Updated September 28, 2026 · BorrowCue Editorial Team
BadCreditLoans.com vs LendKey
Where BadCreditLoans.com and LendKey differ
| Compare | BadCreditLoans.com ReviewVisitVisit |  LendKey |
|---|---|---|
| APR | 19.9% | 2.09% to 15.54%Lower |
| Loan amount | $500 to $10,000 | from $1,000 |
| Term | 3 to 72 months | 60 to 180 monthsHigher |
| Arrangement fee | $0 USD | 0 USD |
| Funding time | As fast as the next business day | Funds sent directly to the school after certification, generally under 30 days |
| Eligibility | U.S. residents; not available in all states; some network lenders offer loans to borrowers with all types of credit | Enrolled at least half-time in a degree-granting program at an eligible school; U.S. citizen or permanent resident; at least the age of majority; credit-based so a cosigner may be needed |
| Loan types | Personal, Business, Student, Car | Student, Debt consolidation |
| Credit needed | Poor | Fair |
| Representative example | Sample cash loan: $2,000 for 12 months at 19.9% representative APR, $183.63 monthly repayment, $2,203.56 total repayment | Not confirmed |
| Rate type | Not confirmed | Fixed |
| Free early repayment | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Origination fee (%) | Not confirmed | 0% |
| Use cases | Not confirmed | Home improvement |
Same on both: Credit check (Hard), Lender type (Marketplace).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- LendKey scores higher overall: 9.0 vs 8.4.
- APR is lower at LendKey: 2.09% to 15.54% vs 19.9%.
- Term is higher at LendKey: 60 to 180 months vs 3 to 72 months.
- Support channels: only LendKey offers Help centre.
- Loan types: only BadCreditLoans.com offers Personal, Business, Car.
- Loan types: only LendKey offers Debt consolidation.
Our verdict on each
BadCreditLoans.com
BadCreditLoans.com is a US matching service aimed at borrowers with poor credit who need a small loan quickly, at 19.9% and an origination fee of $0 USD. It suits applicants a prime lender would turn down, and suits them less well where a cheaper rate matters more than the speed of funding.
LendKey
LendKey is a US private student loan marketplace for students and families covering a gap in study costs, and it suits borrowers whose own credit can carry a fixed rate. Offers are priced at 2.09% to 15.54% with terms of 60 to 180 months, and rates stay fixed for the life of the loan.
Score breakdown
| Area | BadCreditLoans.com | LendKey |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.5Cost is the weak point: 19.9% on a personal loan, and terms reach 3 to 72. | 9.5HigherRates of 2.09% to 15.54% on fixed rate lending, with an origination fee of 0 USD and a percentage charge of 0%. |
| Offer | 8.6 | 9.4Higher |
| Trust | 8.1 | 8.4Higher |
Feature by feature
| Loan types | BadCreditLoans.com | LendKey |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | Yes | No |
| Debt consolidation | No | Yes |
| Car | Yes | No |
| Business | Yes | No |
| Student | Yes | Yes |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | BadCreditLoans.com | LendKey |
|---|---|---|
| Loans for bad credit | 76 of 275 | 54 of 275 |
| Private student loans | 13 of 167 | 9 of 167 |
What we checked
BadCreditLoans.com
- badcreditloans.com: 15 facts, checked September 26, 2026
LendKey
- lendkey.com: 19 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | BadCreditLoans.com | LendKey |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Not confirmed | Fixed rate |
| Features | Credit line | Not confirmed |
| Legal entity | Great LLC | LendKey Technologies, Inc. |
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2009 |
| Support channels | Email, Phone | Phone, Email, Help centreCovers more |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | BadCreditLoans.com | LendKey | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| APR | 19.9%highest quarter | 2.09% to 15.54%lowest quarter | 8.99% |
| Loan amount | $500 to $10,000below the median | from $1,000lowest quarter | $35,000 |
| Term | 3 to 72 monthsabove the median | 60 to 180 monthshighest quarter | 60 |
| Origination fee (%) | Not confirmed | 0%below the median | 0.25% |
Median across 1005 listed lenders.
Pros and cons
BadCreditLoans.com
Pros
- An origination fee of $0 USD, so nothing is taken for setting the loan up.
- Speed: As fast as the next business day.
- Built for the poor credit band (poor), with some lenders in the network lending to any type of credit.
Cons
- A hard credit check sits behind every application (hard), so a rejection can be recorded on the file.
- Support runs on email and phone only, with no live chat or help centre listed.
- The rate of 19.9% is steep next to Monzo Flex, where rates run 10% to 23%.
LendKey
Pros
- A marketplace model puts partner lenders in competition for a single application.
- Both origination charges are 0 USD and 0%, so nothing is added upfront.
- Early repayment is free, so the balance can be cleared sooner than the term allows.
Cons
- A hard credit search runs at application, and a decline can leave a mark on the file.
- The minimum loan is from $1,000 and the term runs 60 to 180 months, so smaller needs still mean a long repayment stretch.
- Pricing is fixed rate only, so there is no variable-rate option for a cheaper start.
Who each suits
BadCreditLoans.com
Who it suits
- US residents with poor credit who need a small amount quickly and can live with 19.9%.
- Borrowers after a car, student or business loan as well as a personal one, since personal, business and student are all in the mix.
- Anyone who wants a fee-free arrangement, with an origination fee of $0 USD.
Who should look elsewhere
- Monzo Flex, for borrowers whose credit file carries them into a cheaper band, since rates there run 10% to 23%.
- Cashspace ES, for anyone who would rather pay 0% than 19.9%.
- Cashspace, for readers outside the US, since this service is limited to US residents.
LendKey
Who it suits
- Students at eligible schools who can support a fixed rate with their own credit or a cosigner's.
- Parents and relatives acting as a cosigner when a student's own file is thin.
- Borrowers folding student debt into one balance, since student and debt consolidation covers consolidation.
Who should look elsewhere
- Not for euro borrowers: Creduma ES sets a floor of from €12,000, a separate currency and market.
- Not for Spanish borrowers: Sofkredit prices at 10.74% to 18.06% and lends outside the US system.
Current offers
LendKey
Current offer
Discount code
0.25% autopay interest rate reduction on private student loans: 0.25% APR reduction
Enrol in automatic monthly payments from a checking or savings account with the lender; the reduction is removed and the rate raised by 0.25% on cancellation or failed collection
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | BadCreditLoans.com | LendKey |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Yes | Yes |
Questions about each
BadCreditLoans.com
What rate do borrowers pay?+
The headline rate is 19.9%, and this is a matching service rather than one lender, so the rate offered depends on which network lender approves. Terms run 3 to 72 and loan sizes run $500 to $10,000.
Is there an origination fee to pay?+
There is no origination fee: $0 USD is charged for setting the loan up or for passing an application to a network lender. A hard credit check (hard) is the cost of looking instead, and a declined application can still be recorded by the lender that ran it.
LendKey
What rate will I pay on a LendKey private student loan?+
Prices depend on your own credit, though published offers run at 2.09% to 15.54%. The rate type is fixed, so once a partner lender takes your application the figure holds across the term of 60 to 180 months rather than resetting as market rates move.
What fees are charged for taking out the loan?+
The origination fee is 0 USD and the percentage origination charge is 0%, so arranging the loan adds little. The cost to plan around is the interest on the balance you keep, which runs across a term of 60 to 180 months.
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