A personal loan for bad credit is the same as a standard personal loan but offers options for borrowers with credit scores below 580. The most popular of these loans are unsecured, which don't require any collateral, although some lenders may offer secured loans.

When choosing a lender, you'll want to look at several factors beyond the credit score requirement. The best ones have transparent pricing, including interest rates and fees, quick funding and approval times, a variety of repayment terms, and loans that can be used for multiple purposes.