Our take in 10 seconds
At 600 you are approvable nearly everywhere and priced well nearly nowhere. Personal loans are the most honest product at this score: lenders that read income and employment (Upstart is the one that pays us; Upgrade and Avant are the closest non-partners) approve routinely in the 600s, while banks mostly say no. Mortgages mean FHA, not conventional. Auto loans approve at subprime rates. The single best move at 600 is not a product at all: it is getting to 620, which usually takes one paid-down card and a few clean months.
Where you stand
What 600 means on the ladder
Exceptional800–850
800–850
You're in the lower half of fair. The band runs 580 to 669, and 600 is early in it, which matters because the lines lenders actually draw are 620 (conventional mortgages, many bank personal-loan floors) and 640 (most bank HELOCs). At 600 you clear the 580 FHA floor comfortably and miss the next two by twenty and forty points. That gap is the whole story of this score.
The real menu
Before you accept an Upstart offer
Getting approved and getting funded are two different steps, and most people who lose the loan lose it in between. Three things that decide it:
- Ask for what your score supports. Under a 660 score, $5,000 to $15,000 gets approved far more often than $25,000 and up. A smaller request usually means a real offer instead of a decline.
- Accept and verify the same day. Offers expire. Have a recent pay stub or bank statement ready to upload, and answer the verification email or call quickly.
- The origination fee comes out of the deposit. It runs 0% to 12%. A $10,000 loan with an 8% fee puts $9,200 in your account, so size the request with the fee in mind.
See the full Upstart application walkthrough, screen by screen →
If a loan isn't the right move yetTwo paths that don't depend on getting approved: build payment history with Kikoff (about $5 a month, no hard credit check), or if you're carrying $7,500 or more in unsecured debt, a free consultation can walk through settlement and management plans.
Build Credit with Kikoff →Kikoff pays us if you sign up through our link. Kikoff is not a loan, card, credit line, or cash.
Carrying $7,500+ in credit card debt?A free consultation walks through settlement, management plans and what each does to your credit.
Get a Free Debt Consultation →Paid partner link · First Advantage is not a lender or debt settlement company; it connects consumers with third-party debt relief providers. Results vary.
What 600 gets you, honestly
| Product | At 600, honestly |
|---|
| Mortgages | FHA (3.5% down) is the realistic route; conventional needs 620. Lender overlays above 600 are common, so shop more than one FHA lender. |
| Home equity | Banks are mostly closed below 640. Flexible-lender home equity loans start around 620, and home equity investments (no monthly payment) go lower; see our HELOC alternatives. |
| Personal loans | The best product at this score. Model-driven lenders approve in the 600s on income and employment; expect APRs in the high 20s to mid 30s and an origination fee. Banks and credit unions mostly want 640+. |
| Auto loans | Subprime tier, approvals are routine but rates run high teens. A marketplace that pulls several offers beats the dealer's single quote; see car loans at 600. |
| Credit cards | Unsecured cards with fees and low limits, or a secured card with no fee. At 600 the secured card is usually the smarter tool because its whole job is the 20 points you need. |
The 600 trap: taking the first approval because approval felt like the hard part. At 600 a 34% personal loan or a 19% car loan will approve; both are twenty points from repricing. If the need can wait sixty days, the cheapest loan at 600 is the one you take at 620.
The run to 620
Twenty points, sixty days
From 600, the next twenty points are usually mechanical. Utilization is the lever that moves fastest: a card at 80% of its limit paid to 20% can be worth more than twenty points at the next statement. A recent late payment is the other common anchor, and it fades on its own. If old collections are still reporting, verify and dispute anything inaccurate. And if you are carrying card balances you cannot pay down, run the payoff math on consolidating them: it drops utilization overnight, which is the one honest shortcut that exists.
Need the loan now, not in sixty days?Upstart approves in the 600s on income and employment, not just the number. Soft-pull rate check, two minutes, no impact to your score.
Check My Rate at Upstart →Paid partner link · WiseIQ earns a commission if you apply. Soft-pull rate check; your score is not affected by checking.
Who gets paid on this page
Upstart — if you check your rate and take a loan through our linkpays us a commission
myAutoloan — if you apply for an auto loan through our linkpays us a commission
Every other company discussedpays us $0
Questions
FAQ
Is 600 a good credit score?
No. It's fair, in FICO's 580 to 669 band, and roughly 110 points below the national average of 713. It is high enough to be approved for most products and low enough to pay the most for them.
Can I buy a house with a 600 credit score?
Through FHA, yes: the program floor is 580 for 3.5% down. Conventional loans start at 620, so at 600 you are FHA-only, and some FHA lenders set their own minimum above 600. Getting to 620 opens conventional; getting to 640 opens better pricing on both.
Can I get a personal loan with a 600 credit score?
Yes, and it is the product most likely to approve you at this score. Online lenders that weigh income, employment and education approve fair-credit files routinely; expect an APR in the high 20s to mid 30s plus an origination fee, and a soft-pull rate check that does not affect your score. Banks and most credit unions want 640 or higher.
How much does going from 600 to 620 save?
More than any other twenty points on the scale, because 620 is a hard cutoff rather than a pricing step: conventional mortgages, many bank loan floors and some auto tiers open at exactly 620. Twenty points at 600 changes which doors exist; the same twenty points at 700 changes only the price.
Why is my score stuck at 600?
Usually one of three anchors: utilization parked above 30%, a late payment inside the last 24 months, or a thin file with one or two accounts. The fix matches the anchor: pay balances down, let the late age, or add one small tradeline you pay on time every month.