Skip to content
Alt Investing
Platforms
Best platforms

Best Private Credit Platforms

Private credit can be one of the clearest ways to pursue alternative income, but only if you understand what sits behind the yield: collateral, seniority, borrower quality, duration, and loss assumptions.

By Kevin Cass

Reviewed Published

Our review checks access, fees, liquidity, downside, and investor fit before directing readers to a platform.

No compensated platform links are active on this page. Platform rankings and verdicts follow our published review criteria.

MethodologyDisclosure

  • Groundfloor works for smaller investors who want direct exposure to shorter-duration real-estate debt and can accept note-level risk.
  • Willow Wealth and EquityMultiple can offer stronger accredited menus, but the wider opportunity set means more underwriting work, not less.
  • Percent is a specialist tool for investors who already know they want private-credit yield and are comfortable reading beyond the headline rate.
Best PlatformsFind Your Fit

Private credit platforms to compare

See all comparisons

Accredited access

Willow Wealth

Research pick

Editorial score

3.0 / 5

Accredited-focused private market access with curated alternative offerings and advisor-style positioning.

Return caseWillow Wealth offers private-credit, real-estate, and multi-asset private-market strategies where returns depend on underwriting, manager selection, and accepting limited liquidity.

Minimum
$5,000
Liquidity
Product-dependent, from short-term notes to multi-year private funds
Fees
Varies by product; managed portfolios list advisory and underlying fund expenses
Return focus
Income
Risk level
High
Hold period
3 months to 7+ years, depending on product
accredited investorsprivate creditcurated private-market access
Review Willow WealthCompare
Visit Willow Wealth →

Non-accredited access

Groundfloor

Research pick

Editorial score

3.9 / 5

Shorter-duration real-estate debt investing with lower minimums and a more loan-by-loan decision flow.

Return caseGroundfloor can make money through private real-estate debt yield, but that return depends on borrower performance and loan underwriting rather than property appreciation alone.

Minimum
$10
Liquidity
Typically tied to loan duration with limited liquidity before maturity
Fees
Loan returns are net of servicing and platform economics that vary by note
Return focus
Income
Risk level
High
Hold period
6 months to 2 years
shorter-duration private creditsmall minimumshands-on note selection
Review GroundfloorCompare
Visit Groundfloor →

Accredited access

Percent

Editorial score

2.9 / 5

Private credit access focused on income-seeking investors evaluating short-duration and specialty lending opportunities.

Return casePercent is an income-first private-credit platform where the payoff comes from loan yield and repayment discipline rather than long-term appreciation.

Minimum
$500
Liquidity
Typically locked until the underlying note or deal matures
Fees
Varies by offering and structure
Return focus
Income
Risk level
High
Hold period
6 months to 3 years
private credit specialistsyield-focused investorsshorter-duration alternatives
Review PercentCompare
Visit Percent →

Accredited access

EquityMultiple

Research pick

Editorial score

3.1 / 5

Accredited private-markets platform offering multiple real-estate and credit structures instead of a single one-size-fits-all fund.

Return caseEquityMultiple is built for investors who want more targeted private real-estate and credit exposure where underwriting and structure selection drive the outcome.

Minimum
$5,000
Liquidity
Illiquid with deal-specific or fund-specific hold periods
Fees
Deal economics differ by offering and should be compared carefully
Return focus
Balanced
Risk level
High
Hold period
1 to 7+ years
accredited real-estate investorstargeted deal selectionincome plus appreciation
Review EquityMultipleCompare
Visit EquityMultiple →

Investor worksheet

Download the alternative investment decision matrix.

Use the same worksheet we use to compare access, fees, liquidity windows, and how each structure is supposed to make money before you click out to any platform.

One weekly note with new platform reviews, fee changes, and access updates.

Download the worksheet now

Featured platforms

Platforms worth reviewing next

Use these picks to compare structure, access, fee load, and liquidity terms before moving to any official offering page.

Featured platform

Willow Wealth

Best fit for accredited investors and private credit.

Accredited-focused private market access with curated alternative offerings and advisor-style positioning.

Willow Wealth offers private-credit, real-estate, and multi-asset private-market strategies where returns depend on underwriting, manager selection, and accepting limited liquidity.

accredited investorsprivate creditcurated private-market access
Visit Willow Wealth →

Accredited investors only—educational research, not a suitability determination.

Featured platform

Groundfloor

Best fit for shorter-duration private credit and small minimums.

Shorter-duration real-estate debt investing with lower minimums and a more loan-by-loan decision flow.

Groundfloor can make money through private real-estate debt yield, but that return depends on borrower performance and loan underwriting rather than property appreciation alone.

shorter-duration private creditsmall minimumshands-on note selection
Visit Groundfloor →

Featured platform

EquityMultiple

Best fit for accredited real-estate investors and targeted deal selection.

Accredited private-markets platform offering multiple real-estate and credit structures instead of a single one-size-fits-all fund.

EquityMultiple is built for investors who want more targeted private real-estate and credit exposure where underwriting and structure selection drive the outcome.

accredited real-estate investorstargeted deal selectionincome plus appreciation
Visit EquityMultiple →

What a serious private-credit comparison should include

Compare seniority, collateral, borrower quality, duration, fee drag, and how defaults are handled. That is the real engine of a private-credit return. The stated yield is only the output.

Shorter duration can reduce the time your capital is tied up, but it does not protect you from bad underwriting. A six-month note can still be a poor investment if the collateral is weak or the borrower fails.

Primary-source desk

Official sources checked

SEC bulletin on non-traded BDCsOfficial guidance on private-credit exposure, leverage, fees, valuation, and limited redemption options in non-traded BDCs.Checked · Official source ↗FINRA private-placement guidanceCurrent due-diligence guidance covering issuer claims, offering terms, projected returns, and material liquidity restrictions.Checked · Official source ↗FINRA feeder-fund guidanceInvestor guidance on layered fees, redemption limits, and long lockups in funds that open alternative assets to retail investors.Checked · Official source ↗

Featured platform

Willow Wealth

Best fit for accredited investors and private credit.

Accredited-focused private market access with curated alternative offerings and advisor-style positioning.

Willow Wealth offers private-credit, real-estate, and multi-asset private-market strategies where returns depend on underwriting, manager selection, and accepting limited liquidity.

accredited investorsprivate creditcurated private-market access

Accredited investors only—educational research, not a suitability determination.

Weekly briefing

Get new platform comparisons first.

Weekly plain-English notes on new platform reviews, fee structures, liquidity mechanics, and access changes.

Weekly educational updates on platforms, fees, liquidity, and access.

How to use this page

Read the structure before the story

Start with eligibility

Check whether the platform matches your access level and minimum before spending time on the return story.

Treat liquidity as a first-order risk

Redemption terms, gates, and hold periods often matter more in practice than the headline category.

Read disclosures

Related reading

How Private Credit Investing Works

A guide to yield, underwriting, seniority, defaults, and why private-credit returns need more scrutiny than headline coupons.

Alternative Investments With Monthly Income

An income-focused guide to alternative investments that may pay monthly or near-monthly cash flow, and the risks that matter more than the payout calendar itself.

Fees in Alternative Investing Explained

A practical guide to the fees investors encounter in alternative investments, including management fees, incentive fees, deal expenses, servicing costs, and why net return matters more than the headline yield.

FAQs

How should I evaluate fees?

Look for management fees, servicing fees, performance fees, deal-level expenses, and exit-related economics. The right benchmark is net return after all fees, not headline yield alone.

What are the main risks?

Key risks include illiquidity, valuation opacity, leverage, manager execution risk, concentration, and tax complexity. The category matters, but structure and manager quality matter just as much.

Are alternative investments liquid?

Usually not in the same way as public stocks or ETFs. Many alternatives have quarterly redemption windows, secondary market limits, or multi-year lockups.