Point vs Hometap HEI Review: Fees, Credit & Term Limits (2026)
The Scout Executive Summary
- The decider is your exit date. If you can name the exact year you will sell, refinance, or buy out the contract (and it falls within a decade), Hometap’s published multipliers make it easier to model your settlement cost in advance.
- Choose Point if you need maximum time or have damaged credit. Point gives you a 30-year runway (removing the 10-year settlement pressure) and accepts credit scores down to 500.
- Choose Hometap if you have tight equity or need a smaller cash check. Hometap requires less equity (at least 25% vs. Point’s ~30%) and offers smaller minimum investments starting at $15,000 (vs. Point’s $30,000 baseline).
In this Article
- Point vs Hometap at a Glance
- How Do Point and Hometap Work?
- The Headline Difference: 30-Year Runway vs. 10-Year Deadline
- Which One Lets You Access More of Your Equity?
- Point vs Hometap: Which One Costs More?
- How Long Do You Have Before You Must Settle?
- Point vs Hometap: Which Is Easier to Qualify For?
- Fee Structures Compared: 3.9% vs. 4.5%
- Where Can You Get Each One?
- Which Is the Better Fit for You?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Point and Hometap are the two most established home equity investment companies in the market, and they are the closest thing to a direct comparison the category offers. Both hand you a lump sum today with no monthly payment. Both take a share of your home’s value when you settle. Both skip the income check that stops so many Arizona homeowners at a HELOC application.
The difference that matters is time. Hometap gives you 10 years. Point gives you 30. Almost every other tradeoff between them follows from that one number. This guide walks through each difference so you can see which structure fits your home and your timeline. Every figure here can change, so confirm current terms with each company before you sign. If you are still narrowing the field, see the full roundup of top HEI companies in Arizona.
Point vs Hometap at a Glance
Point gives you a longer runway and a lower credit bar, while Hometap publishes its pricing structure so you can model the cost before you apply. The table below sets them side by side. Terms are current as of October 2026; confirm directly.
| Feature | Point | Hometap |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | Home equity investment (HEI) | Home equity investment (HEI) |
| Cash you could access | About $30,000 to $600,000 (up to about 20% of your home’s value) | $15,000 to $600,000 (up to 27% of your home’s value; minimum varies by state) |
| Equity you leave in the home | About 30%, though published sources describe a 20% to 40% range depending on credit | At least 25% equity required |
| Up-front fee | Up to 3.9% of the cash (minimum $2,000) | 4.5% of the cash |
| How your settlement is figured | A share of your home’s future value, measured from a discounted starting value, with the share set during underwriting | A share of your home’s value at settlement: 1.65x the share of home value you access in years 0 to 5, 1.80x in years 6 to 10 |
| Most it can cost you | A capped annual return set in your offer (the Homeowner Protection Cap) | 18.5% a year, compounded monthly, or your state’s limit if lower (the Hometap Cap) |
| How long you have | 30 years | 10 years |
| Taking more equity later | Yes, through Re-Point, without ending the first agreement | Not offered |
| Paying early | Anytime, no penalty. One lump sum | Anytime, no penalty. One lump sum |
| Minimum credit score | 500 | 585, among other criteria |
| Income check | None | None |
| Home value accepted | Roughly $155,000 and up | Roughly $50,000 and up |
| Types of homes | Single-family, condo, townhome, 1 to 4 units, many second homes and investment properties. No manufactured or mobile homes | Single-family, condo, 1 to 4 units, manufactured homes that meet certain criteria |
| Lien position | Third lien or better, so no more than two mortgages ahead | Records a lien against the property |
| Shares the loss if your home drops | Varies by contract. Confirm in writing | Hometap’s share is a percentage of your home’s value at settlement, so the amount you owe falls if your home’s value falls |
| States available | About 27 plus D.C. (including Arizona) | 27 states (including Arizona) |
| Founded | 2015 | 2017 |
Point vs Hometap: HEI Provider Snapshots
Longest term, lowest credit bar.
How it works: You get cash now. In return, Point takes a share of your home’s future value. It measures that share from a starting value it discounts, and it caps what it can earn each year. There are no monthly payments. You settle anytime within 30 years.
Strengths
You get 30 years, so no deadline pushes you to sell or refinance
Re-Point lets you take another investment later without ending the first one
Credit from 500, and it works with second homes and investment properties
Tradeoffs
Sets its share during underwriting instead of publishing it, so you cannot price it in advance
Wants you to keep about 30% equity, and needs third lien position or better
Published pricing, shorter clock.
How it works: You get cash now. In return, Hometap takes a share of your home’s future value. That share is set by a published multiplier tied to when you settle, and limited by the Hometap Cap. There are no monthly payments. You settle within 10 years.
Strengths
Publishes its multipliers, so you can work out your cost before you apply
Caps what it can earn at 18.5% a year, compounded monthly
Could invest up to 27% of your home’s value, starting at $15,000
Tradeoffs
You get 10 years, and you settle in one payment
Charges 4.5% of the cash, plus third-party costs
Featured Partners · No Monthly Payments
- Qualify in minutes. No credit impact.
- Close in as little as 3 weeks1
- Access up to $600,000
- MaturityMatch™ term alignment
- Keep your low-rate mortgage
- Access up to $500,000
1 “Close in as little as 3 weeks” reflects the average timeline under standard conditions. Actual timelines vary based on documentation, title, property location, and local recording or notarization requirements. Timing is not guaranteed.
Terms and conditions apply. Not all homeowners will qualify. Not available in all states. NMLS #1993600, www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org. See nada.co for complete details.
How Do Point and Hometap Work?
Both companies give you cash now in exchange for a share of your home’s value later, with no monthly payment. The mechanics are close enough that the differences are worth stating precisely.
With both, you receive a lump sum at closing and settle in a single payment when you sell, refinance, or buy the investment out. Neither charges a monthly payment. Both let you settle early. Both give you credit for eligible home improvements, so neither takes a share of value you added yourself. Both record a lien against your property, and with both you keep the title and stay on the deed.
The mechanical difference is how each one sets its ceiling. Hometap’s share is a percentage of your home’s value at settlement, set at 1.65x the share of home value you accessed if you settle in years 0 to 5 and 1.80x in years 6 to 10, and the Hometap Cap limits its return to 18.5% a year, compounded monthly. Point sets its share during underwriting and applies a Homeowner Protection Cap that limits how high its annual return can climb. Hometap publishes its multipliers. Point does not publish its share, so you learn it in your offer.
One structural difference has no equivalent on the other side. Point offers Re-Point, which lets you take an additional investment later in the term without terminating the original agreement. If your home appreciates and you need equity again in year six, Point can add to the existing arrangement. Hometap does not offer this, and neither do most other providers.
Scout’s Tip
Hometap updated its pricing in June 2026, and the new structure is genuinely useful for comparison shopping. Because the multipliers are published rather than set privately at underwriting, you can calculate a worst-case settlement figure before you ever apply. Ask Point for the same number in writing during prequalification so you are comparing two real figures instead of one number and one estimate.
The Headline Difference: 30-Year Runway vs. 10-Year Deadline
The single most critical difference between Point and Hometap is the repayment horizon:
- Point gives you up to 30 years to buy out the investment, refinance, or sell your home. This matches a standard mortgage lifecycle and eliminates the risk of forced refinancing if interest rates are unfavorable at year 10.
- Hometap gives you up to 10 years. At the end of 10 years, you must settle the agreement in full. If you do not plan to move or refinance within a decade, Hometap sets a fixed settlement deadline.
Why This Matters: If mortgage rates remain elevated or home values temporarily dip at year 9, Hometap homeowners may feel squeezed to refinance or sell. Point offers a 20-year cushion beyond that.
Which One Lets You Access More of Your Equity?
Hometap could invest a larger share of your home’s value, up to 27%, while Point invests up to about 20%. Both cap the dollar figure at $600,000, so on a high-value home the percentage is what decides your number rather than the ceiling.
The minimums run the other direction. Hometap starts at $15,000 and Point starts at $30,000, so a homeowner who needs a modest amount may find Hometap the only one of the two that will write the agreement.
Equity requirements also differ. Hometap requires at least 25% equity in your home. Point generally wants about 30%, though published sources describe a range from 20% to 40% depending on your credit profile. On the same home with the same mortgage, that difference can decide which company can fund you at all.
Point requires third-lien position or better, meaning you cannot have more than two mortgages ahead of it. That is a real constraint for Arizona homeowners who already carry a first mortgage and a HELOC.
Whichever you pick, the number you are quoted will be set by your existing mortgage balance more than by either company’s advertised maximum. Ask each for an estimate on your actual property before you plan around a figure. To check your own position first, see how to calculate your Arizona home equity.
Point vs Hometap: Which One Costs More?
Hometap is the only one of the two that lets you calculate your cost before you apply, because it publishes its multipliers while Point sets its share privately at underwriting. That does not make Hometap cheaper. It makes Hometap knowable.
Start with the small part. Point charges a processing fee of up to 3.9% with a $2,000 minimum. Hometap charges 4.5%. Both are deducted from your funds at closing, and both come alongside third-party costs like appraisal, escrow, title, and government fees. On a typical investment these total a few thousand dollars. Real money, and minor next to the end cost.
How each one measures what you owe
Hometap’s June 2026 pricing works from a multiplier tied to when you settle. Settle in years 0 through 5 and Hometap’s share is 1.65x the share of home value you accessed. Settle in years 6 through 10 and it is 1.80x. The Hometap Cap then limits its total return to 18.5% per year, compounded monthly, or less where state law requires. Because those figures are published, you can model a worst case at 0%, 3%, and 5% annual appreciation before you ever fill out a form.
Point shares a percentage of your home’s future value, with the share set during underwriting rather than published. Point applies a Homeowner Protection Cap that limits how high its annual return can go, which serves the same protective function as the Hometap Cap. The 30-year term is the variable that matters most here, because it lets you choose when to settle rather than being handed a deadline.
Both companies apply a risk adjustment, a discount to your home’s appraised value used as the starting point for measuring appreciation. This is standard across the category rather than unique to either one, but it materially affects what you owe, and the size of the adjustment varies. Ask for it in writing from both.
So which one actually costs less?
We cannot give you a guaranteed dollar winner, and you should be skeptical of any site that does, including this one. Point’s share is set in your individual offer, so nobody can price it in advance from the outside. What we can say is that the two limit your cost differently. Hometap caps its annual return at a published number and gives you 10 years. Point caps its annual return at a number set in your offer and gives you 30.
The reliable method is to get a written settlement estimate from each company using the same home value, the same cash amount, and the same settlement year. Then run the same scenario against what a fixed-rate home equity loan would cost over the same period, because in a market that has appreciated like the Phoenix Valley, the monthly-payment option is sometimes the cheaper one.
How Long Do You Have Before You Must Settle?
This is the biggest difference between them: Point gives you 30 years and Hometap gives you 10. Everything else in this comparison is secondary to that number.
With Hometap, you must settle within 10 years by selling, refinancing, or buying the investment out. If your home has not appreciated much when that clock runs out, or your finances are tight in year 10, the deadline itself becomes a cost. You may be forced to sell or refinance on a schedule you did not choose.
Point’s 30-year term removes that pressure. You can settle whenever it suits you, and for many Arizona homeowners the practical plan is to settle at sale, whenever that happens. Neither company charges a penalty for settling early, and neither accepts partial payments, so with both you settle in one lump sum.
The 10-year clock is not automatically a disadvantage. If you already know you are selling in six years, the deadline never binds, and you get Hometap’s published pricing without ever feeling the term. The clock only costs you if you cannot name your exit.
Want a term that lines up with your existing mortgage instead? If 10 years is too tight and 30 feels arbitrary, Splitero’s MaturityMatch™ syncs the settlement deadline to your current first mortgage, accepts credit from 500, and skips the income check. Check what Splitero might offer in minutes with no impact on your credit. →
Featured Partners · No Monthly Payments
- Qualify in minutes. No credit impact.
- Close in as little as 3 weeks1
- Access up to $600,000
- MaturityMatch™ term alignment
- Keep your low-rate mortgage
- Access up to $500,000
1 “Close in as little as 3 weeks” reflects the average timeline under standard conditions. Actual timelines vary based on documentation, title, property location, and local recording or notarization requirements. Timing is not guaranteed.
Terms and conditions apply. Not all homeowners will qualify. Not available in all states. NMLS #1993600, www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org. See nada.co for complete details.
Point vs Hometap: Which Is Easier to Qualify For?
Neither provider requires income verification or standard debt-to-income (DTI) underwriting, making both ideal for retirees, self-employed borrowers, or asset-rich homeowners with limited reported income.
However, their qualifying friction points are reversed:
- Credit Score Floor:
- Point: Accepts FICO scores down to 500.
- Hometap: Requires a minimum FICO score of 585, among other criteria.
- Retained Equity Buffer (Maximum LTV):
- Point: Requires you to retain roughly 30% equity in the property post-funding (70% Max CLTV).
- Hometap: Requires at least 25% equity in your home.
Bottom Line: If credit score is your main barrier, Point is easier to clear. If limited remaining home equity is your barrier, Hometap gives you more room to access your equity.
Want another option that works with lower credit? Nada works with credit scores of 500+ and lets you pre-qualify in minutes with no credit impact. [ Check Your Eligibility with Nada →]
Fee Structures Compared: 3.9% vs. 4.5%
Upfront fees are deducted directly from your funding check at closing:
- Point Charges: A 3.9% processing fee (subject to a $2,000 minimum) plus third-party closing costs (appraisal, escrow, state recording fees).
- Hometap Charges: A 4.5% transaction fee plus third-party closing costs.
On a $100,000 investment, Point charges $3,900 upfront while Hometap charges $4,500—giving Point a $600 upfront cost advantage.
Where Can You Get Each One?
Point and Hometap have similar reach: Point operates in about 27 states plus Washington, D.C., and Hometap in 27 states. Both serve Arizona, so Valley homeowners can compare real offers rather than being limited to one.
Coverage shifts. Confirm your state on each company’s site before you plan around either.
Point vs Hometap: Which Is the Better Fit for You?
There is no overall winner here, because the two are built around different assumptions about when you will leave. Here is who each one suits.
Scout’s Tip
Run the same scenario through both before you choose. Take your current home value, the exact cash amount you need, and the year you realistically expect to sell, then ask each company for a written settlement estimate on those three inputs. Then run the same numbers against a fixed-rate home equity loan. In a market that has appreciated like the Valley, the monthly payment option sometimes wins outright, and the only way to know is to see all three figures next to each other. Current local pricing is on our Arizona home equity rates page.
Related comparisons
- Full Point review
- Full Hometap review
- Full Splitero review
- Full Nada review
- Full Unison review
- Point vs Splitero comparison
- Splitero vs Hometap comparison
- Hometap vs Unison comparison
- Nada vs Splitero comparison
Point vs Hometap: Frequently Asked Questions
Point, on credit. It accepts scores from 500, while Hometap’s minimum is 585, among other criteria. Neither checks income or applies a debt-to-income limit. Hometap is the more forgiving on equity, requiring at least 25% equity against Point’s roughly 30%.
By year 10, you must settle the agreement in full. You can fulfill this obligation by selling the property, refinancing, taking out a loan, or using savings to settle Hometap’s share.
Point, by a wide margin. Point’s term runs 30 years, while Hometap’s runs 10. If you cannot name the year you will sell or refinance, that difference is the single most important factor in the comparison.
Neither can be priced from the outside with certainty. Hometap publishes a 1.65x multiplier for settlements in years 0 to 5 and 1.80x in years 6 to 10, with an 18.5% annual cap, so you can model your cost in advance. Point sets its share during underwriting and does not publish it. Get a written estimate from each using identical inputs.
Yes, through a feature called Re-Point, which lets you take an additional investment during the 30-year term without terminating the original agreement. It is subject to available room under the lien-to-value ceiling, so a second investment is only possible if your equity position supports it. Hometap does not offer an equivalent.
Yes, both operate in Arizona, so Valley homeowners can get offers from each and compare. Point serves about 27 states plus D.C., Hometap in 27 states Confirm your state directly, since coverage changes.
Neither one does. Both underwrite on home value, equity, and lien position rather than on income or debt-to-income ratio. That can make an HEI worth considering for self-employed and retired Arizona homeowners.
Hometap could invest up to 27% of your home’s value and Point up to about 20%, with both capped at $600,000. Minimums differ more than maximums: Hometap starts at $15,000 and Point at $30,000. Your actual number depends mostly on your existing mortgage balance.
Hometap’s share is a percentage of your home’s value at settlement, so the amount you owe falls if your home’s value falls. Point’s treatment varies by agreement, and the company applies a risk adjustment to the starting value that affects downside outcomes. Because this is one of the terms that differs most between providers and between individual contracts, get the exact language in writing before you sign.
Yes. Point accepts credit scores as low as 500, while Hometap requires a 585 minimum, among other criteria. Neither provider checks income or debt-to-income (DTI) ratios.
Not sure an HEI is right at all? Our Arizona home equity rates page tracks today’s HELOC and home equity loan pricing, so you can weigh a monthly-payment option before agreeing to share your home’s future value.
EquitySquirrel is an educational resource operated by Scout Media LLC, not a lender or HEI provider. This content does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Provider terms shown were verified in October 2026 and are subject to change; confirm current terms directly with each company. Consult a licensed financial professional, and consider an attorney review of any HEI agreement, before making decisions about your home equity. Aleksandra Kadzielawski, Lic #SA694336000.
