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Home Equity Investments

Access your equity. Zero monthly payments.

An HEI pays you a lump sum for a share of your home's future value: no loan, no interest, no monthly payment. We compared the five providers still open to new customers on published fees, cost caps, terms, eligibility and complaint records.

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  • 5 open providers, verified Sept 2026
  • Vendor sources only
  • Editor's Pick: Splitero
Modern single-family home representing accessible equity

Editor's Pick

Splitero

Lowest published cost cap · terms to 30 yrs · 500 FICO

The best home equity investment companies in 2026

  1. 1. Splitero — best for most homeowners: lowest published cost cap and a term to 30 years.
  2. 2. Hometap — best for rentals, vacation homes and manufactured homes.
  3. 3. Point — best for the widest availability and a low upfront fee.
  4. 4. Unlock — best for partial buyouts before the term ends.
  5. 5. Unison — best for sharing a price decline, if you are comfortable with its pending litigation.

Closed to new customers: Aspire, HomePace and Balance. Not sure an HEI beats a HELOC for you? Run the HEI calculator.

Start by situation

What are you trying to do with your equity?

Pay off high-interest debt

Every equity route compared, HEI and loan

Fund home renovations

Without adding a monthly payment

Retirement income, 62+

HEI vs reverse mortgage

HEI or HELOC?

Which costs less for you

Personalized HELOC matcher · Soft pull only

Can you carry a monthly payment? A HELOC is usually the cheaper way to borrow against your home, and the matcher above shows your options. For no monthly payment at all, the five HEI providers are ranked below.

Verified by the WalletGrower Editorial Team — current as of September 27, 2026. Rates, fees, and offers can change between our update cycles; confirm on the provider's site before applying.

Side by side

Home equity investment companies compared

How each settles, what it charges, whether it publishes a cost cap, and who qualifies. Tap a provider for the full review.

 SpliteroHometapPointUnlockUnison
How you repayShare of future home valueShare of future home valueOriginal amount plus share of change in valueShare of future home valueOriginal amount plus share of change in value
Upfront fee4.99% (min $1,500)4.5%, capped at $20,000Up to 3.9% (min $2,000)4.9%3.9%
Published cost cap17.99% a year, compounded monthly18.5% a year, compounded monthlyNot publishedNot publishedNot published
Amount$50,000 to $600,000 (max 25% of home value)$15,000 to $600,000 (max 27% of home value)Up to $600,000 (max 20% of home value)Up to $500,000$30,000 to $500,000 (max 15% of home value)
Term10 to 30 years10 years30 years10 years30 years
Min. credit score500585500500620
EquityMore than 25%25% minimumKeep about 27% after funding30% minimumSet by credit tier
States172630 + D.C.2622 + D.C.

Every figure read at the provider's own site. Fees are charged on the investment amount at closing; third-party closing costs are extra.

Editor's Pick · Best Overall HEI 2026

Why Splitero is our top HEI pick for 2026

Splitero earns the top spot on published facts, not on price: its 4.99% fee is the highest of the five. It publishes a 17.99% Safety Cap (a yearly rate, compounded monthly), the lowest published cost ceiling in the category (Hometap's is 18.5% a year, compounded monthly; Point, Unlock and Unison publish none). Its Maturity Match term runs up to 30 years. It accepts a 500 credit score with no income or employment documents, and trust- and LLC-held title may qualify. If the lowest fee matters more, Point (up to 3.9%) and Unison (3.9%) charge less.

  • Lowest published cost ceiling — 17.99% a year, compounded monthly; Hometap's is 18.5% a year, compounded monthly
  • Term matched to your mortgage — 10-year minimum, 30-year maximum, no early-repurchase penalty
  • Funding in as little as 20 days — per Splitero; timelines vary by property
  • Fewest BBB complaints of the five — 2 in three years, BBB A+
Read full Splitero review Get a free Splitero estimate

Affiliate link: we may earn a commission at no cost to you. Disclosure.

Splitero · Editor's Pick

17.99% Safety Cap

Compounded monthly · the lowest published

$100,000 investment

$0/mo payment

$95,010 in hand after the 4.99% fee

Most you could owe after 1 year

$119,550

The cap, however fast the home appreciates

Ranked

The 5 best home equity investment companies, reviewed

Why each earned its place, who it fits, and what to watch for.

1. Splitero

Best for most homeowners: lowest published cost cap and a term to 30 years

4.7/5

BBB A+

Why we picked it: The lowest published cost ceiling of the five (17.99%), a term that matches your mortgage up to 30 years, and a 500 credit minimum with no income documents.

Fee

4.99% (min $1,500)

Cost cap

17.99% a year, compounded monthly

Term

10 to 30 years

Min. credit

500

  • Worst case visible before you sign
  • Trust- and LLC-held title may qualify
  • Repurchase any time, no penalty
  • Highest upfront fee (4.99%)
  • You owe a share of total future value
  • Eligible areas of 17 states
Read the Splitero review Get a Splitero estimate

2. Hometap

Best for rentals, vacation homes and manufactured homes

4.6/5

BBB B+

Why we picked it: Fully published pricing (1.65x under five years, 1.8x after, capped at 18.5% a year) and the broadest property list, including rentals, vacation homes and manufactured homes.

Fee

4.5%, capped at $20,000

Cost cap

18.5% a year, compounded monthly

Term

10 years

Min. credit

585

  • Formula you can check yourself
  • Fee 4.5%, capped at $20,000
  • Strongest BBB review average of the five
  • Firm 10-year term
  • 585 credit minimum
  • 25% minimum equity
Read the Hometap review Get a Hometap estimate

3. Point

Best for the widest availability and a low upfront fee

4.4/5

BBB A+

Why we picked it: The widest footprint (30 states plus D.C.), a 30-year term and an upfront fee of up to 3.9% (min $2,000).

Fee

Up to 3.9% (min $2,000)

Cost cap

Not published

Term

30 years

Min. credit

500

  • Shares a decline below its starting value
  • 500 credit minimum
  • Up to $600,000 (max 20% of home value)
  • Cost cap exists but its rate is unpublished
  • Starting value set below your appraisal
  • No LLC-held or manufactured homes
Read the Point review Get a Point estimate

4. Unlock

Best for partial buyouts before the term ends

4.2/5

BBB A+

Why we picked it: Partial buyouts during the term, a 500 credit minimum and eligibility for rentals and second homes.

Fee

4.9%

Cost cap

Not published

Term

10 years

Min. credit

500

  • Buy back part of the share early
  • No income requirement
  • 26 states, including HI, VT and NC
  • No published cost cap
  • 30% minimum equity
  • 10-year term; fee 4.9%
Read the Unlock review Get an Unlock estimate

5. Unison

Best for sharing a price decline, if you are comfortable with its pending litigation

3.6/5

BBB A+

Why we picked it: A published formula (typically 4x the share invested, applied to the change in value), a 30-year term and a 3.9% fee.

Fee

3.9%

Cost cap

Not published

Term

30 years

Min. credit

620

  • Shares declines after its restriction period
  • Checkable math
  • Operating since 2004
  • Several proposed class actions pending in 2026
  • 620 credit minimum
  • Lowest BBB review average of the five
Read the Unison review Get an Unison estimate

Affiliate link: we may earn a commission at no cost to you. Disclosure.

How it works

Two ways an HEI settles, and why it changes your cost

Share of future home value

Splitero, Hometap, Unlock. You owe a fixed percentage of the home's value when you settle. That percentage is larger than the share of value you received, which is the investor's return.

Example, Hometap's published formula: $50,000 on a $500,000 home is 10% of value; settle after year five and you owe 18% of the home's value then.

Investment plus a share of the change

Point, Unison. You return the original amount plus a percentage of the gain, or minus a percentage of the loss, measured from a starting value.

Example, Unison's published formula: invest 10% of the home's value and Unison typically takes 40% of the change.

Price your own HEIApplies each provider's published fee and cap to your numbers.
Reviews

Full reviews of the five open providers

Each review covers the settlement math, requirements, BBB and court records, and how the provider compares.

Splitero review

Best for most homeowners: lowest published cost cap and a term to 30 years. 4.99% fee · cap: 17.99% a year, compounded monthly · 10 to 30 years.

Get a free estimateRead our review

Hometap review

Best for rentals, vacation homes and manufactured homes. 4.5% fee · cap: 18.5% a year, compounded monthly · 10 years.

Get a free estimateRead our review

Point review

Best for the widest availability and a low upfront fee. Up to 3.9% fee · cap: not published · 30 years.

Get a free estimateRead our review

Unlock review

Best for partial buyouts before the term ends. 4.9% fee · cap: not published · 10 years.

Get a free estimateRead our review

Unison review

Best for sharing a price decline, if you are comfortable with its pending litigation. 3.9% fee · cap: not published · 30 years.

Get a free estimateRead our review

Closed providers

Aspire (no longer offered to new customers), HomePace (assets to EasyKnock, which shut in December 2024) and Balance (no longer independent). Kept as historical records.

Browse category
Hub tools

Free calculators that pair with HEI decisions

HEI cost calculator

What you'd repay, and the annual rate.

Home equity estimator

How much equity you can actually tap.

HELOC payment calculator

The monthly-payment alternative.

Refinance break-even

When a cash-out refi pays back.

Guides

Deep guides for HEI decisions

Read first

HEI · compare

HEI vs HELOC

No monthly payment against a lower total cost. When each wins, with the math.

GuideRead →
FAQ

Home equity investment FAQ

What is the best home equity investment company in 2026?

Splitero is our Editor's Pick for most homeowners in its states: it publishes the lowest published cost ceiling (17.99%), runs up to 30 years and accepts a 500 credit score. Hometap is best for rentals, vacation and manufactured homes and has the most transparent pricing formula; Point has the widest availability (30 states plus D.C.). Splitero is a Fiat Growth portfolio company; our ranking method is published below.

What is a home equity investment (HEI)?

A home equity investment gives you a lump sum today in exchange for a share of your home's future value or appreciation. It is not a loan: there are no monthly payments and no interest. You settle when you sell, refinance or reach the end of the term, usually by paying the investor its share out of the sale or refinance proceeds.

How is an HEI different from a HELOC or home equity loan?

HELOCs and home equity loans are debt: you borrow and make monthly payments with interest. An HEI has no monthly payment; instead you give up a share of your home's value. That makes an HEI easier to carry and often easier to qualify for, but usually more expensive than a HELOC if the home appreciates. Compare the two with our HEI calculator's equivalent annual rate.

How much equity can I access with an HEI?

Four of the five cap the investment at a share of your home's value: Unison 15%, Point generally 20%, Splitero 25% and Hometap 27%, with dollar maximums of $500,000 (Unlock, Unison) to $600,000 (Splitero, Hometap, Point). You also need to keep enough equity after funding, which each provider sets differently.

What happens if my home decreases in value?

It depends on the structure. With a share-of-value agreement (Splitero, Hometap, Unlock) you owe a percentage of a smaller number, so the settlement falls. With a share-of-change agreement (Point, Unison) the investor absorbs part of a loss, so you can repay less than you received; Point shares a loss only below its appreciation starting value, and Unison only after an initial restriction period.

When do I have to settle an HEI?

When you sell, refinance, or reach the end of the term: 10 years at Hometap and Unlock, up to 30 years at Splitero (matched to your mortgage, minimum 10), and 30 years at Point and Unison. You can settle early at any time with every provider we cover.

Which HEI companies have closed?

Aspire says its HEIs are no longer offered to new customers. HomePace's assets went to EasyKnock in May 2024, and EasyKnock shut its platform in December 2024. Balance no longer operates independently. We keep their reviews as historical records but do not recommend them.

Are home equity investments safe and legal?

They are legal contracts, recorded against your home, and Splitero, Hometap, Point and Unison publish their licensing; check Unlock on NMLS Consumer Access. The legal debate is over how they should be regulated: at least two 2026 proposed class actions against Unison argue these agreements should be treated as mortgage loans. Read the contract, get the cost cap in writing, and model the settlement before you sign.

500+ Opportunities

500+ Opportunities

Updated Daily

Updated Daily

100% Free Tools

100% Free Tools

$80B+ Unclaimed

$80B+ Unclaimed

Our methodology: We research, test, and verify every opportunity to ensure accuracy and value.

WalletGrower is independently owned and operated. We maintain editorial independence from our affiliate partners.

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Quick answer

Which home equity investments pick fits your situation?

Best overall HEI
Splitero (Editor's Pick): 17.99% Safety Cap
Rental, vacation or manufactured home
Hometap
Widest availability
Point: 30 states plus D.C.
Lowest upfront fee
Point (up to 3.9%, min $2,000) or Unison (3.9%)
Partial buyouts
Unlock
Estimate your cost
HEI cost calculator
HEI or HELOC?
HEI vs HELOC guide
Want a HELOC instead
HELOC matcher (above)

Decision matrix

Which path fits you?

You want to see your worst case before signing
Splitero or Hometap, the two that publish a cap
You can afford a monthly payment
HELOC: usually the cheaper money
Your state isn't served by Splitero or Hometap
Point (30 states plus D.C.) or Unlock (26)
Your credit score is between 500 and 584
Splitero, Point or Unlock
You're 62+ and want income without a payment
Compare an HEI with a reverse mortgage first
Methodology & how we picked these▾

Every figure is read from the provider's own site (fees, caps, limits, eligibility), the Better Business Bureau (ratings, complaints, reviews) or court dockets, re-checked on September 27, 2026; aggregator reviews are not used. The ranking weights a PUBLISHED cost ceiling first, because a disclosed worst case is worth more than an undisclosed one, then term length, credit and documentation requirements, property and title flexibility, availability, and complaint and litigation record. Upfront fees are reported but are not the ranking basis: Point (up to 3.9%) and Unison (3.9%) are cheapest, and Splitero (4.99%) is the most expensive. Aspire, HomePace and Balance are closed to new customers and excluded. Disclosure: Splitero is a Fiat Growth portfolio company, and Splitero and Hometap pay us when readers sign up; neither relationship changes any figure.

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