Hearth vs Lyon Financial:
Fees, Lenders & Which Fits Your Business
The short answer
Side-by-side
| Hearth | Lyon Financial | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue model (battle card) | — | Net interest |
| What the contractor pays | Flat annual subscription; $0 per financed transaction | $0 to the contractor — partner program states 'no usage minimums, no added costs and no pressure to change how you sell'; Lyon is a facilitator connecting homeowners to its financing partners, with staged payments to contractors and co-branded marketing materials at no cost. |
| Fees | — | No prepayment penalties and no consulting fees; no application fees stated on consumer pages. No contractor/dealer fee schedule published |
| Dealer fees | No | No |
| Enrollment fee | Yes | No |
| Contractor paid upfront | Yes | Yes |
| How financing works | Marketplace — homeowner sees personalized offers from an 18-lender network, soft credit pull | Marketplace/specialist broker model — 'our financing partners offer a range of flexible financing solutions' and 'we partner with a network of lenders'; loans are unsecured personal loans (home not collateral). Program structures include Stage Funding (builder paid in approved installments as milestones complete) and Direct-to-Consumer disbursement |
| Lending partner | 17 | 1 |
| Apply to multiple lenders at once | Yes | Yes |
| See application status | Yes | No |
| Loan amounts | $1,000 – $250,000 | $5,000 to $250,000 |
| Credit limit | $250,000 | $150,000 |
| Loan type | Installment | Installment |
| Interest-free plans | Yes | No |
| Terms | 2–12 years, fixed monthly payments | 3 to 30 years, fixed rates |
| APR range | From 7.99% APR (varies by lender and credit) | Advertised payment examples: 7.29% APR ($50k/15yr and $80k/20yr) and 8.49% APR ($100k/30yr); rates based on credit profile and project details — full range not published |
| Credit model | Soft-pull prequalification; lenders serve a wide credit spectrum (FICO down to ~550 on some offers) | Every application personally reviewed (no automated decisioning per their marketing); most approvals within 24-48 hours; options across 'various credit profiles' via a network of lending partners; no minimum score published |
| Credit score (FICO) | All | Premium |
| Soft credit pull | Yes | Yes |
| Trades served | All home-improvement trades | Swimming pools specialist (exclusively pool/outdoor-living focused since 1979); can combine pool with patio, deck, outdoor kitchen, landscaping, fencing and other backyard projects in one loan; also markets general home improvement loans |
| Markets served | Home Improvement | Pool and backyard |
| Scale | — | In business since 1979 (47+ years); 800,000+ customers nationwide; $6.5B+ in funded loans since 2022; veteran owned and operated with special military programs |
| Size & stage | 5 years in business; ~200 employees | 40+ years in business |
Every Lyon Financial cell above is sourced (see footer). Rates and terms vary by lender and customer credit.
Where Lyon Financial falls short
- Pool and backyard jobs only
- Prime borrowers only
- No interest free offers
- Only 1 lending partner
Source: Hearth competitive battle card and sales objection research (internal, reviewed 2026).
Hearth vs Lyon Financial FAQ
How much does Lyon Financial cost contractors?
$0 to the contractor — partner program states 'no usage minimums, no added costs and no pressure to change how you sell'; Lyon is a facilitator connecting homeowners to its financing partners, with staged payments to contractors and co-branded marketing materials at no cost.
Does Hearth charge a dealer fee per loan?
No. Hearth is a flat annual subscription — most companies invest between $2,000–6,000/yr depending on the level of service, plus a one-time $99 setup fee. Financing offers come from third-party lenders and the contractor pays no per-transaction fee.
How do approvals compare between Hearth and Lyon Financial?
Hearth shows soft-pull personalized offers from an 18-lender marketplace serving a wide credit spectrum. Lyon Financial: Every application personally reviewed (no automated decisioning per their marketing); most approvals within 24-48 hours; options across 'various credit profiles' via a network of lending partners; no minimum score published
Which trades does Lyon Financial serve?
Swimming pools specialist (exclusively pool/outdoor-living focused since 1979); can combine pool with patio, deck, outdoor kitchen, landscaping, fencing and other backyard projects in one loan; also markets general home improvement loans
Can I switch to Hearth mid-season?
Yes. Onboarding is self-serve; most contractors send their first financed quote the same week. There is no per-loan fee to model — one flat subscription.
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More than financing — your front office, handled
Harper, your AI assistant
Harper answers the calls you miss, captures leads after hours, and introduces monthly-payment options automatically — so no job inquiry slips through while you're on site.
Concierge onboarding
Hearth's concierge team sets financing up inside your sales process and trains your team, so offering payment options is seamless from day one.