Good to excellent credit
American Express
- Credit profile
- Excellent
- APR range
- 6.99% – 19.99%
- Loan amount
- $3,500 – $40,000
Personal finance / GA
Personal loans, banking, insurance, and debt help in Georgia
Georgians take out personal loans mainly to consolidate credit card debt, cover car repairs or medical bills, finance home improvements, or pay for weddings and moves, with most loans unsecured.
31lenders in the dataset
GAstate guide
$1,466/yraverage homeowners premium in dataset
51jurisdictions in the dataset
01 / Personal loans
Personal loans in Georgia
Georgians take out personal loans mainly to consolidate credit card debt, cover car repairs or medical bills, finance home improvements, or pay for weddings and moves, with most loans unsecured.
Interest-rate law
Georgia runs two rate regimes split at $3,000, with the smallest loans priced most aggressively. Loans of $3,000 or less fall under the Georgia Installment Loan Act (about 5% per month / 60% APR plus fees). Loans over $3,000 fall under Georgia's general usury framework: 16% if the rate isn't specified in writing, or up to about 5% per month (60% annualized) if it is and the loan qualifies.
| Loan range | Rate | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| $3,000 or less | About 5% per month (60% APR) plus allowable flat fees | Georgia Installment Loan Act |
| Over $3,000 | 16% if rate not specified in writing; up to ~5%/month (60% annualized) if specified in writing and loan qualifies | General usury framework |
Lender complaints: Georgia Department of Banking and Finance
02 / Lender directory
Lenders by credit profile
Good to excellent credit
Axos Bank
- Credit profile
- Excellent
- APR range
- 11.79% – 20.84%
- Loan amount
- $7,000 – $50,000
Good to excellent credit
Citi
- Credit profile
- Good - Excellent
- APR range
- 9.99% – 17.49%
- Loan amount
- $2,000 – $30,000
Good to excellent credit
Discover
- Credit profile
- Good - Excellent
- APR range
- 6.99% – 24.99%
- Loan amount
- $2,500 – $40,000
Good to excellent credit
Fifth Third Bank
- Credit profile
- Not specified
- APR range
- 8.69% – 21.74%
- Loan amount
- $2,000 – $50,000
Good to excellent credit
LightStream
- Credit profile
- Good - Excellent
- APR range
- 6.74% – 25.39%
- Loan amount
- $5,000 – $100,000
Good to excellent credit
PNC Bank
- Credit profile
- Not specified
- APR range
- 7.89% – 24.99%
- Loan amount
- $1,000 – $35,000
Good to excellent credit
PenFed
- Credit profile
- Good
- APR range
- 7.99% – 17.99%
- Loan amount
- $500 – $50,000
Good to excellent credit
Prosper
- Credit profile
- Good
- APR range
- 8.99% – 35.99%
- Loan amount
- $2,000 – $50,000
Good to excellent credit
Rocket Loans
- Credit profile
- Good
- APR range
- 8.01% – 29.99%
- Loan amount
- $2,000 – $45,000
Good to excellent credit
SoFi
- Credit profile
- Good - Excellent
- APR range
- 8.74% – 35.99%
- Loan amount
- $5,000 – $100,000
Good to excellent credit
Truist
- Credit profile
- Good - Excellent
- APR range
- 6.74% – 25.39%
- Loan amount
- $3,500 – $100,000
Good to excellent credit
USAA
- Credit profile
- Good - Excellent
- APR range
- 9.89% – 18.51%
- Loan amount
- $2,500 – $100,000
Good to excellent credit
Wells Fargo
- Credit profile
- Good - Excellent
- APR range
- 6.74% – 25.99%
- Loan amount
- $3,000 – $100,000
Fair credit
60MonthLoans
- Credit profile
- Fair
- APR range
- 25% – 36%
- Loan amount
- $2,600 – $10,000
Fair credit
Achieve
- Credit profile
- Fair
- APR range
- 6.25% – 35.99%
- Loan amount
- $5,000 – $50,000
Fair credit
Avant
- Credit profile
- Poor to Good
- APR range
- 9.95% – 35.99%
- Loan amount
- $2,000 – $35,000
Fair credit
Best Egg
- Credit profile
- Fair
- APR range
- 6.99% – 35.99%
- Loan amount
- $2,000 – $50,000
Fair credit
Happen Bank (formerly LendingClub)
- Credit profile
- Fair
- APR range
- 7.04% – 35.99%
- Loan amount
- $1,000 – $60,000
Fair credit
LendingPoint
- Credit profile
- Fair
- APR range
- 7.99% – 35.99%
- Loan amount
- $1,000 – $36,500
Fair credit
Navy Federal Credit Union
- Credit profile
- Fair - Excellent
- APR range
- 8.74% – 18%
- Loan amount
- $250 – $50,000
Fair credit
Oportun
- Credit profile
- Fair
- APR range
- N/A – 35.95%
- Loan amount
- $300 – $10,000
Fair credit
Upgrade
- Credit profile
- Fair
- APR range
- 7.74% – 35.99%
- Loan amount
- $1,000 – $50,000
Fair credit
Upstart
- Credit profile
- Fair
- APR range
- 6.20% – 35.99%
- Loan amount
- $1,000 – $75,000
Poor or limited credit
Mariner Finance
- Credit profile
- Poor
- APR range
- 15.49% – 35.99%
- Loan amount
- $1,000 – $25,000
Poor or limited credit
NetCredit
- Credit profile
- Poor
- APR range
- 34% – 99.99%
- Loan amount
- $1,000 – $10,000
Poor or limited credit
OneMain Financial
- Credit profile
- Poor
- APR range
- 18% – 35.99%
- Loan amount
- $1,500 – $20,000
Poor or limited credit
Personify Financial
- Credit profile
- Poor
- APR range
- 36% – 179.50%
- Loan amount
- $500 – $15,000
Poor or limited credit
Rise
- Credit profile
- Poor
- APR range
- 99% – 199%
- Loan amount
- $500 – $5,000
Poor or limited credit
Security Finance
- Credit profile
- Not specified
- APR range
- N/A – 124.48%
- Loan amount
- $477 – $2,500
Poor or limited credit
World Finance
- Credit profile
- Poor
- APR range
- N/A – 99%
- Loan amount
- $450 – $12,000
03 / Debt consolidation
Debt consolidation
Because Georgia's Installment Loan Act allows effective rates as high as roughly 60% on loans under $3,000, a small debt consolidation loan can cost more than the credit card debt it replaces; larger consolidation loans over $3,000 generally see better pricing under the general usury framework.
04 / Banking and credit unions
Banking in Georgia
National banks offer scale and convenience, while regional and Georgia-based banks compete on relationship banking and faster local decisions.
Banks listed
- TruistHeadquartered in Charlotte, NC, formed from the 2019 BB&T/SunTrust merger; SunTrust itself traced to Atlanta.
- Wells FargoNational bank.
- Bank of AmericaNational bank.
- ChaseNational bank.
- Regions BankHeadquartered in Birmingham, AL, with a large Georgia branch presence.
- SynovusHeadquartered in Columbus, GA.
- Ameris BankHeadquartered in Atlanta, GA.
Credit unions
Georgia's credit unions are member-owned, not-for-profit institutions offering lower rates and fees than banks, unusually concentrated around a single dominant institution.
Georgia credit unions posted median membership growth of about -0.2% year over year (Q4 2025 NCUA data), compared to a national median of about -0.5%, alongside solid median loan growth (about 2.1%).
Delta Community Credit Union, founded in 1940 by eight Delta Air Lines employees who pooled $45 in capital, has grown into Georgia's largest credit union by a wide margin. The last new credit union to receive a Georgia state charter did so in 1997; growth since has come through existing credit unions expanding field of membership or mergers rather than new formation, reinforced by explosive population growth around metro Atlanta.
Federally insured credit union deposits are protected up to $250,000 through the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund.
Credit unions listed
05 / Debt settlement
Debt settlement
Legal, with unusually specific fee rules. Governed by the Georgia Debt Adjustment Act (O.C.G.A. § 18-5-1 et seq.) and enforced by the Georgia Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division. Fees are capped at more than 7.5% of the amount actually paid each month for distribution to creditors, though a reasonable NSF fee is allowed. Attorneys and certain incidental activity are exempt from licensing.
Companies listed in the dataset
06 / Insurance
Georgia insurance
Regulator
Georgia Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner
Insurance regulator websiteAuto insurance
25/50/25
Georgia requires liability insurance with minimum limits of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury liability, plus $25,000 for property damage liability.
Homeowners and renters
$1,466/yr
- State requirement
- No
- National homeowners average
- $1,337/yr
- Renters average
- $205/yr
Georgia carries real exposure to severe thunderstorms, hail, and tornadoes, along with the tail end of Gulf and Atlantic hurricanes bringing wind and flooding well inland.
07 / Questions
Georgia FAQs
How do I file a complaint against a lender in Georgia?
Contact the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance, which licenses and supervises installment lenders and consumer finance companies operating in Georgia.
How do I file a complaint against my insurance company in Georgia?
File with the Georgia Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner.
What's the maximum interest rate a lender can legally charge on a personal loan in Georgia?
Loans of $3,000 or less fall under the Georgia Installment Loan Act (about 5%/month, 60% APR, plus fees). Loans over $3,000 fall under the general usury framework: 16% if not specified in writing, or up to about 5%/month (60% annualized) if specified in writing.
What credit score do I need for a personal loan in Georgia?
It depends on the lender. Banks and credit unions typically want a FICO score of 700+, online FinTech lenders work with fair credit (low-to-mid 600s), and some lenders serve poor or limited credit at significantly higher APRs.
Are payday loans legal in Georgia, and are there caps on fees or loan amounts?
No. Payday loans are illegal in Georgia; the Georgia Industrial Loan Act of 1955 and Georgia Payday Lending Act of 2004 made violations criminal, with fines up to $5,000 per violation and up to a year in jail. A licensed installment lender can still make loans under $3,000 under the Installment Loan Act.
How long can a debt collector legally pursue an unpaid debt in Georgia before the statute of limitations runs out?
Written contracts have a 6-year statute of limitations (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-24); oral contracts and open accounts have a 4-year window (§ 9-3-26). A payment or written acknowledgment can restart the clock.
What's the difference between a debt consolidation loan and debt settlement for someone living in Georgia?
A debt consolidation loan pays creditors in full with new borrowed money at a lower rate; credit recovers quickly. Debt settlement negotiates a reduced payoff but damages credit and may create taxable forgiven income. Georgia caps debt settlement fees at 7.5% of what you actually pay toward creditors each month, a real consumer protection.
