LendingTree

At a Glance

Product type

• Online marketplace that matches you with HELOC and home-equity loan lenders; LendingTree itself is a licensed mortgage broker/lead generator, not a lender.

How it works

• Fill out one online form with property, loan purpose, and personal details
• LendingTree shows estimated offers from up to five lenders in its 300+-lender network
• You choose a lender and finish the application directly on that lender’s site

Rates & terms (typical, vary by lender)

• Recent LendingTree data shows HELOC rates “as low as” about 6.24% for well-qualified borrowers, with average APRs around 8–9% depending on loan size as of late 2025.
• Third-party analyses of LendingTree’s partners show starting APRs around 6.5%, loan amounts of roughly $10,000 to $2 million, and repayment periods of 10–20 years after the draw period.

Eligibility (varies by lender)

• Many lenders require minimum credit scores around 620, max loan-to-value (LTV) ratios near 85%, and reasonable debt-to-income (DTI) ratios (often ≤43%).

Fees

• LendingTree doesn’t charge you to compare HELOC offers; all closing costs and ongoing fees come from the lender you choose. Typical HELOC closing costs can run 2%–5% of the line amount.

Availability

• Rate-quote tools and marketplace access are available to borrowers nationwide, though specific lenders and products depend on your state and profile.

Best for

• Borrowers who want to shop multiple HELOC lenders at once and are comfortable fielding follow-up calls and emails in exchange for more choice and competition.

How a LendingTree HELOC Actually Works

LendingTree describes itself as a marketplace where banks compete for your business, not as a direct lender. For home equity, it uses that marketplace model to surface HELOC and home-equity loan offers from partner lenders.

Here’s how the process typically looks, based on LendingTree’s own flow plus third-party reviews:

1. You complete an online form
   You’ll enter:
   • Property type and use (primary home, second home, or rental)
   • Estimated home value and existing mortgage balance(s)
   • Requested amount and intended use (home improvements, debt consolidation, etc.)
   • Your estimated credit score, income details, and some personal information (name, contact info, date of birth; some lenders may ultimately need SSN)
2. LendingTree matches you with lenders
   • The platform uses your data to show estimated rate and payment offers from several HELOC lenders in its network (often up to five).
   • These are not binding approvals - they’re conditional offers based on the information you provided and lender assumptions.
3. Your information is shared with those lenders
   • Those lenders can contact you directly by phone, email, or text to move you toward a full application. Reviewers consistently note that you may get a lot of outreach.
4. You pick a lender and apply directly
   • Once you choose an offer, you’re redirected to that lender to complete the full HELOC application, provide documents, and authorize a hard credit pull.
   • Each lender sets its own underwriting guidelines, HELOC structure (draw and repayment periods), and final rate. LendingTree is not involved in approval, closing, or servicing.
5. You close and manage the HELOC with the lender
   • After closing, all payments, customer service, and changes go through the lender, not LendingTree. If something goes wrong, you’re working with that institution, not the marketplace.

LendingTree HELOC Rates, Terms & Eligibility

Because LendingTree is a marketplace, there is no single “LendingTree HELOC rate.” Instead, the platform publishes trends and “as low as” APRs based on offers submitted by partner lenders to its users.

Rates & payment examples

• LendingTree’s HELOC rates page recently highlighted headline APRs as low as 6.24% for lines of at least $100,000, with average offered APRs between about 8.3% and 9.2%, depending on loan size.
• It also shows example monthly payments - e.g., a $100,000 line at around 6.49% APR with a 30-year term has a full-repayment example payment in the mid-$600 range, while interest-only payments during the draw period are significantly lower.

Remember: these are illustrations, not guarantees. Your actual rate will depend on your:

• Credit score and history
• LTV (how much you’re borrowing relative to your home’s value)
• DTI and income stability
• Lender, product choice (variable vs fixed-rate conversion, intro discounts, etc.)

Typical LendingTree HELOC structure

Third-party analysis of LendingTree’s home equity offerings suggests these common patterns across partner lenders:

• Loan amounts: roughly $10,000 to $2 million, though large lines require strong equity and income
• Draw periods: often 5–10 years, during which you can borrow as needed up to your limit
• Repayment terms: usually 10–20 years after the draw period, with fully amortizing payments
• Rates: variable APRs tied to a benchmark (often prime) plus a margin; some lenders offer options to lock portions into fixed-rate sub-accounts
• Closing costs: frequently 2–5% of the line; some lenders offset this or waive specific fees

Eligibility basics

LendingTree’s HELOC guides and partner-lender data highlight these common eligibility thresholds:

• Minimum credit score: around 620 at many lenders; best HELOC rates often go to borrowers with 740–780+ credit
• Maximum DTI: typically 43%, though some lenders stretch to 50%
• Maximum LTV: often 85% combined (existing mortgage + HELOC), though a few high-LTV programs can go higher
• Documentation: income verification (pay stubs, W-2s or tax returns), bank statements, proof of homeowners insurance, and property appraisal

If your credit is below ~620 or your DTI is high, the odds of getting a competitive HELOC through LendingTree shrink significantly.

Customer Reviews & Financial Stability

• Editorial ratings: LendEDU rates LendingTree’s home-equity offerings (including HELOCs) about 4.5/5 and names it one of the best “marketplace” options for comparing home-equity products.
• Consumer ratings: As mentioned above, third-party aggregators find a split picture - strong ratings on Trustpilot, weak ratings on BBB - largely driven by communication and expectations, not loan performance itself.
• Corporate credit rating: Money.com notes that Moody’s has previously rated LendingTree at Caa1, a “high credit risk” category for the company’s own debts. Since LendingTree isn’t the one funding your HELOC, the more important credit rating is that of the lender you ultimately choose.

Bottom line: as a marketplace, LendingTree is widely used and generally considered safe, but the quality of the final HELOC you get is mostly about the lender behind it.

Who a LendingTree HELOC Is Best For (and Who Should Skip It)

Best for:

• Rate shoppers who love comparing options
  If you want to see several HELOC offers side by side with minimal upfront legwork, LendingTree is tailor-made for you.
• Borrowers with solid credit and equity
  The more “A-paper” your profile (strong credit, lower DTI, plenty of equity), the more likely you are to attract competitive offers from multiple lenders on the platform.
• DIY researchers
  If you like to understand the mechanics of HELOCs - rate caps, LTV limits, closing costs, etc. - LendingTree’s content and calculators give you enough context to evaluate offers intelligently.

Not ideal for:

• People who hate sales calls
  If getting a dozen calls and emails over a few days would drive you nuts, a single direct-to-lender application may be less stressful.
• Borrowers who want concierge-style, one-lender service
  Some banks and credit unions focus on hand-holding and personalized guidance from one loan officer. On LendingTree, the experience varies widely by lender; it’s not a curated, white-glove path.
• Borrowers on the credit margin
  If your credit score is below the mid-600s or your DTI is stretched, you may see fewer or less attractive HELOC offers, and you could end up doing a lot of work for little payoff.

How to Use LendingTree’s HELOC Marketplace

If you decide to use LendingTree to shop HELOCs, a few strategies can help you get the benefits while minimizing the headaches:

1. Check your credit and rough numbers first
   Use a recent credit score, estimate your home value, and calculate your current LTV and DTI so you know whether you really fit HELOC guidelines before you start.
2. Be realistic on the form
   The closer your self-reported income, home value, and credit tier are to reality, the more accurate the estimated offers you see from HELOC lenders. Inflated numbers can set you up for disappointment later.
3. Plan for the outreach
   Consider using a dedicated email address and be ready to screen calls. Politely tell lenders when you’re not interested and ask to be removed from their contact lists.
4. Keep your rate-shopping window tight
   When you’re ready to move forward, submit full applications with your top HELOC candidates within a short window (often 14–45 days) so credit-scoring models treat them as a single inquiry.
5. Compare more than the headline APR
   Look at:
   • Margin over prime and rate caps
   • Draw and repayment periods
   • Closing costs, annual fees, and early-termination fees
   • Options to fix portions of the balance at a fixed rate

Bottom line
LendingTree is a strong shopping tool for HELOCs, not a HELOC lender itself. If you’re comfortable fielding calls and doing a bit of extra filtering to find the right lender, its marketplace can save you time and help you surface competitive HELOC offers quickly. If you prefer a quiet, relationship-driven experience with one institution, you may be better off starting directly with your favorite bank or credit union and using LendingTree mainly as a rate-trend reference.