Yrefy vs. Earnest

Yrefy and Earnest both refinance student loans, but they're built for completely different borrowers.

Earnest works for people with solid credit who want competitive rates, flexible repayment terms, and the option to refinance federal or private loans. If your finances are in good shape and you're looking to lower your interest rate or simplify your payments, Earnest is designed for you.

Yrefy takes a different approach. It's built for borrowers who don't fit the traditional lending mold. Yrefy works with borrowers facing delinquency, default, damaged credit, or financial situations that would otherwise disqualify them. Where most lenders see too much risk, Yrefy sees a borrower worth working with.

The comparison below covers eligibility, loan types, credit requirements, fees, and overall borrower fit so you can see exactly where each lender stands.

Talk to a Live Person

(866) 816-7649

How Does Yrefy Compare to Earnest?

Student Loan Refinance Comparison	Yrefy	Earnest
Primary Borrower	Borrowers with delinquent or defaulted private student loans who may not qualify with traditional refinance lenders.	Borrowers with strong credit, reliable income, and student loans in good standing who want flexible repayment options.
Private Student Loans	Yes. Yrefy refinances eligible private student loans, including many loans that may be difficult to refinance elsewhere because of past payment history.	Yes. Earnest refinances qualifying private student loans for borrowers who meet its credit, income, and underwriting requirements.
Federal Student Loans	No. Yrefy focuses on private student loan refinancing and does not refinance federal student loans.	Yes. Earnest allows eligible borrowers to refinance federal and private student loans into a new private student loan.
Delinquent Loans Accepted	Yes. Yrefy specializes in helping borrowers who are behind on private student loan payments.	No. Earnest is built for borrowers whose loans are current and who meet traditional refinance approval standards.
Defaulted Loans Accepted	Yes. Yrefy may refinance eligible defaulted private student loans when other refinance options are unavailable.	No. Defaulted loans are generally not eligible through Earnest’s traditional refinance process.
Bad Credit Considered	Yes. Borrowers with damaged credit may still be reviewed because Yrefy looks beyond credit score alone.	No. Earnest generally works best for borrowers with good credit and a strong overall financial profile.
Minimum Credit Score	No published minimum. Yrefy does not rely primarily on a borrower’s FICO score when reviewing eligibility.	Yes. Earnest typically requires borrowers to meet minimum credit standards to qualify.
FICO-Based Decision	No. Yrefy uses a more holistic review that considers the borrower’s ability to repay, loan type, and overall financial situation.	Yes. Credit history, financial responsibility, and repayment behavior play an important role in Earnest’s underwriting process.
Degree Required	No. Yrefy may work with borrowers even if they did not complete their degree.	Usually yes. Earnest is generally designed for borrowers who completed an eligible degree or meet its education-related requirements.
Income Requirement	Yes. Yrefy reviews the borrower’s current ability to pay rather than relying only on traditional credit benchmarks.	Yes. Earnest generally expects stable income, employment, or other financial indicators that support repayment.
Minimum Loan Amount	$5,000. Yrefy may refinance eligible private student loans starting at $5,000.	$5,000. Earnest generally requires at least $5,000 in student loan debt, though some state-specific rules may apply.
Loan Types Refinanced	Private only. Yrefy is focused on private student loan refinancing, especially for borrowers with distressed private student loans.	Federal and private. Earnest refinances a broader mix of student loans for qualified borrowers.
Fixed Rates	Yes. Yrefy offers fixed-rate refinancing so borrowers have predictable payments over the life of the loan.	Yes. Earnest offers fixed-rate refinance options for borrowers who want payment stability.
Variable Rates	No. Yrefy does not offer variable-rate refinance loans.	Yes. Earnest offers variable-rate options for borrowers who are comfortable with rates that may change over time.
Loan Terms	Yes. Yrefy may structure repayment terms around the borrower’s financial situation and ability to repay.	Yes. Earnest gives qualified borrowers multiple repayment term options and more control over their monthly payment structure.
Soft Credit Check	Yes. Borrowers can check eligibility without impacting their credit score.	Yes. Earnest allows borrowers to check rates with a soft credit inquiry before completing a full application.
Origination Fee	Yes. Yrefy charges a 5% loan origination fee that is financed into the new loan.	No. Earnest does not charge an origination fee.
Application Fee	No. Yrefy does not charge an application fee.	No. Earnest does not charge an application fee.
Prepayment Penalty	No. Borrowers can pay off their Yrefy loan early without a prepayment penalty.	No. Earnest does not charge a prepayment penalty if borrowers pay ahead or pay off the loan early.
Cosigner / Co-Borrower	Possible. A co-borrower may be requested depending on the borrower’s underwriting review.	Yes. Earnest allows cosigners, which may help some borrowers qualify or receive better loan terms.
Unique Features	Yrefy is built for borrowers with private student loans who may have been denied elsewhere because of default, delinquency, bad credit, or a nontraditional financial profile.	Earnest stands out for flexible repayment choices, no origination fees, fixed and variable rates, and a refinance experience designed for creditworthy borrowers.
Best For	Borrowers with delinquent or defaulted private student loans who need a refinance option outside the traditional lending model.	Borrowers with strong credit and steady income who want to compare rates, customize repayment, and refinance loans that are already in good standing.

Reasons Why Refinancing Makes Sense

Lower interest rate & payment

A lower interest rate can reduce the amount of interest you pay over the life of your loan while potentially lowering your monthly payment. Depending on your loan balance, rate, and repayment term, refinancing could free up room in your monthly budget. Our borrowers reduce their monthly payments by 50% on average when they refinance their student loans with Yrefy.

Pay off faster

Refinancing may allow you to choose a shorter repayment term, helping you become debt-free sooner. While monthly payments may be higher with a shorter term, paying off your loan faster can reduce the total interest you pay over time.

Customize payments

Every borrower's financial situation is different. Refinancing gives you the opportunity to select repayment terms that better fit your goals, whether you're focused on lowering your monthly payment, paying off your loan sooner, or finding a balance between the two.

How Refinancing with Yrefy Works

Four simple steps to transform your student loan debt into a manageable financial plan and help you plan for the future.

Call us or apply online

Fill out our simple inquiry form or call us. Our secure online application takes less than one minute to complete or call us and speak to one of our loan specialists today.

Speak with a specialist

Every borrower who works with Yrefy gets a personal, dedicated loan advisor who understands the complexities of restructuring student loan debt.

Start qualification

Starting the Yrefy qualification process is simple and takes just a few minutes. We collect some information about your loan and you to access your qualification status.

Get out of debt

Once approved and you accept your new interest rate and terms, we will then fund your low fixed interest rate student loan helping you save more money each month.