Lend-Grow Student Loan Refinance Review

Our Rating: C+ (Compare)

Founded in February of 2019, Lend-Grow, Inc. is a private, Virginia-based company that bills its marketplace the best resource for borrowers to find small, local financial institutions. Lend-Grow exclusively features student loan refinancing and personal installment loans. Their service is currently limited to 10,000 customers.

Loan Limits $5,000 to $500,000
Fixed Rates 4.90%+
Variable Rates 5.28%+ (Undisclosed Cap)
Terms 5, 10, 15, 20 or 25 years
Min. Credit Score 680
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Skip to: Rates & Fees | Eligibility Requirements | Repayment Options | Consumer Reviews & Complaints | FAQ

Loan Refinancing Options
Private student loans
Private parent loans (in either name†)
Federal student loans
Federal Parent PLUS loans (in either name)

Parents may refinance in their own names or transfer debt to a child.

Lend-Grow Refinance Rates & Fees

Lend-Grow and partnering lenders offer fixed and variable student loan refinance rates. The lowest rates may include rate reductions for certain terms, such as setting up automatic payments.

Refinance Loan Rates
Term Fixed Rate Variable Rate
5 to 25 Years 4.90%+ 5.28%+

Additional information about Lend-Grow refinance rates:

  • Checking your rate with Lend-Grow will not affect your credit score. They will conduct a soft, not hard, credit inquiry (learn the difference).
  • Lend-Grow does offer a discount for setting up auto-pay: a 0.10% interest rate reduction.
  • Variable reference rates vary by lender.
  • Lend-Grow does not disclose any variable rate cap.

Lend-Grow refinance rates recent history:

In 2023, Lend-Grow’s lowest advertised fixed rate increased 83.3% (from 2.40% APR) while its lowest advertised variable rate increased 176.4% (from 1.82% APR). In 2022, its lowest advertised fixed rate increased 11.6% while its lowest variable rate declined 2.7%.

Student Loan Refinancing Calculator

Based on advertised rates, use the calculator below to determine what your new monthly payment and potential savings may be if you refinance with Lend-Grow.

 

Additional Fees

Beyond interest rates, there are a number of fees a refinance lender may charge up-front or during the loan servicing period. Below is a list of these fees that Lend-Grow’s lender partners do or do not charge.

Fee Type Amount Charged
Application Fee None
Loan Origination Fee None
Disbursement Fee Undisclosed
Prepayment Penalty None
Late Payment Fee Varies
Returned Payment Fee Varies
Collection Fee Undisclosed
  1. Application fee – fee to apply for rates & approval.
  2. Loan origination fee – fee to create the new loan.
  3. Disbursement fee – fee for distributing funds to lenders to pay off loans that have been refinanced.
  4. Prepayment penalty – fee for making extra payments to reduce a refinance loan balance or pay it off early.
  5. Late payment fee – fee for making a late payment.
  6. Returned payment fee – fee for failed payments due to insufficient funds, also known as a “bounced check”.
  7. Collection fee – fee for collection activity on a defaulted debt.

Current Promotions & Offers

Lend-Grow offers a 0.10% interest rate reduction with enrollment in automatic payments.

Lend-Grow’s Payback Rewards program funds 0.10% APR on a borrower’s refinance loan for every month their account is active for up to three (3) years.

Lend-Grow Refinance Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for refinancing with Lend-Grow, all borrowers must meet the criteria below.

  • Citizenship Requirement: U.S. citizenship or permanent residence.
  • Income Requirement: varies.
  • Credit Score Requirement: 680 is a soft minimum.
  • Graduation Requirement: some lender partners have no graduation requirement.
  • Location Requirement: varies.

Additional restrictions may apply for specific individuals and loans.

Lend-Grow Student Loan Repayment Options

Lenders vary greatly on the benefits and options provided to borrowers during the loan servicing period. Additionally, benefits may only be available on a case-by-case basis. Lend-Grow offers some relief options.

Deferment & Forbearance

Lend-Grow cannot and does not offer deferment or forbearance. To apply for deferment, forberance, or other forms of temporary debt relief, contact your direct lender and/or loan servicer.

Some of Lend-Grow’s refinance lender partners may offer temporary debt relief, including graduated repayment plans and interest-only periods, under certain conditions. Others only consider requests for relief on a case-by-case basis.

Additional Options

There may be other opportunities for debt relief or contract modification; contact your lender and/or loan servicer for availability.

  • Co-signer release is an option with some lenders; conditions apply.
  • Death / disability discharge is available from some lenders in the unfortunate circumstance that a borrower passes away or suffers total permanent disability.

Lend-Grow Reviews, Complaints & Lawsuits

Beyond our own findings, our team also collected the most genuinely insightful customer experiences we could find, including any instances of legal action against the company in which the details became public.

Lend-Grow Online Reviews

There are few to no samples of Lend-Grow customer reviews available on public forums.

Lend-Grow has claimed a profile on TrustPilot.com; their reviews, however, have disappeared and their rating has been reset to zero (0.0 out of 5).

Lend-Grow Consumer Complaints

As consumer finance companies, student loan refinancing lenders fall under the jurisdiction of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a federal agency. As part of its mission, the CFPB allows consumers to log official complaints. These complaints are publicly available on the CFPB official website.

Consumers have submitted zero complaints about Lend-Grow Labs, Inc. (Lend-Grow) to the CFPB.

To view Lend-Grow Labs, Inc. in the CFPB’s Consumer Complaint Database, click here.

Lend-Grow Lawsuits

Lend-Grow does not appear to have been subject to any significant legal action since its 2019 founding.

Note that while this information is updated regularly, ongoing legal action is subject to change.

Frequently Asked Questions

These are the most common questions consumers have about student loan refinancing with Lend-Grow.

  • Is Lend-Grow good for refinancing student loans?
    Lend-Grow is not a refinance lender but a multilender marketplace designed to help student borrowers comparison shop for refinance lenders using one website with one application. Lend-Grow claims to connect borrowers with local banks and credit unions.
  • Does Lend-Grow have a minimum credit score requirement to refinance student loans
    Lend-Grow discloses a minimum allowable credit score of 680 to qualify for student loan refinancing.
  • Is Lend-Grow in any way affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education?
    No, Lend-Grow has no affiliation with the federal government or the U.S. Department of Education.
  • Do Lend-Grow’s lender partners charge a prepayment penalty?
    No, Lend-Grow’s lender partners do not charge prepayment penalties.
  • Does checking your rates with Lend-Grow hurt your credit score?
    No, Lend-Grow performs a soft credit check as part of its prequalification process, which does not impact your credit score.
  • Is Lend-Grow a bank?
    No, Lend-Grow is neither a bank nor a lender but partners with banks and credit unions.
  • Can I refinance just some of my loans?
    Yes, you can refinance some, all, or just one of your qualifying student loans with Lend-Grow’s refinance lender partners. You may choose to refinance your private loans only or refinance private and federal loans together.
  • Can I refinance loans that have already been refinanced?
    Yes, you can refinance loans as many times as you want with Lend-Grow. Note that each time you refinance, you will have to submit a new application; every application requires a hard credit check prior to final approval, which may affect your credit score.
  • Can my spouse and I refinance our loans together?
    At this time, Lend-Grow refinance lenders do not allow spouses to combine student loan debt. A spouse may act as co-signer, however; applicants may also include their spouse’s income in their student loan refinance application.
  • Who services Lend-Grow refinance loans?
    Lend-Grow does not originate loans, but its lender partners may have one or more loan servicers administering their loans. Contact your lending institution to learn who will service your refinance loan.
  • How long does it take to refinance through Lend-Grow?
    Lend-Grow does not disclose a timeline.
  • How often do variable rates change?
    Lend-Grow’s refinance lender partners may alter their variable rates monthly or quarterly; refer to individual lender disclosures.
  • Can I get any special rates or discounts with Lend-Grow?
    Lend-Grow offers a 0.10% interest rate reduction with enrollment in automatic payments. Some borrowers may also qualify for Lend-Grow’s Payback Rewards program, which partially subsidizes their loan’s interest at 0.10% APR per month for up to three (3) years.
  • What happens if I file for bankruptcy?
    In general, lenders indicate that filing for bankruptcy will not necessarily discharge student refinance loans. In some cases, filing for bankruptcy triggers immediate maturity of the loan; in other words, the entirety of the refinance loan debt is due at once.

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Sources

  1. Lend-Grow, Refinance Student Loans
  2. Lend-Grow, Lenders: Student Loan Refinancing
  3. Lend-Grow, How to Refinance Your Student Loans Through Lend-Grow
  4. Lend-Grow, Student Loan Refinance Interest Rates Hit Record Low In May
  5. Consumers Advocate, Lend-Grow, Inc. Student Loan Refinance Review
  6. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Consumer Complaint Database
  7. Dun & Bradstreet, Business Directory
  8. Better Business Bureau, Search Businesses and Charities