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Loans Like Sunshine Loans

Get small-dollar loans quickly from lenders that are more reputable than Sunshine Loans.

Sunshine Loans may seem like a good option at first given that it offers quick access to small-dollar loans for people with poor credit. But its quick application process and fast funding come at a cost. Sunshine Loans imposes extremely high rates and fees and limited repayment terms. Additionally, it’s not accredited with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) or listed on Trustpilot. Given its lack of transparency and accountability, Sunshine Loans should only be used as a last resort.

Thankfully, many other lenders and cash advance apps have the same benefits as Sunshine Loans without the drawbacks. These other small-dollar lenders offer more competitive rates and better terms and are backed by BBB accreditation.

Our 6 top picks for loans like Sunshine Loans

  • Alternative for fast funding: Upstart
  • Alternative for flexible payment options: Upgrade
  • Alternative for good credit borrowers: Best Egg
  • Alternative for self-employed borrowers: Avant
  • Alternative for gig workers: Dave
  • Alternative for hourly employees: EarnIn

Alternative for borrowers with bad credit

Upstart personal loans

8.3 Great

Go to site Read review

Like Sunshine Loans, Upstart has a simple, online application that offers quick approvals for loans to borrowers, regardless of their credit score. Unlike Sunshine Loans, however, Upstart has a strong reputation. It's accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) with an rating and has thousands of positive Trustpilot reviews.

Upstart allows borrowers to access up to $50,000. Its underwriting process relies on artificial intelligence (AI) to factor in nontraditional data like education, grades and job offers to determine your rates and fees. Upstart won't immediately charge a late fee if you miss a payment. Instead, it offers a 15-day grace period.

However, borrowers may face an origination fee of up to 12%, which is very high for a personal loan.

Min. credit score300
APR7.80% to 35.99%
Loan amount$1,000 to $50,000
  • Not available in: Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, West Virginia

Alternative for flexible payment options

Upgrade personal loans

8 Great

Go to site Read review

Upgrade is a good alternative to Sunshine Loans for borrowers wanting flexible payment options. Like Sunshine Loans, Upgrade has no prepayment fees, but it offers much better repayment terms that range from two to seven years. Additionally, if cash is tight, Upgrade's hardship program lets you make partial payments of 30% to 50%, giving you more breathing room. Plus, you'll have a 10-day grace period before any late fees kick in.

Upgrade offers rate discounts for setting up autopay or using the loan for debt consolidation. While reviews on Trustpilot and BBB praise Upgrade's fast turnaround and customer service, watch out for potentially high origination fees and interest rates.

Min. credit score580
APR9.99% to 35.99%
Loan amount$1,000 to $50,000
  • Not available in: Colorado, Iowa, Maryland, Vermont, West Virginia

Alternative for good credit borrowers

Best Egg personal loans

8.6 Great

Go to site Read review

Best Egg has a solid reputation as one of the fastest-growing online lending platforms. It's known for its great customer service, quick application process and fast turnaround, and it has positive reviews on the BBB and Trustpilot. To qualify, however, you'll need a credit score of at least 640, and the best loans go to borrowers with credit scores of 700+.

Unlike Sunshine Loans, which has a maximum loan amount of $2,000, Best Egg offers secured and unsecured loan options for up to $50,000. You can get rate discounts for secured loans, and you can also lower your rates with Best Egg's direct payment option for debt consolidation. Be wary of origination fees, however, as you could end up with a fee as high as 9.99%.

Min. credit score640
APR7.99% to 35.99%
Loan amount$2,000 to $50,000
  • Not available in: Iowa, Vermont, West Virginia

Alternative for self-employed borrowers

Avant personal loans

6.9 Standard

Go to site Read review

Similar to Sunshine Loans, Avant doesn't have a minimum credit score requirement, but it stands out by considering multiple factors, such as income and repayment history, to determine rates and terms. Notably, Avant accepts self-employment income, which is uncommon among personal loan providers.

Avant offers interest rates starting at 9.95% and an administrative fee of up to 4.75%, which is relatively low for borrowers with bad credit. Avant is also accredited by the BBB with an A+ rating and has plenty of positive reviews on Trustpilot.

Min. credit score550
APR9.95% to 35.99%
Loan amount$2,000 to $35,000
  • Not available in: Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Virginia, West Virginia

Alternative for gig workers

Dave ExtraCash

8.5 Great

Read review

Many lenders need to see a reliable, verifiable source of income to approve loans, which can be difficult for those who are self-employed or work in the gig economy. But Dave — a cash advance provider, not a lender — offers advances up to $500 even to non-traditional workers. You'll have to pay it back out of your next deposit, however, which is a much shorter loan term than Sunshine Loans. But there are no interest charges or late fees, so you'll only repay what you borrow.

Loan amountUp to $500
Turnaround timeUp to 3 business days or instant for a fee
  • Available in all states

Alternative for hourly employees

EarnIn

9.5 Excellent

Go to site Read review

EarnIn is a paycheck advance app rather than a lender like Sunshine Loans, but it won't check your credit or charge interest or late fees. In fact, EarnIn offers completely free advances up to $750 that you'll repay once your next paycheck drops. You'll only pay a small fee if you don't want to wait one to three days for free delivery of your funds. But you may have to submit timesheets or otherwise prove your hours worked.

Loan amountUp to $750
Turnaround time1 to 3 business days or within minutes for a fee starting at $2.99 per transfer
  • Not available in: Connecticut

How does Sunshine Loans compare?

Compared to our list, Sunshine Loans falls short in many areas. It comes with high interest rates and limited repayment terms, and it is not accredited with the BBB or on Trustpilot. With few online reviews, it’s difficult to know how legitimate this service is and what the customer experience is like.

There are plenty of other reputable lenders that offer small-dollar loans even if you have poor or fair credit. Lenders on this list have better repayment terms, offer broader loan range amounts and are generally safer options.

Here are the main pros and cons of Sunshine Loans.

Pros

  • Available to borrowers with bad credit
  • Easy, online application process
  • Limited requirements for eligibility
  • Offers in as little as 24 hours
  • No need for collateral
  • Phone support available

Cons

  • High interest rates and fees
  • Limited repayment terms
  • No BBB accreditation
  • Limited online reviews available
  • Not available in all 50 states
  • Low maximum loan amount
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To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Megan B. Shepherd as part of our fact-checking process.
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Sarah Barness is the Head of Content at O.school and freelance writer at Finder, keeping up with the latest products in the industry to present readers with unbiased reviews and guides. She has over eight years of digital media industry experience in fast-paced newsrooms in New York City and Los Angeles. Before Finder, Sarah was ranked as a top-viewed HuffPost editor and writer. She was also a lifestyle senior editor for A Plus, a digital media publication founded by Ashton Kutcher. Sarah holds an MFA in creative nonfiction from The New School, as well as a certificate in editing from Poynter ACES. See full bio

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Sarah has written 23 Finder guides across topics including:
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