Achieve Personal Loans Review (Formerly FreedomPlus) November 2026 Review

Achieve Personal Loans, a lender based in Tempe, Arizona, used to be called FreedomPlus. It has offered personal loans since 2013, and Cross River Bank originates each one. 

You might be weighing Achieve because card balances keep growing and you want one fixed payment. Achieve's loans are designed for that kind of goal. Its biggest perk is a set of rate discounts, and one of them rewards you for letting Achieve pay your creditors directly.

Achieve offers fixed-rate loans of $5,000 to $50,000 with terms of two to five years. APRs run up to 35.99%, starting at 6.25%. With fair credit, your rate could land near the top of that range. The biggest cost risk is the fee. Every loan carries an origination fee of up to 9.99%. Compare other types of loans to make sure personal loans are the best option before you apply.

Achieve personal loan top features

Three rate discounts: You may get a lower rate if you add a co-borrower with sufficient income, show proof of retirement savings or use at least 85% of the loan to pay off debt directly.  Achieve says members have cut their rates by up to 4% this way. 

Direct pay to creditors: For a debt consolidation loan, Achieve can send the money straight to your credit card issuers.  That step also earns a discount.

Discount rules: You apply first, then Achieve shows any discounts in your offer. If your offer already has Achieve's bottom rate, you can't use a discount to lower the rate any further. 

Retirement savings count: A 401(k), IRA, Roth IRA or Thrift Savings Plan can help you get the retirement discount. 

A dedicated loan specialist: One specialist helps you pick a loan and apply, and stays with you through funding. 

Fixed rates and payments: Your rate won't change, so your payment stays the same for the whole loan. 

Joint loans: You can apply with a co-borrower, and Achieve offers a discount when that person has enough income to help repay the debt. 

Soft-pull prequalification: You can check offers with a soft inquiry before you apply. 

Fast funding: Once approved, funds could arrive in one to three days. 

Online account: After funding, you can track your loan and payments in Achieve's Member Dashboard. 

Weekend phone help: Loan consultants take calls seven days a week. 

Mid-market pricing: Achieve's top APR is 35.99%.  Its required fee and wide rate range put Achieve in the middle of the market, not at the low-cost end.

Where Achieve can improve

The fee is the main drawback, since Achieve charges an origination fee of 1.99% to 9.99% on every loan.  The fee is included in your APR. 

Achieve's own example shows the cost of a four-year, $20,000 loan with an 8.99% fee, which comes to $1,798. At a 15.49% interest rate, the payment is $561.60 a month. The APR is 20.77%, and the total cost comes to $26,966.26. 

The lowest advertised APR is hard to get. It's only for borrowers with the strongest credit who borrow less than $12,000 for two years. Discounts can't push your rate below the lowest end of Achieve’s standard pricing. 

Achieve also doesn't post its late fee or income minimum. Loan sizes and terms are fairly narrow, too, and there's no live chat, so help comes by phone, email, or an online message form. You can't borrow less than $5,000, and the longest term is five years. 

Achieve personal loan requirements

Achieve considers more than your credit score. It weighs your debt, your income and loan purpose. 

Credit score and income requirements

You need a credit score of 560 or higher to be eligible, and the minimum rises to 660 for a loan of $35,000 or more. So if your score is from 560 to 659, you can borrow up to $34,999. Achieve may use more than one credit scoring model to check your score. That means the score you track at home might not match the one Achieve uses. Meeting the minimum doesn't guarantee approval. 

Achieve asks for proof of income and your work status, and it doesn't publish a minimum income. The application requires your yearly income and homeownership status. 

Co-signer and joint options

Achieve accepts joint loans with a co-borrower. The application lets you add a joint applicant, which Achieve says could help you get approved and may lower your rate. For the co-borrower discount to apply, the second borrower’s income must strengthen your application. Achieve's pages don't mention co-signers. A personal loan with a co-signer differs from a joint loan.

How to apply for an Achieve loan

You can apply online or by phone. Here's how it works:

1. Prequalify: Share the amount you want, what it's for, your income and your homeownership status. You'll also add your state and contact details. It takes about two minutes. 
2. Compare offers: A loan specialist helps you choose a loan. You can also finish the process by email if you'd rather not talk on the phone. 
3. Apply: Achieve runs a hard credit check at this step. Submit proof of income, your Social Security number, proof of identity and your work status. 
4. Get funds: Once your loan is approved and finalized, Achieve sends the money to your bank account. 

You can pick a payment date that suits your budget. You manage the loan through Achieve's online Member Dashboard. If you want to pay it off early, you won't owe a penalty. Ask your loan specialist about the late fee before you sign, since Achieve doesn't post it online. 

How applying affects your credit

Prequalifying with Achieve generates a soft credit check. A soft inquiry doesn't affect your credit score and lets you compare personal loans first. When you formally apply, Achieve runs a hard inquiry. A hard inquiry can lower your score by a few points temporarily. Paying off high-interest cards with the loan and then paying on time could help offset that dip.  

Loan approval and funding from Achieve

Achieve could give you a decision the same day you apply. 

Your offer includes an origination fee of 1.99% to 9.99%, built into your APR. Your rate is fixed, so it doesn’t change over the life of your loan. 

Funding timeline

After approval, Achieve sends funds in 24 to 72 hours. That's one to three days, and Achieve calls these times estimates, so plan for some wiggle room. How long it takes to get a personal loan varies significantly among lenders.

Achieve: customer service and satisfaction

You can reach Achieve by phone at 1-800-920-0045. Loan consultants work these hours, Arizona time: 

• Weekdays: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Weekends: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

You can also send a message through the contact page or use your Member Dashboard. Your loan consultant can also answer questions about your account or options. Achieve doesn't list live chat. If you're still applying, the application page shows a separate number, (833) 435-2021. 

Achieve's licensing and track record

Is Achieve legit? Achieve Personal Loans is a licensed business, and Cross River Bank, Delaware Branch originates its loans. It lists its licenses on its website. Loans aren't offered everywhere, and terms and fees vary by location. Achieve's roots go back to 2002, and its personal loans were sold as FreedomPlus loans until 2022. Its parent company also runs a debt settlement business and makes home equity loans. 

Achieve and its affiliates have served more than 2 million total members, including over 450,000 personal loan members, and funded more than $14 billion in loans. 

A search of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) enforcement records found no actions against Achieve Personal Loans in the past five years. 

What customers say

Achieve holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Its BBB customer reviews average 4.17 out of 5 stars from 331 reviews. The BBB profile covers Achieve's headquarters and its Tempe office, and it lists Achieve Personal Loans as an alternate name. 

On Trustpilot, Achieve has a 4.7 TrustScore from 13,026 reviews, with 1,098 posted in the last 12 months. In Trustpilot's rating breakdown, 90% of reviews give five stars, and 2% give one star. Achieve has replied to every negative review. That profile covers all of Achieve's services, not only its loans.

When an Achieve personal loan might be the best choice

Achieve could be a good fit if:

• You're consolidating card debt: You can let Achieve pay your creditors and earn a discount. 
• You have a co-borrower: A second borrower with steady income may help you get a lower rate. 
• You have retirement savings: Proof of a 401(k) or IRA may earn you a discount. 
• You want a live person to help: A loan specialist stays with you through funding. 

Look elsewhere if you need a small loan, since Achieve's minimum is $5,000. The same goes if you want no origination fee or need more than five years to repay.