Hometap vs Point comes down to two things you already know: your credit score and how long you want before you have to settle.
Hometap fits if your FICO is 575 or higher, you have at least 25% equity in your home, among other qualifying criteria, and you expect to sell, refinance, or settle within 10 years. Its pricing is published, and you could access up to 27% of your home’s value.
Point fits if your credit is between 500 and 574, you want up to 30 years, or your home is in a state Hometap does not serve. Its fee is lower on most amounts, but your price only shows up in your offer.
Neither one has a monthly payment. Both put a lien on your home, and both are settled in one lump sum.
Pick Hometap if you clear 575 and want to see how the cost works before you apply. Pick Point if you need the lower credit minimum or the longer term. If you qualify for both, get the Hometap estimate and the Point offer, then compare the cash each one offers against the share each one would receive. They price the same home differently, and looking is free.
At a Glance We may receive compensation from some companies listed. This does not influence how we compare them.
Hometap vs Point: quick comparison
Every figure comes from each company’s own site, read for this update.
| Feature | Hometap | Point |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum credit score | 575 FICO | 500 |
| Amount | $15,000 to $600,000 | Up to $600,000 |
| Share of home value | You could access up to 27% | Generally up to 20% |
| Term | 10 years | Up to 30 years |
| Monthly payment | None | None |
| Processing fee | 4.5% of the investment, up to a maximum of $20,000 | 3.9%, with a $2,000 minimum |
| Equity needed | At least 25% equity in your home | Usually 27% or more left after Point invests |
| Income requirements | None | None, and no income or employment verification |
| What the company shares in | Your home’s future value: 1.65x the percentage you access in years 0 to 5, 1.8x in years 6 to 10 | Your home’s appreciation above a starting value set in your offer |
| Limit on the cost | Hometap Cap: 18.5% per year, compounded monthly, or lower where state law requires | Homeowner Protection Cap, with the rate set in your offer |
| States | 27 | 29 plus D.C. |
| Time to close | Could take as little as 30 to 45 days | As little as 3 weeks |
| Trustpilot score on its own site | 4.9 | 4.7 |
| See your number | Get My Hometap Estimate | Get My Point Offer |
Trustpilot scores are the ones each company displays on its own website. Point serves select regions, and availability varies by county.
Point vs Hometap: the key differences, and who wins each
Point wins on access. Hometap wins on knowing the cost up front.
Credit score
Winner: PointUnder 575, Point is the one to check. Hometap also has other qualifying criteria.
Time to settle
Winner: PointNot planning to sell or refinance within 10 years? Point gives you room.
Upfront fee
Winner: Point, mostlyOn $100,000 that is $3,900 at Point and $4,500 at Hometap. Hometap is lower under about $44,400 and above about $512,800.
How much cash
Winner: HometapOf your home’s value. On a $500,000 home that is about $100,000 at Point and up to $135,000 with Hometap.
Cost known up front
Winner: HometapHometap’s multiple is 1.65x in years 0 to 5 and 1.8x in years 6 to 10, limited by the Hometap Cap. Point shows your terms once you prequalify.
If your home loses value
Too close to callPoint sets its starting value below your appraisal, and says repaying less than you received is possible but not typical.
State coverage
Winner: PointThey overlap in 21 states, so it depends on your address. The breakdown is below.
Speed
Winner: Point, on paperBoth are best cases, so ask each for a timeline on your home.
What Hometap vs Point could cost: a $50,000 example
This is an illustration built from each company’s published terms. It is not a quote, and it is not a personal account of taking either one. Say your home is worth $500,000 and you access $50,000, which is 10% of its value.
The fee on day one
Hometap’s 4.5% fee is $2,250. Point’s 3.9% would be $1,950, so its $2,000 minimum applies. Both deduct that fee and the third-party closing costs from your funds, so you net less than $50,000 either way.
Hometap at settlement
Accessing 10% means the Hometap Percentage is 16.5% of your home’s value if you settle in years 0 to 5, and 18% in years 6 to 10. You settle the lesser of that and the Hometap Cap, plus any fees.
The home values here are assumptions we picked to show the math. The Cap figure uses Hometap’s published 18.5% per year, compounded monthly, and it could be lower where state law requires.
Point at settlement
You repay the $50,000 plus a percentage of your home’s appreciation, measured from a starting value below your appraisal and limited by the Homeowner Protection Cap. Point does not publish those three numbers. They are set in your offer, so we will not invent a dollar figure for it.
Prequalifying takes about 60 seconds with a soft credit pull. Point’s cost estimator then shows these same scenarios for your home. Put them next to the Hometap numbers above to see which costs less for your situation. If you move ahead with a full application, Point does a hard pull.
Want a rough number first? Our home equity calculator estimates what you could access in about two minutes.
Hometap and Point, one at a time
What each company is, what it does well, and where it falls short.
Hometap
A Boston-based home equity investment company. You receive cash today, and Hometap earns a share of your home’s future value when you settle. There are no monthly payments during the 10-year term.
- No monthly payments
- Pricing multiples and the Hometap Cap are published
- You could access up to 27% of your home’s value
- No income or employment requirements
- Manufactured homes, rentals, and vacation properties could qualify
- You could settle at any time in the term without a penalty
- Renovation adjustments are available for qualified projects of $25,000 or more, though not guaranteed
- A 10-year term, against up to 30 at Point
- A FICO under 575 does not qualify
- The 4.5% fee is higher than Point’s 3.9% on most amounts
- Hometap’s share is based on your home’s future value, not only the appreciation
- Hometap says it might not be the best fit if you plan to move within two years
- Available in 27 states
Hometap is the stronger pick if you have a 575 or higher FICO, at least 25% equity in your home, among other qualifying criteria, and you expect to settle inside 10 years. You could see how the share and the Cap work before you apply, which makes the cost easier to plan around. The tradeoff is the shorter window. Our full Hometap review walks through the pricing in detail.
Point
A home equity investment company founded in 2015 that says it has funded more than 30,000 homeowners. You receive a lump sum, and Point receives a share of your home’s appreciation when you repay. There are no monthly payments during the 30-year term.
- Credit accepted from 500
- Up to 30 years, with no prepayment penalty
- No income or employment verification
- A 3.9% processing fee, lower than Hometap on most amounts
- 29 states plus D.C.
- Shares in a loss if your home falls below the starting value
- Second homes and investment properties are eligible
- Your percentage, starting value, and cap only appear in your offer
- The fee has a $2,000 minimum, which bites on small amounts
- Maximum offer is generally 20% of home value, against 27% at Hometap
- Your home needs to be worth at least $155,000
- Manufactured and mobile homes are not eligible
- No partial or monthly payments are accepted, so it is one lump sum
- A hard credit pull if you go on to a full application
Point is the pick when credit or time is the constraint. A 500 minimum and a 30-year term open the door for homeowners who do not fit Hometap. The tradeoff is that you only see the real price in your offer. Read the percentage, the starting value, and the cap before you sign. Our Point home equity review covers the agreement step by step.
Where Hometap and Point operate
Your state can settle this comparison before anything else does. Here is how the two lists line up.
Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin
Alabama, Delaware, Idaho, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico
Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, Washington, Washington D.C.
Both lists change as the companies expand. Point serves select regions inside its states, so confirm your address on its site before you spend time on an application.
The catch with both, and who should skip them
These two are more alike than different on the parts that can hurt.
- The more your home is worth, the more you owe. That is the trade for having no monthly payment. Each company’s cap limits it, but a home that climbs in value means a bigger settlement.
- It is one lump sum. Most people settle by selling, refinancing, or using savings. If none of those looks realistic for you, neither product is a fit.
- There is a lien on your home. Both record one. Selling, refinancing, or adding another lien means looping the company in.
- The end of the term is a hard deadline. If you have not settled by then, either company may take an ownership interest in the property, and the home could then be sold.
Skip both if you plan to move within two years, because the upfront fees do not have time to earn their keep. Skip both if you qualify for a HELOC and can comfortably handle a monthly payment. Price one first. Our guide to HELOC alternatives lays out the choices, and the full list of home equity agreement pros and cons goes deeper on the tradeoffs.
Other Financial Options if neither fits
Some homeowners land outside both. The usual reason is a credit score under 575 in a state Point does not serve, such as Idaho, Montana, or Wyoming. Splitero is the one to check.
Splitero accepts credit from 500, asks for no income documents, and runs up to 30 years, with no monthly payment. It works in select areas of 17 states: Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming. The minimum is $50,000, or $75,000 in Wyoming, so it is not built for small amounts. Read our Splitero review before you apply.
Comparing more than two? Our roundup of the best home equity investment companies covers six of them. If a 30-year term matters and you want a second option with one, see Hometap vs Unison.
Hometap vs Point FAQs
Short answers to what homeowners ask most about these two.
It depends on your credit score and your timeline. Hometap is the better fit if your FICO is 575 or higher and you expect to settle within 10 years, because its pricing is published and you could access up to 27% of your home’s value. Point is the better fit if your credit is between 500 and 574 or you want up to 30 years. If you qualify for both, get both numbers and compare the cash offered against the share each company would receive.
Hometap requires a minimum FICO score of 575, among other qualifying criteria. Point’s minimum is 500. If your score is under 575, Point is the one to check first.
The main ones are the 10-year term, a 4.5% fee, and a share that is based on your home’s future value, so a home that rises in value means a larger settlement, up to the Hometap Cap. Hometap operates in 27 states and requires a FICO of at least 575. Hometap itself says it might not be the best fit if you plan to move within two years or have less than 25% equity. Our Hometap review covers each of these in detail.
Yes. Point was founded in 2015, says it has funded more than 30,000 homeowners, and shows a 4.7 Trustpilot score from more than 5,000 reviews on its site. Its home equity investment is a real agreement secured by a lien on your home, so read the offer closely. Our Point home equity review walks through how it works.
There is no single best one, because credit minimums, terms, and state lists differ. Hometap suits homeowners with a FICO of 575 or higher who expect to settle within 10 years. Point suits credit from 500 and anyone who wants up to 30 years. Splitero is worth a look if neither serves you. See our roundup of the best home equity investment companies for all six we compare.
Unlock sits between them. It has a 10-year term like Hometap and accepts credit from 500 like Point, and it operates in 26 states. If your score is under 575 and Point does not serve your area, Unlock is another one to check. Our Unlock review has the details.
Which one is right for you?
Both are free to check, and neither one commits you to anything.
Related in Mortgage
- Best home equity investment companies: six companies compared, with a state checker
- Home equity calculator: estimate what you could access in about two minutes
- Hometap vs Unison: the same comparison against a 30-year option
Explore more in Mortgage: all mortgage guides, best HELOC lenders, and the Hometap and Point reviews.
Sources: Hometap FAQs, Hometap pricing guide, Point help center, and Point’s HEI overview. Eligibility criteria, terms, and state lists are subject to change, so confirm the current ones with each company before you apply.
