company that works for you, it’s time to start gathering the necessary documents. A personal loan isn’t as complicated as a mortgage, but you’ll still want to get together a number of documents, such as tax records, pay stubs, bank statements, and the like. If you for some reason get rejected, ask which criteria made the difference and make any possible adjustments before your next loan application.
Long-Term vs. Short-Term Loans
| Long-Term Loans | Short-Term Loans | |
|---|---|---|
| Loan Purpose | Make big purchases or pay off high-interest debt | Cover emergency cash flow shortage |
| Credit | Good/Excellent | Poor/Fair |
| Terms | 36 - 180 months | 3 - 36 months |
| APR | 3.09% - 35.99% | 5.99% - 35.99% |
| Loan Amount | $1,000 - $100,000 | $1,000 - $35,000 |
Long-term and short-term loans are used to cover different types of expenses. A short-term loan, as its name suggests, can quickly help you cover a sudden unexpected expense or decrease in income. It generally involves smaller amounts, has looser requirements, and will have higher interest rates.
Long-term loans are more suitable for big-ticket purchases that will last at least the entire life of the loan, such as a car, or boat. There are exceptions to this rule, however, and you may consider a long-term loan to pay for an expensive surgery or wedding. To qualify for a long-term loan, you generally need better credit than a short term loan. Your monthly payments can be smaller because you're paying back the amount over a longer period of time. If you qualify, a long-term loan often will be for a bigger amount and at a lower rate.
What Next?
If you want to take out a long-term personal loan, first take some time to really hammer out how much you need and how much you can afford, and then start shopping around for personal loan companies with the most favorable rates for you.
This is when you’ll also decide if you’d prefer a variable or fixed interest rate. A fixed interest rate locks in the monthly payment so you always know how much you owe, but with the variable rate you can possibly see your payments drop if interest rates go down.
Now that you know the facts about taking a long-term personal loan from one of the top 5 online lenders, you can choose the one that is right for your situation. If you're still unsure about if you should take a personal loan, read our full guide to personal loans. To read more about top personal loan lenders, read our in-depth reviews.
