Best Landscaping Loans of April 2024

Landscaping can enhance your home’s curb appeal and, depending on the design, even lower your energy bill. But completing a landscaping job can set you back thousands of dollars — an average of $12,825 across large and small projects, according to LawnStarter. If you need cash to make your plans a reality, a landscaping loan could be the solution.

Using a personal loan is a popular way to finance landscaping projects, as they can provide quick funding that may be more affordable than using a credit card. Plus, personal loans can have long-term repayment periods — useful if you need to keep payments low — and typically don't require collateral.

Learn how to compare landscaping loans and landscaping loan alternatives to assess the best way to finance your project.

Compare landscaping loan rates of April 2024

Best landscaping loans

To find the best landscaping loan for you, compare rates, terms, and fees across multiple lenders. We’ve rounded up a list of some of the best personal loans to kick-start your search.

SoFi: Best overall

Upgrade: Best for fair credit

Discover: Best for no origination fees (and low rates)

Universal Credit: Best debt consolidation loans for bad credit

LightStream: Best home improvement loans and low rates

Best Egg: Best for high close rates if pre-approved

Upstart: Best fast personal loans for all credit types

What is a landscaping loan?

A landscaping loan is often a personal loan used to cover landscaping projects, but it could also be a home equity loan or a home equity line of credit (HELOC). Personal loans are generally unsecured, meaning they don't require you to risk any collateral, like your house or car; while home equity-based loans are secured by your home (meaning you could potentially lose it if you default on the loan). Once approved for a personal loan or home equity loan, a lender sends you a lump sum of money, and you repay the loan in fixed monthly installments over a set period of time. If you get a HELOC, you can draw from a line of credit as needed to finance your project.

Although repayment terms vary, many lenders offer terms from one to seven years on personal loans, or up to 12 years for home improvement projects. Home equity-based loans, however, offer repayment terms up to 30 years. With a personal loan, you can usually borrow from $600 to over $100,000, depending on factors such as your income, credit score, and how much debt you have. With a home equity-based loan, you're limited by the equity you have. Personal loans have better interest rates than credit cards, on average, according to the Federal Reserve, but tend to have higher rates than home equity-based loans since they're unsecured.

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How to compare landscaping loans

While shopping around for a landscaping loan, pay close attention to these factors.

• APR: The annual percentage rate (APR) includes the interest rate and upfront fees, expressed as a percentage. It measures your cost to borrow money. The higher the APR, the more interest you’ll pay over the life of the loan. Typically, you’ll need good credit to land a lower APR.
• Loan amounts: Loan amounts tend to range from $600 to $100,000 or more, depending on the lender. Make sure to budget your project to determine the right amount to borrow.
• Repayment terms: The repayment term you choose can impact your total borrowing costs. A shorter repayment term can save you money on interest, but the tradeoff is higher monthly payments. On the other hand, selecting a longer repayment term can lower your monthly payment, but you’ll pay more interest over the life of the loan. Most lenders offer terms between 1 and 7 years, but some offer up to 12 years to repay for home improvement projects.
• Fees: Some lenders charge origination fees for processing your application and funding your loan. You can generally expect these to range from less than 1% of the loan amount to as high as 12%, depending on your credit and the lender. Find a lender that charges minimal or no fees to minimize your borrowing costs.
• Time to fund: If you need money fast to cover a landscaping project, choose a lender that's known for quick funding. Many lenders can send your funds as soon as the same or next business day.
• Cosigner option: If you have bad credit, you can get a cosigner to help you qualify or get approved for a lower APR. A cosigner is someone with good credit who would have to cover your payments if you default. But you'll have to look for a lender that offers personal loans with a cosigner, as not all do.
• Secured vs. unsecured: A secured loan requires collateral, such as your house or car, to back the loan. However, if you default on your payments, the lender can seize your collateral. For this reason, an unsecured loan is typically a safer bet if you don’t want to risk your assets, but they can be difficult to qualify for if you don’t have good credit.
• Lender reputation: To get an idea of how a lender may treat you as a customer and avoid personal loan scams, read customer service reviews on review websites like Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau.

Learn More: Difference Between Interest Rate and APR

How to finance landscaping

Below are the steps you can take to get financing for your landscaping project.

1. Figure out how much you need to borrow: Estimate the cost of your landscaping project to determine your desired loan amount.
2. Review your credit: Examine your credit reports thoroughly for inaccuracies by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com. If you catch any errors, report them to the respective credit bureau.
3. Compare lenders: Research and compare fees, eligibility requirements, and rates across multiple lenders to find the option that best matches your needs and budget.
4. Submit loan application: After you’ve found the option that best fits your situation, submit a formal loan application. The lender will perform a hard credit pull, which will temporarily hurt your score. You’ll likely need to provide information such as your Social Security number, income, tax returns, and most recent pay stubs.
5. Receive your funds: Once approved, you could receive your funds as soon as the same or next business day.
6. Make monthly payments: Start your project and begin paying back your loan. Consider setting up autopay so you’re less likely to miss a payment. Some lenders offer autopay discounts up to 0.50 percentage points.

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Landscaping loan alternatives

If a personal loan is not right for your situation, these alternatives are also good options.

• Personal line of credit: Unlike a personal loan, a personal line of credit works more like a credit card. And unlike a HELOC, it's not secured by the equity in your home. It’s a revolving form of credit that you can draw from as needed, up to a certain amount. Personal lines of credit are generally unsecured, but have variable interest rates that fluctuate with market conditions. Interest only accrues on the amount you take out, but fees may be necessary if you want to keep the line open longer.
• 0% APR credit card: If you have good credit, you may qualify for a credit card with a 0% APR promotional period. During this time frame, you can avoid paying interest as long as you pay the balance in full before the promotional period expires. Once that happens, the standard APR will resume on the remaining balance.
• Savings: If you don’t need to complete the landscaping project right away, consider saving up for it to avoid paying interest. You can create a landscaping fund by depositing a set amount each month into a high-yield savings account.

Landscaping loans FAQ

Where can I get a landscaping loan?

You can apply for a landscaping loan with several financial institutions, such as credit unions, traditional banks, and online lenders. To get the best deal for your circumstances, research and compare borrowing costs from different types of lenders, and determine whether you want to get an unsecured loan, like a personal loan, or whether you want to use the equity in your home to finance your project.

Can I get a landscaping loan with bad credit?

Yes, several lenders offer landscaping loans for applicants with low credit scores. Keep in mind, however, that if a lender approves you for a loan for bad credit, it’ll likely come with a higher APR. To boost your approval chances, consider improving your credit before starting your application, or applying with a cosigner.

How do I qualify for a landscaping loan?

When you apply for a landscaping loan, a lender typically considers factors like your credit score, income, and debt-to-income ratio (DTI). To improve your chances of qualifying for a landscaping loan, you should have a good credit score, a stable income, a low DTI, and a clear budget and plan for your project.

Loan Amounts:

• $1,000 Loan
• $2,000 Loan
• $5,000 Loan
• $10,000 Loan
• $30,000 Loan
• $40,000 Loan
• $45,000 Loan
• $60,000 Loan
• $80,000 Loan
• $100,000 Loan