SoFi is a surprising competitor to the more popular student loan lenders, despite many downsides

Our Verdict

SoFi is a worthy choice for many borrowers with no hidden fees and generous repayment plans, but may not be for students who want to borrow less than $5,000 or who may anticipate needing to postpone payments for personal reasons.

Generous repayment plans
Absolutely no fees
Beneficial perks like career coaching and networking events

Against

Minimum $5,000 loan
Other private lenders likely have better rates
Relatively stringent credit requirement
Forbearance and deferment options are unclear
No co-signer release option

Top Ten Reviews Verdict

SoFi Student Loans: What you need to know

SoFi is an online personal finance company that provides several types of loans, including personal loans, mortgages, student loans, and student loan refinancing. SoFi – short for Social Finance – is also a significant online resource of tools to help people manage their money better, such as learn content and calculators. SoFi was established in 2011, and has served over 250,000 customers since.

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SoFi Student Loans: Common questions

Discounts: Loans are a eligible for a 0.25% interest rate discount if you sign up for automatic payments. Existing SoFi members (borrower or co-signer) can get an additional 0.125% interest rate reduction on student loans.

Repayment options: Deferred (no payments until 6 months after leaving school), interest only (interest payments while in school), partial ($25 fixed monthly payment while in school), and immediate (principal and interest payments while in school)

Deferment or forbearance hardship options: Some, like payday loans Chandler SoFi’s “unemployment protection”. Deferment available if you go back to school. Loan payment deferment available for active servicemembers. Other than these benefits, SoFi’s forbearance or deferment policy is murky and is considered on a case-by-case basis.

SoFi, which is short for “Social Finance,” is a personal finance company that provides a range of services. Essentially, the company’s website has tools to help people manage their wealth and debt, creating a community of customers who benefit form using SoFi’s services. Such tools include a vast repository of learning content, calculators, and accounts that can help you budget, for example.

Although SoFi is not a bank, it provides financing options like student loans, mortgages, personal loans, and student loan refinancing. In reviewing SoFi’s student loans, we found that SoFi’s message is somewhat unclear: the company has extensive resources detailing a borrower’s options and courses of action, but the advice does not necessarily apply to SoFi. For example, there are pieces about how to apply for a co-signer release, when this option doesn’t actually exist for a SoFi student loan borrower. Therefore, whether intentional or not, we’ve found the messaging to be both somewhat conflicting and, in some cases, duplicitous.

In a nutshell, SoFi’s student loan interest rates aren’t terrible, but they also aren’t the best. At any given time, you’re likely to find lower rates with another lender, whether you’re looking at variable or fixed rates. However, those lenders may not be the right fit for you and your needs, and in that case, SoFi’s relatively average rates are a good deal.

Yes. One of SoFi’s first products was student loan refinancing, which was introduced in 2013, just two years after the company’s founding. SoFi claims that if borrowers refinance with them, borrowers can ultimately save thousands of dollars. However, this is more likely to be true for borrowers who initially opted for high-interest loans. As usual, assessing whether or not you will save money on interest must be evaluated on a case-to-case basis.