DebtBlue Review August 2026

DebtBlue: Top Features

An established company

The company was incorporated on July 6, 2004. The DebtBlue brand is newer. BBB opened its file in August 2019, and Corey Butcher has served as CEO since inception. DebtBlue markets more than 20 years of experience, which tracks to the 2004 incorporation rather than to the brand. It’s headquartered in Richardson, Texas.

Program length

DebtBlue reports a typical program of about 32 months, and says its typical client finishes a month or two early. Its own disclaimer gives a wider window of 24 to 48 months, which matches the industry norm.  

No minimum balance requirement

There's no hard minimum. DebtBlue accepts some clients with less than $10,000. It recommends the program at about $10,000 or more, because smaller balances may produce only small savings. 

Refund policy

DebtBlue states that if none of your enrolled credit card debt is reduced, it receives no compensation.

Accreditation

DebtBlue holds a BBB A+ rating, accredited since August 14, 2023.  It's an IAPDA Platinum Accredited Service Center and belongs to the Association for Consumer Debt Relief. It also carries ISO 9001:2015 certification for quality management, which is uncommon in this industry. 

Is DebtBlue legit?

DebtBlue is a legitimate, accredited debt settlement company. Whether its program fits your situation is a separate question.

DebtBlue's credentials support that: a BBB A+ rating, IAPDA Platinum status, and membership in the Association for Consumer Debt Relief.  

The regulatory record is clean too. We found no enforcement action or consent order against DebtBlue from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Trade Commission, or a state attorney general.

Three legal requirements apply to every for-profit debt settlement company, and DebtBlue states them. No fee can be collected until an agreement is negotiated, you approve it, and a payment has been made under its terms. Your deposits sit in a dedicated account you own, and you can close it at any time. 

DebtBlue makes no guarantee about how much your debt could drop. This is a green flag because only scams and disreputable companies would guarantee savings.

DebtBlue pros and cons

Here's the trade-off, limited to what sets DebtBlue apart from other debt settlement companies.

How much does DebtBlue cost?

DebtBlue's fee runs up to 25% of your enrolled debt, a figure set in its enrollment agreement.   Pay attention to what that percentage applies to. DebtBlue calculates the fee on the amount you enroll.

Two other costs are worth noting. The bank running your dedicated account charges less than $10 a month, and DebtBlue offers an optional legal plan that costs $39.95 a month. DebtBlue publishes no setup fee for the dedicated account. Usually, setup fees are around $10.

Here's how that math could look on $25,000 of enrolled debt. These are estimates, not quotes, and your own numbers could differ.

DebtBlue advertises "approximate savings of 50% before fees, or 30% including our fees." Between the fee and possible taxes on the forgiven amount, your real savings could be less than you hoped for.

What DebtBlue doesn’t advertise is that you can save significantly by negotiating debt with creditors directly. In DIY debt settlement, you negotiate agreements with creditors and avoid paying 15–25% program fees on enrolled debt.

Important considerations when choosing DebtBlue

What follows is true of debt settlement generally, whichever company you choose. Under the Federal Trade Commission's Telemarketing Sales Rule, none of them can collect a fee before results, and none can promise your creditor will accept a settlement offer; creditors may not agree to settle.  For how settlement compares with other approaches, start with our overview of debt relief options.

Credit score damage

Debt settlement can have a big impact on your credit score, especially if you’ve a history of making timely payments. Payment history is the single largest input to a FICO Score at about 35%, which is why missing payments during a settlement program drives the drop.  Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, a settled account stays on your credit report for about seven years. That clock starts at your first missed payment.  Our guide to debt settlement and your credit has more.

Taxes on forgiven debt

Your forgiven balance could be taxable as income. Insolvency is the main exclusion, and if you’ve enrolled in a debt settlement program, you may be insolvent. In plain terms, you're insolvent when your debts outweigh what you own, and you claim the exclusion on IRS Form 982.  Tax can eat into settlement savings, so price it in from the start. Details are in our guide to taxes on forgiven debt.

Lawsuit risk

Enrollment doesn't shield you from a lawsuit. Creditor calls, letters, and lawsuits can continue through your program.  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau warns that working with a debt settlement company may lead a creditor to file a collection lawsuit.  DebtBlue says fewer than 1% of enrolled accounts run into aggressive legal action, and it sells an optional legal plan for $39.95 a month. That figure is DebtBlue's own.  Our guide on getting sued by a creditor covers what to do if you're served.

DebtBlue customer service and satisfaction

Customer sentiment is strong on both platforms Bills.com tracks.

BBB logged 71 complaints across three years, 17 of them closed in the past 12 months, weighted toward billing issues and product issues.  Recurring themes include fees outpacing early debt reduction, communication problems that complainants tie to DebtBlue taking on CuraDebt (another company) accounts, and programs running longer than clients expected.

Expectations-management seems to be a recurring issue. DebtBlue's fee is based on enrolled debt, and this is likely to total thousands of dollars in a successful settlement resolution. The cost can feel steep early even when it matches the agreement you signed. Customers have also been unpleasantly surprised by monthly payments changing mid-program and negotiations with a creditor falling through.

Where is DebtBlue available?

DebtBlue says its program covers 40 or more states.  Its most recent published service map marks 10 states as not yet available: Oregon, Wyoming, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Hawaii. That leaves 40 states served, Alaska among them. 

How do I contact DebtBlue?

New customers call 800-787-0095. Customer service for new clients is open weekdays 8:00am to 8:00pm and Saturday 9:00am to 2:00pm CST. 

For email, use hello@debtblue.com for general questions. Or, fill out a digital form through the DebtBlue website.

Offices are at 1125 E. Campbell Road, Suite 200, Richardson, TX 75081, and 60 E. Rio Salado Parkway, Suite 900, Tempe, AZ 85281. 

DebtBlue recent milestones

DebtBlue publishes two figures on its own site. More than 17,000 clients have finished the program, and it settles about $14 million in debt a month.