GradFin
GradFin offers free one-on-one student loan consultation, helping federal and private student loan borrowers evaluate refinancing, forgiveness programs, and repayment plans. The brand now operates under KeyBank as part of its broader student loan solutions portfolio.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersPhiladelphia, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What GradFin does
GradFin is a U.S.-based, Philadelphia-headquartered financial services firm founded in 2015 that operates a free student loan consultation service. The flagship offering is the Key Student Loan Consultation, a free one-on-one session with a student loan specialist who helps federal and private student loan borrowers evaluate repayment options, refinancing rates, Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility, and Income-Driven Repayment plans. Distribution runs through a self-service online portal — where borrowers schedule sessions, upload documentation such as My Aid Data files, and complete soft credit authorization — and is supported by email, phone, and a library of educational articles, webinars, and calculators.
GradFin's product surface has expanded under KeyBank to span the full student loan lifecycle: free consultation, Student Loan Refinancing, New Student Loans for education funding, Public Service Loan Forgiveness guidance, and Income-Driven Repayment assistance. Pricing for the consultation is freemium (no charge to the borrower), with monetization occurring indirectly via downstream KeyBank lending products originated through the consultation funnel. The company is led by founder and CEO Chris Walters, with Geoff Urquhart heading operations, and operates with a headcount band of 11–50 employees.
In a strategic move, GradFin, alongside the Laurel Road brand, joined KeyBank, integrating the consultation service into KeyBank's broader banking platform. GradFin now operates as an operating brand of KeyBank National Association, a subsidiary of KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY), with service delivery leveraging KeyBank's omnichannel infrastructure including its branch network across the United States. The company is no longer an independent growth-stage startup but a specialized funnel and advisory brand within KeyCorp's consumer banking vertical.
GradFin firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- GradFin
- Legal name
- GradFin (operating brand of KeyBank National Association)
- Website
- https://gradfin.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- GradFin offers free one-on-one student loan consultation, helping federal and private student loan borrowers evaluate refinancing, forgiveness programs, and repayment plans. The brand now operates under KeyBank as part of its broader student loan solutions portfolio.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
GradFin industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Student Loan Advisory Services
- NAICS
- Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (52231)
- SIC
- Loan Brokers (6163)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Student Loan Advisory & Repayment Assistance (FSAEAFAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Student Loan Refinance & Consolidation (FSAKAIAH), Federal Student Loans (Direct/FFEL/Perkins) (FSAKAEAA), Scholarship, Financial Aid & FAFSA Support Platforms (EDAFAMAF)
Keywords
Where GradFin is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Philadelphia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
GradFin business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free Consultation |
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
GradFin product offering
Product offeringCore offering
GradFin provides free, one-on-one consultations and advisory services to U.S. student loan borrowers, helping them evaluate refinancing options, pursue Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), enroll in Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plans, and originate new student loans. Its certified student loan professionals assist borrowers in selecting and executing the optimal repayment or forgiveness strategy.
Product overview
GradFin (along with Laurel Road) has joined KeyBank as part of the bank's student loan solutions portfolio. The offering consists of a unified platform of student loan services including Key Student Loan Consultation (free one-on-one expert sessions), Student Loan Refinancing, Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) guidance, Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plan assistance, and New Student Loans for education funding. These products work together to guide borrowers through the full lifecycle of student loan management—from initial funding through repayment and potential forgiveness.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Key Student Loan Consultation Free, individualized consultation with a certified student loan professional covering federal, private, and institutional loans for U.S. student loan borrowers.
- Student Loan Refinancing Advisory and execution support for borrowers seeking to refinance their student loans, comparing options and guiding application through partner lenders.
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Specialized guidance for public service employees on PSLF eligibility, employment certification, and tracking qualifying payments.
- Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Assistance evaluating and applying for federal Income-Driven Repayment plans that adjust monthly payments based on income and family size.
- New Student Loans Guidance and origination support for borrowers seeking new student loans, sourced through partner lending partners.
Companies that use GradFin
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
GradFin technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
GradFin partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- KeyBankcoreLaurel Road and GradFin brands have joined KeyBank, combining their student loan expertise with KeyBank's broader financial services platform. The merger brings together GradFin's student loan consultation expertise with KeyBank's banking infrastructure, enabling comprehensive student loan solutions including refinancing, forgiveness programs, and new loan products.
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
GradFin competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Commonbond: Direct competitor in student loan refinancing for graduate and professional borrowers, with a comparable digital consultation funnel and rate-comparison positioning.
- Splash Financial: Direct competitor operating a student loan refinance marketplace that aggregates offers from multiple lenders; competes on rate-shopping convenience for the same refinancing intent GradFin's consultation surfaces.
- Earnest: Direct competitor offering student loan refinancing and new private student loans with a digital-first underwriting model; competes head-to-head on rate and UX for the same high-credit-quality refinance segment.
- SoFi: Direct competitor in student loan refinancing and broader student debt guidance, with national digital reach, strong brand, and aggressive rate marketing — competing for the same refinancing-considering borrower that GradFin funnels to KeyBank.
- Laurel Road (KeyBank): Direct sibling brand — Laurel Road was a student loan refinancing and origination platform that, like GradFin, has been integrated into KeyBank, offering highly comparable refinancing, PSLF, and consultation services to the same graduate/professional borrower segment.
- College Ave Student Loans: Direct competitor focused on private student loans for undergraduate and graduate students, plus refinancing — overlapping GradFin's 'New Student Loans' and refinancing products.
Broad incumbents
- Nelnet: Broad incumbent as one of the largest US federal student loan servicers; competes indirectly through servicing-side borrower engagement and refinancing-adjacent services.
- Navient: Broad incumbent in student loan servicing and refinancing (including the Earnest brand); a major competitor in the broader refinance and repayment-guidance market that GradFin serves.
- Citizens Bank Student Lending: Broad incumbent offering student loans, refinancing, and banking services; competes with KeyBank/GradFin for the same relationship-banking graduate professional segment through a larger branch and digital footprint.
Regional players
- Scholly (by Sallie): Regional/incumbent player — Sallie Mae remains one of the largest originators of private student loans and competes in the same undergrad/grad borrower segment that GradFin's 'New Student Loans' product addresses.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
GradFin social profiles
Digital presenceGradFin financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
GradFin leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
GradFin funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
GradFin M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about GradFin
What does GradFin do?
GradFin provides free, one-on-one consultations and advisory services to U.S. student loan borrowers, helping them evaluate refinancing options, pursue Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), enroll in Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plans, and originate new student loans. Its certified student loan professionals assist borrowers in selecting and executing the optimal repayment or forgiveness strategy.
Is GradFin a public or private company?
GradFin is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was GradFin founded?
GradFin was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is GradFin based?
GradFin is headquartered in Philadelphia, United States, in the North America region.
Who are GradFin's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Commonbond, Splash Financial, Earnest, SoFi, Laurel Road (KeyBank) and College Ave Student Loans. Broad incumbents are Nelnet, Navient and Citizens Bank Student Lending. Scholly (by Sallie) is listed as a regional player.
Does GradFin have an API?
No public API is recorded for GradFin.
What industry is GradFin in?
GradFin's product category is Student Loan Advisory Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAEAFAE, Student Loan Advisory & Repayment Assistance, with a secondary code of FSAKAIAH, Student Loan Refinance & Consolidation. Its NAICS code is 52231 and its SIC code is 6163.