At NerdWallet, our mission is to provide clarity for all of life's financial decisions. We do this through our a huge variety of personal finance tools and content - on topics ranging from credit building, to choosing a bank account, to getting started with investing - and through our membership experience, which empowers people to keep track of all of their financial information in one place.
When you sign up for a free NerdWallet account, you'll be able to view your TransUnion VantageScore, link your bank accounts to track your spending, see your upcoming bills so you can keep an eye on your cash flow, and keep track of your net worth. You can access your account with us by logging in from a mobile or desktop browser, or by downloading the NerdWallet app.
See our NerdWallet App Features for more details about what a NerdWallet account offers.
Finding and comparing financial products
Beyond tracking your finances, NerdWallet also acts as a matching platform that helps you find and compare financial products — including personal loans, credit cards, mortgages, and more.
Pre-qualifying for a personal loan
If you're considering a personal loan, NerdWallet's pre-qualification tool lets you see potential loan offers without affecting your credit score. Here's how it works:
You share some basic information about yourself and the loan amount you need.
NerdWallet performs a soft credit inquiry — this does not impact your credit score.
Your credit profile is matched against offers from NerdWallet's lender network.
You see personalized loan offers with estimated rates and terms you may qualify for.
If you decide to move forward, you can apply directly with the lender of your choice.
To get started, visit NerdWallet's personal loans page to view and compare pre-qualified offers.
What to expect after you submit
Once you submit your information, two things happen:
You'll see a list of matched loan offers from lenders in NerdWallet's network. These are offers you may qualify for — not guaranteed approvals.
Lenders whose offers you view may contact you by phone, email, or text. This outreach comes from the lenders directly, not from NerdWallet. If you'd like to reduce contact from lenders, you can opt out of prescreened offers at optoutprescreen.com.
Pre-qualification is not a loan approval. A matched offer means a lender is willing to consider your application — not that you are guaranteed to receive the loan. Final approval depends on a full application review by the lender, which typically includes a hard credit inquiry.
For a full walkthrough of the pre-qualification process — including eligibility, what lenders look at, and next steps after you receive offers — see our dedicated personal loan pre-qualification article.