Original research

The lowest advertised APR is rarely a useful estimate

Key finding

A starting APR shows a possible price. It does not show the rate you are likely to get. Of 22 public records about funded loans, only 1 lined up well enough with a posted rate for a limited comparison. In that case, the funded average was 15.89%. A later advertised floor was 11.90%.

By Rung Research · Snapshot September 5, 2026 · Dataset personal-loan-funded-cost@2026-09-05.collection.3

This 17-program sample is not the whole market and cannot predict your offer. CC BY 4.0 covers Rung-owned work, with third-party material excluded. This working report is public. Publisher review and third-party source clearance remain pending; no completed reviewer approval is claimed.

  • The 3.99-point gap is context, not an estimate for you.
  • The figures cover different borrowers and different dates.
  • The funded number covers one 7-year, no-fee loan type.
  • The other 21 records cannot answer the same price question.

The funded average sat 3.99 points above the later floor

This is the clearest public comparison in the sample, and it still does not show what one borrower would have paid.

Funded average APR
15.89%
Later advertised floor
11.90%
Difference
3.99 pts

The funded figure covers SoFi 7-year, no-fee personal loans made from March 15, 2025 through March 15, 2026. The advertised floor was checked later.

Most public loan data cannot show a typical APR

Public records often cover a selected loan pool, an active portfolio, or several products at once. Those figures may be useful, but they do not describe the same borrowers or loan shown on a current rate page.

Scroll across to see all columns.

What each funded-loan record can support
ProgramPeople or loans coveredComparison classPeriod endAPR reportedWhy it stops
Prosperall reported originationsB2026-03-31Not reportedThe filing does not provide a Q1 weighted-average borrower APR for all terms in this table.
Prosperterm subsetB2026-03-3124.19%The source calls this an average APR but does not state the weighting method or denominator on the consumer page.
Prosperall reported originationsB2025-12-3118.25%The long historical period spans material product and rate changes and is not a current borrower benchmark.
Oportunactive portfolioB2026-06-3035.40%This is an active portfolio stock across vintages, not a Q2 origination cohort.
Oportunall reported originationsB2026-06-30Not reportedThe filing reports an average loan size but not the loan count or weighted-average APR for the Q2 origination cohort in the same disclosure.
Upstartmixed product totalC2026-06-30Not reportedThe originations metric cannot be isolated to core unsecured personal loans from the filing table.
Happen Bankmixed product totalC2026-06-30Not reportedThe reported total is not isolated to Happen personal loans and cannot support a borrower-cost comparison.
SoFiall reported originationsB2026-06-30Not reportedAverage outstanding balance includes balance-sheet, transferred, and referred loans with continuing servicing involvement; it is not the average Q2 original loan amount.
SoFiterm subsetA2026-03-1515.89%The source calls the value an average funded APR but does not publish the denominator on the consumer page.
OneMain Financialmixed product totalC2026-06-30Not reportedThe 44% residual is not an unsecured-loan share because OneMain also accepts collateral other than titled property.
Upgradechannel subsetB2026-09-05Not reportedThe page does not provide a measurement period, loan count, or dollar denominator.
Best Eggsecuritized poolB2025-09-30Not reportedThe values describe typical Prime customers, not every Best Egg borrower or a current shelf cohort.
Avantsecuritized poolB2026-06-05Not reportedThe $200 million figure is note issuance, not origination volume.
LendingPointsecuritized poolB2026-04-30Not reportedThe public release establishes a DTC unsecured pool but does not disclose a usable borrower APR or FICO distribution.
Discoveractive portfolioB2025-12-31Not reportedThis is a period-end balance distribution, not an origination cohort.
Wells Fargomixed product totalC2026-06-30Not reportedOther consumer includes personal loans and other products; the filing does not isolate Wells Fargo Personal Loans.
U.S. Bankmixed product totalC2026-06-30Not reportedOther retail includes revolving credit and retail leases in addition to personal loans.
PNCmixed product totalC2026-06-30Not reportedOther consumer includes products beyond PNC's unsecured personal loan.
Citiactive portfolioB2026-03-31Not reportedThe filing reports a period-end portfolio balance rather than Q1 originations.
Alliant Credit Unionmixed product totalC2026-03-31Not reportedNCUA account 397 combines personal loans with other unsecured loans and lines of credit.
PenFed Credit Unionmixed product totalC2026-03-31Not reportedNCUA account 397 combines personal loans with other unsecured loans and lines of credit.
PenFed Credit Unionmixed product totalC2025-12-31Not reportedOther Consumer is not isolated to the current PenFed Personal Loan product.

A rate comparison fails when the loan, group, or time period changes

The 3.99 points cannot tell you your rate

  • The 2 figures do not cover the same borrowers.
  • The advertised floor was checked after the funded period.
  • The funded figure covers one term and a no-fee structure.
  • Your offer can be above or below the funded average.

Check the next part of your offer

Use the advertised range to shop. Use your offer to decide.

Compare your APR, fee, monthly payment, loan length, and total repayment. A public average cannot replace those numbers.

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