Updated September 30, 2026 · BorrowCue Editorial Team
Upgrade vs Vivus
Upgrade vs Vivus: the differences
| Compare |  Upgrade |  Vivus |
|---|---|---|
| APR | 7.74% to 35.99%Lower | 44.5% |
| Loan amount | $1,000 to $50,000 | €50 to €10,000 |
| Term | 24 to 84 monthsHigher | 3 to 60 months |
| Arrangement fee | 1.85%-9.99% one-time origination fee, deducted from loan proceeds | 0 EUR (credit line disbursement fee) |
| Credit check | Soft prequal | Hard |
| Funding time | Within 1 business day of clearing verifications | Within 5 minutes of approval; same day if the bank is in the instant payment system and the request is before 16:00 on a working day, otherwise next working day |
| Representative example | $10,000 unsecured personal loan, 36-month term, 17.59% APR including 13.94% yearly interest rate and 5% one-time origination fee; $9,500 received, $341.48 monthly payment, $12,293.46 total | Borrowing 300 EUR for 3 months: interest payment 18.87 EUR, loan rate 37.37%, APR (GPL) 44.50%, total repayable 318.87 EUR |
| Eligibility | Be a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident, or living in the U.S. on a valid visa; be at least 18 years old (or older where the majority age is higher); provide verifiable bank account information and a valid email address | Permanent residents of the Republic of Latvia aged 18-75 with a Latvian personal code, no overdue payments or debts, sufficient regular income, plus a valid mobile number, email and bank account. |
| Origination fee (%) | 1.85% to 9.99% | 0%Lower |
| Loan types | Personal, Debt consolidation, Secured, Car | Personal, Payday, Car |
| Credit needed | Not confirmed | Good |
Same on both: Rate type (Fixed), Lender type (Direct lender), Free early repayment (Yes), Use cases (Home improvement).
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
- Upgrade scores higher overall: 9.2 vs 9.0.
- APR is lower at Upgrade: 7.74% to 35.99% vs 44.5%.
- Origination fee (%) is lower at Vivus: 0% vs 1.85% to 9.99%.
- Term is higher at Upgrade: 24 to 84 months vs 3 to 60 months.
- Support channels: only Vivus offers Chat.
- Loan types: only Upgrade offers Debt consolidation, Secured.
- Loan types: only Vivus offers Payday.
Our verdict on each
Upgrade
Upgrade lends directly through Upgrade, Inc. and suits US borrowers who want a fixed rate personal loan, debt consolidation or car finance with fast payout. Amounts run $1,000 to $50,000 over terms of 24 to 84 at a fixed rate, so the monthly figure is set at the start.
Vivus
Vivus suits Latvian residents with a good credit file who need money for a home improvement quickly. It is a fast, fixed rate lender with free early repayment, but the headline rate of 44.5% is the price tag that puts it behind cheaper lenders.
Score breakdown
| Area | Upgrade | Vivus |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.0 | 9.0APR of 44.5% sits far above the site median of 12%, though the credit line disbursement fee is 0 EUR (credit line disbursement fee). |
| Offer | 9.3HigherAmounts of $1,000 to $50,000 over terms of 24 to 84 at a fixed rate, fee taken from the payout. | 8.9 |
| Trust | 9.2Higher | 9.1 |
From lowest to highest
| Fact | Upgrade | Vivus |
|---|---|---|
| Term | 24 to 84 months | 3 to 60 months |
How they place
| Ranking | Upgrade | Vivus |
|---|---|---|
| Personal loans | 91 of 1932 | 24 of 1932 |
| Lines of credit | 15 of 328 | 2 of 328 |
| Car loans | 22 of 431 | 8 of 431 |
| Home improvement loans | 40 of 562 | 11 of 562 |
Pick Upgrade if, pick Vivus if
Pick Upgrade if offer, apr, and term matter most.
Pick Vivus if origination fee (%) matter most.
Licences and countries
| Country | Upgrade | Vivus |
|---|---|---|
| Latvia | Not confirmed | |
| United States | Not confirmed |
Additional countries for Upgrade: 1. Additional countries for Vivus: 1.
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Upgrade | Vivus |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Fixed rate | Fixed rate |
| Features | Same day funding, Credit line | Same day funding, Credit line |
| Legal entity | Upgrade, Inc. | SIA "Credit Solutions" (reg. 40103982111) |
| Headquarters | United States | Latvia |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2008 |
| Support channels | Email, Phone, Help centre | Chat, Phone, Email, Help centreCovers more |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Upgrade | Vivus | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| APR | 7.74% to 35.99%below the median | 44.5%highest quarter | 8.99 |
| Term | 24 to 84 monthsabove the median | 3 to 60 monthsat the median | 60 |
| Origination fee (%) | 1.85% to 9.99%above the median | 0%below the median | 0.25 |
Median across 1005 listed lenders.
Pros and cons
Upgrade
Pros
- Borrowing is priced at a fixed rate, so the monthly payment holds for the life of the loan
- Amounts of $1,000 to $50,000 cover consolidation, car and home improvement plans as listed in personal, debt consolidation and secured
- Free early repayment lets you clear the balance ahead of schedule without a charge
Cons
- The arrangement fee of 1.85% to 9.99% is deducted from the payout, so a loan can arrive smaller than the amount approved
- The top of 7.74% to 35.99% is well above the site median of 12%, so a thin credit file lands at the expensive end
- Eligibility is limited to US citizens, permanent residents or people in the US on a valid visa who can provide verifiable bank details
Vivus
Pros
- Free early repayment, so a borrower who finishes ahead of schedule is not penalised for it
- Repayments are fixed under fixed on a fixed rate basis, so the monthly figure holds for the whole term
- A revolving credit line sits under same day funding and credit line and its percentage fee is 0%, so drawing and repaying the line adds nothing extra
Cons
- The annual percentage rate of 44.5% sits well above the 12% median across the site and well above 10% to 23% at Monzo Flex
- A hard credit check with a good credit requirement narrows who gets an offer, and eligibility also rules out anyone with overdue payments or debts
- The products listed are personal, payday and car, so there is no stated route for consolidating other debts into one payment
Who each suits
Upgrade
Who it suits
- US residents who want a fixed rate held across the whole term, as fixed shows
- Borrowers consolidating several balances into a single monthly payment
- Car buyers and home improvement planners, the two uses named in home improvement and personal, debt consolidation and secured
Who should look elsewhere
- Borrowers outside the US, since US is where the lender is based and licences are US only
- Anyone wanting a firm rate before a full application, given soft prequal is a soft prequal step
- People who want a fee paid after the fact, because the arrangement fee is taken from the amount borrowed
Vivus
Who it suits
- Latvian residents with a steady income and a good credit file who need a modest sum quickly and can clear it early
- Borrowers funding a home improvement who want one fixed repayment and a revolving line to draw on as costs build up
- Readers who value a direct lender relationship and phone support more than the lowest headline rate
Who should look elsewhere
- Not for anyone shopping on rate alone, since Monzo Flex quotes 10% to 23% against the 44.5% on this lender
- Not for a like for like price comparison with Cashspace, where PHP 12 to PHP 36 is quoted in another currency
- Not for applicants with a thin credit record, because a hard check and a good requirement set a firm bar
Current offers
Vivus
Current offer
Bonus
Cancelled fee for expedited disbursement: 0 EUR (fee for accelerated payout cancelled/waived)
Shown site-wide next to the client profile login; disbursement fee for the credit line is 0 EUR
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Upgrade | Vivus |
|---|---|---|
| Latvia | No | Yes |
| United States | Yes | No |
Questions about each
Upgrade
What rate will I pay on an Upgrade personal loan?+
Pricing runs across 7.74% to 35.99% and is set at a fixed rate, so the monthly amount does not move once the loan starts. The top of that range is well above the site median of 12%, so your credit profile decides where you land.
Is there a fee for taking out an Upgrade loan?+
Yes, an arrangement fee of 1.85% to 9.99% applies to the loan. It is taken from the loan proceeds rather than added to your opening payment, which means the amount that reaches your account is smaller than the amount approved.
Vivus
What rate do I pay on a Vivus loan?+
The headline annual percentage rate is 44.5%, and the representative example published for the lender quotes the same figure alongside the interest payment and the total repayable on a short loan. The rate is fixed under fixed, so the figure is set for the whole term rather than adjusted as market rates move.
Are there arrangement or disbursement fees?+
The credit line disbursement fee is 0 EUR (credit line disbursement fee) and the matching percentage fee is 0%, so the line itself carries nothing extra to open or draw. What costs money is the interest, and the representative example sets out a loan rate and an annual percentage rate of 44.5% next to the total repayable.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
- Vivus vs Oney Préstamos ES
- Upgrade vs Sofkredit
- Vivus vs Quick Car Finance
- Vivus vs Prestamiau ES
- Vivus vs Fidea
- Upgrade vs Multitude Bank p.l.c
- Upgrade vs Qonto ES
- Upgrade vs Fiesta Credito MX
- Vivus vs Fiesta Credito
- Upgrade vs Lendela
- Upgrade vs Creditio
- Upgrade vs BriteCap Financial
- Upgrade vs Kredivo
- Upgrade vs Moneyveo UA
- Upgrade vs TF Bank
- Upgrade vs Consumers Credit Union