Financing · Financing Marketplaces
Hearth Review
Contractor financing marketplace plus sales tools (subscription-based)
Quick verdict
Hearth is best for Contractors who finance enough volume to amortize a four-figure annual subscription and want a lender marketplace bundled with estimating and sales tools. Four-figure annual subscription is a fixed cost regardless of volume; recurring customer-service and follow-up complaints; a free marketplace (Acorn) offers a similar model at no contractor cost.
Fees & terms
Contractor pays a yearly subscription — Essentials $1,499/yr, Pro $1,799/yr, Elite $4,999/yr, plus a one-time $99 setup. Hearth is a licensed broker (not a lender): 18+ lender partners offer customers $1,000–$100,000 at 4.9%–35.99% APR over 2–12 years, plus 0% intro credit cards.
- Cost to contractor
- Subscription: $1,499–$4,999/yr + $99 setup (no per-loan dealer fee; you pay for the platform)
- Customer APR
- 4.9%–35.99% APR via 18+ lenders; plus 0% intro credit cards (6–18 mo)
- Loan size
- $1,000–$100,000
Affiliate disclosure: No confirmed affiliate program — we currently earn nothing from Hearth.
About Hearth
Hearth (owned by Shogun Enterprises) is a contractor-focused financing marketplace bundled with sales and marketing tools. Rather than charging a per-loan dealer fee, Hearth charges the contractor a yearly subscription and acts as a licensed broker: it doesn't make loans or credit decisions itself, but routes customers to 18+ lender partners who offer $1,000–$100,000 at 4.9%–35.99% APR over 2–12 years, plus 0% intro credit cards (6–18 months). For the contractor, the pitch is a digital suite — financing, estimates/invoicing, and sales tools — to win more jobs and look professional.
The subscription model is the defining (and divisive) feature. Plans run Essentials $1,499/year, Pro $1,799/year, and Elite $4,999/year, plus a one-time $99 setup. That's a real fixed cost — unlike Wisetack's per-transaction fee or Acorn's free marketplace — so Hearth pays off for contractors who finance enough volume to amortize the subscription and who value the bundled sales tools.
The trade-offs show in the reviews, which are mixed. Contractors praise the tool suite and report more closed jobs, but a recurring complaint is customer service and follow-up — some report losing prequalified projects because Hearth didn't respond. For a contractor who wants a financing marketplace plus sales tools and will use them enough to justify a four-figure annual fee, Hearth can work; volume-light contractors are usually better served by a free marketplace (Acorn) or per-transaction financing (Wisetack).
How it works
You subscribe to a Hearth plan ($1,499–$4,999/year + $99 setup) and get a contractor dashboard with financing plus estimating/invoicing and sales tools. Because Hearth is a licensed broker (not a lender), you send customers a financing link; they prequalify with a soft credit check and see offers from Hearth's 18+ lender partners — personal loans of $1,000–$100,000 at 4.9–35.99% APR over 2–12 years, or 0% intro credit cards. The customer picks an offer and is funded by the lender, and you get paid for the job. There's no per-loan dealer fee deducted — you've paid for access via the subscription instead.
Pros & cons
What works
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No per-loan dealer fee
Unlike GreenSky's 3–15% dealer fees, Hearth doesn't skim a percentage off each loan — you pay a flat subscription instead. For high financing volume, that can be cheaper per job than percentage-based dealer fees.
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Marketplace of 18+ lenders
Customers see offers from many lenders ($1,000–$100,000, 4.9–35.99% APR), increasing the odds of an approval and a workable payment for a range of credit profiles and project sizes.
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Bundled sales tools
Hearth pairs financing with estimating/invoicing and sales tools, so contractors who want a financing-plus-sales suite get more than a standalone financing link.
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Soft-pull prequalification
Customers prequalify with a soft credit check that doesn't hurt their score, lowering friction to explore monthly-payment options on a quote.
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Wide loan range
From $1,000 service work to $100,000 remodels, plus 0% intro credit cards, Hearth's lender network spans small and large jobs in one platform.
What doesn't
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Four-figure annual subscription
At $1,499–$4,999/year plus $99 setup, Hearth is a fixed cost regardless of how much you finance. Contractors who don't run enough financing volume to amortize it lose money versus free or per-transaction options.
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Customer-service / follow-up complaints
A recurring negative theme is poor support and follow-up — some contractors report losing prequalified projects because Hearth didn't respond. For a tool you're paying four figures for, that's a real concern to vet.
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Broker, not lender
Hearth doesn't make loans or set rates — lender partners do. That's normal for a marketplace, but it means approval, terms, and the customer experience depend on third-party lenders, not Hearth.
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Cost vs free marketplaces
Acorn Finance offers a similar lender-marketplace model with no contractor fee at all. Hearth's subscription needs to be justified by its bundled sales tools and your volume, or a free marketplace is the better deal.
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Mixed overall reputation
Reviews are genuinely mixed — strong for the tools and results for some, weak on service for others. Trial it and check recent reviews before committing to an annual plan.
Features & integrations
Key features
Integrations
Frequently asked
How does Hearth charge contractors?
Hearth uses a yearly subscription rather than a per-loan dealer fee: Essentials $1,499/yr, Pro $1,799/yr, and Elite $4,999/yr, plus a one-time $99 setup. You pay for platform access and bundled sales tools; there's no percentage skimmed off each loan like GreenSky's dealer fees.
Does Hearth make the loans?
No — Hearth is a licensed broker, not a lender. It doesn't accept credit applications, make loans, or set rates; its 18+ lender partners provide the APRs (4.9–35.99%), terms (2–12 years), and fees. Hearth routes customers to those lenders and bundles sales tools around the experience.
Is Hearth worth the subscription?
It depends on your financing volume and whether you'll use the bundled estimating/sales tools. Because the $1,499–$4,999/year fee is fixed, contractors who finance a lot of jobs can come out ahead of percentage dealer fees, while low-volume contractors usually do better with a free marketplace like Acorn Finance or per-transaction financing like Wisetack.
What are the main complaints about Hearth?
The most common negative theme is customer service and follow-up — some contractors report losing prequalified projects because Hearth didn't respond or follow up with clients. Given the four-figure annual cost, it's worth checking recent reviews and trialing the support experience before committing.
Hearth vs Acorn Finance?
Both are lender marketplaces with soft-pull prequalification, but the cost model differs sharply: Hearth charges contractors a $1,499+/year subscription (bundled with sales tools), while Acorn Finance is free to contractors with no subscription or dealer fees. If you want the bundled tools and have the volume, Hearth can fit; if you just want free lender-marketplace financing, Acorn is the cheaper path.