Support & FAQ

Fiona is the fastest, easiest, and most comprehensive way to search financial service offers from top providers. Fiona is created and powered by Engine by MoneyLion, the leading search, comparison and recommendation engine for financial services.

No. Fiona is not a lender. Fiona uses proprietary technology and its relationships with dozens of trusted lenders to find the best loan options for you.

A personal loan (what most people mean when they talk about a loan) is an unsecured loan or a collateral secured loan that you can use for any purpose: consolidating your debt, refinancing your credit card debt to a lower rate, or financing a life event.

You pay back your loan in fixed monthly payments to the lender, with no penalty for paying the loan off early.

APR is the “annual percentage rate”: the annual cost of your loan, as a percentage of the loan amount. The cost includes your interest rate and any fees or charges associated with your loan, including the origination fee. Example: If you borrow $5,000 on a 36 month repayment term with a 10% APR, the monthly payment will be $161.34. Total repayment at the end of 36 months will end up being $5,808.24. As can be seen, the total interest accrued will be $808.24.

When you see a pre-approved offer, the lender has determined that you meet certain approval criteria based on a soft pull of your credit profile that Fiona has performed. Through matching you with pre-approved loan offers, Fiona identifies loans that you will more plausibly get approved for if you were to complete a loan application with that loan provider. Pre-approved offers are conditional commitments for an exact rate from a lender, and let you know if you qualify for that loan. The rates are subject to change but are very rarely different than the rate you’ll see. This enables Fiona to match you with the loan offers that best meet your needs, all while only doing a soft inquiry on your credit score.

When you see a pre-qualified offer, the lender has determined that you meet certain selection criteria based on the information you provided. Pre-qualification doesn’t guarantee approval, but it is a signal that you are more likely to be approved for the loan offer shown.

The requirements vary by lender, but we provide options for virtually any credit score across all of the lenders on our platform.

Our process and the process used by our lending partners and platforms is entirely digital. You never have to leave the comfort of your home or desk and you’ll get matched with personalized loan offers from our network of top providers. The days of physical paperwork and applications are behind us, as you’ll be able to move through the entire process of receiving the funds you need digitally (sometimes as soon as the next business day).

A line of credit can best be described as a cross between a personal loan and a revolving credit line you would find on a credit card. With a line of credit, you can borrow money up to a preset maximum amount, which you then pay back with the APR (annual percentage rate) applied, by a specific due date. Once you make a payment to your account, the amount will become available again as part of your revolving line of credit. 

As common with any financial product, you must get approved by the provider after requesting a credit limit amount and verifying your details. Upon being approved, your credit limit will be determined based on certain criteria, and you will be able to borrow against your line of credit. The funds you request will typically be available the next business day. From that point, you can continue borrowing from and making payments toward your line of credit, making either the minimum payment amount (to avoid penalties) or a greater amount if you prefer paying your balance in full. 

With regard to personal loans, a secured loan requires a borrower to back the loan with some type of collateral, in order to be eligible for and receive funds. If a borrower defaults on the loan, the lender can repossess the asset to account for any unpaid balance and/or fees.

An unsecured personal loan, on the other hand, is not backed by an asset as collateral. As a result, if a borrower defaults on an unsecured loan, a lender has less avenues to recover their funds, although they can pursue action through a debt collection agency or other means. While the majority of personal loans are unsecured, secured personal loans often come with lower rates, since the lender is taking on less risk.

Typically, a house or car are used as collateral with their intended loan products (a mortgage and auto loan, respectively), but both can also be used to secure a personal loan, depending on the loan amount. Other examples of assets used to back secured loans include: bank accounts, stock investments, equity from life insurance policies, other types of real estate, and precious metals along with other high-value personal belongings.

As hinted above, secured loans often come with a lower APR (interest rate + costs & fees) than unsecured loans, as they are deemed less risky by lenders. In addition, secured loans also tend to have higher borrowing limits, which is ideal for consumers looking to obtain large funds. Furthermore, borrowers with lower credit scores may find it easier to get approved for a secured loan if they have an eligible asset to include as collateral. 

On the other hand, secured loans do run the risk of borrowers having the assets they choose as collateral becoming repossessed. Furthermore, if an asset does not cover the unpaid loan amount, lenders can take additional actions to recover funds. Secured loans also tend to have more restrictions for use than unsecured loans. It’s important for prospective borrowers to understand the risk of secured loans, and whether it is the right choice based on their financial situation and ability to make regular payments.

An auto refinance loan can be used to pay off your current auto loan. Your payments moving forward would be to your new auto refinance loan provider, possibly at a lower interest rate or with lower monthly payments (depending on creditworthiness). This could possibly save you money or make your payments fit more comfortably in your budget. Refinancing any loan may not always result in lower overall interest and principal payments and in many cases it can extend the life of the loan. Your new loan would be secured by your car and may be used as collateral if you don’t pay the debt.

MotoRefi is a partner of Fiona that enables us to match you with personalized auto refinance offers. You can learn more about Jerry by visiting motorefi.com.

If you are not matched with a pre-qualified or pre-approved offer, that means that based on the information you provided, such as credit score or income, you did not meet certain selection criteria from our lenders. All determinations of credit worthiness are determined by our lender partners, not by Fiona.

If you are not matched with a pre-qualified or pre-approved offer, you may search again for a smaller loan amount. Searching does not impact your credit score, so you may modify your search as needed. You may also consider other financial product options and special offers available to you.

Our service is 100% free.

Fiona is not a lender, and does not provide loans. Rather, Fiona is the leading search engine for personal loan offers. Fiona will match you with pre-approved/pre-qualified loan offers across our extensive network of top providers and is technically integrated with our network of lending platforms, each of which has its own loan products and understanding of a “good” borrower. Instead of applying for a loan with one lender, Fiona dynamically matches you in real-time with loan offers from our partnered lenders, showing you the best rates available in one easy place. This saves you time and energy as hours of research on your part is condensed into matching you with the best loan offers for your needs in less than 60 seconds.

We look at a number of factors such as APR, terms, speed of approval, speed of funding and if you qualify for the loan to display the best loan product for you. If you are not satisfied with the loan offer we display to you, you can always see all of your results to find a more suitable option for your needs.

No. This application will not impact your credit score. Upon completion of the application, and with your consent, a "soft-pull" may be run on your credit. This has no impact on a consumer’s credit score. The “soft check” is used to help get you real-time personalized pre-qualifying offers.

A soft pull (or inquiry) typically occurs when a person or company checks your credit report as part of a background check. A soft pull may be recorded in your credit report, depending on the credit bureau, but does not affect your credit score. Our loan providers complete a soft credit pull when you complete the application based on your name, address, and date of birth.

Hard inquiries generally occur when making a lending decision. Hard inquiries appear on your credit report and can negatively affect your credit score. Our loan providers may require a hard pull at the very end of the process on their website once you click to accept the loan terms and complete your application.

When you see a pre-approved offer, the lender has determined that you meet certain approval criteria, based on a soft pull of your credit profile. You have a higher chance of being approved if you complete a loan application with the issuer. A completed loan application will result in a hard inquiry on your credit report and may impact your credit score. The pre-approved offers, which are conditional commitments for an exact rate from a lender, let a consumer know if they qualify for the loan. The rates are subject to change but are very rarely different than the rate they see.

When a consumer proceeds with a loan offer, they are taken to the loan provider that Fiona partners with to complete the loan. Consumers must complete the loan application workflow directly with the lending platform in order to obtain the loan. When possible, we try to make this transition easier by filling out the lender’s application with any information you entered with Fiona’s application.

There are no application fees for any of the lenders on our platform. Some lenders may charge an origination fee of 1-6% of the loan that will be deducted from the loan proceeds before they are delivered to you. This fee is factored into the APR you see. There may also be late payment fees or ACH return / check refund fees. Please check with the loan provider if you have any specific questions regarding their fees.

Your loan will ultimately be provided by and serviced by the lender, and they will have their own customer service teams to answer any of your questions. We only work with top lenders so we are confident they meet the highest standards of quality service. That said, we always welcome feedback and comments on your experience, so feel free to reach out to us using our “Contact us” page.

A savings account is one of the two main deposit account types used by many banking customers. Savings accounts allow you to store your money with a financial institution in return for promised financial security and a financial return on your deposit.

The Federal Deposits Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and The National Credit Union Association insures deposit accounts for amounts up to $250,000 per person per institution. For example: A person holding $250,000 in each account at two different institutions will be insured for $500,000 total. * Certain institutions may offer insurance on multiple accounts per customer depending on the customer’s relationship with the bank.

Some of our partners may require minimums to open a savings account, this will be noted in the results.

You can withdraw or transfer from your savings account up to six times per month before you could begin to incur fees from your financial institution. Withdrawals or transfers from savings accounts are limited by the Federal Reserve Board’s Regulation D rule. The main purpose of this regulation with regards to the consumer is to encourage savings accounts to be used for - you guessed it - savings! Remember, savings accounts are meant to be a long-term investment. There are specific ways of withdrawing or transfering money (via an ATM or bank teller for example) that do not count against the six-per-month withdrawal limit. Please check with your financial institution for more information.

Yes. Financial institutions compensate you for depositing your money into a savings account by paying you interest on the balance in your account. This interest also compounds at some period depending on the account and financial institution.

APY is the Annual Percentage Yield. APY signifies the actual yield, or gain in value, resulting from interest payments compounding throughout the year. It factors in how often the interest is applied to the balance, which can range anywhere from daily to annually.

APR is the Annual Percentage Rate. APR is the interest that is paid on an investment, without taking into account the compounding of interest within that year. APR does not take into account how that interest is applied to your savings or investments.

For example:

1. An APR of 12% on a $100,000 balance would equate to 1% interest per month (12% annual interest divided by 12 months). After one month, the interest accrued would be 1% of $100,000 i.e. $1,000 for a total new balance of $101,000.

2. During month two, the interest compounds on itself. The account is now accruing 1% interest on the new balance of $101,000. After two months, the interest accrued would be 1% of $101,000 i.e. $2,010 for a new total balance of $102,010.

3. While APR gives the annualized (12 month) calculation of the interest rate (1% per month * 12 months = 12% per year), APY takes into account the factor of compounding interest [(1+1% per month)^12 months - 1] = 12.68% compounded monthly interest per year. This is the actual amount of interest earned over the year.

*12% APR & 12.68% APY is used for this example for simple mathematical explanation only. Savings accounts offered through Fiona offer APYs up to 2.15%.

It’s a hybrid between a checking and a high yield savings account. A Cash Management Account is designed to:

• Earn interest

• Manage cash

• Make payments

Cash Management Accounts are a useful product for those who would like to consolidate the two.

Cash Management Accounts typically come equipped with checking account features such as the ability to use a debit card or make ATM withdrawals.

With hundreds of available credit cards on the market, it's important to understand what your spending habits are in order to choose the card that's right for you.

For example, cardholders who carry a balance should consider a card with the lowest interest rate or perhaps a 0% APR introductory period. A lower interest rate means you will pay less money toward interest charges as you pay down credit card debt. On the other hand, cardholders who always pay their statement balances in full will avoid interest charges and may be more interested in a card that offers the most valuable rewards, based on their spending habits and lifestyle.

You can help ensure that you meet the credit card issuer's criteria by knowing what your credit score is. That way, you can get matched with cards you're more likely to get approved for. Consider using our credit score partner, TransUnion, to determine your credit rating.

Finally, you should consider any benefits offered by the card, such as air miles, cash back or travel insurance, as well as any applicable fees like annual and foreign transaction fees. Fiona makes comparing credit card rewards easy, by showing you a dollar value for how much you’ll earn within a year of using each credit card.

To improve your odds of being approved for a new credit card account, try these steps:

Request your free credit score to determine your credit profile.

Learn about credit cards designed for your credit profile, so that you apply for offers that you are likely to be approved for.

If your application is initially rejected, be sure to call the card issuer and ask for reconsideration. Applicants often may be able to reallocate their credit lines or offer other information that results in approval.

APR stands for annual percentage rate, and is a measure of the cost of credit expressed as a yearly interest rate. The higher the APR, the more that you will be charged in potential interest. Credit card companies often charge interest in exchange for letting you carry balances. Paying less than the full statement balance may lead to an interest charge being added to your outstanding balance. In most cases, paying your statement balance in full each month will prevent any further interest charges.

Credit cards can have separate APRs for purchases, balance transfers and cash advances. Some cards even offer an introductory APR that is valid for a limited period of time when a new account is opened. In addition, many cards impose a higher penalty APR when cardholders fail to make a payment after 60 days.

Balance Transfer is when a cardholder pays off a balance on one card by transferring the amount to another card. Promotional offers on new cards, like 0% APR, make balance transfers more advantageous by allowing the cardholder to pay zero new interest during the promotional period.

Grace Period is the time period between the statement closing date (when one billing cycle ends) and the due date, when cardholders can pay their statement balance in full without the risk of accruing interest or getting charged a late penalty.

Foreign Transaction Fee is imposed on all charges processed outside of the US, regardless of where you are or what currency you are being charged. Some credit cards offer the benefit of no foreign transaction fees.

Variable Interest Rate is an interest rate that changes based on an economic index, such as the prime rate or the USD LIBOR rate. For example, a variable rate credit card with a base rate of 13% that takes into account a prime rate of 3.75%, will have a total interest rate of 16.75%. Since the prime rate fluctuates, your credit card’s APR will also fluctuate based on the index.

Annual Fee is charged by a credit card company each year for continued use of a credit card. It is different from other potential fees or interest charges, in that it must be paid regardless of whether you’re paying your balances on time.

Intro Bonus is an incentive credit card issuers offer that allows you to earn extra points/cashback/miles if you spend a certain amount on your credit card by a specific date after opening the account.

Points are a rewards value calculated by credit card issuers that can be redeemed for cash back, travel miles, and more, according to the provider’s predetermined system.

Redemption is the act of redeeming points for different rewards, according to the credit card issuer’s predetermined system.

Rewards Value is our exclusive feature that allows you to get a calculated monetary value of how much your rewards would be worth from a specific credit card offer, based on your average spending habits.

Cash Back is a refund reward that credit card issuers provide based on a certain percentage of purchases made, which can be used towards your balance or transferred to another account. Learn more cash back by clicking here.

Reward Miles are points that credit card issuers allow you to spend towards air travel costs, which can also be potentially used for discounts and upgrades on flights you purchase.

Not all cards offer rewards to users. For cards that do, you will see tabs labeled “For You” and “Rewards.” The “For You” tab lists how many rewards points or dollars you can earn with that card, while the “Rewards” tab lists the card’s specific rewards programs. If a card does not offer any rewards, these tabs will not be visible.

For the Rewards Value provided in your offer, we calculated your average monthly credit card spend based on your income. You can change this spending calculation manually to more accurately reflect your true spending (see below). Note: The information you provide should only include amounts you typically pay with your credit card, as it is used to calculate the potential value of a card’s rewards based on your unique spending habits.

Go to your automatically generated Spending Profile above the credit card offer wall, or click “Spending Profile,” highlighted in blue below the tabs, to edit how much you spend monthly on your credit card for the following categories: food & drink, shopping, gas, entertainment, travel, and everything else. You can also update a section on how you prefer to redeem your rewards (e.g., on flights and hotels). The value of your rewards (i.e, points) estimate will be based on your preferred redemption method. Note: The rewards calculation also takes into account bonuses and fees, and assumes you will pay off your statement balance in full every billing cycle.

Credit card issuers have different sets of criteria for offers and approvals, based on an applicant’s credit score, income, and other financial factors. If you were unable to find a rewards card offer that meets your needs, Fiona can help you get matched with other credit card offers that are more suitable for your current situation. These cards are great for building credit back up and have less requirements for approval.

When you’re matched for a credit card offer through our offer matching feature, it means you have a better chance of getting approved for the card. Better yet, our matching is achieved through only a soft pull of your credit profile, which has zero effect on your credit score.

Note: Matched for you does not guarantee approval, as that is ultimately decided by the issuer upon formal application. If you complete an application with the issuer, it will result in a hard inquiry on your credit, which may negatively impact your score based on the findings.

Plaid is a quick and easy way to enhance the Fiona search engine experience of looking for financial products and services. With Plaid, applicants can forego most of our standard personal information form and instead use their bank account login credentials. We use this data only to confirm an applicant’s personal information, including name, phone number, address, and income. The applicant will enter their banking credentials via Plaid, who then verifies the account. (Fiona will never receive, access, or see your bank account login credentials.) Once authenticated, the user’s information is prepopulated into the application process.

An applicant can link their bank account through Plaid in seconds, which speeds up the Fiona application process by requiring less manual entry. Linking with Plaid prepopulates the information onto the application form, which users will be able to update and/or modify if any information is incorrect.

Many people are reluctant to enter personal banking details online anywhere outside their bank’s own website. The caution is understandable; it’s always wise to research the security of a platform before sharing your financial information. Plaid is a safe, audited, and trusted network that has built alliances with top US-based financial institutions, thousands of smaller banks, and credit unions across the country.

Plaid is a trusted provider for top financial apps and services, like Venmo, Moneylion, and Acorns.

Plaid uses end-to-end encryption and tokenization, which means Fiona will never receive, access, or see your bank account login credentials. We encourage applicants to read more about Plaid security to help make an informed decision.

Plaid uses an applicant’s online banking credentials in order to connect their bank account. Users should make sure to double-check that they’re using the correct login info by testing the credentials on their bank’s login portal. If a user continues to have trouble, they should contact their bank.

Plaid currently supports over 2,000 financial institutions, and they’re continuously working on adding more. If a user’s bank does not appear on the list, there may be two reasons why:

1. The bank is not supported by Plaid.

2. The bank is not supported by our current integration with Plaid.

If you are having trouble authenticating your bank account through Plaid, please email [email protected] or call (800)-614-7505.

Please note that our call center agents can’t connect Plaid to your bank account, for security reasons.

A life insurance policy is an agreement between you and an insurance company. Through paying a regular premium, your insurance company agrees to pay out a sum of money to your beneficiaries if you were to pass away before the policy term has ended. 

Depending on your needs, you may require a different type of life insurance. 

Some types include:

Term Life: Your policy is for a specific term only, say 10 to 30 years, and your beneficiaries don’t receive any benefit if you outlive the set term. Your premiums can be level, increasing or decreasing throughout the life of the policy.

Accidental Death: Similar to Term Life, your policy is for a specific term, but only pays a benefit in the event of accidental death, such as a traffic accident. Death from illness is not covered, so accidental death policies tend to be the least expensive option.

Whole Life: Your policy is for the entirety of your life, and there is a cash value component from which you may borrow or withdraw in the future. You pay level premiums throughout the life of the policy, which is your entire life. 

Universal Life: Similar to Whole Life, this type of life insurance is for the entirety of your life and includes a cash value account. However, some universal life policies offer flexibility. For example, you can use your cash value account to help pay your premiums if need be. 

Your decision to get life insurance is a deeply personal decision. If you have a spouse, children, or close family members that could experience financial strife at the time of your death, then it may be a good idea to get life insurance. Life insurance is a way to help those who you leave behind with the costs that may accumulate—with funeral costs, bills, and more. 

If illness or injury strikes and you or your family are in desperate need of immediate cash, life insurance can provide the funds. Although it’s an unpleasant thought, should death occur during your working years, life insurance helps cover mortgage or rent payments, utilities, credit card bills, and other debts owed.

Life insurance can also be used to pay funeral costs, unpaid medical bills, college tuition, taxes, and/or everyday living expenses. In other words, life insurance proceeds can be used by your beneficiaries in any variation of ways depending on what they require.

Most traditional life insurance plans require a medical exam with blood work. Getting a “no exam” life insurance plan is just as the name implies – no medical exam is required. Answer a few basic health-related questions over the phone or online and you’re good to go. “No exam plans” may not be available to every individual or for every policy, and will be dependent on a per individual basis.

Fiona is not an insurance company, Fiona powered by our affiliated company LeapLife will match you with life insurance policies from top carriers to help you select the policy that works best for your needs.

LeapLife is an insurtech platform and Fiona’s partner. As a licensed life insurance agency, available in all 50 states, LeapLife will help you finalize your life insurance application and approval. Some life insurance applications will require you to finalize through a quick phone call, and LeapLife will direct you through that process.

A mortgage is a type of loan product used specifically to buy or refinance a home, secured by the collateral of the specific real estate property.

The agreement is between you and a lender and allows you to borrow money to buy or refinance a home. This agreement also gives the lender the right to take your property if you fail to repay.

Annual percentage rate, or “APR”, is the annual cost of the mortgage loan to the borrower including fees.

This differs from the interest rate in that it includes the interest a borrower is paying, as well as other charges or fees such as mortgage insurance, closing costs, discount points, loan origination fees, among other inclusions. For this reason, the APR is usually higher than your interest rate.

The APR of a mortgage loan is used to provide borrowers a better idea of what they’ll be paying annually for their mortgage loan, and is more all encompassing than just the interest percentage.

The interest rate of a mortgage loan is the annual cost of the mortgage to the borrower.

Refinancing is when a borrower takes out a new mortgage to replace their current mortgage. This is typically done to receive a more favorable interest rate or monthly payment. If approved, your new mortgage will be used to pay off your original mortgage and you will then make payments to your new mortgage lender.

A down payment is the upfront amount you pay toward the purchase of a home. The difference between the purchase price and your down payment represents the mortgage loan amount you will borrow from the lender.

The size of the down payment you make may decrease the amount of interest paid over the lifetime of the mortgage loan and/or lower the monthly payments of the mortgage loan. It is primarily used to provide lenders the security that you are capable of taking on the mortgage loan you’re agreeing to pay. Down payments can be as low as 3.5% of the agreed upon purchase price, while 20% is the typical average and standard.

Fiona is not a mortgage lender, and is instead an easy and quick way to search and compare mortgages across multiple lenders. All mortgage loans found on Fiona will be finalized, approved, and paid to your selected lender—Fiona is just an easy way to compare them!

Nope! Fiona is 100% free—always, no matter what!

Nope! Using Fiona will not have an impact on your credit score. Though if you select a mortgage available in our comparison table, when finalizing your mortgage application with your chosen mortgage lender, they may require a “hard inquiry” of your credit report, which may have an impact on your credit score.

Jerry is a partner of Fiona that enables us to match you with personalized auto insurance policy quotes.  

Similar to Fiona, Jerry uses machine learning to match you with the best personalized auto insurance policy quotes for your needs. You can learn more about Jerry by visiting https://getjerry.com/about. 

Nope! You aren’t required to wait until you receive a renewal notice from your current auto insurance provider in order to change to a new one! 

Some auto insurance companies may charge a small cancellation fee if you cancel before the end of the policy, so be sure to check with your current insurance provider if that will be required. 

Fiona is not a licensed auto insurance agent, which is why we partner with Jerry. Jerry Insurance Agency (license number 0M34848) is a licensed insurance broker, registered in the state of California—and licensed in every state. Jerry carries a $1M professional liability policy for your peace of mind.

Nope! With the help of Jerry, you’ll be matched with personalized auto insurance policy quotes from premium auto insurance carriers. Jerry provides quotes from up to 45 top insurance companies. Once matched with the one that works best for your needs, you can purchase the policy through Jerry. 

Nope! Fiona is 100% free—always, no matter what! 

Many states require you to have a minimum amount of liability auto insurance and also provide proof of that insurance in order to register your vehicle. We suggest you call or visit the website of your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles in order to confirm that minimum amount and ensure you obtain coverage past the threshold required. 

Further, in the case of an accident, the minimum liability insurance required by the state may not be enough to pay for the results of that accident. If that were to occur, you’d be responsible for the additional expenses. Though everyone is different, we recommend that you consider the value of your vehicle, how you drive and the frequency of which you do so, and the typical passengers you typically drive with to ensure you’re securing coverage that will be adequate. 

Nope! At most, only a “soft inquiry” of your credit score will be required to search for auto insurance with Fiona, in partnership with Jerry (with some states not even requiring that). A “soft inquiry” will never have an impact on your credit score.