In need of a personal loan? Your first instinct may be to run to a prominent financial institution like Capital One. After all, it offers top-tier credit cards, free checking accounts, excellent high-yield savings accounts, and more.
Capital One doesn’t currently offer personal loans. Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t open a personal loan under the Capital One umbrella. We’ll explain exactly what you can and can’t get with Capital One—and suggest some alternative personal loan options, too.
Does Capital One offer personal loans in 2025?
Again, Capital One no longer offers personal loans. It also stepped out of the residential mortgage game in 2018. In fact, Capital One only offers a few types of installment loans: auto, small business, and commercial.
Otherwise, if you’d like to borrow money from Capital One, it will be in the form of a revolving credit line like a credit card—of which Capital One offers some of the best on the market. Credit lines are different from traditional personal loans in a few ways, such as:
- Credit lines aren’t paid back in fixed installments. Instead, you’ll typically be subject to minimum payments dictated by your balance.
- Credit lines offer an ongoing solution to borrowing money. With a personal loan, you’ll receive an upfront chunk of money that you’ll gradually pay off. With a credit card, you can borrow as little or as much as you want at any given time (up to your credit limit), and your borrowing power will replenish when you pay down your balance.
- APR is often higher with credit lines. Personal loans are a great option for a large expense that you can’t soon pay off, as they often come with more reasonable interest rates than a credit card.
Alternative lenders for a personal loan
While you can’t get a Capital One-branded personal loan, Capital One acquired Discover in May 2025. Discover issues personal loans between $2,500 and $40,000, with loan terms from 36 to 84 months. It also advertises interest rates between 7.99% and 24.99%.
As a borrower, the fact that Capital One technically owns these loans won’t affect your experience; you’ll still have to apply through Discover. It’s just worth mentioning that Discover and Capital One are one company.
Beyond this, other lenders that make an appearance on our list of the best personal loans in 2025: LightStream and Wells Fargo. Here’s a quick look at what each has to offer.
Lender details checked Oct. 29, 2025 and subject to change.
How to find the best personal loan for your situation
If you’re looking for a personal loan, you won’t find what you need through Capital One. So as you shop for your ideal loan, consider the below factors.
Loan amount
Each lender will stipulate a range of amounts you can borrow. Some ranges are narrower than others. Identify the amount of money you need and find financial institutions that offer that amount. For example, if you need $60,000, but a lender only offers a maximum of $40,000, it’s likely not the right choice for you.
Loan term
A loan term is simply your repayment period. If you’ve got a loan term of 36 months, that means you’ve got three years to pay off your loan.
A personal loan will break up your monthly payment into equal installments. This means that the shorter your loan term, the higher your monthly payment will be. Find a lender that offers a loan term resulting in monthly payments that you can afford.
Interest rate
Another important variable is APR. You may have an acceptable loan amount and term, but if you’re being charged nightmarishly high interest, it could still be a bad deal. Check the proposed interest of your would-be loan to decide if you’re paying an unreasonable amount for the privilege of borrowing money.
Fees
Choose the loan with the least amount of ancillary fees. Some banks charge origination fees, account setup fees, early payoff fees, etc., and some banks charge none of these.
When you find a few loans that fulfill your needs in all areas, choose the one with the least amount of fees.
The takeaway
Capital One doesn’t offer personal loans. They offer auto, small business, and commercial loans. If you want to borrow money from Capital One for anything else, you’ll have to open a Capital One credit card (which is a revolving line of credit—not a traditional installment loan).
You can still open a personal loan with Discover (which Capital One acquired in 2025), but you must apply via official Discover channels, and the loan will be branded as a Discover loan. Otherwise, read our post on the best personal loans to find a suitable lender for your needs.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a Capital One credit card as an alternative to a personal loan?
Yes, you can use a Capital One credit card to borrow money for purchases similar to a personal loan—but it’s probably not a good idea. Credit cards typically charge significantly higher interest rates than traditional personal loans, so they’re a bad option to finance a large purchase.
Can I get a cash advance from Capital One instead of a loan?
Yes, you can initiate a cash advance with your Capital One credit card instead of a loan. But again, the APR and fees associated with a cash advance will cause you to pay more in the long run. Cash advances should be an absolute last resort.
Are there personal loans available through Capital One’s affiliates or partners?
There are personal loans available through Capital One’s subsidiary, Discover. You can open a personal loan up to $40,000 with terms up to 84 months.
What credit products does Capital One offer instead of personal loans?
Instead of personal loans, Capital One offers credit cards. It also offers auto loans, small business loans, and commercial loans.
Did Capital One ever offer personal loans in the past?
Yes, Capital One offered personal loans in the past but has since shuttered the division.
