A lower credit score changes the offer you'll see, not whether you can get one. Here's what "bad credit loan" actually means, and how to approach it carefully.
There's no single official loan product called a "bad credit loan" — it's a general term for a personal loan offered to someone with a limited, thin, or damaged credit history. Structurally, it works the same as any other personal loan: you borrow a fixed amount and repay it on a set schedule. What differs is the pricing and the underwriting — lenders weigh your credit history more heavily when it's the main uncertainty they're pricing around.
Our full breakdown, Personal Loans with Bad Credit: What to Expect, goes deeper into the numbers and the specific documentation lenders tend to ask for.
Borrowers with bad credit are, unfortunately, the most common target for predatory lending tactics — because limited options and urgency make people less likely to shop around. Watch closely for guaranteed-approval promises, requests to pay a fee before funding, and pressure to decide immediately. Our full guide to spotting a bad loan offer covers this in detail and applies here more than almost anywhere else.
LendingGates is not a lender, and all credit types are welcome to submit a request. Lenders and lending partners in our network evaluate more than a credit score, and your request is reviewed based on each lender's own criteria — with no guarantee of a match, and no fee to you either way.