Heights Finance vs Upstart San Mateo CA (2026)
Written by Harvey Brooks | Reviewed by the CreditDoc Editorial Team
Heights Finance
Google rating from 1,728 reviews
Upstart
Summary
Heights Finance and Upstart serve different borrower profiles in the personal loan space. Heights Finance, founded in 1992 and headquartered in Greenville, IL, holds an A+ BBB rating and a 5.0 Google rating from 1,728 reviews, but requires in-person branch visits and does not disclose APR, fees, or credit requirements on its website. Upstart, founded in 2012 in San Mateo, CA, carries a B+ BBB rating and offers a broader product lineup including auto refinancing and HELOCs alongside personal loans. Neither company lists pricing in current CreditDoc source data. Upstart provides greater transparency with soft credit checks for rate previews, no prepayment penalties, and fixed-rate terms disclosed upfront, while Heights Finance emphasizes personal service through named loan officers and local branches.
Quick Decision Map
Compare Heights Finance if...
Compare Heights Finance if these stored profile signals match your need: Personal installment loans up to $10,000; published application timing with provider-stated funding timing capability; Mobile app for loan management and payments.
Read the full Heights Finance reviewCompare Upstart if...
Compare Upstart if these stored profile signals match your need: Personal loans ($1,000-$75,000) with fixed APR rates 6.2%-35.99%; Car loan refinancing with APR rates 5.17%-29.99%; Home equity lines of credit (HELOC) $26,000-$250,000 at rates from 6.52% APR.
Read the full Upstart reviewSide-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | ||
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | No monthly subscription listed | No monthly subscription listed |
| Setup Fee | No setup fee listed | No setup fee listed |
| BBB Rating | A+ Higher | B+ |
| Refund Term Listed | No | No |
| Google Rating | | No stored Google rating |
| Credit Monitoring | ||
| All 3 Bureaus | ||
| Goodwill Letters | ||
| Cease & Desist Letters | ||
| Debt Validation | ||
| Credit Education | ||
| ID Theft Protection | ||
| Score Tracking | ||
| Mobile App | ||
| Online Portal | ||
| Personal Advisor | ||
| AI-Powered |
How to Compare These Two
CreditDoc Profile Note
Research Note on Heights Finance
Review Heights Finance if these stored profile signals are relevant to your research: Consumers in the 11 operating states seeking in-person installment lending. Borrowers with limited credit who need storefront lending with local branch service. Profile signal to verify: Loans up to $10,000 available with stated published application timing and provider-stated funding timing potential.
CreditDoc Profile Note
Research Note on Upstart
Review Upstart if these stored profile signals are relevant to your research: Borrowers with fair-to-good credit seeking debt consolidation with fixed rates and no prepayment penalties. Car owners with existing auto loans looking to refinance and reduce monthly payments. Profile signal to verify: provider-stated next-day funding timing for 99% of approved personal loans after signing.
CreditDoc Profile Note
Research Note on Upstart
CreditDoc comparison note: Upstart. Upstart offers stronger upfront transparency with disclosed loan terms, soft credit checks that protect borrower scores, no prepayment penalties, and a wider product range—advantages that outweigh Heights Finance's many Google reviews and BBB rating given Heights Finance's lack of publicly available pricing or approval criteria.
Before You Contact Either Company
- Verify current pricing, setup fees, and cancellation terms directly with the company.
- Read both full CreditDoc review pages before using external signup links.
- Check whether listed refund, return, or satisfaction terms have conditions.
- Confirm APR, fees, repayment schedule, and state-specific availability before applying.
- Check whether prequalification uses a soft or hard credit inquiry.
Check the Context Before You Contact a Company
Use this comparison with each company profile, related category pages, local guides, and CreditDoc data explainers. This page is directory context, not a recommendation, approval prediction, price quote, or licensing determination.
CreditDoc Tools and Guides for This Comparison
If you need a calculator, checklist, course, or deeper guide before contacting either company, start with these CreditDoc resources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which lists the lower monthly price, Heights Finance or Upstart?
Neither profile lists a recurring monthly subscription fee. This does not mean all borrowing, card, usage, interest, or per-transaction costs are free. Setup fees can change first-month cost: Heights Finance has no listed setup fee, while Upstart has no listed setup fee.
Which has the higher stored BBB rating, Heights Finance or Upstart?
Heights Finance has an A+ BBB rating, while Upstart has a B+ BBB rating (accredited). BBB ratings are third-party signals and should be checked with current provider, regulator, and complaint-response context.
Do Heights Finance and Upstart list refund terms?
Neither profile lists a refund term in the stored comparison data.
How should I compare Heights Finance and Upstart?
Compare the profile details, pricing fields, public ratings where available, refund terms, and complaint-response context before contacting either company. CreditDoc's stored comparison note records Upstart for this matchup because: Upstart offers stronger upfront transparency with disclosed loan terms, soft credit checks that protect borrower scores, no prepayment penalties, and a wider product range—advantages that outweigh Heights Finance's many Google reviews and BBB rating given Heights Finance's lack of publicly available pricing or approval criteria.
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