Student Loans review · Updated October 2026

Earnest Review (2026)

Student loans with borrower-friendly features.

Reviewed by our editorial team · How we rank · Advertising disclosure

The short version

Built-in flexibility if your income changes. On our student loan comparison, it's labeled Best for flexible payments.

Key facts

Terms5–15 years
Cosigner release–
FeesNo late or origination fees

What stands out

  • No late fees or origination fees
  • Skip one payment every 12 months
  • 9-month grace period

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Payment skip option
  • No late fees

Cons

  • Minimum credit score of 650

How Earnest compares

Side-by-side comparison

SoFi
Earnest
College Ave
Trustpilot rating
4.3
Trustpilot · 13,930 reviews
4.6
Trustpilot · 8,515 reviews
4.5
Trustpilot · 3,822 reviews
Terms5–20 years5–15 years5–20 years
Cosigner releaseAfter 12 months–After half the term
FeesNone requiredNo late or origination feesLate fees only
Visit siteVisit siteVisit site

Head-to-head comparisons

Alternatives to consider

What to check before you sign up

Whichever student loan provider you choose, compare these points:

  • Fixed or variable rate. Fixed rates stay the same. Variable rates may start lower but can rise over the life of the loan.
  • Repayment length. Shorter terms cost less in total interest. Longer terms lower the monthly payment.
  • Cosigner release. Some lenders release a cosigner after a run of on-time payments. Check the exact requirement.
  • Deferment and forbearance. Private lenders vary widely in how they help if you lose income. Read this before you sign.

See student loan providers that serve your ZIP code.

Compare Student Loans

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