LendUp
LendUp LLC operates a free, asset-light loan-matching platform that connects subprime, credit-invisible, and short-term-cash-need consumers with a nationwide network of licensed third-party lenders, earning referral fees on successful matches. It is a Delaware LLC, separately incorporated from the former LendUp Loans LLC that ceased lending in January 2022.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What LendUp does
LendUp LLC operates a free, asset-light loan-matching platform that connects borrowers — primarily subprime, credit-invisible, and short-term-cash-need consumers — with a network of licensed third-party lenders operating across all 50 U.S. states. The platform does not extend credit itself, set interest rates, or make lending decisions; instead, borrowers complete a short online form that is routed to a state-licensed lender in the network capable of funding the request. The company's product surface includes categorical matching for payday loans ($100–$500), installment loans ($500–$5,000), personal loans ($1,000–$25,000+), emergency and same-day funding, and bad-credit alternatives, complemented by an extensive editorial library covering credit-building, budgeting, debt management, and state-specific lending regulations.
The business model is a single revenue stream: referral fees paid by lenders upon successful borrower match, with the service free to consumers at every step. The platform is delivered entirely digitally through lendup.com with no physical branches, no phone support, and no native mobile app; security is anchored by 256-bit SSL encryption. Go-to-market is product-led / content-led growth, leveraging SEO-optimized state-specific landing pages and a professionally reviewed financial education library to capture organic search intent from underbanked borrowers. Distribution to lenders is a managed channel relationship, with stated vetting criteria covering licensing, complaint history, and fee transparency.
LendUp LLC is a separate corporate entity from the former LendUp Loans LLC (formerly Flurish, Inc.), which ceased lending operations in January 2022 and was not a direct lender; the current entity operates under Delaware incorporation in Dover and was led, as of March 2025, by newly appointed CEO Anu Shultes. The company's recent strategic posture reflects a deliberate refocus: in March 2025, LendUp spun off its Mission Lane credit card business as a standalone entity, secured new investment from LL Funds LLC, Invus Opportunities, and QED Investors (amount undisclosed), and signaled a strategic tilt toward personal loans, financial education, and savings products.
LendUp firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LendUp
- Legal name
- LendUp LLC
- Website
- https://lendup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- LendUp LLC operates a free, asset-light loan-matching platform that connects subprime, credit-invisible, and short-term-cash-need consumers with a nationwide network of licensed third-party lenders, earning referral fees on successful matches. It is a Delaware LLC, separately incorporated from the former LendUp Loans LLC that ceased lending in January 2022.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LendUp industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Loan Marketplace
- NAICS
- Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (522310), Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (52231), Activities Related to Credit Intermediation (5223)
- SIC
- Loan Brokers (6163)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Emergency & Short-Term Installment Personal Loans (Unsecured) (FSAKAAAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Small-Dollar Short-Term Installment Loans (Non-payday) (FSAKAMAI), Bank & Credit Union Personal Loans (Unsecured Installment) (FSAKAAAL)
Keywords
Where LendUp is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
LendUp business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations
Revenue model
- Lender Referral Fees: LendUp operates as a free service for borrowers. The company earns referral fees from lenders when a borrower is successfully matched. This fee is paid by the lender and does not affect the borrower's loan terms or interest rate. The fee structure varies by partner and arrangement.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free borrower matching service with no fees |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
LendUp product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LendUp operates a free online loan-matching platform that connects individual borrowers with a network of licensed third-party direct lenders across the United States. The platform matches borrower requests for payday, installment, personal, emergency, same-day, and bad-credit loans with state-licensed lenders, and supplements the matching service with financial education content and state-specific regulatory information.
Product overview
LendUp operates as a loan-matching service platform that connects borrowers with licensed third-party lenders. The core product is the matching service itself, which facilitates connections for payday loans ($100-$500), installment loans ($500-$5,000), personal loans ($1,000-$25,000+), emergency loans, and same-day loans. The platform also provides educational resources including credit guides, budgeting tips, debt management, and state-specific lending information. LendUp's credit card business, Mission Lane, was recently spun off as a separate entity. The company positions itself as a free service for borrowers, earning revenue through referral fees from matched lenders.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Loan-Matching Service
Quantifiable outcome
- Free service for borrowers - lenders pay referral fees, not consumers
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use LendUp
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
LendUp technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
LendUp partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Mission LaneminorMission Lane was previously part of LendUp's credit card business. It has been spun off as a separate standalone entity as part of LendUp's strategic refocus on personal loans, financial education, and savings products. Sasha Orloff, LendUp co-founder and former CEO, will remain as a board member and advisor to Mission Lane.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
LendUp competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Credible: Credible is a loan-comparison marketplace connecting borrowers with lenders across personal loans, student loans, mortgages, and refinancing. Operates a similar borrower-facing matching model with lender referral fee revenue, overlapping directly with LendUp's personal loan focus.
- Fiona: Fiona is a personal loan search and comparison platform aggregating offers from multiple lenders for borrowers. Closely comparable to LendUp's loan-matching service for the personal loan category specifically, with similar borrower segments.
- LendingTree: LendingTree operates the largest U.S. loan-comparison and matching marketplace for personal loans, mortgages, and credit products. Most directly comparable to LendUp as a lead-generation/matching platform earning referral fees from lenders, though at much larger scale and broader product breadth.
- SuperMoney: SuperMoney is a loan comparison marketplace focused on connecting borrowers with lenders across multiple product types. Directly comparable lead-generation/matching business model to LendUp.
- Acorn Finance: Acorn Finance operates a personal loan marketplace partnering with lenders to serve borrowers across the credit spectrum. Comparable to LendUp as a lead-generation platform connecting borrowers with licensed lenders.
- Even Financial: Even Financial (now part of RateGenius) operates a financial products search and comparison platform connecting consumers with lenders and other providers. Operates a similar embedded marketplace model to LendUp with lender referral economics.
Broad incumbents
- Bankrate: Bankrate is a major financial comparison and editorial platform owned by Red Ventures that connects users with lenders across mortgages, personal loans, and credit products. Comparable as a content + lead-generation incumbent serving loan shoppers with referral economics.
- Credit Karma: Credit Karma (Intuit) offers free credit monitoring plus a broad financial product marketplace matching users with credit cards, loans, and other products. Significantly larger incumbent serving an overlapping subprime and credit-building audience with referral economics from lenders.
- NerdWallet: NerdWallet is a large personal finance content and comparison platform that connects users with credit cards, loans, and banking products. Operates as both content publisher and lead-generation platform with referral revenue, overlapping with LendUp's content + matching strategy.
- Finder.com: Finder is a global personal finance comparison platform connecting consumers with lenders, credit cards, and financial products. Operates a similar content-driven comparison and lead-generation model with referral fee revenue from financial product providers.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
LendUp social profiles
Digital presenceLendUp financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LendUp leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
LendUp funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds10 records
Investors20 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LendUp M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about LendUp
What does LendUp do?
LendUp operates a free online loan-matching platform that connects individual borrowers with a network of licensed third-party direct lenders across the United States. The platform matches borrower requests for payday, installment, personal, emergency, same-day, and bad-credit loans with state-licensed lenders, and supplements the matching service with financial education content and state-specific regulatory information.
Is LendUp a public or private company?
LendUp is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was LendUp founded?
LendUp was founded in 2011. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is LendUp based?
LendUp is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does LendUp make money?
One revenue line is on record: lender Referral Fees.
Who are LendUp's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Credible, Fiona, LendingTree, SuperMoney, Acorn Finance and Even Financial. Broad incumbents are Bankrate, Credit Karma, NerdWallet and Finder.com.
Does LendUp have an API?
No public API is recorded for LendUp.
What industry is LendUp in?
LendUp's product category is Loan Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAKAAAH, Emergency & Short-Term Installment Personal Loans (Unsecured), with a secondary code of FSAKAMAI, Small-Dollar Short-Term Installment Loans (Non-payday). Its NAICS code is 522310 and its SIC code is 6163.