What we love about Prosper Invest

Prosper operates a lending marketplace that matches borrowers with people who want to invest in consumer loans. Investors can help fund loans with very low minimums, making it easy to build a diversified portfolio of consumer loans.

The company offers loans from a variety of borrowers and rates each loan based on the borrower’s creditworthiness. Potential returns vary with the creditworthiness of the loan, so investors can build portfolios with customized risk and return profiles.

What could Prosper Invest do better?

There are a few drawbacks to consider before investing.

One is that Prosper charges hefty management fees, which can significantly eat into investors’ returns.

Another is that Prosper isn’t available in every state and some states place additional limitations on how much you can invest or how you can invest. For example, in some states, you may have to meet certain income requirements to invest or have a minimum net worth before you open an investor account.

Another consideration is that peer-to-peer lending is still a relatively new field for investors. There isn’t as much data on the risk of investing or how frequently borrowers default. If people do default on the loans you’ve invested in, you could lose your investment.

Prosper Invest’s backstory

Prosper was founded in 2006 as a peer-to-peer lending marketplace. The company helps match people who want to invest in consumer debt with borrowers who need loans. The company has helped fund over $5 billion in loans.

The Verdict

Investing in loans through Prosper can be a unique way for investors to diversify their portfolios. However, the fees and potential restrictions make investing through Prosper complicated. If you live somewhere with few restrictions and want to add some unique investments to your portfolio, Prosper is a good choice but most people will be fine with a more traditional investment strategy.