Best Debt Settlement Companies of 2026: Compare Fees and Savings

As someone who writes full-time about debt, I’ll be the first to tell you that trying to find a safe and legitimate debt settlement company isn’t always easy.

The debt relief space is full of bad actors who may try to take advantage of everyday people struggling to pay off their debt.

That’s why I spent the last three months speaking to representatives from each of the debt settlement companies below. I asked them about costs, average timeline and how much our readers can save with their company. I also verified any credentials from outside organizations.

But if you’re certain you want to pursue debt settlement, here’s who I recommend.

Accredited Debt Relief specializes in setting larger debts, with a minimum debt requirement of $10,000 to enroll. This is larger than most debt settlement companies, which have minimums of $7,500. If you have a particularly large debt load — think $20,000 or more — Accredited may be better equipped to handle your negotiations.

Accredited accepts most unsecured debts, including credit cards, medical bills, personal loans and some collection accounts.

Ascend Debt Relief charges a settlement fee of 10% to 22% of the total enrolled debt. This is a significantly lower fee than most debt settlement companies, which typically charge 15% to 25% of the enrolled debt. A lower settlement fee can mean thousands in savings.

The fee is based on the average balance per enrolled account and your state of residence, Ascend says. Only enrolled debts of $30,000 or more will qualify for the 10% rate.

What to watch out for: Ascend is a relatively new company. It was founded in 2024 and is not yet accredited by the Better Business Bureau or the Association for Consumer Debt Relief.

ClearOne Advantage says debt settlement customers can expect an average savings of 25% to 30% of their enrolled debt after taking into account any program fees. That means if your enrolled debt is $10,000, you could save up to $3,000.

This percentage is higher than other debt settlement companies, some of which only project 15% to 20% savings after fees.

What to watch out for: Projected savings are never a guarantee. Though it’s good to know how much you could save with a specific company, your actual savings is determined by how much debt you enroll and how quickly you can get to a successful settlement offer.

While most debt settlement companies will tell you it takes up to four years to complete their debt settlement programs, CreditAssociates says the majority of its customers complete the program in just over two years.

Keep in mind that the faster you save up for a settlement offer, the sooner a debt settlement company can begin negotiating with your creditors.

What to watch out for: CreditAssociates’ availability is limited. You can’t enroll if you live in Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin or Wyoming.

Freedom Debt Relief offers a rare “program guarantee” for its debt settlement customers. If Freedom is unable to save you money with its program, it’ll refund your fees up to 100%.

As part of your enrollment in the debt settlement program, Freedom also gives you free access to its “legal partner network.” These attorneys can assist if you’re sued by a creditor. Though other companies offer legal representation, you’ll have to pay a steep monthly fee.

What to watch out for: Similar to CreditAssociates, Freedom has a smaller footprint than other companies. It’s not available in Colorado, Hawaii, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin or Wyoming.

JG Wentworth may be one of the more familiar names on this list. This financial services company has been around since 1991, but it launched its debt relief product in 2019.

Customers can now enroll in the program in every state except West Virginia. This is significantly more coverage than most debt settlement companies, which may only offer their debt relief services in 40 states or less.

What to watch out for: JG Wentworth projects lower savings than most debt settlement companies. Customers can expect to save about 21% of enrolled debt after fees.

Working with Reach requires a minimum credit score of 600, so a National debt specialist may not mention this service if you can’t qualify.

What to watch out for: Similar to JG Wentworth, National has lower projected savings than other companies — 20% of your enrolled debt after fees.

Once you enroll in debt settlement, Pacific Debt Relief assigns every customer a debt specialist, and you work with this same specialist for the first six months of the program. This level of individualized assistance is rare, and it may be especially helpful as you get comfortable with the program.

What to watch out for: The average timeline for customers to complete Pacific’s debt settlement program is 42 months, which is longer than other companies.

Debt settlement companies work by negotiating with your creditors to get them to accept less than you owe.

When you enroll in a debt settlement program, you’ll need to stop making payments on your debts if you haven’t already. Though a debt settlement company can’t require you to do this, it will likely suggest it.

Instead of making payments on your debts, you’ll make a monthly payment into a third-party escrow or dedicated savings account. This account is FDIC-insured, and you own it completely. Your debt settlement company will work with you to set up this account and determine the monthly payment amount.

Once you build up enough funds in the account, the settlement company starts negotiating with your creditor. When your creditor accepts a settlement offer, you pay the creditor from the savings account, and the debt is considered settled. You repeat this process until all of your debts are settled.

The main cost of working with a debt settlement company is the settlement fee.

For most companies, this fee ranges from 15% to 25% of the enrolled debt. For example, if you enroll with $25,000 in credit card debt, you’ll pay a settlement fee of at least $3,750 (15% of $25,000). This fee is in addition to the amount you pay to your creditors to settle the debt.

The percentage of the settlement fee will vary based on your state of residence (some states cap how much the fee can be) and how much debt you have.

The cost of the fee is built into your monthly payment amount, so when you go to pay your creditor, you should have money left over to pay the settlement company. It’s illegal for a debt settlement company to collect a settlement fee before it settles a debt.

Other costs include fees for the dedicated savings account. This usually means a one-time enrollment fee and a recurring monthly maintenance fee. Both fees tend to be around $10.

Not sure the debt settlement company you’re considering is the right choice? Here’s how to give these companies a closer look.

1. Take advantage of the free phone call: Every debt settlement company should offer a free initial call. Say yes to this call. This is a no-obligation service, meaning there’s no pressure to sign up afterward. Ask questions about the company’s fees, average timeline and average savings. Ask how long they’ve been in business and what experience they bring to the table.

3. Look at online reviews: Word-of-mouth is important when choosing a debt settlement company. Spend some time combing through TrustPilot, Reddit or other websites that offer reviews, like NerdWallet. See if you can identify common themes that may be worrisome, like poor customer service, unexpected fees or low success rates.

4. Steer clear of red flags: Certain red flags should make a debt settlement company an automatic “no.” If a company exhibits these behaviors, don’t work with them.

🚩 Upfront fees: It’s against the law for a a debt settlement company to charge an upfront fee before settling a debt — no exceptions.

🚩 Guaranteed results: While a debt settlement company can discuss its track record, it can’t guarantee anything, including that your creditors will settle for a certain amount.

🚩 Pressure tactics: If a debt settlement company is pressuring you to sign up, whether through repeated phone calls, emails or mailers, stay away.

Debt settlement is much riskier than other debt-payoff alternatives discussed lower down. Organizations like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission urge consumers interested in debt settlement to consider these risks:

Though it may seem easier to have a third party, like a debt settlement company, intervene on your behalf, you could have just as much success calling your creditors and negotiating with them yourself — and you can save thousands by not having to pay a settlement fee.

Same as with using a debt settlement company, success isn’t guaranteed, but if you owe only a few creditors, it’s worth a try.

With a debt management plan, you’ll work with a nonprofit credit counseling agency to consolidate your debts into one monthly payment, while also reducing the interest rate.

This is a good option for consumers with credit card debt who have a steady income to repay the debt within three to five years.

Unlike debt settlement, a debt management plan should help build your credit score.

By taking out a debt consolidation loan, you can pay off multiple debts at once, so you’re left with only one payment on your new loan.

A debt consolidation loan should have a lower interest rate than your current debts, which saves money and helps you get out of debt faster.

Bankruptcy lets you resolve your debt under protection from a federal court.

Chapter 7 bankruptcy, the most common form, erases most unsecured debts in four to six months. It’ll also stop calls from collectors and prevent lawsuits against you.

Like with debt settlement, your credit will suffer, so consult a bankruptcy attorney first.