How we chose the best home equity loan lenders
Our team of mortgage experts follows an objective, consumer-first methodology to assess home equity loan lenders and pick the best.
We review more than 20 lenders, including major banks, credit unions, and online lenders operating across multiple states.
Each lender is evaluated across 13 weighted categories covering product terms, rates and fees, loan volume and customer experience.
Our team tracks and reassesses thousands of data points annually for reviewed lenders, ensuring up-to-date, accurate comparisons across multiple loan types.
Star rating categories
We evaluate the following categories and carefully weigh how each factor impacts your experience.
NerdWallet rates home equity loan lenders based on what matters most to borrowers: home equity loan rates and fees, how much of a lender’s eligible to borrow:$97,500
No impact to your credit score
Estimates only. Lenders set their own loan-to-value limits and may also consider income, debt and property type.
🏆 Better is NerdWallet’s Best Home Equity Loan Lender of 2026
Better is NerdWallet’s pick for best home equity loan lender in 2026. Here’s how we weighed 40 different lenders to calculate our decision.
» MORE:Read our full review of Better’s home equity loan
A guide to the best home equity loan lenders, from the Nerds who chose them
Among all lenders surveyed by NerdWallet, these lenders proved themselves to be the most flexible, affordable and transparent for home equity loan borrowers.
Here’s what makes the best home equity loan lenders stand out this month.
Better: “exactly the kind of highly shoppable features we want to see”
When we checked out Better’s home equity loan rates page, we were delighted with the lender’s unusual degree of transparency. While many lenders won’t even show you home equity rates until you apply for preapproval, Better breaks down its sample rates by ZIP code, repayment terms and points purchased right on its site. These are exactly the kind of highly shoppable features we want to see for home equity loan borrowers.
Biggest reason I put them on this Best Of list:Rate shopping
Veterans United: “some of the fastest home equity loan closing times that we’ve seen”
With an average reported time to close of just 10 to 14 days, Veterans United offers some of the fastest home equity loan closing times that we’ve seen. These loans are originated through a third party, so keep in mind that this could affect communication.
Biggest reason I put them on this Best Of list:Fast closing
CrossCountry Mortgage: “a great choice if you’re a self-employed homeowner”
We’re always looking out for readers with non-traditional income situations who aren’t always served by mainstream lenders. CrossCountry offers alternative income documentation for home equity loan borrowers, making it a great choice if you’re a self-employed homeowner. CrossCountry also earns points for making its home equity loans available to a wide range of financial profiles.
Biggest reason I put them on this Best Of list:Home equity loan accessibility
SoFi: “one of the most accessible home equity loan providers that we’ve reviewed”
SoFi ranks as one of the most accessible home equity loan providers that we’ve reviewed, making these products available to a wide range of financial profiles. If you need a lender with flexible application requirements, SoFi could be a great choice. You might also be able to close quickly — according to the lender, about half of borrowers are ready to close within seven days of submitting their completed application.
Biggest reason I put them on this Best Of list:Home equity loan accessibility
AmeriSave: “a major player in the home equity loan space”
Among other reasons, AmeriSave earns its place on this list for being a major player in the home equity loan space. Why I think you should care about this: As somebody who regularly calls lenders and talks to customer service reps, I can tell you that it’s not unusual to get passed around to different agents until you can finally talk to a <a s HELOC calculator for personalized details.
You can typically borrow between 80%-85% of the equity in your home. Some lenders allow for more. Use NerdWallet’s home equity loan calculator for personalized details.
Lenders
NerdWallet’s list of the best HELOC lenders.
See top of page.
🏠 Cash-out refinance
- Replaces your mortgage with a larger new loan.
- You get the difference between the new higher loan amount and the amount owed as a cash payment.
- Interest rates are generally higher than a standard refinance, but lower than home equity loans or HELOCs.
- Check out NerdWallet’s best lenders for a cash-out refinance.
» MORE:Full comparison of home equity loans, HELOCs and cash-out refinances
Frequently asked questions
What is a good rate for a home equity loan?
Home equity loan rates vary from day to day and from one lender to another. To make sure you’re getting a good home equity loan rate, compare offers from at least three lenders. It may seem simpler to get a home equity loan from your current mortgage lender, but that might not get you the best deal.
What credit score do you need to get a home equity loan?
You’ll need a credit score that is at least 680 to qualify for a home equity loan with most lenders on this list. A higher score will help you qualify with more lenders.
You may also need to have at least 15% home equity. This means the remaining balance on your original mortgage is no more than 85% of your home’s current value.
