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Splash Financial Review

Refinance your student loan the fee-free way

Reviews 978
Splash Financial
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Splash Financial
Excellent
Reviews 978
Bestmoney Staff
Oct. 04, 2023
7 min read
BestMoney Staff
Splash Financial Summary
Founded in 2013, Splash Financial is an online multi-lender marketplace and a solid choice to refinance your student loans. Through Splash Financial, there are no origination, application, or prepayment fees, and term lengths range from five to 20 years2. They offer fixed and variable APRs, generally between 4.96% and 10.99%1. However, generally, you need a minimum credit score of 650+ and an annual income of at least $36,000.

Pros

  • Competitive APRs
  • No prepayment, application, or origination fees
  • Flexible term lengths
  • Easy rate check process without effect on your credit score
  • 24/7 customer support via live chat

Cons

  • Need to join a credit union to be eligible for a loan
  • Requires prior completion of an accredited degree
  • Refinancing may result in loss of federal loan benefits

Splash Financial at a glance

9.2
Editorial score

Online experience

Has learning resources, access to rates, mobile app
10.0

Customer services and support

Award winning
10.0

Repayment flexibility

Offers multiple repayment plans- but no special repayment programs
8.0

Eligibility

Loans available to all credit types, income levels, and students
10.0

Variety of Loan Types

Offers most student loan types
8.0

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Breakdown of Splash Financial's Score

  • Online experience: Splash Financial's application process is seamless and intuitive, making for an excellent online experience. You can even go over their loan options and see what suits you best before committing.
  • Repayment flexibility: Splash Financial’s lenders offer relatively flexible term lengths, from five to 20 years2, with reasonable APRs from 4.96% to 10.99%1. They provide additional flexible repayment plans for medical and dental school loans, from as low as $100 per month during residency4.
  • Eligibility: To be eligible for a loan through Splash Financial, you need to be a US citizen or a permanent resident with a credit score of at least 650 and a debt-to-income ratio of 50% or lower. This is more or less typical for student loans, but some lenders may also require you to join a credit union.
  • Customer services and support: Splash Financial has top-tier customer support, available 24/7 via live chat. You can also contact them via phone or email during business hours. 
  • Loan types covered: In addition to traditional student loans, Splash Financial’s platform also offers personal loans, in-school loans, and medical school loan refinancing. 

Our Methodology

At BestMoney, we understand the potential challenges students face when paying for their education, and we want to help them make informed financial decisions. Our experts evaluate student loan companies based on a variety of factors, like interest rates, repayment options, customer service, and eligibility requirements. 

We thoroughly research each company and analyze their policies and practices to ensure they meet our high standards for transparency and fairness. Last, our experts use Trustpilot, an unbiased third-party review site, to source information on customer experience.

How Splash Financial Works

Loan Features

You can use student loans through Splash Financial to cover all or part of your educational costs, including school fees and housing. Expect the following specific features:

  • Loan amounts: $5,000 to $500,000
  • Length of loan term: Five to 20 years2
  • Funding time: Up to two weeks after approval

Loan Perks & Benefits

Splash Financial offers a wide range of perks and benefits for borrowers, including:

  • Fee-free loans: No origination, application, or processing fees for student loan refinance.
  • Refer-a-Friend Program: You get a referral bonus of $10 to $20 for each friend who pre-qualifies for a loan and $300 for every friend who successfully refinances their student loan.
  • Autopay discount: If you set up automatic payments for your loan, your interest rate decreases by 0.25% for participating lenders.

Repayment Terms

Splash Financial’s lenders let you refinance your student loan over a period of five to 20 years2. They offer fixed and variable APRs, ranging from 4.96% to 10.99%1, depending on your selected term length, loan amount, and credit score. They provide extra flexible repayment plans for medical and dental school loans, from as low as $100 per month in repayments during residency4, and specific lenders may offer grace periods.

While there are no hidden fees at Splash Financial, there have been a couple of complaints that their APR was slightly higher than initially offered. However, this was the case in less than 2% of online reviews. Your actual rate will depend on a variety of factors, including the term of the loan, a responsible financial history, income, and other factors like the verification of information submitted on your application. 

Eligibility Requirements

In addition to being a US citizen or Permanent Resident, you'll typically need to meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • You must join a credit union for loans where the credit union is the lender.
  • You must be a graduate of a four-year degree program from a Title IV accredited institution or a professional with an associate degree.
  • You must have a credit score of 650 or higher.
  • You must have a debt-to-income ratio of 50% or lower.
  • You must have an annual income of at least $36,000.

Application Process

Applying through Splash Financial is easy and entirely digital. Follow these steps to get started:

  • Check your approximate rate by filling out your personal information, including your name, current address, and living situation.
  • Fill in relevant financial information, like your annual income, debt-to-income ratio, credit information, and education level.
  • Review the loan options you may qualify for and submit an application to secure your rate.
  • Finalize the loan by choosing the term that suits you best.
  • Receive your loan and make the necessary monthly payments.

Customer Support

Splash Financial has one of the best customer support teams we've seen in the financial services industry. Unlike many competitors, Splash Financial's support team is available 24/7 via live chat. You can also contact them via email or by phone at 800-349-3938, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (EST). The majority of their customers (over 90%, according to Trustpilot) have been more than satisfied with their support staff's timely responses and clear communication. 

Splash Financial Splash Financial View rates

Our Recommendation

Who Is Splash Financial Best For?

Splash Financial is best for borrowers who have good or excellent credit and a degree, especially medical professionals or dental school graduates in training who want affordable loan options while finishing their training. Their term lengths range from five to 20 years2, and their APRs are comparatively low—more than favorable for the vast majority of borrowers. Plus, their customer support team is top-notch, and you may be able to benefit from their autopay and referral bonuses.

Who Shouldn't Use Splash Financial?

If you have a credit score below 650 or a debt-to-income ratio higher than 50%, Splash Financial may not be the best fit for you. In addition, anyone who doesn’t have a college degree may need to look for a loan somewhere other than Splash Financial. 

Contact Details & Address 

812 Huron Rd. E.

Suite 350

Cleveland, OH 44115

Phone number: 800-349-3938

Email address: contact@splashfinancial.com 

The Bottom Line: Is Splash Financial Worth It?

All in all, we believe that Splash Financial is a worthwhile option to refinance your student loans. It allows you to shop for many different options in a few minutes. As long as you meet the minimum eligibility requirements for credit and income, Splash Financial's partnership with credit unions, banks, and online lenders comes with strong financial backing and options to refinance your educational loans.

Student Loan Refinance FAQs

What is the maximum loan amount through Splash Financial?

The maximum loan amount through Splash Financial is $500,000. However, some lenders may allow qualified borrowers to go over this amount 

Does Splash Financial have fees?

No, Splash Financial doesn’t have any fees. This means no origination, prepayment, or application fees. 

What credit score do you need through Splash Financial?

To apply for a loan through Splash Financial, you need a credit score of at least 650. 


Splash Financial, Inc. (NMLS #1630038), licensed by the DFPI under California Financing Law, license # 60DBO-102545

Terms and Conditions apply. Splash reserves the right to modify or discontinue products and benefits at any time without notice. Products may not be available in all states. Rates and terms are subject to change at any point prior to application submission. The information you provide is an inquiry to determine whether Splash’s lending partners can make you a loan offer. To qualify, a borrower must be a U.S. citizen or other eligible status and meet lender underwriting requirements. The lowest rates are reserved for the highest qualified borrowers and may require an autopay discount of 0.25%. Splash does not guarantee that you will receive any loan offers or that your loan application will be approved. If approved, your actual rate will be within a range of rates and will depend on a variety of factors, including the term of the loan, creditworthiness, income, and other factors. This information is current as of June 5, 2023. You should review the benefits of your federal student loan; it may offer specific benefits that a private refinance/consolidation loan may not offer. If you work in the public sector, are in the military, or taking advantage of a federal department of relief programs, such as income-based repayment or public service forgiveness, you may not want to refinance, as these benefits do not transfer to private refinance/consolidation loans.

1Autopay Discount. Rates listed include a 0.25% autopay discount.

Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is the cost of credit calculating the interest rate, loan amount, repayment term, and the timing of payments. Fixed APR options range from 4.96% (with autopay) to 11.24% (without autopay). Variable APR options range from 4.99% (with autopay) to 11.14% (without autopay). Variable rates are derived by adding a margin to the 30-day average SOFR index, published two business days preceding such calendar month, rounded up to the nearest one-hundredth of one percent (0.01% or 0.0001). 

2Payment Disclosure. Fixed loans feature repayment terms of 5 to 20 years. For example, the monthly payment for a sample of $10,000 with an APR of 5.47% for a 12-year term would be $94.86. Variable loans feature repayment terms of 5 to 20 years. For example, the monthly payment for a sample $10,000 with an APR of 5.90% for a 15-year term would be $83.85.

3 To check the rates and terms you qualify for, soft credit pull(s) will be conducted that will not affect your credit score. However, if you choose a product and continue your application, your full credit report from one or more consumer reporting agencies will be requested, which is considered a hard credit pull.

4Medical School Loan Refinance Disclosure. Terms and conditions apply. Fixed APR options range from 6.54% (with autopay) to 9.41% (without autopay). Variable APR options range from 6.45% (with autopay) to 9.32% (without autopay). Rates are current as of June 5, 2023. Borrowers employed full-time as an intern, resident, fellow, or similar postgraduate trainee at the time of loan disbursement are eligible to make $100 monthly payments throughout their training (“Residency Period”). The maximum amount of time they can pay $100 per month is 84 months. Residency and fellowship loans offer fixed and variable rate options and have a loan term of up to 240 months, inclusive of an optional 84-month deferment period during residency or fellowship and provide the option to either immediately repay the principal and interest or to defer repayment. Variable interest rates may increase after consummation. The APR range shown assumes the APR, monthly payment, and total payments that would apply to a loan that is made at the end of the residency period in a single disbursement. For example, a refinance loan with a fixed 4.01% APR on a $180,000 principal balance, a 3-month training period with payments of $100 per month, will have a 5-year repayment term after training is complete with payments of $3,343.50 per month. Splash reserves the right to modify or discontinue products and benefits at any time without notice. Rates and terms are also subject to change at any time without notice. Offers are subject to credit approval. To qualify, a borrower must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident in an eligible state and meet applicable underwriting requirements. Not all borrowers receive the lowest rate. The lowest rates are reserved for the highest-qualified borrowers. If approved, your actual rate will be within a range of rates and will depend on a variety of factors, including the term of the loan, a responsible financial history, income, and other factors.

BestMoney Staff
Written by
Bestmoney Staff
Our editorial staff consists of writers who are knowledgeable about financial services. We specialize in simplifying the process of choosing the right provider for your needs.
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Trustpilot reviews
See what some customers are saying about Splash Financial
Excellent • Reviews 978
on
Excellent
90%
Great
5%
Average
2%
Poor
1%
Bad
2%
We upload 100 to 400 Trustpilot reviews to our website daily, displaying them by default from "best" to "worst". You have the option to adjust the sorting criteria. If you wish to see all reviews, you can visit Trustpilot's website here.
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JJ
Jim Johnson
2 days ago
Streamlined Process our company took a long and tedious…
Your company took a long and tedious process and simplified it. Did not feel intimidated, like when dealing with local banks. Great Customer Service. Thank you very much.
DE
D'Andrea Edwards
2 days ago
It was fast and easy to complete the…
It was fast and easy to complete the documents.
JO
Jeffrey O.
6 days ago
Impressed!
The process was quick and easy. I had two questions and called for answers. I spoke to Wade and he was VERY helpful. If only all businesses conducted business like Splash!
MW
Morgan Winsor
6 days ago
Fantastic people that help you with the…
Fantastic people that help you with the loan. Just really impeccable Assistance.
EM
ERIC M
6 days ago
Great experience
Great experience
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