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- Debt Management
Both companies have stellar reviews, but we recommend the less expensive, more available option
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Updated April 18, 2024
Fact checked by
Brendan Harkness
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Fact checked byBrendan Harkness
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Brendan Harkness is a senior editor of financial product reviews at Investopedia. He has spent almost a decade researching, writing, and editing content for financial and business publications about credit, banking, and credit cards. Previously, he was managing editor at Credit Cards Insider.
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If you have more debt than you can handle, debt relief companies like National Debt Relief and Accredited Debt Relief can be appealing. They could help you eliminate your balances at a lower cost through debt settlement or debt consolidation, and they're both reputable options that were included in our list of the best debt relief companies. National Debt Relief and Accredited Debt Relief are alike in many ways, but there are important differences in fees and availability. We recommend National Debt Relief, but it's worth understanding what makes it attractive so you can make an informed choice. National Debt Relief and Accredited Debt Relief are highly rated, well-known companies, and if you’re interested in debt settlement, you may end up trying to decide between them. We researched 40 debt relief companies and compared them based on features that matter most to potential clients, like fees, services, availability, and reputation. We’ll discuss these and other considerations to help you decide which is right for you. Pros & Cons Pros Customer support available 7 days a week Good customer ratings Offers help with many types of debt, including business and private student loans Cons History of litigation Not available in Oregon, Vermont, and West Virginia Doesn’t disclose savings account fees National Debt Relief: Who It’s Good For National Debt Relief (NDR) is a popular debt settlement company, willing to work with some forms of debt that other debt relief companies won't, such as private student loans and business loans. The company has outstanding customer reviews, and its customer support department is available seven days a week via phone (both are true for Accredited Debt Relief as well). NDR may charge a lower fee for its settlement services than Accredited Debt Relief, and if so it’d make the cost substantially cheaper. It’s also available in more states, and it has a lower minimum debt requirement than ADR—$7,500 compared to $10,000—so it’s accessible before you rack up that level of debt. There are some allegations that National Debt Relief collects website visitors' IP addresses without their consent, although these are relatively minor issues when it comes to debt relief companies. Read more in our full review of National Debt Relief. Pros & Cons Pros Outstanding customer reviews Highly accredited Debt consolidation loans available Cons Charges more than most for debt settlement Not available in all states Higher minimum debt requirement Accredited Debt Relief: Who It’s Good For Accredited Debt Relief (ADR) offers debt settlement and debt consolidation services. It holds more accreditations than most debt relief companies, but National Debt Relief maintains solid accreditations as well. And the same goes for good customer reviews. There are a few reasons why Accredited Debt Relief may not be a good option compared to NDR. Accredited Debt Relief has a higher debt minimum than National Debt Relief, $10,000 compared to $7,500, so it's only a contender if you have at least that much debt. It’s not available in every state. And it tends to charge a higher fee than NDR, usually 25% of the settled debt. Read our full Accredited Debt Relief review. National Debt Relief vs. Accredited Debt Relief: Compare Services, Fees, and More National Debt Relief vs. Accredited Debt Relief: Compare Services, Fees, and More Services Offered Debt Settlement Fees Accreditations Customer Satisfaction/Reviews The Bottom Line Methodology National Debt Relief and accredited Debt Relief offer the same debt settlement and debt consolidation loan services. If you hire a company for debt settlement, the company will negotiate with your creditors on your behalf to settle your debt for less than you owe. The company’s settlement fee is in addition to the amount you have to pay your creditors. Debt settlement is typically only available for unsecured debt, such as credit cards or personal loans. Debt consolidation loans are generally only an option for borrowers with better credit scores, who can qualify for a loan with better rates than their existing debts. Consolidation loans allow you to combine several debts into a single account with a single payment, and if you’re doing it for debt relief purposes, at a lower interest rate. Debt settlement will have a significant negative impact on your credit, and it can also result in a tax bill because the forgiven amount is considered taxable as income. Debt settlement companies are prohibited by law from charging upfront fees. They can only charge you a fee after they have successfully negotiated a settlement. With National Debt Relief, fees range from 15% to 25% of your settled debt. Accredited Debt Relief's fees tend to be on the higher end. It typically charges 25% of the amount of settled debt. Although debt settlement companies don’t charge their fees until they settle a debt, you’ll typically need to open a dedicated savings account to hold your settlement funds. This account often has an enrollment and monthly fee, which must be paid to the providing bank—not the debt settlement company—as the program begins. Neither National Debt Relief nor Accredited Debt Relief discloses these fees. These companies both have industry accreditations showing they meet certain standards of service quality and customer service, and they’re roughly equal in this category. Each is a good pick if you’re looking for an established, well-accredited service. The abbreviations above stand for: Both National Debt Relief and Accredited Debt Relief have outstanding customer reviews on sites like Trustpilot and the BBB. On Trustpilot, National Debt Relief has 4.7 out of 5 stars based on over 39,000 reviews, and Accredited Debt Relief has 4.9 based on over 6,000 reviews. On the BBB, NDR has 4.72 out of 5 stars and an A+ rating, while ADR has 4.87 and an A+ rating. However, both companies have faced some relatively minor issues with their services. A class-action lawsuit was brought against National Debt Relief in January 2024, alleging that its website collects users' IP addresses with a browser tracker without users' consent. And in 2022 the National Advertising Division (a BBB program) advised Accredited Debt Relief to update its website, alleging that the company made potentially misleading claims about its debt relief results. It seems that ADR has removed the claims. If you’ve explored other debt relief options and decided debt settlement is the right strategy, we recommend National Debt Relief over Accredited Debt Relief. It’s more widely available, has a lower minimum debt requirement, and may charge a lower fee. Other than those details, the companies are alike in most respects. Although National Debt Relief is our top-rated company, we recommend exploring several of the best debt relief companies before making a decision to see if another company could better meet your needs. Unfortunately, debt relief scams are common. If a debt settlement company attempts to charge upfront fees for settlement services, you can report the company to the Federal Trade Commission through reportfraud.ftc.gov. To determine the best debt relief companies, we reviewed various databases, competitive analyses, consumer behavior, and more, ultimately narrowing down the list to 40 companies that offered debt settlement and/or credit counseling services. We developed a quantitative model in which we identified 53 important criteria across five categories. We weighted each category as follows to rate debt settlement companies: We then gathered data for the 53 criteria directly from companies via websites, media contacts, and existing partnerships. Data was collected between Oct. 19, 2023, and Dec. 18, 2023. This resulted in over 2,000 data points in our rubric, which we used to score and determine the best debt relief companies (including debt settlement and credit counseling services) for people looking to manage and get out of debt. To learn more about our process for finding the best debt relief companies, read our full methodology. Article Sources Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in our editorial policy. Better Business Bureau. “National Debt Relief, LLC.” Trustpilot. "National Debt Relief." Top Class Actions. "National Debt Relief Class Action Claims Website Captures Users' IP Addresses." Better Business Bureau. "Accredited Debt Relief." Trustpilot. "Accredited Debt Relief." IRS. "What If My Debt Is Forgiven?” Federal Trade Commission. "How to Get Out of Debt." Better Business Bureau National Programs. "National Advertising Division Recommends Accredited Debt Relief Discontinue Quantified Performance Claims About Debt Relief and the Format of Its Website." Article Sources Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in oureditorial policy. Better Business Bureau. “National Debt Relief, LLC.” Trustpilot. "National Debt Relief." Top Class Actions. "National Debt Relief Class Action Claims Website Captures Users' IP Addresses." Better Business Bureau. "Accredited Debt Relief." Trustpilot. "Accredited Debt Relief." IRS. "What If My Debt Is Forgiven?” Federal Trade Commission. "How to Get Out of Debt." Better Business Bureau National Programs. "National Advertising Division Recommends Accredited Debt Relief Discontinue Quantified Performance Claims About Debt Relief and the Format of Its Website." Related Terms Debt Relief: What it Is, How it Works, FAQs Debt relief involves the reorganization of a borrower's debts to make thDebt relief can come in a variety oem easier to repay. It also can give creditors a chance to recoup at least a portion of what they are owed. more What Is a Debt Relief Program? A debt relief program is a method for managing and paying off debt. It includes strategies specific to the type and amount of debt involved. Learn how it works. more Cancellation of Debt (COD): Definition, How It Works, How to Apply Cancellation of debt (COD) occurs when a creditor relieves a debtor from a debt obligation. Canceled debts are often taxable as income. more Certified Consumer Debt Specialist (CCDS): Meaning, Benefits Certified Consumer Debt Specialist is a professional designation awarded to debt settlement professionals who pass a certification exam. more Credit Counseling: What It Means and How It Works Credit counseling provides guidance and support for consumer credit, money management, debt management, and budgeting. more Debt Cancellation Contract (DCC): Meaning, How It Works, Example A debt cancellation contract (DCC) modifies loan terms to cancel all or part of a customer’s obligation to repay an extension of credit from a bank. more Investopedia is part of the Dotdash Meredithpublishingfamily.At a Glance National Debt Relief Accredited Debt Relief State Availability 48 31 Services Offered Debt settlement, debt consolidation loans Debt settlement, debt consolidation loans Types of Debt Credit cards, medical bills, personal loans, lines of credit, payday loans, business debt, private student loans Credit cards, medical bills, personal loans, lines of credit, private student loans Debt Settlement Fee 15%–25% of settled debt 25% of settled debt Minimum Debt Required $7,500 $10,000 Maximum Debt Allowed No maximum No maximum Accreditations AADR, IAPDA, BBB AADR, IAPDA, CDRI, BBB Year Founded 2009 2011 Phone Number (800) 300-9550 (800) 282-7186 National Debt Relief
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Accredited Debt Relief
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National Debt Relief vs. Accredited Debt Relief: Services Offered
National Debt Relief Accredited Debt Relief Services Offered Debt settlement, debt consolidation loans Debt settlement, debt consolidation loans National Debt Relief vs. Accredited Debt Relief: Debt Settlement Fees
National Debt Relief Accredited Debt Relief Debt Settlement Fee 15%–25% of settled debt 25% of settled debt National Debt Relief vs. Accredited Debt Relief: Accreditations
National Debt Relief Accredited Debt Relief Accreditations AADR, IAPDA, BBB AADR, IAPDA, CDRI, BBB National Debt Relief vs. Accredited Debt Relief: Customer Satisfaction/Reviews
The Bottom Line
How We Determine the Best Debt Relief Companies
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