Earnest vs SoFi:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, SoFi had more branded searches than Earnest among student loan lenders in the United States. SoFi had about 9,900 branded searches, while Earnest had 6,600. SoFi made up 3% of all student loan lender searches we track, and Earnest accounted for 2%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about student loan lenders, Earnest appeared in four of the five answers and SoFi in three. Earnest was mentioned before SoFi in three out of four answers.
Who do people search for more?
SoFi, about 50% more searches than Earnest
Who does AI mention more?
Earnest, mentioned in 4 of 5 answers, SoFi in 3
Who does AI recommend more?
Earnest, named ahead of SoFi in 3 of 4 answers
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Top student loan lenders in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Earnest was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. SoFi was mentioned in three out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Earnest was listed before SoFi in three out of four answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
- Earnest1st
- SoFi2nd
College Ave3rd
Sallie Mae4th
Ascent5th
Citizens6th
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Earnest4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- SoFi3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Sallie Mae2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- College Ave2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Ascent2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Citizens1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about student loan lenders
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which private student loan lender should I use in the US?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best private student loan lenders in the US?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best lender in the US to refinance my student loans?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“private student loans”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“student loan refinance”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United States on October 22, 2026.
Is Earnest or SoFi more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Earnest and SoFi by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all six student loan lenders we track, month by month, from searches in United States.
Share of searches by month for SoFi, Earnest. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Sallie Mae | College Ave | SoFi | Earnest | Ascent | Citizens |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 75.3% | 18.5% | 3% | 1.3% | 1.1% | 0.73% |
| Nov 2025 | 74.4% | 18.3% | 3.7% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 0.89% |
| Dec 2025 | 73.5% | 18.1% | 4.4% | 1.6% | 1.3% | 1.1% |
| Jan 2026 | 74% | 18.2% | 3.6% | 2% | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| Feb 2026 | 74% | 18.2% | 3.6% | 2% | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| Mar 2026 | 76.8% | 15.4% | 3.8% | 1.7% | 1.4% | 0.92% |
| Apr 2026 | 77% | 15.5% | 3.1% | 2.1% | 1.4% | 0.92% |
| May 2026 | 73.7% | 18.1% | 4.4% | 1.6% | 1.3% | 0.87% |
| Jun 2026 | 72.7% | 17.9% | 4.4% | 2.4% | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| Jul 2026 | 68.4% | 20.6% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 2.8% | 1.5% |
| Aug 2026 | 70.3% | 21% | 2.3% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.3% |
| Sep 2026 | 74.5% | 18.3% | 3% | 2% | 1.3% | 0.88% |
How has the Earnest and SoFi comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands 2 times in the 12 months ending September 2026: Earnest took it in August 2026, SoFi took it in September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Earnest’s share of searches among student loan lenders in the United States moved from 1.3% to 2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 4.4K to 6.6K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, SoFi’s share of searches among student loan lenders in the United States held steady at 3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 9.9K.
How did search popularity change for United States student loan lenders in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, SoFi overtook Earnest and Ascent to rank 3rd among student loan lenders in the United States, with 3% of the searches.
In September 2026, Earnest lost share of searches among student loan lenders in the United States, from 2.8% to 2%.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Earnest’s and SoFi’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Other head-to-heads among student loan lenders
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