Lend-Grow Student Loans Review (2024)

By Robert Farrington

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Lend-Grow Student Loans Review (1)

Trying to find a great loan rate can be time-consuming. You have to shop multiple lenders and spend time with each. This also means providing your information to each lender.

Not only is this time-consuming, but it can also be a security risk. You never know how your information is being protected once it’s given up. Some lenders will also run hard credit checks, which can decrease your credit score, hurting your chances of getting a loan.

Lend-Grow solves these problems by allowing you to enter your information once to receive multiple loan offers. You don’t have to worry about impacting your credit, either. You’ll be able to see what your rates are without a hard credit pull. In this article, we’ll go over the benefits of using LendGrow for personal and student loans.

Quick Summary

  • Get multiple loan offers in minutes
  • They use a network of small banks and credit unions as lenders
  • No credit check required to see your rate

GET A QUOTE

LendGrow Details

Product Name

LendGrow Student Loan Refinancing

Variable APR

5.03% - 11.99%

Fixed APR

4.40% - 11.58%

Fees

None

Promotions

$500 Bonus Offer

Table of Contents

Who Is LendGrow?

What Do They Offer?

Are There Any Fees?

How Do I Open An Account?

Is My Information Safe?

Is It Worth It?

LendGrow Features

Who Is LendGrow?

LendGrow is a lending marketplace fintech. It was founded in February 2019 and is located in Reston, VA. It’s CEO is Nish Krishna. LendGrow says that it's goal it to connect borrowers with the 1,100+ local banks and credit unions that aren't currently well-represented online.

Student Loan Refinancing

Similar to Credible, Lending Tree, or other lending marketplaces, you can enter your information once with LendGrow and get multiple loan offers. The platform also doesn’t require a hard credit inquiry for you to see your pre-qualified rate. The lender will do further verification if you choose them. Depending on the lender, your rate could change during the full underwriting process.

Smaller Lenders

LendGrow works with smaller, local lenders that may not have the budget or staff to create their own online lending platforms. Smaller lenders tend to have less administrative overhead and often pass these savings on to the customers.

For these reasons, LendGrow says that its lenders often charge lower interest rates than you'll find from larger online lenders. “Local lenders often offer low rates as they are not spending millions of dollars brand advertising and flashy technology,” said Krishna. Also, none of LendGrow's lending partners charge origination fees.

Student Loan Refinancing

LendGrow's published starting rates for student loan refinancing are competitive. Their partners offer loan terms of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years with fixed and variable rates:

  • Fixed Rates: 4.40% - 11.58% APR
  • Variable Rates: 5.03% - 11.99% APR

The currently offer loans ranging from $25,000 to $500,000.

The refinancing terms you receive will depend on your credit. You can use a co-signer for potentially better terms. To apply for student loan refinancing, you’ll need your current student loan, account number, servicer, and loan amount.

Related: The Ultimate Guide To Student Loan Refinancing

See how Lend-Grow compares to other top lenders here.

Header

Lend-Grow Student Loans Review (3)

Lend-Grow Student Loans Review (4)

Lend-Grow Student Loans Review (5)

Rating

Variable APR

5.03% - 11.99%

5.28% - 9.99%

5.28% - 8.99%

Fixed APR

4.40% - 11.58%

5.19% - 9.99%

5.48% - 8.69%

Bonus Offer

$500

Up to $500

Up to $775

Cell

GET A QUOTE

READ THE REVIEW

READ THE REVIEW

Bonus Offer: $500 Promotion

Lend-Grow is currently offering a $500 cash bonus if you refinance a student loan of least $100,000.

Compare that with other student loan refinance bonus offers here.

Are There Any Fees?

LendGrow lenders do not charge loan origination fees and there are no fees to search for loans. LendGrow makes money by charging its lenders a fee. However, it says that lenders do not increase their rates to recoup the fee. Still, you'll want to check with each lender to make sure there are no additional fees.

How Do I Open An Account?

You can visit the LendGrow website and click the "See My Offers" button to start the shopping process. The initial application is simple and you should be able to start comparing pre-qualified rates in about 2 minutes with no affect to your credit score.

Is My Information Safe?

LendGrow uses encryption on its website. However, once you choose to work with a lender, you’ll connect directly with them, which may involve visiting their own website.

Each lender will require additional information to complete your application. Because each lender is different, you’ll want to check with the lender about security precautions they are using to protect your information.

Is It Worth It?

LendGrow is free to use and pays an extra 0.10% APR to your loan account each month. Furthermore, it connect borrowers with lenders in their state that don't charge origination fees and may offer lower interest rates. For all these reasons, we do believe it's certainly worth checking out.

It should be noted, however, that LendGrow doesn't work with every lender. You'll want to compare the rates that its partners are able to offer with lender quotes from other marketplaces like Credible or Lending Tree. And you may still want to contact a few lenders directly if they aren't available on any of these platforms.

See our favorite student loan refinancing lenders >>

See our favorite personal loan lenders >>

LendGrow Features

Services

Loan comparison shopping

Types of Loans

  • Student loan refinancing
  • Personal loans

Fees

None

Application Type

Online-only (no mailed, emailed, or faxed applications allowed)

Social Security Number Required?

No

Other Services Offered

None

Security

Transmissions between LendGrow and lenders are encrypted with public key cryptography algorithms with a minimum key size of 128 bits.

Customer Service Number (Text Only)

1-833-536-3479

Customer Service Hours

9:30 am-8:30 pm, Mon-Saturday (EST)

Customer Service Email

contact@lendgrow.com

Mobile App Availability

None

Promotions

$500 Bonus

LendGrow Review
  • Commissions and Fees
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Service
  • Loan Types
  • Availability
Overall

3.4

Summary

LendGrow is an online lender marketplace that partners with local banks and credit unions.

Pros

  • Works with small, local lenders
  • Offers pre-qualified rate checks
  • No application or origination fees

Cons

  • Currently available in limited number of states
  • Limited loan types (personal loans and student loan refinancing only)
  • Try LendGrow

Lend-Grow Student Loans Review (6)

Robert Farrington

Robert Farrington is America’s Millennial Money Expert® and America’s Student Loan Debt Expert™, and the founder of The College Investor, a personal finance site dedicated to helping millennials escape student loan debt to start investing and building wealth for the future. You can learn more about him on the About Pageor on his personal site RobertFarrington.com.

He regularly writes about investing, student loan debt, and general personal finance topics geared toward anyone wanting to earn more, get out of debt, and start building wealth for the future.

He has been quoted in major publications, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, ABC, NBC, Today, and more. He is also a regular contributor to Forbes.

Editor: Clint Proctor Reviewed by: Chris Muller

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, or other advertiser and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Comment Policy: We invite readers to respond with questions or comments. Comments may be held for moderation and are subject to approval. Comments are solely the opinions of their authors'. The responses in the comments below are not provided or commissioned by any advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any company. It is not anyone's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

Lend-Grow Student Loans Review (2024)

FAQs

Who is the best resource to help you with questions about student loans? ›

The office of Federal Student Aid provides publications, fact sheets, online tools, and other resources to help you prepare and pay for college or career school. Find available forms for repayment, deferment, forbearance, forgiveness, discharge, loan rehabilitation, service members, and TEACH grants.

What are my chances of getting approved for a student loan? ›

A good credit score — often defined as a FICO score 670 or higher — indicates that you've done a good job managing debt and are likely to repay your loan. As a result, in general, the higher your credit score, the better your approval odds and chances of qualifying for a lower rate.

Why is it so hard to get approved for a student loan? ›

Unfortunately, it's common for would-be borrowers to be denied loans, and there are a number of factors that could lead to loan denial. Your credit history, current credit score, insufficient application information, or a whole host of other issues could cause you to be rejected for a loan.

What can happen if you don t repay student loans you must select all correct answers and no incorrect answers to earn full credit for this question? ›

If you don't make your student loan payment or you make your payment late, your loan may eventually go into default. If you default on your student loan, that status will be reported to national credit reporting agencies. This reporting may damage your credit rating and future borrowing ability.

Who is the best person to talk to about student loans? ›

You might first consult your local credit union or bank, if you or your family hold an account there. Your college financial aid office may also provide you with a list of possible lenders and answer your questions. Learn more about the different ways to pay for college.

How to get student loans fast? ›

If you need a student loan quickly, you have three main options:
  1. Borrow up to the federal direct loan limit. Before you consider other loan sources, make sure you're borrowing as much as you can in federal direct student loans. ...
  2. Explore emergency aid. ...
  3. Compare private student loan options.
Mar 14, 2024

What disqualifies you from getting a student loan? ›

If you don't meet baseline eligibility requirements, or if you've previously defaulted on a loan, you may not be approved for a federal student loan. You must maintain "satisfactory progress" in school to be approved for student loans.

What is the minimum credit score for a student loan? ›

Among our partner lenders, you'll need a credit score of at least 670 to qualify for a private student loan, although some lenders don't disclose their minimum credit score requirements. However, the higher your score, the better. Most lenders will give you better rates and terms if your score is at least 700.

What is the minimum credit score for fafsa? ›

The fact that there is no credit check or minimum credit score required for most federal student loans is just one of the many perks of federal student loans. Federal student loans are a better option over private student loans because they offer the following: The potential for student loan forgiveness.

Can you be denied student loans because of bad credit? ›

You can get a federal student loan if you have bad credit or no credit. Most federal student loans don't require a credit check.

Why do I keep getting denied for student loans? ›

Lenders may look at your employment history, credit score, debt-to-income ratio, and enrollment status at your school. One of the most common reasons why a student might not qualify for a private student loan is because they don't meet their lender's FICO® Credit Score criteria.

Does everyone get approved for Sallie Mae? ›

Sallie Mae loans are subject to credit approval, identity verification, signed loan documents, and school certification. This loan is available to students at participating schools and is not intended for students pursuing a graduate degree. Student or cosigner must meet the age of majority in their state of residence.

How many people don't pay back student loans? ›

Key findings. The average federal student loan debt held as of the third quarter of 2023 is $37,645. Black Americans hold an average (median) of $26,000 in student loan debt, while white Americans have $25,000. Fifteen percent of Americans with student loans are behind on their payments.

How many people are defaulting on student loans? ›

How Many People Are Currently in Default on Their Student Loans? By the end of 2021, roughly 3 million people were in student loan default — that's about 7% of all borrowers.

Is it a crime to not pay student loans? ›

No, you can't go to jail for not paying your student loans. So if that was a fear you had, take a deep breath—no one is coming to arrest you if you miss a payment. But like we mentioned, you can be sued over defaulted student loans. This would be a civil case—not a criminal one.

Who can answer student loan questions? ›

For Students, Parents, and Borrowers

The Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) can answer your and your students' general questions about the federal student aid programs and application process.

Which resource would have reliable information about student loans? ›

Final answer: A loan officer, school counselor, and financial aid officer would have reliable information about student loans, but a money wiring agency would not.

Who can advise on student loans? ›

Find nonprofit student loan assistance
Student loan help resourceBest for
The Institute of Student Loan AdvisorsAdvice on repayment plans, forgiveness programs and dispute resolution.
National Consumer Law CenterComprehensive information on options for student loan borrowers.
4 more rows
Jun 28, 2023

Can a financial advisor help with student loans? ›

Student loans are a complicated system, but it's important to get them right. A good financial advisor can help you manage this debt, both during and after school. More than that, they can help you set your finances up for success now and for the long term to help you achieve your larger financial goals.

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