StellarFi Review [2024]
By Robert Bruce We all eventually make bad decisions with money.
But what about the people who make a bad financial decision (or maybe a few) and can’t recover?
Over 21% of Americans who applied for some type of credit just this past June were denied. And because you usually need access to credit to build credit, this makes life difficult for a lot of people.
StellarFi removes this need to solve this problem.
In this StellarFi review, I’ll explain what the service is, how it works, and much more. Then, you’ll be able to decide if their services could be a good way for you to improve your credit and reach your financial goals.
Boost your credit by just paying your bills!
No credit check required.
Includes free credit counseling.
Chat and email support available.
Earn referral bonuses for both you and your friends.
What is StellarFi?
Many companies judge your financial status using your credit and credit score.
And, the problem is, you have to get credit – through credit cards, loans, and mortgage payments – to build credit.
StellarFi is a public benefit corporation founded in 2022 with the goal of making good credit universally attainable. StellarFi flips the script because it doesn’t require credit to build your credit. StellarFi allows consumers to improve their credit score simply by paying any type of bill on time, such as rent, streaming services, and gym memberships. By using StellarFi, consumers can avoid the usual, complicated methods of high-interest credit cards or expensive loans to boost their credit scores. Plus, StellarFi doesn’t require a deposit, credit check, or charge interest fees.
That means anyone (including a broke college student starting with zero credit or someone struggling to recover from bad credit) can build a healthy credit score. For instance, StellarFi says members see an average of an 80-point* increase in their credit scores!
*Potential increase based on StellarFi member data. StellarFi numbers observed an average of 80 points VantageScore® 3.0 increase during a member’s lifetime, with regular on-time payments. Results may vary.
How Does StellarFi Work?
StellarFi’s credit-building process is ingenious.
When you sign up for the service (their middle plan gives a $0.99 30-day trial), StellarFi provides you with your current credit score. That’s your starting point.
The company will then give you a virtual StellarFi Bill Pay Card. You’ll need to make this card your primary payment option with your billers and add then add your bills to your StellarFi account. And no, you can’t use StellarFi to pay back people through peer-to-peer platforms like PayPal or Venmo.
After that, StellarFi pays the bill for you and then debits the same amount out of your linked checking account. Then, they report all your on-time payments to Experian® and Equifax®. With each bill you pay on time, your credit will gradually improve.
StellarFi says their Bill Pay card is not a credit card, but it shows up on Experian® and Equifax® credit reports as a line of credit. For Lite members, a $500 StellarFi limit is reported to the bureaus.
For StellarFi Prime members, that number can grow up to $25,000. This limit depends on the total dollar amount you pay each month toward bills using your StellarFi Bill Pay Card. As you link more bills (and larger bills), your reported limit increases — and so can your credit score.
StellarFi helps you build all scores: FICO® and VantageScore®. Whatever your financial goal may be, whether it is to buy a house, get approved for a credit card, or purchase a new car, StellarFi builds the credit score that matters to all lenders!
See how much you could save by learning how to cancel all subscriptions on your debit card or credit card.
Is StellarFi Legit?
Yes, StellarFi is completely legit.
StellarFi is a public benefit corporation with a mission to empower individuals and communities by giving everyone the opportunity to improve their credit easily.
StellarFi works with major credit bureaus, like Experian® and Equifax®, and they are backed by major investors, like Gaingels, Kelmhurst, HillTop Venture Partners, J2, and more.
StellarFi also has an “excellent” 4.1 rating out of 5 on TrustPilot, with more than 150 reviews so far.
Is StellarFi Safe?
StellarFi is absolutely safe to use.
The company uses 256 AES security, which they explain secures your data with bank-grade encryptions and the most advanced security protocols.
StellarFi also doesn’t store your financial information but uses random digital tokens to represent your account with your bank.
They aren’t a lender, though they say loans and credit cards are a part of their future plans. With their Bill Pay card, StellarFi pays the user’s monthly bills, such as rent, phone, and streaming services – the types of bills that traditionally don’t affect credit scores.
Then, they debit that amount out of the user’s bank account and report the on-time payment to the major credit bureaus like Experian® and Equifax®.
Pros and Cons of StellarFi
Of course, StellarFi isn’t perfect. It has some pros and some cons. In this StellarFi review, I’ve got you covered with both.
Pros
- Easy way to build credit.
- No credit check is needed.
- No deposits.
- Inexpensive monthly plans (starting at a $0.99 30-day trial for StellarFi Prime or $4.99/month for StellarFi Lite).
- Reports directly to Experian® and Equifax®.
- All members receive free credit counseling through the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC).
Cons
- Their 30-day, $0.99 trial is not available through their Lite plan, only the Prime plan.
- Customer support is only available through live chat and email during business hours only.
Don’t Miss This:
StellarFi Reviews
StellarFi has generally received positive reviews since its inception in 2022.
One TrustPilot reviewer praises how quickly StellarFi helped them improve their credit.
Source: TrustPilot
Another TrustPilot reviewer had a similar positive experience with StellarFi.
Source: TrustPilot
StellarFi Reviews Reddit
Over on Reddit (and no surprise here), there are people with opinions about StellarFi.
Source: Reddit
Another user talks about the benefits of StellarFi.
Source: Reddit
This Reddit user calls the app “hogwash.”
Source: Reddit
Is StellarFi Worth It?
While some users, like in the BBB reviews above, complain about the StellarFi app, many others have had a positive experience. That’s easy to see just through the company’s 4.1 out of 5 rating with more than 150 reviews on TrustPilot.
Whether StellarFi is worth it might also depend on which plan you choose. The company has two plans available as of now, with a third option on the way.
The Lite plan costs $4.99 per month and allows for up to $500 in monthly bills paid. The Prime plan costs $9.99 per month and reports up to $25,000 in monthly bills paid to the major bureaus. There’s also an option to trial the Prime plan for 30 days for only $0.99. StellarFi offers a $5 welcome bonus whenever you sign up.
Both plans offer referral bonuses and allow you to pay bills with the StellarFi Bill Pay card, and one-on-one live credit counseling.
Every user experience may differ, but the general StellarFi review shows that the StellarFi platform offers good value, building their users’ credit over time at a reasonable monthly price.
Commonly Asked Questions About StellarFi
What are Alternatives to StellarFi?
Alternatives and companies that are similar to StellarFi include:
- Dovly (read this full Dovly review)
- CreditStrong (read this full Credit Strong review)
- Kikoff (read this full Kikoff review)
- Cleo (read this full Cleo Credit Builder Card review)
- Cheese (read this full Cheese Credit Builder review)
- Chime (read this full Chime review)
- Nevly Money (read this Nevly Money review)
For more ways to fix your credit, check out our comparison of Credit Saint vs Lexington Law, or see if working with the best tradeline companies could be the right credit repair solution for you.
Meanwhile, learn how to budget for non recurring expenses so you can be prepared for unexpected costs going forward.
Do you get paid twice a month and find yourself struggling to account for that in your budgeting? Learn how to budget biweekly paycheck. And if you need to ramp up your savings fast, learn how to save $3000 in 3 months.
And to learn which budgeting app could best help you manage your finances and boost your savings, check out these comparisons of Rocket Money vs the competition:
If you’re looking for a low-tech, hands-on budgeting method, learn about cash envelope categories. And if you need to boost your savings fast, the 60/30/10 rule budget can help.
Then use a net worth tracker to see how your new financial strategies are paying off.
Is StellarFi a Scam?
No. StellarFi isn’t a scam. The company was founded in 2022 with a large number of legitimate investors, and StellarFi has a 4.1 rating out of 5 on TrustPilot after more than 150 reviews. StellarFi also reports its customers’ on-time payments directly to Experian and Equifax.
What is The Catch With StellarFi?
No real catch here. In the dating world, some might say StellarFi is “a catch.” (Please forgive my bad joke). The company offers two monthly pricing plans – $4.99 and $9.99 (with a $0.99 30-day trial) – that provide you with a Bill Pay card, which they, in turn, use to make on-time bill payments and report them to Experian® and Equifax®.
Does StellarFi Give You Money?
No. StellarFi is not a lender, and they don’t give you money. Their service offers the ability to build credit by making on-time payments for bills that typically don’t affect credit scores and payment history, such as rent, phone bills, gym memberships, streaming services, and so on.
Can I Pay My Rent With StellarFi?
Yes. The types of bills you can use StellarFi to pay include rent. The company will pay the rent with your StellarFi Bill Pay card, deduct that same amount from your linked bank account and then report the on-time payment to Experian® and Equifax®.
Is StellarFi a Credit Card?
No. StellarFi isn’t a credit card or personal loan provider at the moment. They do say that credit cards and personal loans are a part of their future plans and will notify their users when those options are available.
What’s the Difference Between StellarFi Lite and StellarFi Prime?
Stellarfi Lite costs $4.99 per month and lets you build your credit by paying your bills through StellarFi up to $500 per month. If your monthly bill payments exceed that amount and you’d like to build your credit even more quickly, StellarFi Prime costs $9.99 per month (and offers a 99-cent 30-day trial) and offers increases to your credit limit of up to $25,000. Each credit limit increase is reported to credit bureaus, along with your bill payments, boosting your credit even further.
