Key Takeaways
- We compared six leading HEI companies on payout size, term length, availability, and credit requirements to find the best options
- Point is our Best Overall pick, with the highest lender score, HEI funding up to $600,000, a 30-year term, and an accessible 500+ credit minimum.
- Point and Hometap offer the largest maximum payouts (both up to $600,000), Unison the broadest availability, and Splitero the most flexible repayment timeline.
If you are a homeowner with significant equity but want to avoid taking on more debt, home equity investment companies offer a unique alternative.
Check your home equity loan options. Start hereThe Mortgage Reports compared the top HEI companies on real terms, scored them using our own methodology, and built this guide to help you choose the right fit for your situation.
In this article (Skip to...)
- The Mortgage Report’s Best Home Equity Investment Companies
- Compare Top HEI Companies Side By Side
- How to Choose an HEI Company: Quiz
- Ranking Methodology
Best home equity investment companies in 2026
The best home equity investment company in 2026 depends on your priorities. After The Mortgage Reports compared providers on real terms — payout size, term length, availability, and credit requirements — Point stood out as our Best Overall pick, combining the highest Mortgage Reports Overall Lender Score in our comparison with one of the longest available terms (30 years) and an accessible 500+ credit minimum.
Check your home equity loan options. Start hereThat said, no single provider is the right fit for everyone. Hometap ties Point for the largest maximum payout at $600,000. Unison is available in more than 30 states, the broadest reach of any company we compared. Splitero lets homeowners delay repayment for the full 30-year term, giving the most control over timing a sale or refinance.
The Mortgage Reports 2026 Best Home Equity Investment Companies
Our Best Overall pick, followed by companies grouped by what matters most to you — payout size, availability, flexibility, and timeline.
- Best Overall
Point
Best Overall4.7/5 The Mortgage Reports Overall Lender Score Read the full reviewFunding Range $30K–$600KTerm Length Up to 30 yrsMin Credit Score 500+Why it's #1: The highest Overall Lender Score in our comparison, with HEI funding up to $600,000 — the largest on this list — a 30-year term, and an accessible 500+ credit minimum. Availability is limited to select states.
- S
Splitero
Best for Flexible Timeline4.5/5 The Mortgage Reports Overall Lender Score Read the full reviewFunding Range Up to $500KTerm Length Up to 30 yrsMin Credit Score 500+Why it's here: No repayment required before the 30-year term expires, giving homeowners the most control over timing a sale or refinance. Splitero provides up to 25% of your home’s appraised value (max $500,000), with cost governed by a 17.99% annual rate under its Safety Cap structure.
- N
Nada
Best for Pricing Transparency4.3/5 The Mortgage Reports Overall Lender Score Read the full reviewFunding Range Up to $500KTerm Length 10 yearsMin Credit Score 500+Why it's here: Publishes more pricing detail than many competitors, including an annualized cost cap of 19.99% per year, on top of origination, underwriting, and processing fees. No hard credit pull to check eligibility. Available in 14 states, with North Carolina expected in July 2026. As a licensed mortgage company, Nada can also place you in a HELOC, refinance, or other loan if that fits better than its HEA.
- U
Unison
Best for Availability4.2/5 The Mortgage Reports Overall Lender Score Read the full reviewFunding Range $30K–$500KTerm Length 30 yearsMin Credit Score ~620Why it's here: Available in more than 30 states — the broadest geographic reach of any company in our comparison, with early repayment options built in. Its individual review does not publish an official minimum credit score.
- H
Hometap
Best for Large Payouts4.1/5 The Mortgage Reports Overall Lender Score Read the full reviewFunding Range $15K–$600KTerm Length 10 yearsMin Credit Score ~600Why it's here: Ties for the highest maximum funding in our comparison at $600,000, with a clear 10-year window for repayment planning and strong marks for transparency. Its individual review does not publish an official minimum credit score.
- U
Unlock
Most Flexible4.1/5 The Mortgage Reports Overall Lender Score Read the full reviewFunding Range $15K–$500KTerm Length 10 yearsMin Credit Score ~500Why it's here: One of the most customizable structures available, with flexible qualification standards and the option to repay early without penalty. Its individual review does not publish an official minimum credit score.
Funding amounts, terms, fees, and credit requirements are approximate and vary by state, property, and borrower profile. Several companies do not publish a single official credit score minimum — the figures shown reflect commonly reported estimates, and qualification often depends on home equity and other factors as much as credit score. Company and homepage links are provided for reference; see full company reviews for details.
What experts are saying
Thomas Brock, CFA, CPA
“When comparing offers from HEI companies, the real cost often comes down to the fine print. Key terms to evaluate include the share of future appreciation you’re giving up, any minimum return guarantees, and how the home’s value is determined when you exit. It’s also important to factor in upfront fees, ongoing servicing costs, and whether there are penalties or restrictions tied to an early buyout.”
Check out the HEI companies with the highest limits to start comparing.
Home equity investment companies comparison table
The table below compares key features of the top home equity investment companies in 2026.
Check your home equity loan options. Start here| Company | Funding Range | Term Length | Fees | Availability | Credit Requirements | Unique Feature |
| Point | $30,000–$600,000 | Up to 30 years | Processing fee + closing costs (no fixed %) | Limited states | 500+ | Longest contract term |
| Splitero | Up to 25% of appraised value, max $500,000 | Up to 30 years | 17.99%/year under Safety Cap structure | 14 states | 500+ | Long-term flexibility |
| Nada | Up to $500,000 | 10 years | 19.99%/year annualized cap + origination/underwriting fees | 14 states | 500+ | Most transparent published pricing |
| Unison | $30,000–$500,000 | 30 years | 3.9 percent average | 30+ states | 620+ | Broadest geographic availability |
| Hometap | $15,000–$600,000 | 10 years | Not published — depends on equity accessed, time outstanding, and home value change | 18+ states | 600+ | Largest funding (tied with Point) |
| Unlock | $15,000–$500,000 | 10 years | Varies by borrower | 20+ states | 500+ | Flexible repayment and early buyout |
How to choose the best home equity investment company (quiz)
Selecting the right lender depends on your specific priorities. If speed is your priority, an online lender may be preferable. If lower costs are more important, consider banks or credit unions with low fees.
Check your home equity loan options. Start hereFind Your Best-Match HEI Company
Answer a couple of quick questions and we’ll point you to a strong match from our HEI comparison.
1How long do you want the agreement to run?
2What matters most to you?
2What matters most to you?
Your Match
Point
Best OverallThe highest Overall Lender Score in our comparison (4.7/5), with funding up to $600,000 and a 500+ credit minimum. Availability is limited to select states.
Unison
Best for AvailabilityAvailable in more than 30 states — the broadest geographic reach of any company in our comparison. Its individual review does not publish an official minimum credit score.
Splitero
Best for Flexible TimelineProvides up to 25% of your home’s appraised value (max $500,000), with no repayment required before the 30-year term expires. Cost is governed by a 17.99% annual rate under its Safety Cap structure.
Hometap
Best for Large PayoutsTies for the highest maximum funding in our comparison at $600,000, with a clear 10-year window for repayment planning. Its individual review does not publish an official minimum credit score.
Nada
Best for Pricing TransparencyPublishes more pricing detail than many competitors, including a 19.99% annualized cost cap on top of origination, underwriting, and processing fees. A 500+ credit minimum, with no hard credit pull to check eligibility.
Unlock
Most FlexibleOne of the most customizable structures available, with the option to repay early without penalty and one of the faster application-to-funding timelines. Its individual review does not publish an official minimum credit score.
The Mortgage Reports best HEI companies methodology
Time to make a move? Let us find the right mortgage for youOur Methodology: How We Picked and Scored These Companies
Here’s exactly how we evaluated the HEI companies on this page — what we looked at, how we chose our Best Overall pick, and what every other company’s distinction means.
What we evaluated
- Overall Lender Score — The Mortgage Reports’ independent rating of the company as a whole: affordability, lending flexibility, trustworthiness, and customer experience.
- Funding range — The maximum payout a homeowner can access.
- Term length — How long the agreement runs before it must be settled through sale, refinance, or buyout.
- Credit accessibility — The minimum credit score required to qualify, where published.
- Cost structure and transparency — How clearly a company discloses its fees and pricing mechanism.
Best Overall
Point
We weighed all five factors together to name one Best Overall pick. Point won by combining the highest Overall Lender Score in our comparison (4.7/5) with one of the largest funding ranges (up to $600,000, tied with Hometap), one of the longest available terms (30 years), and an accessible 500+ credit minimum — a genuinely strong company across the board, not just a leader in one category.
How every other company is featured
Every other company on this page is featured for one specific, verifiable strength from the list above — the largest payout, the broadest availability, the most flexible timeline, and so on. These companies are not ranked against each other. We don’t average their scores into a single number and order them 1 through 6, because the “best” company genuinely depends on what matters most to you: how much equity you need to access, which states you’re eligible in, or how long you want before settling the agreement.
A company featured lower on the page isn’t “worse” — it may simply excel at something that isn’t your top priority. Check each company’s “Best for” tag and stats to see if its strength matches your situation.
What “Overall Lender Score” means
This score reflects our independent review of a company’s home equity business as a whole — it’s a meaningful signal of whether a company is reliable and well-run, based on affordability, lending flexibility, trustworthiness, and customer experience. Click “Read the full review” on any company to see the complete breakdown behind its score.
Funding amounts, terms, fees, and credit requirements shown throughout this page are approximate and vary by state, property, and borrower profile — several companies do not publish an official credit score minimum or a fixed fee percentage, and qualification often depends on home equity and other factors as much as credit score. Always confirm current terms directly with the company.
The bottom line
Home equity investment companies provide a compelling alternative to traditional loans. By converting a portion of your equity into cash without monthly payments or added debt, they offer flexibility that many homeowners find appealing, especially those with tight budgets or average credit.
However, the trade-off is real. You are exchanging future gains for present access. The best way to approach this option is to compare providers side by side, understand the cost of equity you are sharing, and evaluate how long you plan to stay in your home.
Before signing any agreement, speak with a financial advisor or mortgage professional who understands both traditional and equity-sharing models.
