In a banking climate where bank interest rates are just slightly above 0% and government bond yields are not much better, savers have been looking for ways to earn a better return on the savings without the volatility of the stock market. One option is to make money with peer-to-peer lending. Should you consider peer-to-peer lending? (Also commonly referred to as P2P)

What is Peer-to-Peer Lending? How Does A Peer To Peer Loan Work?

P2P lending is still a relatively new concept in its current form. “Microlending” has always existed as friends have lent money to friends in times of need. The Internet has made it possible for the average person to lend or borrow money from another human without the help of a bank.

Borrowers with fair credit might prefer Peer-to-Peer lending can be a good option as it doesn’t have the typical underwriting process that goes along with traditional bank loans. This means no credit check, fewer fees, and potentially lower interest rates.

For you, the investor/lender, you lend directly to the borrow and get to keep more of the accrued interest. When you let the bank lend your money, they keep a large portion (4.95%+) of the interest collected to pay their own expenses. That is why you might only earn 0.01% in a savings account or 1% in a Certificate of Deposit (CD) account.

How Much Money Can You Make from Peer-to-Peer Lending?

How much money you make from P2P lending depends on how much you invest and the type of loan. Borrowers that are considered less risky qualify for lower interest rates than an applicant with a history of missed payments.

If you invest in bonds, you have the option to invest in AAA borrowers with good credit or “junk bonds” that lend to borrowers that are more likely to default. You have a higher yield with junk bonds, but, there is also a much higher probability that the borrower will miss payments and you will lose the money you invested.

Peer-to-Peer platforms also grade borrowers based on their credit history, type of loan, and the amount they want to borrow. If you simply want to earn a steady income with minimal risk, you can choose to only invest in “Grade A” borrowers with a solid credit history. If you want a rate of return that will mimic the stock market or beat the market, you can choose to invest in borrowers with an interest rate as high as 27%.

What are peer to peer lending investment returns?

It completely depends on how much risk you are willing to take.  If you only invest in Grade A borrowers, you will get significantly less returns than if you mixed in to invest with borrowers who have more risk.  As in most cases, the more risk you have the greater the reward.

What Types of P2P Loans Can You Invest In?

The P2P lending platforms will let you invest in just about any type of loan. It can be a personal loan to take a vacation, repay medical debt, or refinance a home mortgage as a few examples. You can also invest in business loans. Each loan reason carries a different interest rate just like similar loans offered by a bank.

Is Peer-to-Peer Lending Safe?

P2P lending can be just as safe as any other investment. No investment is guaranteed to profit every single year. The odds of earning a profit with P2P lending are much higher when you invest in borrowers with excellent credit. Just like the odds of earning a profit are much higher when you invest in large cap index funds that hold positions of some companies that have been in existence for over 100 years.

The best way to limit your risk is to diversify and invest in multiple borrowers. You might even consider investing in 100 different loans.

If you have $5,000 to invest, you don’t have to find a loan request for $5,000. You have the option to invest as little as $25 in a “note.”  For example, if somebody needs $10,000 to consolidate their credit card debt, you can  choose to invest $25. You can mitigate risk for that particular loan in case they fail to make the monthly payments.

Using a loan screener can help you easily find what loans and borrower meet your criteria so you do not accidentally invest in a risky borrower or loan. The lending platform should also tell you the average default rate for the borrower grade to help you make an informed decision as well.

Where to Start Peer-to-Peer Investing

While there are multiple peer lending platforms to invest in, these are three of the largest with proven track records.

Upstart

LendingClub

Prosper

Review Upstart Review LendingClub Review Prosper Review
Rating

9.1

9.0

8.6

Features
  • Automatic Investing
  • Use algorithm that takes borrower’s employment and education background into consideration
  • $100 Minimum Investment
  • Automatic Investing
  • Invest in 30 different credit grades
  • Minimum investment is $25 per note
  • Taxable and retirement accounts
  • Automatic investing
  • $25 investment minimum
  • Taxable and IRA accounts
Fees 0.5% on all assets
  • 1% of interest payment
  • $100 annual account fee for balances <$5,000
  • $1,000 initial account balance requirement
 1% annually of borrowed principal balance
Asset Allocation Invest in personal loans with a credit rating of AAA to E Credit ratings from A1 and 55 for multiple loan types  Invest in 7 different credit ratings for multiple loan types

These are a few of the largest P2P lending platforms to choose from.

Lending Club was founded in 2007 and is the largest lending P2P. Individual borrowers can take out a P2P loan from $1,000 to $35,000. According to Lending Club, the average annual rate of return for most loan notes is 5% to 7% for Grade A to Grade C borrowers.

Investors pay a 1% transaction fee for all received payments. You do not get paid if the borrower doesn’t make a payment.

Prosper

Prosper is the original U.S. P2P lending platform started in 2006. Borrowers have the option to apply for a 3-year or 5-year loan for personal loans of just about any reason. Investors will pay an annual fee of 1% based on the outstanding principal balance of your loan notes.

You might also consider Prosper as they claim to have the highest average applicant credit score, 710, of all the peer-to-peer platforms.

Upstart

One final suggestion, Upstart, takes a different approach to the loan application underwriting and investment strategy. In terms of borrowing money, Upstart also focuses on the college you attended, field of study, GPA, and standardized test scores in addition to the usual underwriting factors of your FICO score, credit history, and current income.

For investors, you invest in a pool of loans based on a specific investment grade. Upstart will randomly assign you loans for borrowers and loan types that meet your lending criteria. This is different than others where you choose each loan you want to invest in.

This “hands-off” approach might seem a little riskier, but, there are a few upsides. Investors do not pay any fees as the Upstart makes their money from the origination fees charged to the borrow. If a loan defaults, Upstart will refund you (the investor) your portion of the investment from the origination fee.

Although Upstart is still a relatively new company that has only been around since 2014, 91% of all their loans are in “current” status. This is the lowest delinquency rate of all three lending platforms mentioned in this article.

Summary

It is possible to make money with peer-to-peer lending. Since the concept has only been around for a decade, the long-term income projections are not as in-depth as a traditional bond or stock investing. But, two of the largest companies have been in existence since before the Great Recession, it is safe to say that this investment strategy is a profitable alternative. As with any investment, profitability required diversification.

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