Can you get a HELOC with a low credit score?

Short answer: it's harder, and there's no single cutoff. Each lender sets its own minimum score, and federal HELOC data doesn't include scores. But credit history was the first reason lenders gave on 25% of HELOC denials in 2025 (123,262 applications). If your score is what's stopping you, a home equity investment may still work: published minimums start at 500.

What credit score do you need for a HELOC or home equity loan?

There's no federal minimum. Lenders set their own and change them, so ask each one directly. What federal data does show is how often credit gets in the way: in 2025, credit history was the first reason on 25% of HELOC denials and was listed at all on 32%. Debt-to-income was more common still (44% first). Source: HEI Facts analysis of 2025 HMDA data.

Your options with a low score

1. Check your credit reports for errors, then reapply. You can get free reports from the three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com. A HELOC usually costs less than the alternatives below.
2. A home equity investment. No monthly payment, and lower published credit minimums:

   Provider	Minimum credit score
   Point	500
   Unlock	500
   Splitero	500
   Hometap	585
   CHEIFS	680
   Unison	Not published

   Equity matters more than score: every provider limits your mortgage plus the investment as a share of your home's value. See home equity investment with bad credit.
3. Other ways to tap equity: a cash-out refinance, a home equity loan from a different lender, or, if you're 62 or older, a reverse mortgage. Compare them in every HELOC alternative.

Before you choose an HEI, see what it would cost on the HEI Calculator: a lower credit bar doesn't make it cheap. Then check which providers fit your home, state, and credit with the HEI Offers matcher.

Questions

What credit score do I need for a HELOC?

There's no single answer: each lender sets its own minimum. Federal data shows credit history was the first reason on about a quarter of HELOC denials in 2025.

Can I get a home equity loan with a 500 credit score?

It's unlikely from most lenders, but some home equity investment providers publish a 500 minimum: Point, Unlock, Splitero. An HEI isn't a loan and has no monthly payment.

What's the easiest way to get cash from my home with bad credit?

If you have plenty of equity, a home equity investment has the lowest published credit bars. It usually costs more than a HELOC, so compare costs before you sign.