Best Credit Counseling Services for June 2026 Ranked

Credit counseling connects people struggling with debt to nonprofit agencies that offer free consultations, budgeting help, and debt management plans (DMPs) that can lower interest rates and consolidate monthly payments, typically for a modest enrollment fee plus a small monthly charge.

At a Glance

• Apprisen tops the list with low DMP fees, strong customer reviews, and services covering housing, bankruptcy, and student loans
• Cambridge Credit Counseling stands out for HUD approved housing counseling and bankruptcy education courses
• InCharge Debt Solutions carries a long list of accreditations and has helped millions of clients pay down debt
• Money Management International offers 24/7 support and even a debt settlement option alongside its counseling services
• American Consumer Credit Counseling provides a free, feature rich budgeting app open to anyone, not just enrolled clients

What a Debt Management Plan Actually Does

A DMP is not debt settlement. Instead of negotiating to pay less than you owe, a credit counselor works with your creditors to potentially lower your interest rate and combine multiple bills into one monthly payment. You still pay back what you borrowed, but the terms are often friendlier, and the agency handles the paperwork and disbursements. Nonprofit counselors are required to reduce or waive fees for people facing genuine financial hardship, so the amounts listed below are ceilings, not guarantees.

Comparing the Top Credit Counseling Agencies

Fees, minimum debt requirements, and specialty services vary more than you might expect across these five agencies. Here is how they stack up on the numbers that matter most when you are choosing where to enroll.

Apprisen: Low Fees and a Long Track Record

Apprisen has been counseling people through credit trouble since 1955, which makes it one of the oldest names in the business. Its DMP fees sit below what most competitors charge: up to $45 to enroll and up to $45 a month, with reductions available for hardship cases. Beyond debt management, Apprisen runs sliding scale programs for housing counseling, bankruptcy education, and student loan guidance. Pre bankruptcy counseling runs $25, post bankruptcy counseling is $50, and mortgage counseling can reach $90. One on one financial coaching costs a flat $300, though several services, including first time renter and homebuyer counseling, come at no charge.

Customer sentiment backs up the reputation. Apprisen holds a 4.89 out of 5 rating on the Better Business Bureau site across roughly 80 reviews, and Charity Navigator gives it a 97% score with a four star rating for accountability and impact. The agency is accredited by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling and the Council on Accreditation, and it carries HUD licensing for housing counseling. It operates out of Gahanna, Ohio, and serves clients nationwide.

Cambridge Credit Counseling: Housing and Bankruptcy Specialist

Cambridge Credit Counseling, based in Agawam, Massachusetts, has operated since 1996 and built a reputation around bankruptcy and housing services. It is HUD approved, offers reverse mortgage counseling (required for anyone pursuing a home equity conversion mortgage), and runs first time homebuyer courses. Landlord training is available too, though only in Massachusetts. Foreclosure intervention, unfortunately, is limited to Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York.

DMP costs run up to $75 for enrollment and up to $50 monthly, with hardship based reductions available. Bankruptcy debtor education, both pre and post filing, costs $19.95 per household, and a first time homebuyer course runs up to $75. Not every service has a posted price, so expect to ask questions during your free consultation. Cambridge scores 4.8 on Trustpilot, though its BBB rating of 3.6 stars comes from a small sample of reviews.

InCharge Debt Solutions: Heavy on Accreditation

InCharge Debt Solutions says it has helped 3 million people retire $3 billion in debt since its founding in 1997 in Orlando, Florida. Its accreditation list is long: the NFCC, the Financial Counseling Association of America, the Council on Accreditation, HUD, and the National Business Research Institute's Circle of Excellence, an award tied to customer service quality.

Average DMP fees land at $75 for enrollment and $34 monthly, though actual costs shift based on state rules and individual finances. Bankruptcy pre filing counseling costs $25 and post filing counseling costs $15, while foreclosure prevention assistance is free. InCharge earns a 4.5 on Trustpilot from thousands of reviewers and a 4.2 on the BBB from a smaller pool. One gap worth noting: there is no mobile app, and the company does not handle back tax issues.

Money Management International: Around the Clock Access

Money Management International, headquartered in Stafford, Texas, dates back to 1958, making it nearly as old as Apprisen. It holds NFCC, FCAA, and HUD accreditation and distinguishes itself by offering in person workshops in some states alongside its online courses on homebuying, savings, bankruptcy, student debt, and disaster recovery. A podcast and live webinars add to its resource library.

Maximum DMP fees run higher than several competitors, up to $75 for enrollment and $69 monthly, but MMI reports its actual averages are much lower: $37 for enrollment and $26 monthly, thanks to sliding scale hardship pricing. Other services carry varied fees, including free foreclosure and eviction counseling, $179 for first time homebuyer counseling, $189 for high cost mortgage loan counseling, $45 to $99 for online homebuyer education, $199 for reverse mortgage counseling, and $50 each for pre and post bankruptcy counseling. MMI is notable for also offering a debt settlement program, something most agencies on this list skip, and its ratings are strong: 4.8 on Trustpilot and 4.85 on the BBB from over 2,000 combined reviews. Charity Navigator scores it 93% with a four star rating.

American Consumer Credit Counseling: A Free App Worth Trying Regardless

American Consumer Credit Counseling built its reputation on accessible online tools, and its CreditU app is the centerpiece. The app is free for anyone to use, whether or not you enroll in ACCC's counseling services, and it lets you sync bank and credit accounts, build budgets, monitor spending, track credit, and follow progress toward savings goals. It carries a 4.9 rating on the App Store and 4.8 on Google Play.

ACCC's DMP enrollment fee tops out at $39, notably lower than most competitors, but the monthly fee can reach $70, higher than average, although the company says the typical monthly fee actually charged is closer to $25. A $200 minimum debt level applies here, unlike the other four agencies. Additional fee based services include bankruptcy counseling at $49 per household for pre filing and $39 for post filing, plus a $75 online homebuyer course. ACCC also scores well on Charity Navigator, with a 96% rating for accountability and finance.

Which Agency Fits Your Situation

The right choice depends on what you actually need. Someone facing foreclosure or considering bankruptcy might lean toward Cambridge or InCharge for their specialized counseling tracks. Someone who wants round the clock support and doesn't mind slightly higher ceiling fees might prefer MMI, especially given its debt settlement alternative. If low upfront costs and a strong budgeting app matter most, ACCC's free CreditU tool is hard to beat, minimum debt requirement aside. And if you simply want the most established, broadly rated option with reasonable fees across the board, Apprisen remains the safest starting point. Whichever agency you consider, the free initial consultation is the place to ask direct questions about your specific fees before signing anything.