LendKey Student Loans vs SoFi Student Loans

LendKey is a good option for customer service. How does it compare to SoFi? Read our comparison chart below.

LendKey connects borrowers with a network of community banks and credit unions to get the best rates. Lendkey's lenders offer both private student loans and refinancing & consolidation services. Many lenders offer the option to make interest-only payments during the first four years. Each lender has its own minimum loan and salary requirement.

While SoFi is one of the largest student loan refinancing providers. It refinances both federal and private loans, as well as Parent PLUS loans. It offers loan terms from 5 to 20 years. One unique benefit is that SoFi offers complimentary career coaching to borrowers out of work. Minimum $5,000 in loans to be eligible.

Compare LendKey with SoFi, side-by-side. Read on for an in-depth look, including ratings, reviews, pros and cons.

	LendKey Student Loans	SoFi Student Loans

	Learn More	Learn More
	SPECIAL OFFER Refinance Student Loans - Learn More Read LendKey Review	SPECIAL OFFER Refinance Student Loans - Learn More Read SoFi Review
	Benefits and Features
Variable APR	2.51% to 7.51% (with AutoPay)	5.74% - 9.99% APR (with AutoPay)
Fixed APR	3.49% to 7.54% (with AutoPay)	4.99% - 9.99% APR (with AutoPay)
Minimum Amount	$7,500	$5,000 (may be higher depending on state)
Maximum Amount	$300,000	No maximum
Loan Term	5 to 20 years	5 to 20 years
State Residency	Most states except: ME, ND, NV, RI, and WV	All states eligible
Degree Requirements	Bachelor's or higher	Associates or higher
Income Requirements	$24,000	None
Employment Requirements	Must be employed	Must be employed or have an offer to start within 90 days
Interest Only Payments	Yes for the first 4 years	No
Origination Fees	None	None
Prepayment Penalty	None	None
Can Use a Cosigner	Yes	Yes
Can Release a Cosigner	Yes	No
Auto-Pay Interest Rate Reduction	Yes	Yes
Soft Credit Check	Yes	Yes
Unemployment Protection	Yes	Yes
	CreditDonkey® Reviews

Loan Term
Customer Service
Ease of Use
Interest Rates
Payment Flexibility
Pros & Cons	Pros: Offer interest rate reduction beyond auto-debit reduction Excellent customer service Return policy within 30 days you can return your loan Cons: Cumbersome application process Lack of transparency regarding loan documents	Pros: Keep federal grace period Refinance Parent Plus loans Cons: Must have great credit score
Bottom Line	Good option for customer service... Read full review	Good option if you have a great credit score... Read full review
	Learn More	Learn More
	Refinance Student Loans	Refinance Student Loans
		Terms Apply. SoFi Disclaimers
LendKey: Pricing information from published website as of 11/15/2018 SoFi: Pricing information from published website as of 5/9/2023

Refinance Student Loans

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Which is Better: LendKey or SoFi?

Still need help deciding which student loans is better? Read the in-depth reviews below. You may also be interested in comparing LendKey or Earnest.

In short: SoFi's ease of use is impressive.