Best Debt Relief Companies for December 2025
Best Debt Relief Companies for December 2025 View All Best Debt Relief Companies for December 2025
- Top Picks
- National Debt Relief
- Freedom Debt Relief
- Money Management International
- See More (6)
- New Era Debt Solutions
- Accredited Debt Relief
- TurboDebt
- Pacific Debt Relief
- Apprisen
- Precision Tax Relief
- Why Trust Us
- How Does Debt Relief Work?
- Who Is Debt Relief Good For?
- How Fast Can I Get Debt Relief?
- Common Terms
- Pros & Cons
- FAQs
- Methodology
Investopedia’s found National Debt Relief to be the best overall choice for anyone seeking help from a debt settlement specialist. With over 1.2 million people helped, it has a long track record of successful debt settlement negotiation. If you’d like to start with credit counseling (a wise idea), our top-rated company is Apprisen.
Investopedia’s research and editorial teams examined 26 of the best debt relief companies in September 2025 (covering debt settlement and credit counseling) and collected over 1,500 data points. We evaluated each company based on its fees, services, customer satisfaction, and other factors to determine our best picks.
Best Debt Relief Companies for December 2025
- Best Overall for Debt Settlement, Best for Credit Card Debt: National Debt Relief
- Best With Legal Support: Freedom Debt Relief
- Best for Low Fees, Best for Small Debts: Money Management International
- Also Great for Legal Support: New Era Debt Solutions
- Best for Accessible Customer Service: Accredited Debt Relief
- Best for Customer Satisfaction: TurboDebt
- Also Great for Debt Settlement: Pacific Debt Relief
- Best Overall for Credit Counseling: Apprisen
- Best for Tax Relief: Precision Tax Relief
Important
“Debt relief” can refer to a variety of financial services, including debt settlement, credit counseling, bankruptcy, and debt consolidation. Our ranking here shows debt settlement firms and credit counseling services. Be aware that debt settlement will have severe negative consequences for your credit.
Best Overall for Debt Settlement, Best for Credit Card Debt : National Debt Relief
- Services: Debt settlement, debt consolidation loans
- Debt settlement fee: 15% to 25% of enrolled debt
- Minimum debt required: $10,000
Pros & Cons
Pros
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Helped over 1.2 million people settle debts
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Nationwide availability (except for four states)
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Highest-rated company that works with credit card debt
Cons
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Residents of Connecticut, Oregon, Vermont, and West Virginia are not eligible
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Savings account fees are not disclosed
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Doesn’t offer legal support
Why We Chose It
We picked National Debt Relief (NDR) as the best overall debt settlement company because it beat the competition in just about every respect. NDR will attempt to help you settle your outstanding debt for less than you owe; if it’s successful, it charges 15% to 25% of the enrolled debt. NDR works with many common types of debt, including credit card balances, lines of credit, personal loans, collection accounts, and even business debts.
You’ll need to be at least $10,000 in debt to work with National Debt Relief, which is a bit more than some other companies but not an uncommon requirement. NDR is accredited by two well-known names in the industry: the Association for Consumer Debt Relief (ACDR) and the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA).
National Debt Relief claims to have helped over 1.2 million people, more than any other debt settlement service included in our research. It has good customer reviews for the most part, too—it earned an overall score of 4.7 out of 5 in Investopedia’s combined customer satisfaction rating, which aggregates ratings from a number of sources.
National Debt Relief was founded in 2009 and has headquarters in New York City. Read more in our full National Debt Relief review.
Fees and Costs
By law, debt relief companies can’t charge upfront fees. So, you’ll start with a free consultation to see if the program is a good fit. If you decide to move forward, you’ll open a savings account to hold your settlement funds, which will likely have a setup and monthly fee (these fees are not disclosed).
Other than that, you’ll only be charged a fee if National Debt Relief is able to reach a settlement and you agree to the terms. NDR will charge 15% to 25% of the enrolled debt—it’s a hefty fee, although the lower end is as low as most of the debt settlement companies we researched (but not the lowest). NDR says that on average, customers usually end up paying 45% less than is owed.
Best With Legal Support : Freedom Debt Relief
- Services: Debt settlement, debt consolidation loans
- Debt settlement fee: 15% to 25% of enrolled debt
- Minimum debt required: $7,500
Pros & Cons
Pros
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Legal support available at no extra cost
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Discloses fees on website
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Great customer ratings and reputation
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$7,500 minimum debt requirement
Cons
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Unavailable in a handful of states and D.C.
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Savings account is somewhat expensive (but fees are disclosed)
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Consumer protection law violations on record
Why We Chose It
Freedom Debt Relief (FDR) has been in operation for over 20 years (founded in 2002), and in that time, it claims to have helped over one million customers find relief from over $20 billion in debt. Despite its consumer protection law violations (settled in 2019), the company enjoys high customer satisfaction ratings.
Unlike many debt relief companies, FDR works with a network of attorneys who are on hand to help deal with any legal actions brought against you by creditors. Although these attorneys won’t represent you in court, they’ll attempt to get creditors to settle any lawsuits and agree to debt settlement instead.
Freedom Debt Relief covers a wide variety of debts, from the common (credit card bills) to the less common (payday loans). Its service includes a guarantee that, again, most companies don’t offer: If your total settlement cost ends up being more than the total amount originally enrolled in the program, FDR will refund you the difference. That can save you some money compared to other programs, especially if the process takes excessively long.
FDR is available in 41 states, either directly or through legal partners. You can work with FDR if you’re a resident of any state except Colorado, Hawaii, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, or Wyoming.
Freedom Debt Relief is based in San Mateo, California. Read our full Freedom Debt Relief review.
Fees and Costs
Freedom Debt Relief’s program starts with a free consultation to go over your debt situation. If you decide to work with FDR, you’ll open up a savings account with a separate bank. FDR is one of very few debt relief companies to mention how much this account costs—in this case, there’s a $9.95 setup fee and an ongoing $9.95 monthly charge. This is unfortunate, given that many high-paying savings accounts are available for free, but it’s par for the course if you hire a debt settlement company.
If Freedom Debt Relief is able to negotiate a debt settlement with your creditors, you’ll pay 15% to 25% of your enrolled debt. According to the company, customers typically end up settling for 40% to 50% of their enrolled debt before fees, or 28% after fees.
Best for Low Fees, Best for Small Debts : Money Management International
- Services: Debt settlement, debt management plans
- Debt settlement fee: 7.5% to 18% of enrolled debt
- Minimum debt required (settlement): $2,500
- Debt management plan fee: $0 to $59
Pros & Cons
Pros
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Low minimum fee for debt settlement
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Low minimum debt requirement
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Long-established business (since 1958)
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No fee for savings/escrow account
Cons
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Debt management plan fees can be somewhat high
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Not available in all states
Why We Chose It
Any amount of debt could be too much, but many debt relief companies have minimum debt requirements—you might need $7,500 or as much as $10,000 in debt before they’ll work with you. But Money Management International (MMI) is much more accessible. It offers both debt settlement and credit counseling, and requires only $2,500 in debt to enroll in a settlement program, or no debt at all to enroll in credit counseling.
On top of that, MMI’s debt settlement fees are the lowest of any company included in our research. You’ll pay just 7.5% to 18% of the enrolled debt—that’s about half as much as the next-lowest option. Given how expensive debt settlement can be, this could represent a huge savings. If you end up needing legal help during the settlement process, MMI offers optional legal support through its partner, Fortress Legal, for $30 per month.
Along with debt settlement, MMI offers credit counseling and debt management plans (DMPs)—these are payment plans, rather than debt forgiveness, which can help you pay what you owe without major damage to your credit. Fees for debt management plans are on a sliding scale, based on income; enrollment fees range from $0 to $75, and monthly fees range from $0 to $59. MMI also provides counseling for housing issues, bankruptcy, disaster recovery, and more.
Money Management International offers superb customer service availability, with phone support open 24/7. Past customers agree that MMI provides a high-quality service, summing up to a rating of 4.7 stars in Investopedia’s combined customer satisfaction rating.
Money Management International was founded in 1958 (the oldest among debt relief companies we researched) and is based in Stafford, Texas.
Fees and Costs
If you hire Money Management International for debt settlement and it successfully negotiates your debt, you’ll be charged 7.5% to 18% of the enrolled debt. MMI does not charge a fee for the savings/escrow account that holds your settlement fund—this is much different from other companies, some of which charge nearly $20 per month for that account.
Money Management International’s credit counseling service begins with a free initial consultation, which you can sign up for online or by calling the company. You’ll discuss your financial situation with a debt counselor and explore some options. MMI’s paid counseling services are available on a sliding fee scale and include:
- Debt management plans: One-time enrollment fee of $0 to $75; monthly fee of $0 to $59 after that. Debt management plans are usually intended to pay off your debt within five years.
- Bankruptcy counseling: Up to $50 for pre-filing and pre-discharge courses.
- Reverse mortgage counseling: $199 for a course in how reverse mortgages work, required if you’re taking out an HECM loan ($299 for proprietary reverse mortgages).
- First-time homebuyer counseling: Up to $189 for a course on buying your first home, required by some lenders.
Money Management International also offers free support in these areas:
- Credit report review and recommendations on how to improve your credit
- Student loan counseling
- Disaster recovery counseling
- Foreclosure and eviction counseling
Also Great for Legal Support : New Era Debt Solutions
- Services: Debt settlement, debt consolidation loans
- Debt settlement fee: 15% to 23% of enrolled debt
- Minimum debt required: $10,000
Pros & Cons
Pros
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Legal support available if needed
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High overall customer satisfaction score
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Claims to reduce debts by an average of 57%
Cons
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Minimum debt requirement of $10,000 is high
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Not available in Maine, Oregon, and Iowa
Why We Chose It
Founded in 1999, New Era Debt Solutions has over 25 years of experience helping people settle their unsecured debts for less. Over that time, it claims to have helped settle over $275 million in debt.
The debt settlement process requires you to stop paying your creditors, and those creditors may end up sending you some intimidating letters. New Era says that your chances of being sued while pursuing debt settlement are “quite low,” but if a creditor does bring a lawsuit against you, the company has attorneys on staff to help negotiate your settlement to a better resolution (but they won’t represent you in court). This can bring some peace of mind to debt settlement, even if no attorneys end up getting involved.
New Era is available in most states across the country and is easy to get ahold of, with live online chat to answer any questions you may have. It earned a high score in Investopedia’s combined customer satisfaction rating, with 4.6 out of 5 stars. The company has no open complaints with the CFPB.
New Era Debt Solutions is based in Camarillo, California. Read our full New Era Debt Solutions review.
Fees and Costs
Your experience with New Era starts with a free consultation. Then, if you think debt settlement and New Era are the right way for you to become debt-free, you’ll need to open a savings account with a monthly fee of $18.95. You’ll make monthly payments into that account to fund your settlement offers.
If any of your debts are successfully settled, New Era will charge 15% to 23% of the enrolled debt.
Best for Accessible Customer Service : Accredited Debt Relief
- Services: Debt settlement, debt consolidation loans
- Debt settlement fee: Up to 25% of enrolled debt
- Minimum debt required: $10,000
Pros & Cons
Pros
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Customer service available 7 days a week
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Excellent customer reviews
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Accredited by three reputable agencies
Cons
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Requires at least $10,000 of debt
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Savings account fees are not disclosed
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Unavailable to residents in 11 states
Why We Chose It
Accredited Debt Relief (a division of Beyond Finance) is our number one choice for customer service for a few reasons: It provides a variety of ways to get in touch with customer support, with great daily availability, and it has top-notch reviews from many satisfied customers.
Customer service is available by phone, email, and live web chat (web chat is only available through the Beyond Finance website). Accredited Debt Relief has better availability than many other companies—you can get in touch with them from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. EST on weekdays, and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. EST on weekends. Beyond Finance offers a mobile app (a rare feature), available for iPhone and Android, although it’s not clear if customers of Accredited Debt Relief can use it.
Accredited Debt Relief earned one of the highest combined customer satisfaction ratings among all of the debt settlement companies we researched, at 4.86 out of 5. It and/or Beyond Finance also hold accreditations from a variety of professional organizations: ACDR, IAPDA, and Consumer Debt Relief Initiative (CDRI).
Accredited Debt Relief was founded in 2011 and is based in Houston, Texas. Read our full Accredited Debt Relief review.
Fees and Costs
Accredited Debt Relief’s service begins with a free consultation. The company will negotiate with your creditors to attempt to settle your debts for less than you owe. You’ll be charged $10.75 per month for the associated savings account, in which you’ll make deposits to build up your settlement fund.
If Accredited Debt Relief is able to negotiate a settlement and you agree to the terms, you’ll be charged up to 25% of the enrolled debt.
Tip
You may also be offered debt consolidation loans through Accredited Debt Relief’s partners, but we don’t recommend getting a loan this way. Instead, check with a variety of debt consolidation loan lenders to find the lowest rates you can get before making a decision.
Best for Customer Satisfaction : TurboDebt
- Services: Debt settlement
- Debt settlement fee: 15% to 25% of enrolled debt
- Minimum debt required: $7,500
Pros and Cons
Pros
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$7,500 minimum debt requirement
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Excellent customer reviews
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Relatively low minimum fee (15%)
Cons
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Relatively new company (founded in 2020)
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Not available in MN, OR, WV, or CT
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No legal support
Why We Chose It
TurboDebt is a relative newcomer to the debt settlement scene, but over 650,000 people have already enrolled to find help resolving their debts. TurboDebt has garnered thousands of great reviews from happy customers, giving it the best Investopedia overall customer satisfaction rating among all of the companies we researched, with a score of 4.9 out of 5.
TurboDebt’s services are straightforward. It works with basic types of unsecured debt, like credit card and homeowner debt, along with business debts. And it’s accredited by the ACDR and IAPDA, professional organizations that ensure a certain standard of service and compliance with regulations.
TurboDebt is available in most states, except the few specified above. It’s headquartered in Sunrise, Florida.
Fees and Costs
TurboDebt’s service starts with a free consultation to make sure you’re a good fit for debt settlement. If you decide to enroll, you’ll need to open a savings account with a partner bank, but the company doesn’t disclose the fees associated with that account.
If a settlement is reached, TurboDebt charges 15% to 25% of the enrolled debt. According to the company, customers save an average of 46% before fees, or 25% after fees.
Also Great for Debt Settlement : Pacific Debt Relief
- Services: Debt settlement, debt consolidation loans
- Debt settlement fee: 15% to 25% of enrolled debt
- Minimum debt required: $10,000
Pros & Cons
Pros
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Accredited by 3 professional agencies
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Long-established company (founded in 2002)
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Great customer satisfaction ratings
Cons
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Minimum debt requirement of $10,000
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Limited service area—41 states and D.C.
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No legal support available
Why We Chose It
Pacific Debt Relief is worth a look if you live in an eligible state. You’ll pay 15% to 25% of any debt that Pacific is able to settle, a fairly standard fee range for debt settlement companies. Unfortunately, like many companies, it doesn’t disclose the fees for the savings account that will hold your settlement fund.
Pacific is able to help with a range of debts, from typical consumer debts like credit cards and medical bills to repossessions and business debts. It’s accredited by the ACDR, IAPDA, and CDRI.
Past customers are quite pleased with the service, overall—Pacific earned a score of 4.81 out of 5 in Investopedia’s combined customer satisfaction rating. According to the company, most clients save 30% to 50% on their enrolled debt.
Pacific Debt Relief has been in business since 2002 and is based in San Diego, California. Learn more in our full Pacific Debt Relief review.
Important
Pacific Debt Relief is available in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Fees and Costs
As usual, you begin with a free consultation with Pacific Debt Relief. If you decide to work with this company you’ll need to open a savings account, which will likely have a monthly fee.
If Pacific is able to settle any of your debts and you agree to the terms, you’ll pay a fee of 15% to 25% of the enrolled debt.
Best Overall for Credit Counseling : Apprisen
- Services: Debt management plans, credit counseling
- DMP enrollment fee: $0 to $45
- DMP monthly fee: $0 to $45
- Minimum debt required: $0
Pros & Cons
Pros
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Low fees, based on income
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Counseling services for taxes, housing, student loans, and more
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Several customer support channels make it easy to get help
Cons
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Weekend customer support is not available
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Some counseling courses may not have much or any human interaction
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Certain counseling services have higher fees
Why We Chose It
Apprisen earned the top spot among credit counseling agencies, with great scores across the board. It has low fees, offers a wide variety of services, and has excellent (although limited) customer ratings.
Apprisen offers credit counseling and debt management plans (DMPs), not debt settlement. Under a DMP, Apprisen can negotiate with your creditors to figure out an affordable payment plan and may be able to get your interest rates reduced. Apprisen’s maximum DMP fees are a bit less than average among counseling agencies we researched.
Debt management plans require you to pay off the entire debt you owe, but that also means you won’t have a settlement on your credit reports bringing your credit score down. You’ll make one monthly payment to Apprisen to cover all the creditors involved in your debt management plan until your debts are paid off.
Apprisen also offers a variety of specific counseling services to help with all kinds of debt problems, from housing to bankruptcy.
Apprisen was founded in 1955 and is headquartered in Gahanna, Ohio.
Fees and Costs
Apprisen starts with a free financial review session. You’ll speak with a counselor about your debt, and together you’ll figure out which service would be most effective (and how much it’ll cost). Apprisen’s fees are reduced or waived entirely for those who meet income qualifications.
- Debt management plans: $0 to $45 to enroll; $0 to $45 per month.
- Credit health plan: $65 for individuals or $85 for couples; includes a deep dive into your credit and development of a plan to improve it over time.
- Financial coaching: A one-time fee of $300 for financial goal setting, action plan, on-demand access to a counselor, and other financial tools.
- Financial health plan: $95 for a personalized financial plan covering your budget, debts, credit, savings, and goals.
- Bankruptcy counseling: $25 for an online pre-bankruptcy counseling course; $50 for an in-person post-bankruptcy workshop.
- Pre-purchase mortgage counseling: Up to $90 for advice on getting ready to take out a mortgage, as required by some lenders.
In addition to the paid counseling options above, Apprisen offers free counseling for the following situations and needs:
- First-time renter
- First-time homebuyer
- Mortgage delinquency/foreclosure prevention
- Student loan counseling
Best for Tax Relief : Precision Tax Relief
- Service: Tax relief
- Fee: Flat fee
- Minimum debt required: $0
Pros & Cons
Pros
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30-day money-back guarantee
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Flat-rate fee provided upfront
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In business since 1967
Cons
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No tax audit representation
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Limited online resources
Why We Chose It
We researched tax relief companies separately from other debt relief companies, and found Precision Tax Relief to be the best option for people struggling with tax debt. Anyone nationwide with any amount of tax debt—federal or state, personal or business—is welcome to apply.
Precision employs attorneys, enrolled agents, and CPAs who will look at your situation, explain your options, and help you figure out the best way forward. The company is accredited by the American Society of Tax Problem Solvers (ASTPS), the National Association of Enrolled Agents (NAEA), and the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA).
You can access a range of services from Precision, like help making offers-in-compromise to the IRS, setting up long-term installment plans, or dealing with wage garnishment. You’ll also find innocent spouse relief and tax lien assistance, but no tax audit representation.
Precision Tax Relief was founded in 1967 and has headquarters in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
Fees and Costs
Precision Tax Relief offers a free initial consultation. If the service could be of some use, you’ll be given a quote for the full price, so there’ll be no surprises. You’ll be charged a specific flat fee rather than a range or estimate, which can be paid in a lump sum or in installments.