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Best Swimming Pool Loans in August 2025

A pool loan can help you cover the cost of installing a swimming pool. Learn how they work and which lenders offer the best.

Author
By J.R. Duren
J.R. Duren

Written by

J.R. Duren

Freelance writer

J.R. has 17 years of professional writing experience, was a three-time winner at the Florida Press Club Excellence in Journalism contest, and has edited and written about personal finance for the past seven years. His work has appeared at Investopedia, The Balance, LendingTree, and H&R Block.

J.R. Duren

Written by

J.R. Duren

Freelance writer

J.R. has 17 years of professional writing experience, was a three-time winner at the Florida Press Club Excellence in Journalism contest, and has edited and written about personal finance for the past seven years. His work has appeared at Investopedia, The Balance, LendingTree, and H&R Block.

Edited by Meredith Mangan

Written by

Meredith Mangan

Senior editor

Meredith Mangan is a senior editor at Credible. She has more than 18 years of experience in finance and is an expert on personal loans.

Written by

Meredith Mangan

Senior editor

Meredith Mangan is a senior editor at Credible. She has more than 18 years of experience in finance and is an expert on personal loans.

Reviewed by Barry Bridges
Barry Bridges

Written by

Barry Bridges

Editor

Barry Bridges is the personal loans editor at Credible. Since 2017, he’s been writing and editing personal finance content, focusing on personal loans, credit cards, and insurance.

Barry Bridges

Written by

Barry Bridges

Editor

Barry Bridges is the personal loans editor at Credible. Since 2017, he’s been writing and editing personal finance content, focusing on personal loans, credit cards, and insurance.

Updated August 22, 2025

Editorial disclosure: Our goal is to give you the tools and confidence you need to improve your finances. Although we receive compensation from our partner lenders, whom we will always identify, all opinions are our own. Credible Operations, Inc. NMLS # 1681276, is referred to here as “Credible.”

Featured

Only 8% of homes in the U.S. have a pool, according to the Pool and Hot Tub Alliance. Why the scarcity? Cost. Pools can be one of the most expensive additions to a home, often costing tens of thousands of dollars. Covering that kind of expense with cash may be impossible for many, but personal loans provide a relatively affordable (and quick) way to finance a swimming pool. Other options include home equity loans, home equity lines of credit, and contractor financing. 

How much do swimming pools cost?

You can expect to pay anywhere from $35,000 to $100,000 for an in-ground pool, says Karen Watts, founder of new-homeowner consulting firm DomiSource. However, that number can vary based on where you live, your pool’s size, and other costs such as custom shapes, decking, and heating.

For example, a basic pool may cost an average of $55,000 to $75,000 in Texas, says John Uhle, founding partner at Discount Salt Pool. However, a pool built with luxury accommodations such as a heater, lighting, fencing, and decking could easily cost more than $150,000, Watts says, once you factor in the add-ons, permits, and drainage work.

Expert take: Pool costs don’t stop at installation; budget for monthly and yearly maintenance costs. “Even ‘low-maintenance’ pools will require a commitment of $500 to $1,000 per year for chemicals, cleaning, and service. I always remind homeowners that if you don't budget every year for pool maintenance before you build, you aren't really budgeting.”

— Karen Watts, DomiSource Founder

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Compare pool loans

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The rates that appear are from companies from which Credible receives compensation. This compensation does not impact how or where products appear within the table. The rates and information shown do not include all financial service providers or all of the displayed lenders' available services and product offerings.

All APRs reflect autopay and loyalty discounts where available | 2LightStream disclosure | Read more about Rates and Terms | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy
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Tip

Borrowers with excellent credit paid an average APR of 10.42% for home improvement loans, according to 12 months of Credible personal loan marketplace data. (Home improvement is the loan category that pool financing falls in.)

Best pool loans

The loans below are all personal loans. Compared to home equity loans, they can be quicker to get and don’t require an evaluation of your home’s worth to qualify. They can be a good option if you don’t have enough home equity to qualify for a home equity loan or line of credit, or if you don’t want to use your home’s equity as collateral. If you don’t have excellent credit, however, you could pay a higher interest rate on a personal loan compared to a loan secured by your home.

LightStream

Advertiser Disclosure

We receive compensation from the companies below if you purchase a product. Amount of compensation does not impact the ranking or placement of a particular product. Not all available financial products and offers from all financial institutions have been reviewed by this website. This content is not provided by Credible or any of the Providers on the Credible website. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed here are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by Credible.

LightStream: Best overall

Lightstream

4.9

Credible Rating

Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. We collected thousands of data points on dozens of lenders for personal loans, mortgages, and student loans. Specific criteria vary by loan type, but generally include interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirements, transparency, funding times, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more.
Read our full methodology.

on Credible's website

Est. APR

6.49 - 25.29%2

Loan Amount

$5,000 to $100,000

Min. Credit Score

700

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Tip

LightStream’s maximum loan amount of $100,000 and extended repayment terms make it a good option for homeowners considering a custom pool.

Upgrade

Advertiser Disclosure

We receive compensation from the companies below if you purchase a product. Amount of compensation does not impact the ranking or placement of a particular product. Not all available financial products and offers from all financial institutions have been reviewed by this website. This content is not provided by Credible or any of the Providers on the Credible website. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed here are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by Credible.

Upgrade: Best low income and secured loans

Upgrade

4.7

Credible Rating

Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. We collected thousands of data points on dozens of lenders for personal loans, mortgages, and student loans. Specific criteria vary by loan type, but generally include interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirements, transparency, funding times, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more.
Read our full methodology.

on Credible's website

Est. APR

7.99 - 35.99%

Loan Amount

$1,000 to $50,000

Min. Credit Score

580

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Good to know

Upgrade charges an origination fee that ranges from 1.85% to 9.99%.

Universal Credit

Advertiser Disclosure

We receive compensation from the companies below if you purchase a product. Amount of compensation does not impact the ranking or placement of a particular product. Not all available financial products and offers from all financial institutions have been reviewed by this website. This content is not provided by Credible or any of the Providers on the Credible website. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed here are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by Credible.

Universal Credit: Best multi-purpose loans for fair credit

Universal credit

4.6

Credible Rating

Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. We collected thousands of data points on dozens of lenders for personal loans, mortgages, and student loans. Specific criteria vary by loan type, but generally include interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirements, transparency, funding times, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more.
Read our full methodology.

on Credible's website

Est. APR

11.69 - 35.99%

Loan Amount

$1,000 to $50,000

Min. Credit Score

580

Citi

Advertiser Disclosure

We receive compensation from the companies below if you purchase a product. Amount of compensation does not impact the ranking or placement of a particular product. Not all available financial products and offers from all financial institutions have been reviewed by this website. This content is not provided by Credible or any of the Providers on the Credible website. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed here are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by Credible.

Citi: Best for bad credit

Citibank

4.5

Credible Rating

Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. We collected thousands of data points on dozens of lenders for personal loans, mortgages, and student loans. Specific criteria vary by loan type, but generally include interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirements, transparency, funding times, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more.
Read our full methodology.

on Credible's website

Est. APR

-

Loan Amount

$2,000 to $30,000

Min. Credit Score

720

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Tip

Citi swimming pool loans are a great fit for Citi loyalists who want to keep their pool financing in-house and plan on building a smaller-than-average pool with no add-ons or customizations.

Splash

Advertiser Disclosure

We receive compensation from the companies below if you purchase a product. Amount of compensation does not impact the ranking or placement of a particular product. Not all available financial products and offers from all financial institutions have been reviewed by this website. This content is not provided by Credible or any of the Providers on the Credible website. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed here are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by Credible.

Splash: Low-rate loans for good credit

Splash Financial

4.5

Credible Rating

Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. We collected thousands of data points on dozens of lenders for personal loans, mortgages, and student loans. Specific criteria vary by loan type, but generally include interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirements, transparency, funding times, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more.
Read our full methodology.

on Credible's website

Est. APR

-

Loan Amount

$5,000 to $50,000

Min. Credit Score

680

LendingClub

Advertiser Disclosure

We receive compensation from the companies below if you purchase a product. Amount of compensation does not impact the ranking or placement of a particular product. Not all available financial products and offers from all financial institutions have been reviewed by this website. This content is not provided by Credible or any of the Providers on the Credible website. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed here are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by Credible.

LendingClub: Best rates on closed loans, overall

Lending club

4.3

Credible Rating

Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. We collected thousands of data points on dozens of lenders for personal loans, mortgages, and student loans. Specific criteria vary by loan type, but generally include interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirements, transparency, funding times, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more.
Read our full methodology.

on Credible's website

Est. APR

7.90 - 35.99%

Loan Amount

$1,000 to $60,000

Min. Credit Score

660

Best Egg

Advertiser Disclosure

We receive compensation from the companies below if you purchase a product. Amount of compensation does not impact the ranking or placement of a particular product. Not all available financial products and offers from all financial institutions have been reviewed by this website. This content is not provided by Credible or any of the Providers on the Credible website. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed here are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by Credible.

Best Egg: Best personal loans for homeowners

Best Egg

4.1

Credible Rating

Credible lender ratings are evaluated by our editorial team with the help of our loan operations team. We collected thousands of data points on dozens of lenders for personal loans, mortgages, and student loans. Specific criteria vary by loan type, but generally include interest rates, loan terms, eligibility requirements, transparency, funding times, repayment options, fees, discounts, customer service, cosigner options, and more.
Read our full methodology.

on Credible's website

Est. APR

6.99 - 35.99%

Loan Amount

$2,000 to $50,000

Min. Credit Score

600

Methodology 

Credible evaluated 32 lenders across 1,216 data points to find the best pool loans among personal loan lenders. We feature lenders that offer loans for home improvement and one or more of the following factors: high loan amounts, low rates, and financing options for fair credit.

Lender star ratings were established based on the following weighted categories:

  • Rates and fees: 18.75%
  • Eligibility and options for bad and no credit: 17.5%
  • Availability: 12.5%
  • Loan amounts and terms: 10%
  • Customer satisfaction: 10%
  • Customer service: 10%
  • Efficiency and fund delivery: 10%
  • Discounts: 7.5%
  • Credible proprietary data: 3.75%

Credible’s team of experts gathered information from each lender’s website and from our partners directly. We also considered each of our partner lenders’ statistics over a 12-month period — including average funding times, average credit scores for approved applicants, and average rates. Each data point is verified by a senior editor to make sure it’s accurate at the time of publication. 

Learn more about how Credible rates lenders by exploring our personal loans lender rating methodology.

Tips on comparing swimming pool loans

Start by prequalifying with multiple lenders to get a sense of the personal loan interest rates, loan amounts, and repayment terms you might qualify for, along with which lenders you’re more likely to qualify with. Once you have multiple quotes, compare: 

  1. Loan terms: Which lenders offer repayment terms that fit your budget and time horizon for debt payoff? 
  2. Interest rates: What APRs are you quoted? The APR is the annual percentage rate — it accounts for the loan’s interest rate and any upfront fees, and represents the cost to borrow on an annual basis. 
  3. Monthly payment: This is related to APR and repayment term. Which lenders feature loans with payments that fit your budget? 
  4. Fees: Do any of the lenders charge origination fees? Origination fees may be charged upfront and deducted from the loan amount, which could reduce the amount you receive. 
  5. Loan amount: Which lenders quoted you the full loan amount requested?
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Tip

Use a personal loan marketplace like Credible to prequalify with multiple lenders simultaneously and potentially receive multiple quotes.

What are pool loans and how do they work?

Pool loans can be installment loans that disburse the money upfront and require a fixed monthly payment for the entire loan term. In other cases, they could be a revolving line of credit that you use to pay pool cost expenses as they’re due. Common types of installment loans used to finance a pool include personal loans and home equity loans. Revolving credit lines include HELOCs and credit cards. Builder financing may also be an option.

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Good to know

Lenders that charge origination fees may deduct the fee from your loan amount before you receive your funds. So, if you’re approved for $30,000 and your origination fee is 3% ($900, in this case), you’d receive $29,100.

Pros and cons of personal loans for swimming pools

One of the biggest benefits of using a personal loan to finance your pool is that there is no home equity requirement — making personal loans an option for more homeowners.

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Pros

  • Fixed interest rate and monthly payments
  • No collateral required
  • Long- and short-term options
  • No home equity requirement
  • Quick funding
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Cons

  • Potential origination fees
  • Potential for high APRs

Pros

  • Fixed interest rate and monthly payments: Personal loans for pools have a predictable repayment schedule since your monthly payment and APR don’t change.
  • No collateral required: Pool loans from personal loan lenders are typically unsecured, which means you don’t have to pledge any assets to get the loan. 
  • Long- and short-term options: Lenders that provide pool loans tend to offer multiple repayment terms, which gives you flexibility to opt for a higher monthly payment and lower overall interest costs or a lower monthly payment and higher overall costs across a longer loan term.
  • No home equity requirement: Since personal loans are not secured by your home’s equity, you don’t need a minimum amount of equity to qualify. 
  • Quick funding: Also, since there’s no minimum home equity requirement, your home’s value doesn’t need to be appraised, which can lead to much quicker funding relative to home-equity-based loans.

Cons

  • Potential origination fees: Some lenders charge origination fees that can cost up to or over 10% of your loan amount. 
  • Potential for high APRs: If you don’t have good credit and can qualify for a pool loan, you could pay an APR near 30%. 
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Good to know

Borrowers with fair credit paid an average APR of 29.70% for home improvement loans, according to 12 months of Credible personal loan marketplace data. (Home improvement is the loan category that pool financing falls in.)

How to get a pool loan

  1. Get a pool estimate. Many contractors and pool companies offer estimates at no cost — get at least a few to compare.
  2. Check your credit score and check your credit report for errors. Dispute any inaccurate or outdated information on your credit report before applying for a loan.
  3. Prequalify with multiple lenders to get an idea of the rates and repayment terms you might be offered. Compare the results. 
  4. Research lenders based on customer satisfaction, contact details, and any features important to you, like whether the lender has a mobile app.
  5. Pick the loan quote and company that best fit your needs and start the application. 
  6. Complete the application and wait for the lender’s decision. 
  7. If you’re approved, you’ll receive a formal loan offer. Read the loan contract carefully to confirm that the rate, terms, monthly payment amount, and all fees are acceptable. 
  8. Sign the loan agreement and related documents to initiate funding.

Other ways to pay for a swimming pool

Home equity line of credit (HELOC)

A HELOC is a popular way to pay for a swimming pool. HELOCs are a line of credit you take out against your home, and the amount you’re approved for is based on the equity you have in your home. 

HELOC rates tend to be lower than personal loans and credit cards. However, HELOC rates are variable, which means your rate could change over time based on market conditions. As a result, your monthly payment could change monthly as well. You could also lose your home if you can’t keep up with payments.

HELOCs are divided into draw and repayment periods. During the draw period, you can draw from your line of credit and make interest-only payments on what you pull out. During the repayment period, you can’t draw from your HELOC and your monthly payments include principal and interest.

Home equity loan

Home equity loans are very similar to personal loans in that you make fixed monthly payments based on a fixed interest rate, and you receive the money upfront. The big difference is that, like with a HELOC, you use your home as collateral, which means you could lose it if you default on payments. Average home equity loan rates were below 9% in August 2025. 

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Good to know

The average homeowner has $212,000 in tappable home equity — meaning, the amount they can access while maintaining 20% equity. Keeping at least 20% of equity in the home is often required to get a HELOC or home equity loan.

Contractor financing

The contractor you choose to build your pool may offer financing. If that’s an option, be sure to review the terms of the lender’s financing and prequalify (if you can) to get a sense of what your financing rate and terms would be. Some contractors may offer 0% promotions that allow you to make payments without interest for a certain number of months.

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Warning

With “deferred interest” financing, you’ll be charged the full amount of interest that was deferred if you don’t pay off your loan by the end of the promotional period.

FAQ

What is the minimum credit score required to qualify for a pool loan?

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What is the average term for a swimming pool loan?

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How long does it take to get approved for a pool loan?

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Can you refinance a swimming pool loan?

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Disclosure: Some lending partners that participate in Credible’s comparison marketplace offer loans to borrowers with scores as low as 550. Borrowers with low scores will have fewer lending options than borrowers with higher credit scores.

Meet the expert:
J.R. Duren
J.R. Duren

J.R. Duren has 17 years of professional writing experience, was a three-time winner at the Florida Press Club Excellence in Journalism contest, and has edited and written about personal finance for the past seven years. His work has appeared at Investopedia, The Balance, LendingTree, and H&R Block.