Many or all of the companies featured compensate us. Compensation and research may determine where and how companies appear. Learn more

5 Best Student Loan Refinance of 2025

Compare the best student loan refinance lenders.
Last Updated: May 30, 2025
91% of visitors
selected this partner
91% of visitors  selected this partner
Our #1 Choice
Our Partner
91% of visitors
selected this partner
91% of visitors  selected this partner
GET MY RATE

🥇Our #1 Pick to Pay Less Every Month

  • Lowest APR - Rates from 3.88% APR - 12.37% APR1
  • Compare free personalized rates from multiple lenders in 2 minutes
  • Get $200 if you can find a better rate2
  • No origination or prepayment fees
  • Checking rates won’t impact your credit score

View All Credible Rates 🎓

#2
Our Partner

SoFi

  • Rates starting at 4.49% APR3
  • Get pre-approved in 2 minutes
#3
Our Partner

Citizens Bank

  • Rates starting at 5.80% APR
  • Refinancing is also available for borrowers without degrees
#4
Our Partner

LendKey

  • Rates starting at 4.68% APR
  • Get pre-approved quotes from credit unions and small banks
#5
Our Partner

Earnest

  • Rates starting at 4.35% APR5
  • Skip 1 payment per year without penalties

91% of visitors
selected this partner
91% of visitors  selected this partner
Our #1 Choice
Our Partner
91% of visitors
selected this partner
91% of visitors  selected this partner
GET MY RATE

🥇Our #1 Pick to Pay Less Every Month

  • Lowest APR - Rates from 3.88% APR - 12.37% APR1
  • Compare free personalized rates from multiple lenders in 2 minutes
  • Get $200 if you can find a better rate2
  • No origination or prepayment fees
  • Checking rates won’t impact your credit score

View All Credible Rates 🎓


Credible Student Loan Refinance

 

Credible Student Loan Refinancing Review:

Founded in 2012, Credible is a free, multi-lender marketplace that connects student and parent borrowers with leading student loan refinancing options. It helps borrowers find lower rates, especially if their credit has improved or they previously took out loans at higher rates. Partner lenders also offer consolidation of federal and private loans, potentially lowering interest rates. Checking rates won’t affect your credit score, and the entire process—from comparison to application—can be done online with the lender.

Rates and Terms:

The platform partners with leading lenders offering both fixed and variable rates. Loan terms range from 5 to 20 years, with rates as low as 3.88% APR for qualified borrowers, including autopay discounts.

Eligibility:

Eligibility depends on the chosen lender, typically requiring good credit, stable income, and a completed degree. Some lenders accept co-signers to help improve approval odds.

Key Features:

Credible’s standout features include a user-friendly interface, personalized rate comparisons in under 2 minutes, and a rate-match guarantee. However, it’s worth noting that federal loan borrowers lose benefits like income-driven repayment plans if they refinance.

Who It’s Best For:

Credible is best for borrowers with strong credit or co-signers seeking competitive rates and a hassle-free comparison process. While it doesn’t refinance loans directly, its partnerships with reputable lenders make it a solid choice for saving time and money.

Ads by Money. We may be compensated if you click this ad.AdAds by Money disclaimer
Compare student loan refinancing rates from up to 10 lenders without affecting your credit score for free!

SoFi Student Loan Refinance

 

SoFi Student Loan Refinancing Review:

SoFi is a leading online lender offering student loan refinancing with competitive rates and exclusive member benefits. Known for its streamlined process and financial perks, SoFi caters to borrowers seeking flexibility and support beyond refinancing.

Rates and Terms:

SoFi provides fixed and variable interest rates starting as low as 4.49% APR with autopay. Loan terms range from 5 to 20 years, allowing borrowers to tailor repayment plans to their needs.

Eligibility:

Applicants need a solid credit history, stable income, and an associate degree or higher. Co-signers can improve approval chances.

Key Features:

SoFi stands out with no fees for applications, origination, or prepayment. Members gain access to financial planning and community events. However, refinancing federal loans forfeits benefits like income-driven repayment plans.

Who It’s Best For:

SoFi is ideal for borrowers with strong financial profiles looking for competitive rates and added perks. Its comprehensive benefits make it especially appealing for those seeking more than just lower interest rates. SoFi’s intuitive platform and top-notch customer support further enhance the refinancing experience, making it a great choice for borrowers prioritizing ease, value, and long-term support.

Ads by Money. We may be compensated if you click this ad.AdAds by Money disclaimer
Refi now and get competitive rates & no fees. Check your rates in two minutes with no impact to your credit score†

LendKey Student Loan Refinance

Best for Educational Resources

LendKey is a New York-based online student loan marketplace that helps consumers connect with over 300 lenders and compare refinancing options. 

For those new to refinancing, LendKey has a plethora of educational resources on the subject. From a refinance guide to a walk-through informational video, prospective customers can easily navigate to a topic they're interested in and make a better-informed decision.


Guides, loan calculators, and more on LendKey’s Resource Center

We found the blog posts in their Resource Center to be helpful and informative. Their “Ultimate Guide to Student Loan Refinancing,” for example, contains vibrant visuals with statistics, frequently asked questions, and a flowchart quiz to help readers determine whether refinancing is right for them.

Payment Flexibility

In addition to its helpful resources, LendKey offers borrowers a unique repayment option for their loan term: interest-only payments.

Unlike most lenders who only offer term flexibility, LendKey allows borrowers to pay off loan interest for the first four years. This makes repayment over the remaining loan term easier, as interest no longer accumulates.

LendKey recently added COVID-19 forebearance information on its website. Borrowers may be able to take advantage of up to 18 months forbearance on their loans. Forbearance will vary by lender.

Room for Improvement

While looking through hundreds of consumer reviews, we noticed that the majority of customer complaints against the company involved billing issues and difficulty making payments.

We advise consumers to speak with a Lendkey representative for more information about their repayment options and payment methods.


Earnest Student Loan Refinance

 

Earnest Student Loan Refinancing Review:

Earnest offers student loan refinancing with customizable repayment options and competitive rates, making it a top choice for borrowers seeking flexibility. Earnest is known for its user-friendly platform and innovative tools to help borrowers manage their loans effectively.

Rates and Terms:

Earnest provides fixed and variable interest rates starting as low as 4.35% APR with autopay. Borrowers can choose loan terms ranging from 5 to 20 years, with the option to customize monthly payments based on their budget.

Eligibility:

Applicants must have a strong credit history, stable income, and a bachelor’s degree or higher. Earnest does not allow co-signers but offers merit-based lending for financially responsible borrowers.

Key Features:

Earnest features a seamless online application process, no fees for origination or prepayment, and the ability to skip one payment per year. However, refinancing federal loans forfeits access to federal benefits and protections.

Who It’s Best For:

Earnest is ideal for borrowers with strong financial profiles who value flexible repayment options and innovative tools. It’s a great choice for those seeking a personalized refinancing experience tailored to their financial goals.

Ads by Money. We may be compensated if you click this ad.AdAds by Money disclaimer
Earnest works hard to give you low rates to help you pay off your debt faster.

Advertiser Disclosures:

 

 

1Credible: Student Loan Refinancing Rate and Terms Disclosure: The lenders on the Credible.com platform offer fixed rates ranging from 3.85% - 12.35% APR. Variable interest rates offered by the lenders on Credible.com range from 3.85% - 12.35% APR. Variable rates will fluctuate over the term of the borrower's loan with changes in the Index rate. The Index will be either LIBOR, SOFR, or the Prime Rate of interest as published in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). The maximum variable rate on the Education Refinance Loan is the greater of 21.00% or Prime Rate plus 9.00%. Rates are subject to change at any time without notice. Your actual rate may be different from the rates advertised and/or shown above and will be based on factors such as the term of your loan, your financial history (including your cosigner’s (if any) financial history) and the degree you are in the process of achieving or have achieved. While not always the case, lower rates typically require creditworthy applicants with creditworthy co-signers, graduate degrees, and shorter repayment terms (terms vary by lender and can range from 5-20 years) and include loyalty and Automatic Payment discounts, where applicable. Loyalty and Automatic Payment discount requirements as well as Lender terms and conditions will vary by lender and therefore, reading each lender’s disclosures is important. Additionally, lenders may have loan minimum and maximum requirements, degree requirements, educational institution requirements, citizenship and residency requirements as well as other lender-specific requirements.

Requesting prequalified rates on Credible is free and doesn't affect your credit score. However, applying for or closing a loan will involve a hard credit pull that impacts your credit score and closing a loan will result in costs to you.

Prequalified rates are based on the information you provide and a soft credit inquiry. Receiving prequalified rates does not guarantee that the Lender will extend you an offer of credit. You are not yet approved for a loan or a specific rate. All credit decisions, including loan approval, if any, are determined by Lenders, in their sole discretion. Rates and terms are subject to change without notice. Rates from Lenders may differ from prequalified rates due to factors which may include, but are not limited to: (i) changes in your personal credit circumstances; (ii) additional information in your hard credit pull and/or additional information you provide (or are unable to provide) to the Lender during the underwriting process; and/or (iii) changes in APRs (e.g., an increase in the rate index between the time of prequalification and the time of application or loan closing. (Or, if the loan option is a variable rate loan, then the interest rate index used to set the APR is subject to increases or decreases at any time). Lenders reserve the right to change or withdraw the prequalified rates at any time.

2SoFi: Fixed rates range from 4.49% APR to 9.99% APR with 0.25% autopay discount and 0.125% SoFi Plus discount. Variable rates range from 5.99% APR to 9.99% APR with 0.25% autopay discount and 0.125% SoFi Plus discount. Unless required to be lower to comply with applicable law, Variable Interest rates will never exceed 13.95% (the maximum rate for these loans). SoFi rate ranges are current as of 11/30/24 and are subject to change at any time. Your actual rate will be within the range of rates listed above and will depend on the term you select, evaluation of your creditworthiness, income, presence of a co-signer and a variety of other factors.

Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. For the SoFi variable-rate product, the variable interest rate for a given month is derived by adding a margin to the 30-day average SOFR index, published two business days preceding such calendar month, rounded up to the nearest one hundredth of one percent

(0.01% or 0.0001). APRs for variable-rate loans may increase after origination if the SOFR index increases. You may pay more interest over the life of the loan if you refinance with an extended term.

Autopay Discount: The SoFi 0.25% autopay interest rate reduction requires you to agree to make monthly principal and interest payments by an automatic monthly deduction from a savings or checking account. This benefit will be removed during periods in which you do not pay by automatic deduction from a savings or checking account. The benefit lowers your interest rate but does not change the amount of your monthly payment. This benefit is suspended during periods of deferment and forbearance. Autopay is not required to receive a loan from SoFi.

SoFi Plus Discount: To be eligible to receive an additional (0.125%) interest rate reduction on your Student Loan Refinancing (your "Loan") for enrolling in SoFi Plus, you must enroll in SoFi Plus within 30 days of Loan funding, either by receiving an Eligible Direct Deposit to your SoFi Checking and Savings account, or by paying the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee. Once eligible, you will receive this discount during periods in which you have received Eligible Direct Deposit to your SoFi Checking and Savings Account, or during periods in which SoFi successfully receives payment of the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee. This discount lowers your interest rate but does not change the amount of your regular monthly payment. This discount will be removed during periods in which SoFi determines you have turned off Eligible Direct Deposit to your Checking and Savings account or in which you have not paid the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee. SoFi reserves the right to change or terminate this interest rate reduction offer for unenrolled participants at any time without notice. You are not required to enroll in Eligible Direct Deposit or to pay the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee to be eligible for Loan approval. See what qualifies as an Eligible Direct Deposit here: www.sofi.com/terms-of-use/#slr-discount.

4Earnest: Actual rate and available repayment terms will vary based on your income. Fixed rates range from 4.64% APR to 9.99% APR (excludes 0.25% Auto Pay discount). Variable rates range from 6.14% APR to 9.99% APR (excludes 0.25% Auto Pay discount). Earnest variable interest rate student loan refinance loans are based on a publicly available index, the 30-day Average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The variable rate is based on the rate published on the 25th day, or the next business day, of the preceding calendar month, rounded to the nearest hundredth of a percent. The rate will not increase more than once per month. The maximum rate for your loan is 8.95% if your loan term is 10 years or less. For loan terms of more than 10 years to 15 years, the interest rate will never exceed 9.95%. For loan terms over 15 years, the interest rate will never exceed 11.95%. Please note, we are not able to offer variable rate loans in AK, IL, MN, NH, OH, TN, and TX. Our lowest rates are only available for our most credit qualified borrowers and contain our .25% auto pay discount from a checking or savings account.