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LendingTree suits borrowers who want to compare personal loan or auto refinance offers from several lenders at once at no cost. It is legitimate: LendingTree, LLC (NMLS 1136) is the operating arm of Nasdaq-listed LendingTree, Inc., and the BBB has accredited it since 2019 with an A+ rating. The tradeoff is privacy: LendingTree is paid by lenders and shares your information with its network partners, so expect calls and emails, and the loan terms come from whichever lender you pick. Read each lender's APR, origination fee and credit check rules before you formally apply.
Your options
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LendingTree This review Borrowers with fair to excellent credit who want to compare several personal loan or auto refinance offers quickly at no cost.
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Upstart Alternative Borrowers with fair or limited credit history who need $1,000 to $75,000 quickly and want to see a rate without a hard credit pull.
- What it is
- An online marketplace; LendingTree says it is not a lender and does not make loans, loan commitments or rate locks2
- Cost to you
- Free; LendingTree is paid by lenders, and that pay may affect the order offers appear in2
- Personal loans
- Up to $100,000; offers from up to five lenders at once; LendingTree says users get 11 offers on average1
- Average offered APR (Q2 2026)
- 15.34% for excellent credit, 22.70% good, 27.52% fair and 30.51% poor, per LendingTree's marketplace data1
- Auto refinance
- Partner loans from about $2,500 to $150,000 with terms of 12 to 96 months; lenders do a hard credit pull when you apply3
- Company
- LendingTree, LLC, 1415 Vantage Park Drive, Suite 700, Charlotte, NC; NMLS ID 1136; parent LendingTree, Inc. trades on Nasdaq as TREE2
- BBB
- A+, accredited since November 6, 2019; 164 complaints in the last 3 years5
- Data incidents
- In 2022 LendingTree notified about 70,000 customers that a code vulnerability may have exposed names, Social Security numbers, birth dates and addresses8
Pros
- Free to use for borrowers
- One form can show offers from up to five lenders
- Covers personal loans, auto refinance, mortgages, business loans and insurance
- Public company with an A+ BBB rating and accreditation since 2019
- Publishes average offered APRs by credit tier
Cons
- Not a lender, so it can't promise approval or final terms
- Your information is shared with network partners who may contact you
- Offer order can be influenced by what lenders pay LendingTree
- Confirmed data exposure incidents in 2022
- Auto refinance lenders require a hard credit pull when you apply
Best for: Borrowers with fair to excellent credit who want to compare several personal loan or auto refinance offers quickly at no cost.
Skip it if: You don't want your information sent to multiple lenders, or you already know which lender you want to use.
LendingTree vs. competitors
| Company | Type | APR range | Loan amounts | Fee to you | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LendingTree | Marketplace (not a lender) | Varies by lender; Q2 2026 averages 15.34% to 30.51% | Up to $100,000 | Free; lenders may charge origination fees | Visit site |
| SoFi | Direct lender | 6.99% to 35.49% | $5,000 to $100,000 | 0% to 7% origination fee | Read review |
| Upstart | Lending platform with partner banks | 6.3% to 35.99% | $1,000 to $75,000 | 0% to 12% origination fee | Visit site |
| Happen Bank (formerly LendingClub) | Direct lender | 5.96% to 35.99% | $1,000 to $75,000 | 0% to 8% origination fee |
Personal loan lenders we reviewed
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LendingTree This review BestGuide rating: 4.5 out of 5. Set by our editorial team from published factors such as cost, credentials, reputation, customer experience, services and guarantees. Verified partners are scored on our partner verification program and can be listed first; they are always labeled BestGuide Partner. Best for: Borrowers with fair to excellent credit who want to compare several personal loan or auto refinance offers quickly at no cost. -
Upstart BestGuide rating: 4.5 out of 5. Set by our editorial team from published factors such as cost, credentials, reputation, customer experience, services and guarantees. Verified partners are scored on our partner verification program and can be listed first; they are always labeled BestGuide Partner. Best for: Borrowers with fair or limited credit history who need $1,000 to $75,000 quickly and want to see a rate without a hard credit pull. -
LightStream BestGuide rating: 4.5 out of 5. Set by our editorial team from published factors such as cost, credentials, reputation, customer experience, services and guarantees. Verified partners are scored on our partner verification program and can be listed first; they are always labeled BestGuide Partner. Best for: Borrowers with long, strong credit histories who want a large, fee-free fixed-rate loan quickly and plan to accept the offer. -
Achieve Personal Loans BestGuide rating: 4.2 out of 5. Set by our editorial team from published factors such as cost, credentials, reputation, customer experience, services and guarantees. Verified partners are scored on our partner verification program and can be listed first; they are always labeled BestGuide Partner. Best for: Borrowers with fair to good credit who want to consolidate $5,000 to $50,000 of card debt with help from a loan consultant and a direct-pay discount. -
SoFi BestGuide rating: 4.2 out of 5. Set by our editorial team from published factors such as cost, credentials, reputation, customer experience, services and guarantees. Verified partners are scored on our partner verification program and can be listed first; they are always labeled BestGuide Partner. Best for: Borrowers with good to excellent credit and steady income who need $5,000 or more quickly, especially to consolidate card debt.
LendingTree pricing at a glance
Average personal loan APRs offered on LendingTree by credit tier, second quarter 20261
| Credit tier | Average offered APR |
|---|---|
| Excellent | 15.34% |
| Very good | 17.46% |
| Good | 22.70% |
| Fair | 27.52% |
| Poor | 30.51% |
Using LendingTree is free. These are averages of offers LendingTree users saw, not a quote. Your APR, any origination fee and your term are set by the lender you choose.
LendingTree, step by step
Fill out one form
Tell LendingTree the loan type, amount, your income and basic credit details; it says this takes about two minutes.
See matched offers
LendingTree shows conditional offers from lenders in its network, up to five at once for personal loans.
Compare the full cost
Line up APR, origination fee, term and monthly payment. The lowest rate is not always the cheapest loan once fees are counted.
Apply with one lender
You finish the application on the lender's site. The lender, not LendingTree, makes the credit decision and usually runs a hard credit pull.
Manage the follow-up
Expect calls, texts and emails from matched lenders. Tell callers you aren't interested and ask to be placed on their do-not-call list.
LendingTree legitimacy and licensing
Yes. LendingTree, LLC is based in Charlotte, North Carolina, holds NMLS ID 1136 and is owned by LendingTree, Inc., which trades on Nasdaq as TREE and files reports with the SEC. The BBB has accredited it since November 6, 2019, rates it A+ and lists 164 complaints in the last three years.
What LendingTree is not is a lender. Its disclosures say it does not make loans, loan commitments or rate locks. It arranges conditional offers from lenders in its network, and every credit decision belongs to the lender. LendingTree is paid by those lenders, and it says that pay can affect the order in which offers appear.
What LendingTree costs
Using LendingTree costs nothing. What you pay depends on the loan you take. LendingTree’s own data for the second quarter of 2026 shows average personal loan offers of 15.34% APR. The yearly cost of a loan, including interest and required fees such as the Origination fee. A one-time charge, usually a percentage of the loan, often deducted from the money you receive. Compare personal loan lenders. Compare personal loan lenders for excellent credit, 17.46% for very good, 22.70% for good, 27.52% for fair and 30.51% for poor credit. Many personal lenders also take an origination fee out of the loan, which can run from 0% to 12% depending on the lender.
LendingTree says users who compared offers saved an average of $1,787 based on its May 2026 analysis, and auto refinance users saved an average of $142 a month. Those are company figures, not a promise.
How LendingTree works
You fill out one form, LendingTree matches you with lenders, and you compare the offers side by side. For personal loans it shows up to five lenders at once and says users get 11 offers on average. When you pick one, you finish the application on that lender’s site. Prequalification usually uses a soft credit check, but the lender will typically run a hard pull when you formally apply. LendingTree’s auto refinance page says a hard pull is required when you apply.
Its auto refinance partners lend from about $2,500 to $150,000 on terms of 12 to 96 months, and most require a car that is 10 years old or newer with under 125,000 to 150,000 miles.
Is LendingTree Worth It?
A frequent question from borrowers researching LendingTree personal loan options is whether the platform is legit and worth sharing personal data.
The answer is yes, with a caveat. LendingTree is the operating subsidiary of a publicly traded company founded in 1996, led by CEO Scott Peyree. It holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and has been BBB Accredited since November 6, 2019, putting it among the most established financial marketplaces in the country.
The most common LendingTree complaints are not about fraud or legitimacy but the volume of marketing from partner lenders. Because the business model shares your information across its network, borrowers frequently report multiple calls within the first 24 hours. For some it is a worthwhile trade-off for a lower rate; for others it feels intrusive.
Based on our research, LendingTree is a legitimate and well-established marketplace, but borrowers who dislike aggressive sales outreach may prefer applying directly with a single lender such as Achieve.
What customers say about LendingTree
Recurring themes across the review sites and complaint records listed above, not individual quotes.
Common praise
- A quick, simple online form
- Seeing several offers side by side
- Fast approvals and funding from matched lenders
- Helpful staff when customers call
Common complaints
- Calls and emails from many lenders after submitting a form
- Delays in funding or payoff once a loan is chosen
- Offers that change after the lender's full review
- Website glitches during the application
Calls, emails and your data
The most common complaint about LendingTree is contact from lenders after you submit a form. Its privacy policy says that when you request a loan or insurance, it may share your personal information with lenders and other Network Partners, who may keep and use it whether or not you use their services. Use a dedicated email address, and tell any lender that calls to put you on its internal do-not-call list.
In 2022 LendingTree notified about 70,000 customers that a code vulnerability may have exposed names, Social Security numbers, birth dates and addresses, and separately notified about 700 customers of an earlier incident. It offered free credit monitoring. LendingTree denied that a separate set of 200,000 loan applications found for sale online came from its systems.
Complaints and what customers report
LendingTree scores 4.5 out of 5 on Trustpilot from about 17,400 reviews, and replies to most negative ones. Happy reviewers mention a fast form and quick funding. Unhappy reviewers mention calls from many lenders, funding delays and offers that changed after the lender’s review. Complaints about a specific loan’s terms or servicing usually belong with the lender, and you can file those with the CFPB.
Who should skip LendingTree
If you already know which lender you want, apply there directly. If you are sensitive to sales calls, prequalify on two or three lender sites instead, since many offer soft-pull rate checks. And if your credit is poor, weigh offers near 30% APR carefully: a credit union loan, a secured loan or nonprofit credit counseling may cost less.
Alternatives to LendingTree
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Prequalify directly with two or three lenders
Gets you real rate quotes without sharing your details with a whole network, so you avoid the follow-up calls.
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SoFi
Better if you have good credit and want a large loan with no late or prepayment fees from one lender.
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Happen Bank (formerly LendingClub)
Better if you want a direct lender that can pay your creditors directly for debt consolidation.
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Your bank or credit union
Federal credit unions generally cap loan APRs at 18%, and your own bank may give existing customers better terms.
Next steps
LendingTree reviews
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Frequently asked questions
Is LendingTree a lender?
No. LendingTree says it is not a lender and does not make loans or rate locks. It matches you with lenders, and the lender you choose sets your rate and makes the credit decision.
Does LendingTree charge a fee?
No. LendingTree is free for borrowers because lenders pay it. Lenders may charge their own fees, such as an origination fee taken from the loan.
Does LendingTree hurt your credit?
Prequalifying usually uses a soft credit check, which doesn't affect your score. When you formally apply with a lender, it will usually run a hard pull, which can lower your score a few points for a while.
Why am I getting so many calls after using LendingTree?
LendingTree shares your information with lenders in its network, and they may contact you. Tell each caller you aren't interested and ask to be added to its do-not-call list.
How many offers will I get on LendingTree?
LendingTree says personal loan users get 11 offers on average, and auto refinance users at least three on average. People with excellent credit see far more offers than those with poor credit.
What is the average APR on LendingTree?
For the second quarter of 2026, LendingTree reports average personal loan offers from 15.34% APR for excellent credit to 30.51% for poor credit.
Can I refinance my car through LendingTree?
Yes. LendingTree matches you with auto refinance lenders that lend roughly $2,500 to $150,000 for 12 to 96 months. Expect a hard credit pull when you apply.
Who owns LendingTree?
LendingTree, LLC is a subsidiary of LendingTree, Inc., a public company listed on Nasdaq under TREE and based in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Has LendingTree had a data breach?
Yes. In 2022 it notified about 70,000 customers that a code vulnerability may have exposed Social Security numbers and other details, and offered credit monitoring.
What is LendingTree's BBB rating?
A+, with BBB accreditation since November 6, 2019 and 164 complaints in the last three years as of October 2026.
Sources (9)
Facts on this page come from company websites, government agencies and regulators, checked on the dates shown. Editorial standards
- LendingTree: Personal loans (accessed October 12, 2026)
- LendingTree: Advertising disclosures (accessed October 12, 2026)
- LendingTree: Auto refinance (accessed October 12, 2026)
- LendingTree: Privacy policy (accessed October 12, 2026)
- BBB: LendingTree, LLC (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Trustpilot: LendingTree (accessed October 12, 2026)
- SEC EDGAR: LendingTree, Inc. filings (accessed October 12, 2026)
- The Record: LendingTree denies connection to data breach affecting 200,000, but confirms a different one (accessed October 12, 2026)
- CFPB: Consumer complaint database (accessed October 12, 2026)
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