Compare student loans and refinancing.
Start with the type of borrowing you need. Then compare your actual offers using the questions below and explore profiles with checked provider sources.
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New borrowing for school
Review your aid package and federal loan options with your school’s financial aid office before choosing a private loan. Federal loans generally offer more flexible repayment protections. CFPB borrowing guidance ↗
Refinancing existing loans
Private refinancing replaces existing debt with a new private loan. Refinancing federal loans removes federal repayment and forgiveness protections and cannot be reversed. Federal Direct Consolidation is a separate process. CFPB refinancing guidance ↗
CFPB sources checked September 14, 2026; their review dates are May 14 and December 3, 2024. Confirm current federal program eligibility with Federal Student Aid and your servicer.
Compare the actual offer
APR and discounts
Request fixed and variable APRs separately for the same amount and term. Which discounts are included, and what happens if you stop qualifying for them?
Payments and total cost
What is due during school and after graduation? Ask when unpaid interest is added to principal, and compare total payments alongside the monthly bill.
Eligibility and amount
Does your school, degree, enrollment status and state qualify? What amount can you borrow after school certification and other aid?
Cosigner obligations
Is a cosigner required? If release is available, ask about qualifying payments, graduation, income and credit review. Get the conditions in writing.
Fees and hardship
Check origination, late and returned-payment fees. What assistance is available if you cannot pay, and how does it affect interest and cosigner release?
Who makes the loan
Is the website a lender or a marketplace? Identify the legal lender, servicer and final credit-check steps before completing an application.
A smaller monthly payment can come with a longer term and higher total cost. Use the student loan payoff calculator to explore your own inputs, then check the lender’s repayment schedule.
The profiles below are alphabetical within each borrowing category. Each identifies the provider’s role and the scope of its source check. They are not a ranking or a complete market survey; use the provider’s current application for a personal offer.
Private loans for school
Ascent Non-Cosigned Outcomes-Based Loan
Private student loan provider · Sources checked 2026-09-14
An outcomes-based option for eligible students approaching graduation without a cosigner.
Read facts and conditions →College Ave Undergraduate Student Loan
Private student loan provider · Sources checked 2026-09-14
Undergraduate borrowing with several in-school payment choices and conditional cosigner release.
Read facts and conditions →Earnest Private Student Loan
Private student loan provider · Sources checked 2026-09-14
Private education borrowing with payment options that differ for cosigned and independent applications.
Read facts and conditions →Sallie Mae Smart Option Student Loan
Private student loan lender · Sources checked 2026-09-14
Sallie Mae Bank’s undergraduate loan, with borrowing and cosigner-release conditions worth checking closely.
Read facts and conditions →Student loan refinancing
Credible Student Loan Refinance Marketplace
Student refinance marketplace · Sources checked 2026-09-14
A comparison marketplace connecting borrowers with participating refinance lenders.
Read facts and conditions →Earnest Student Loan Refinancing
Student refinance provider · Sources checked 2026-09-14
Refinancing with education requirements that distinguish a borrower’s own loans from a child’s education debt.
Read facts and conditions →KeyBank / Laurel Road Student Loan Refinancing
Student refinance lender · Sources checked 2026-09-14
The Laurel Road refinancing link now leads to KeyBank. This profile follows the current destination and its disclosures.
Read facts and conditions →SoFi Student Loan Refinancing
Student refinance provider · Sources checked 2026-09-14
Student refinancing with separate options for standard borrowing, Parent PLUS and certain professional borrowers.
Read facts and conditions →Splash Financial Student Loan Refinance
Student refinance marketplace · Sources checked 2026-09-14
A marketplace that routes student refinance applications to its lender network.
Read facts and conditions →