GoodLeap is one of the largest home improvement lenders in the country, with more than 6,800 contractors and over $68 billion financed, but its advertised low rates come from a dealer fee of roughly 15 to 30% built into the loan. That fee is not hidden from the contractor, who pays it to buy down the customer's rate, but it does raise the loan principal the homeowner carries. It is also the subject of an active Minnesota attorney general lawsuit that contractors should know about before leaning on GoodLeap as their primary financing option.
Key takeaways
- GoodLeap states it works with over 6,800 contractors and has financed more than $68 billion cumulatively, across roofing, windows, siding, HVAC and solar.
- Dealer fees in this category, including GoodLeap's, commonly run 15 to 30% of project cost and are built into the loan the homeowner repays, not billed to the contractor separately.
- GoodLeap's flagship consumer product is now a Home Visa Signature Card, a HELOC-style line up to $150,000 rather than a single fixed-term loan.
- The Minnesota attorney general sued GoodLeap, Sunlight Financial, Mosaic and Dividend in March 2024 over alleged deceptive dealer fee disclosure on roughly $200 million in solar projects, seeking refunds and civil penalties. The case remains active.
- Contractors are not named defendants and the fee mechanism itself is legal and industry standard; the dispute is over how clearly it was disclosed to homeowners.
How GoodLeap's financing actually works
GoodLeap operates as a dealer-fee lender, the same structural model as GreenSky, Sunlight, Mosaic and Dividend, and different from Hearth's subscription model or Wisetack's per-transaction fee. When a contractor quotes a job and offers GoodLeap financing, GoodLeap charges the contractor a fee, commonly reported in the 15 to 30% range, to buy the customer's interest rate down to an attractive advertised number.
That fee gets built into the loan principal rather than billed to the contractor as a separate invoice. A $25,000 roofing job financed with a 20% dealer fee becomes a $30,000 loan, and the homeowner pays interest on the full $30,000 for the life of the loan. The contractor still collects roughly the original job price once the fee is netted out; the homeowner is the one financing the larger number.
This is the same mechanic covered in dealer fees in contractor financing, and understanding it matters because it is standard across most dealer-fee lenders, not unique to GoodLeap.
What GoodLeap offers in 2026
GoodLeap states it serves roofing, windows, home batteries, siding, doors, kitchen and interior renovation, and HVAC, alongside its original solar and storage business. Its primary consumer product is now the GoodLeap Home Visa Signature Card, a HELOC-style revolving line with a maximum credit limit of $150,000, a variable rate with an optional fixed-rate conversion during a two-year draw period, and cash-out fees up to 2.5%.
For contractors, GoodLeap provides the Origin desktop application and the GoodLeap Pros mobile app to manage financing applications and payment pipelines. The company reports serving over 1.7 million homeowners and working with more than 6,800 contractors nationally.
The dealer fee lawsuit contractors should know about
In March 2024, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison sued GoodLeap along with Sunlight Financial, Mosaic and Dividend in Hennepin County, alleging the companies violated state consumer-fraud statutes through deceptive dealer fee disclosure. The lawsuit alleges the four companies financed over $200 million in residential solar projects between 2017 and 2023 and inflated project costs by roughly $35 million through fees, most in the 15 to 30% range, that were not clearly disclosed to homeowners as increasing their loan principal. The state is seeking an injunction, refunds to affected homeowners, and civil penalties. As of mid-2026 the case remains active with no public resolution.
Two things matter here for a contractor weighing this program. First, contractors are not named defendants; the allegations concern how the lenders themselves disclosed the fee to borrowers, not anything a contractor did. Second, the dealer fee model itself is not illegal or unique to GoodLeap, it is how GreenSky, Sunlight, Mosaic and Dividend all price promotional rates. The dispute is specifically about disclosure clarity in Minnesota. Contractors offering GoodLeap or any dealer-fee lender should make sure the fee's effect on loan principal is explained to the homeowner in writing at the point of sale, which protects both the contractor's reputation and the sale itself.
GoodLeap compared to the alternatives
| Program | Model | What inflates the loan | Best fit |
|---|
| GoodLeap | Dealer fee, buys down rate | 15 to 30% built into principal | High-ticket solar, roofing, HVAC replacement |
| Hearth | Contractor subscription | Nothing added to the loan | High-volume shops financing constantly |
| Wisetack | Per-transaction merchant fee | Nothing added to the loan | Smaller, service-sized tickets |
| Acorn Finance | Free marketplace | Nothing added, lenders pay Acorn | Occasional financing, no fixed cost |
The practical difference for a contractor is who bears the cost of an attractive advertised rate. Dealer-fee lenders like GoodLeap let the contractor offer a low headline rate at the cost of a larger loan principal for the homeowner. Subscription and marketplace models keep the loan closer to the actual project cost but do not offer the same rate-buydown lever. See Hearth versus GoodLeap for the fuller comparison.
Where GoodLeap is strong
- Scale and reach: over 6,800 contractors and $68 billion financed is a real track record, not a startup pitch.
- Coverage across roofing, windows, siding, HVAC, and solar under one lender relationship.
- A high credit ceiling at $150,000 through the Home Visa Signature Card, enough for large whole-home projects.
- Established contractor tooling in Origin and GoodLeap Pros for managing the financing pipeline.
Where it falls short
- The dealer fee inflates the amount the homeowner finances, which needs clear disclosure to avoid the exact complaint at the center of the Minnesota lawsuit.
- An active state lawsuit against the company, even one not naming contractors, is worth knowing before you build a sales pitch around GoodLeap's advertised rate.
- A HELOC-style product carries variable-rate risk that a fixed-term installment loan does not.
- Pricing and program terms are not published for public comparison, requiring a sales conversation to get exact numbers.
Should you offer GoodLeap financing?
GoodLeap remains a legitimate, large-scale option for contractors in roofing, HVAC, siding, and solar who need a high loan ceiling and an attractive advertised rate to close bigger jobs. The scale of its contractor network and financing volume is real. The responsible way to use it is straightforward: quote the dealer fee's effect on principal plainly to the homeowner, keep that disclosure in writing, and do not treat the advertised rate as the whole story. Contractors who want to avoid dealer-fee mechanics entirely should compare Hearth's subscription model or Wisetack's per-transaction fee instead.
Whichever program you use, how you present it to the homeowner determines whether it closes the job. The scripts in how to pitch financing to homeowners and the objection handling in 10 homeowner financing objections apply regardless of which lender you choose.
How we put this together
Contractor network size, financing volume, product details and loan terms in this review were read from GoodLeap's own website in August 2026. Dealer fee percentages are drawn from industry reporting on solar dealer fee structures across GoodLeap and comparable lenders, since GoodLeap does not publish its exact fee schedule. Lawsuit details come from the Minnesota Attorney General's own press release and contemporaneous industry reporting from March 2024; we have not independently verified the case's current docket status beyond what public reporting shows as of mid-2026, and the allegations remain unproven claims, not findings. Confirm current program terms directly with GoodLeap before offering it to customers.
Frequently asked questions
What is a dealer fee and does GoodLeap charge one?
A dealer fee is an amount a lender charges a contractor to buy down the interest rate offered to the homeowner, and it is typically added to the loan principal rather than billed separately. GoodLeap uses this model, with fees commonly reported in the 15 to 30% range depending on the term and rate selected.
Is GoodLeap being sued?
Yes. Minnesota's attorney general sued GoodLeap, along with Sunlight Financial, Mosaic and Dividend, in March 2024 over alleged deceptive dealer fee disclosure on solar financing. The case remains active as of mid-2026, and the allegations are unproven claims rather than a settled finding.
Does the GoodLeap lawsuit affect contractors who use the platform?
Contractors are not named as defendants in the lawsuit. The allegations concern how GoodLeap and the other lenders disclosed dealer fees to homeowners, not conduct by the contractors who offer the financing.
What trades does GoodLeap serve?
GoodLeap states it serves roofing, windows, home batteries, siding, doors, kitchen and interior renovation, and HVAC, in addition to its original solar and storage financing business.
How much can a homeowner borrow through GoodLeap?
GoodLeap's Home Visa Signature Card offers a maximum credit limit of $150,000, subject to approval, structured as a HELOC-style revolving line rather than a fixed-term installment loan.
Is GoodLeap or Hearth better for a contractor?
GoodLeap's dealer fee model suits contractors who need to advertise a low headline rate on big-ticket jobs like solar or full roof replacements. Hearth's flat subscription suits contractors who finance constantly and want the loan amount to track the actual project cost. See the full comparison for the break-even math.
