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  <div class="h-inner">
    <div class="crumbs"><a href="/">SDCC Analysis</a> / Competitor Features</div>
    <h1>What Summer, Savi, and Chipper actually do — <em>and where SDCC can win.</em></h1>
    <p class="deck">Three commercial student-loan management products. What they offer, how they price, how they handle data, what they can't do because of their business model — and what SDCC could ship as a non-profit advocacy org that none of them can.</p>
    <div class="products">
      <div class="prod"><h3>Summer</h3><div class="prod-meta">B2B2C employer benefit · meetsummer.com · SOC 2 Type 2</div></div>
      <div class="prod"><h3>Savi</h3><div class="prod-meta">Free + $80/$165/yr · bysavi.com · ChatGPT integration</div></div>
      <div class="prod"><h3>Chipper</h3><div class="prod-meta">$2/$4/mo mobile-only · chipper.app · Plaid round-ups</div></div>
    </div>
  </div>
</header>
<main id="m">
<h1>SDCC Competitor Feature Analysis</h1>
<h2>Summer vs. Savi vs. Chipper — Deep Dive for SDCC Product Strategy</h2>
<h3>Researched: 2026-05-03</h3>
<hr>
<h2>OVERVIEW SNAPSHOT</h2>
<table><thead><tr><th></th><th>Summer</th><th>Savi</th><th>Chipper</th></tr></thead><tbody>
<tr><td>Model</td><td>B2B2C (employer/gov benefit)</td><td>B2B2C (employer benefit) + direct</td><td>B2C mobile app</td></tr>
<tr><td>Free tier</td><td>Via employer or gov partner only</td><td>Free calculator, paid admin</td><td>Free explore; $4/mo Chipper+</td></tr>
<tr><td>Paid tier</td><td>N/A to individual (employer pays)</td><td>$80/yr Essential, $165/yr Pro</td><td>$4/mo Chipper+, $2/mo round-ups only</td></tr>
<tr><td>Primary revenue</td><td>Employer SaaS contracts</td><td>Annual subscriptions + employer SaaS</td><td>Consumer subscriptions + brand rewards</td></tr>
<tr><td>Data access</td><td>Plaid + manual upload</td><td>Plaid + file upload + manual entry</td><td>Servicer sync (method unclear)</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mobile app</td><td>No — web only</td><td>Web only</td><td>iOS + Android</td></tr>
<tr><td>PSLF support</td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td></tr>
<tr><td>IDR support</td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td></tr>
<tr><td>Round-ups/micropayments</td><td>No</td><td>No</td><td>Yes (core differentiator)</td></tr>
<tr><td>AI assistant</td><td>No (expert call)</td><td>Yes (ChatGPT-powered)</td><td>No</td></tr>
<tr><td>Advocacy/policy</td><td>No</td><td>No</td><td>No</td></tr>
<tr><td>Borrower defense</td><td>Not documented</td><td>Not documented</td><td>Not documented</td></tr>
<tr><td>Spanish/multilingual</td><td>Not documented</td><td>Not documented</td><td>Not documented</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<hr>
<h2>A. MAIN JOBS EACH PRODUCT PERFORMS</h2>
<h3>SUMMER (meetsummer.com)</h3>
<p><strong>1. Eligibility analysis</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>PSLF eligibility check including qualifying employer classification</li>
<li>IDR plan eligibility scan: SAVE, IBR, PAYE, ICR, RAP (new 2025 plan)</li>
<li>Career-field and state-specific forgiveness program matching</li>
<li>Refinancing candidate identification (private loans only)</li>
<li>Retirement matching eligibility under SECURE 2.0 Act (Secure matching)</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>2. Auto form-filling</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Online PSLF Employment Certification Form submission; both borrower and employer e-sign</li>
<li>IDR enrollment form automation</li>
<li>Loan consolidation assistance for FFEL/Perkins → Direct loan conversion</li>
<li>Refinancing application submission via Refinancing API</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>3. Servicer letter parsing / translation</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Not documented. No mention of servicer letter upload or AI translation.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>4. Income re-certification reminders</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Annual IDR recertification tracking and alerts (referenced in feature list but not UI-detailed)</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>5. Optimal repayment plan recommendations</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Side-by-side payment plan comparison showing current vs. recommended monthly cost</li>
<li>Overpayments tool: shows interest savings from making extra payments</li>
<li>Savings calculator showing average $235–$333/mo and $43,000–$56,000 lifetime savings</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>6. Refinance comparison</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Aggregates private lender offers for comparison in one dashboard</li>
<li>Refinancing API for financial institution white-label partners</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>7. Other unique features</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Summer Save: PSLF + IDR optimization platform (core product)</li>
<li>Summer Boost: Tax-favorable employer contribution management for tuition + student loans</li>
<li>Summer Secure: SECURE 2.0 retirement matching — employer 401(k) match tied to student loan payments</li>
<li>College savings planning tool (529 and savings strategy for future college costs)</li>
<li>Employer ROI dashboard tracking program effectiveness (employee-facing metrics)</li>
<li>Expert 1-on-1 support (97% satisfaction claimed)</li>
<li>API suite for financial institutions: Recommendations API (free), Reporting API, Refinancing API, IDR API, Policy Module</li>
<li>White-label + SSO integrations for banks and credit unions</li>
<li>SOC 2 Type 2 certified</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Distribution model:</strong> Primarily B2B2C. Individuals can only access Summer if their employer, union, or government entity has contracted with Summer. Exception: NYC residents get free access via a City of New York partnership. Also available as an API product for financial institutions.</p>
<hr>
<h3>SAVI (bysavi.com / saviapp.com)</h3>
<p><strong>1. Eligibility analysis</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Scans 150+ federal and state forgiveness and repayment programs</li>
<li>PSLF eligibility check including qualifying employer type</li>
<li>IDR eligibility across all plan types</li>
<li>Teacher Loan Forgiveness</li>
<li>State-level programs (explicitly mentions state programs in 150+ count)</li>
<li>AI-powered eligibility matching (trained on 3M+ borrower interactions, ChatGPT/OpenAI-powered)</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>2. Auto form-filling (paid tier only)</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>IDR enrollment form completion and submission on borrower's behalf</li>
<li>PSLF Employment Certification form preparation and e-filing with DOE</li>
<li>Annual IDR recertification paperwork (ongoing, not one-time)</li>
<li>Loan consolidation paperwork assistance</li>
<li>Annual reenrollment automation</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>3. Servicer letter parsing / translation</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Not documented in public materials.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>4. Income re-certification reminders</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Active: Savi Essential subscribers receive reminders when recertification is due</li>
<li>Savi submits recert paperwork on behalf of subscriber after reminder</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>5. Optimal repayment plan recommendations</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Free calculator outputs recommended plan with estimated savings</li>
<li>Shows projected monthly payment, forgiveness timeline, and lifetime cost</li>
<li>$187 average monthly savings claimed; $38,980 average lifetime savings</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>6. Refinance comparison</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Not documented as a feature.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>7. Other unique features</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Savi Essential ($80/yr): All paperwork handled; auto-enrollment in IDR + PSLF; annual recertification managed</li>
<li>Savi Pro ($165/yr): Everything in Essential + scheduled 1-on-1 expert calls</li>
<li>Savi AI Assistant: ChatGPT-powered chat interface for real-time borrower Q&A; optional for employer partners to activate; available in ChatGPT Store</li>
<li>Community access: Free premium tier for at-risk borrowers via anchor partners (AARP, NEA, MetLife, TIAA, NACo)</li>
<li>Webinars (monthly) on policy updates</li>
<li>Live chat, call center, and email support</li>
<li>Employer dashboard for HR to track benefits adoption (not individual employee data)</li>
<li>Retirement contribution integration (mentioned as product)</li>
<li>Student loan contribution tool: Employer makes direct payments to loan servicers, Savi handles paperwork</li>
<li>Tuition reimbursement administration for employer partners</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Distribution model:</strong> Primarily B2B2C through 10,000+ employer and association partners. Direct-to-consumer path exists ("I'm an individual borrower" CTA) but pricing reflects the direct model. Savi explicitly states employers cannot see individual employee loan data.</p>
<hr>
<h3>CHIPPER (chipper.app)</h3>
<p><strong>1. Eligibility analysis</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Checks 150+ forgiveness and repayment programs after loan sync</li>
<li>PSLF eligibility (public service employer verification)</li>
<li>Teacher Loan Forgiveness eligibility (up to $17,500 via Title I schools)</li>
<li>IDR plan eligibility across all plan types</li>
<li>"Easy Apply" service: Pre-checks broad Biden-era mass forgiveness eligibility (launched 2022, status unclear post-court rulings)</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>2. Auto form-filling</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>IDR enrollment: Auto-fills and submits income-driven repayment plan enrollment forms</li>
<li>PSLF application automation: "automates the application from start to finish"</li>
<li>Digital signature collection for forgiveness applications</li>
<li>Auto-enrollment in selected forgiveness or repayment program (Chipper+ feature)</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>3. Servicer letter parsing / translation</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Not documented.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>4. Income re-certification reminders</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Referenced in content; specific UI not detailed publicly.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>5. Optimal repayment plan recommendations</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Side-by-side comparison of all IDR plans</li>
<li>Auto-selects best plan based on borrower's loan situation</li>
<li>Average $307/month savings claimed</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>6. Refinance comparison</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Not documented as a Chipper feature.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>7. Other unique features — CHIPPER-SPECIFIC DIFFERENTIATORS</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Round-Ups (core differentiator): Links debit card via Plaid; rounds each purchase to next dollar; pools weekly rounding amounts; sends lump payment to loan servicer. Claims up to 4-year faster payoff. $2/mo for round-ups only.</li>
<li>Chipper+ ($4/mo): Full auto-enrollment, round-ups, forgiveness automation, plan comparison, access to all features</li>
<li>Chipper Rewards (in development): Cash-back from 350+ partner brands applied directly to loan balance</li>
<li>Chipper Credit Insights (in development): Credit score monitoring + simulation of forgiveness impact on credit score</li>
<li>Round-Ups Calculator: Public web calculator at /calculators/round-ups-calculator showing payoff acceleration</li>
<li>Chipper Hub: Educational resource library with articles and guides</li>
<li>Available on iOS App Store and Google Play (only mobile-native product of the three)</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Third-party stack:</strong> Plaid (bank account + debit card linking for Round-Ups); Figg Inc. (rewards program card linking); MethodFi/Forward Lending Inc. (reward payment transfer to servicers)</p>
<p><strong>Distribution model:</strong> Pure B2C. No employer sponsorship. Direct consumer download.</p>
<hr>
<h2>B. PRICING MODEL</h2>
<h3>Summer</h3>
<ul>
<li><strong>For individuals:</strong> Free only if employer/union/government has contracted Summer. No individual purchase path documented.</li>
<li><strong>NYC residents:</strong> Fully free via City of New York partnership (no strings, no hidden charges).</li>
<li><strong>Employer cost:</strong> "Only a few dollars per person" (no public rate card). Money-back guarantee if no savings delivered.</li>
<li><strong>API (financial institutions):</strong> Recommendations API described as free; other APIs unpriced publicly.</li>
<li><strong>What's gated:</strong> Everything is gated behind employer enrollment. No self-serve consumer tier.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Savi</h3>
<ul>
<li><strong>Free tier:</strong> Eligibility calculator, savings estimate, program match (150+ scanned). No paperwork filing.</li>
<li><strong>Savi Essential:</strong> $80/year (was $60, then $74, increasing to $80 effective Jan 1, 2026). Includes: all IDR enrollment paperwork filed on your behalf, PSLF employment certification prepared and filed, annual IDR recertification managed, ongoing compliance support.</li>
<li><strong>Savi Pro:</strong> $165/year (increasing to $165 from $160 effective Jan 1, 2026). Includes everything in Essential plus scheduled 1-on-1 calls with certified student loan experts.</li>
<li><strong>Employer-sponsored:</strong> Employers subsidize access; individual price varies by contract.</li>
<li><strong>Community free tier:</strong> At-risk borrowers get full premium access free via anchor partners.</li>
<li><strong>What's gated:</strong> The paperwork filing, auto-enrollment, and recertification management are behind the $80/yr paywall. Calculator and program matching are free.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Chipper</h3>
<ul>
<li><strong>Free tier:</strong> Loan sync, eligibility scan across 150+ programs, repayment plan comparison, educational content. No form filing.</li>
<li><strong>Chipper+ ($4/month):</strong> Auto-enrollment in IDR/forgiveness programs, round-ups access, all features unlocked. Equivalent to ~$48/year.</li>
<li><strong>Round-ups only ($2/month):</strong> Spare change micro-payment feature only, without full Chipper+ access.</li>
<li><strong>What's gated:</strong> Form submission, auto-enrollment, and round-ups are behind paywall. Exploration is free.</li>
<li><strong>Note on status:</strong> Chipper originally launched free during payment pause; pricing structure may have evolved. 140,000+ borrowers served as of last reporting.</li>
</ul>
<hr>
<h2>C. UX INVENTORY — EVERY DISTINCT UI ELEMENT</h2>
<h3>SUMMER UI ELEMENTS</h3>
<ol>
<li><strong>Loan Sync Dashboard</strong> — Centralized view of all federal loans aggregated from servicers. Shows total balance, principal vs. interest breakdown, individual loan count, and interest rates. Setup in under 5 minutes.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Payment Plan Comparison Chart</strong> — Side-by-side visualization of current repayment plan monthly cost vs. recommended plan. Includes projected payment amount, timeline to payoff/forgiveness, and lifetime interest cost.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>PSLF Qualifying Payment Progress Bar</strong> — Tracks number of qualifying payments made toward 120-payment threshold. Shows payments remaining and projected forgiveness date.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>PSLF Employment Certification Workflow</strong> — Multi-step form tool for certifying past employers going back to 2007. Both borrower and employer sign digitally. Handles multiple employers in sequence.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Savings Calculator Widget</strong> — Interactive calculator on homepage and landing pages showing estimated monthly savings (example: $235/mo) and lifetime savings ($43,436). Used for employer demo purposes.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Overpayments Tool</strong> — Shows interest savings from making extra principal payments. Calculates benefit of paying down specific loans faster.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Refinancing Comparison Aggregator</strong> — Collects offers from multiple private lenders in one place for side-by-side rate and term comparison.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Expert 1-on-1 Scheduling Interface</strong> — Booking tool for consultation with student loan expert. Separate from automated tools.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Employer ROI Dashboard</strong> (employer-facing) — Tracks employee adoption, aggregate savings, turnover impact metrics.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>College Savings Planning Tool</strong> — Estimates future college costs and constructs savings strategy (529 guidance).</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Demo Scheduling CTA</strong> — "Schedule a Demo" interface for prospective employer customers.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>NYC Program Landing Page</strong> — Custom co-branded page for NYC residents; free access enrollment.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Member Login Portal</strong> — app.meetsummer.org/login — separate authenticated portal for enrolled members.</li>
</ol>
<hr>
<h3>SAVI UI ELEMENTS</h3>
<ol>
<li><strong>Free Savings Calculator</strong> — Input income, loan balance, loan type, employer type. Output: estimated monthly payment reduction, forgiveness timeline, lifetime savings. No account required for basic estimate.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>150+ Program Scanner</strong> — Backend engine surfaced to user as "here are the programs you qualify for" results screen. Shows ranked list of programs with estimated savings per program.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Savi AI Assistant Chat Widget</strong> — ChatGPT-powered conversational interface. Borrower types natural language questions ("Can I get PSLF if I work part-time?"). Returns real-time answers trained on 3M+ borrower interactions. Available in ChatGPT GPT Store as standalone.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Enrollment Progress Tracker</strong> — Shows status of paperwork submissions: submitted → under review → accepted. 98% acceptance rate claimed.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Annual Recertification Calendar/Reminder</strong> — Sends alerts when IDR recertification deadline is approaching. Savi handles paperwork filing automatically for Essential subscribers.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Employer Certification Auto-Prep Tool</strong> — Savi prepares PSLF Employment Certification Forms for borrower and employer to sign; handles e-filing with DOE.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Expert Call Scheduling (Pro tier)</strong> — Scheduler to book 1-on-1 with certified student loan expert. Pro-tier only.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>"Invite HR Leader" CTA</strong> — Borrowers who want employer to sponsor access can send a referral link to their HR department directly from the app.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Monthly Webinar Registration</strong> — In-app/email registration for live policy update webinars.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>"Use Savi Assistant" Button</strong> — CTA linking to the Savi GPT in ChatGPT Store for borrowers without employer access.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Loan Sync Dashboard (Plaid-connected)</strong> — Aggregates all federal and private loans across servicers into one view via Plaid.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Student Loan Data File Upload</strong> — Alternative to Plaid: User downloads MyStudentData.txt from studentaid.gov, uploads to Savi. Backup method when Plaid servicer not supported.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Manual Loan Entry Form</strong> — Third sync method: borrower manually inputs loan details field-by-field.</li>
</ol>
<hr>
<h3>CHIPPER UI ELEMENTS</h3>
<ol>
<li><strong>Loan Servicer Sync Screen</strong> — Connect existing federal loan servicer; app pulls balance and loan details. Setup in under 2 minutes.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Forgiveness Eligibility Results Screen</strong> — After loan sync, shows a list of 150+ programs the borrower qualifies for with brief description of each. "Compare each program" step before committing.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Side-by-Side IDR Plan Comparison Table</strong> — All income-driven repayment plans displayed in columns with monthly payment, total payment, forgiveness amount, and timeline per plan. Borrower selects preferred plan.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Auto-Enrollment / Easy Apply Button</strong> — One-click trigger to begin automated form submission for selected forgiveness or repayment program. Collects digital signature. Chipper+ feature.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Round-Ups Debit Card Linking Screen</strong> — Plaid-powered bank account/debit card connection. Shows running total of weekly rounded-up amount. Weekly auto-payment to servicer.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Round-Ups Calculator</strong> — Standalone public web page (/calculators/round-ups-calculator): input average daily spending; see estimated extra annual payment and payoff acceleration in years.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Weekly Round-Ups Summary</strong> — Shows each transaction's rounding amount, weekly accumulation total, and payment sent to servicer.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Savings Dashboard</strong> — Running total of money saved vs. standard repayment; average $307/month savings; total projected payoff acceleration.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Chipper Hub Resource Library</strong> — Categorized articles and guides on forgiveness programs, IDR, consolidation, PSLF waiver, default recovery.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Chipper Rewards Brand Marketplace</strong> (in development) — Browse 350+ partner brands; activate cash-back offer; rebate auto-applied to loan balance.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Credit Score Simulation Widget</strong> (in development) — Shows impact of loan forgiveness on credit score; monitoring dashboard.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Mobile App Onboarding Flow</strong> — Name + email → servicer connect → eligibility scan → plan comparison → optional round-ups link. Full flow under 5 minutes.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Teacher Loan Forgiveness Checker</strong> — Specific tool for teachers: verify Title I school eligibility; calculate TLF amount ($5,000–$17,500); initiate application.</li>
</ol>
<hr>
<h2>D. PRIVACY / DATA ARCHITECTURE</h2>
<h3>SUMMER</h3>
<p><strong>Data access method:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Uses Plaid to connect loan servicer accounts (confirmed in privacy policy: "authorize a third party (e.g. your student loan servicer) to provide information regarding your student loans via Plaid or otherwise")</li>
<li>Summer does NOT appear to ask for FSA ID credentials directly (their own blog explicitly warns "Summer will never ask for your FSA ID"). However, FSA ID is needed by the borrower to access studentaid.gov independently, and Summer may use data downloaded from there.</li>
<li>Manual or third-party authorization flows possible ("or otherwise" in policy language)</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>What employers can see:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Employer can certify employment; employer provided Summer with attributes of employment to set up accounts</li>
<li>Privacy policy does not explicitly state employers cannot see individual loan data details — this is a gap vs. Savi's explicit guarantee</li>
<li>Summer shares data with "business partners and employers" per privacy policy</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Third-party sharing:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Service providers (hosting, payment, analytics)</li>
<li>U.S. Department of Education and loan servicers (for PSLF form submission)</li>
<li>Employers (for employment certification)</li>
<li>Analytics partners</li>
<li>Explicitly states: "We do not sell Personal Data"</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Data collected:</strong> Name, email, phone, address, SSN, income, student loan account numbers, balances, payment dates, employment history, bank account details, grades/transcripts (for education planning), photos/videos</p>
<p><strong>Data retention:</strong> "As long as account is open" + legal compliance period. Deletion within 30 days of request.</p>
<p><strong>Security:</strong> SOC 2 Type 2 certified (no exceptions). AES-256 at rest. TLS/SSL in transit. AES-256 + off-site key management for sensitive fields. Mandatory VPN + MFA for internal access. Cloud infrastructure (provider not named).</p>
<p><strong>Storage location:</strong> "Secure, segregated cloud environments within industry-leading cloud providers" — US not explicitly confirmed.</p>
<p><strong>FSA ID:</strong> Summer explicitly states they will never ask for FSA ID by phone or email. The on-platform credential handling method is not publicly documented.</p>
<hr>
<h3>SAVI</h3>
<p><strong>Data access method:</strong></p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Plaid</strong> (primary): Connects to 90%+ of student loan servicers in seconds. Plaid accesses servicer account data and passes to Savi.</li>
<li><strong>File upload</strong>: User downloads MyStudentData.txt from studentaid.gov (requires FSA ID login on studentaid.gov directly, not within Savi) and uploads to Savi.</li>
<li><strong>Manual entry</strong>: User inputs loan details by hand.</li>
</ol>
<p><strong>What employers can see:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Explicitly confirmed: "Your employer will not have any access or control over information you provide to Savi" (per University of Colorado/Savi documentation). Employer sees only aggregate program statistics, not individual employee data.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Third-party sharing:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Referring organizations get notification that a referred user joined (not loan data)</li>
<li>Service providers under confidentiality contracts</li>
<li>Legal compliance / court orders</li>
<li>Business transfers (merger/acquisition)</li>
<li>Mobile data explicitly will not be shared for marketing/promotional purposes</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Data collected:</strong> Names, addresses, emails, phone, SSNs, employment info, income, tax history, student loan details, browser/device data, cookies</p>
<p><strong>Data retention:</strong> Policy does not specify retention periods — significant gap.</p>
<p><strong>Security:</strong> "Secure servers behind firewalls," industry-standard measures. No SOC 2 mention in public materials. Policy acknowledges internet transmission is not completely secure.</p>
<p><strong>Storage location:</strong> Not specified in privacy policy.</p>
<p><strong>FSA ID:</strong> Savi does not ask for FSA ID. Users authenticate with studentaid.gov independently to download their data file; Savi receives the exported file or Plaid-pulled data.</p>
<hr>
<h3>CHIPPER</h3>
<p><strong>Data access method:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Loan servicer sync (method not fully documented publicly; likely servicer credential entry or Plaid for federal loans)</li>
<li>Plaid used specifically for Round-Ups bank/debit card linking (confirmed)</li>
<li>Figg Inc. used for rewards card linking</li>
<li>MethodFi/Forward Lending used for transferring reward payments to servicers</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>What employers can see:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Not applicable — Chipper is direct-to-consumer only with no employer relationship.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Third-party sharing:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Plaid Inc. (bank account data for Round-Ups)</li>
<li>Figg Inc. (card data for rewards)</li>
<li>MethodFi / Forward Lending Inc. (identity + account data for reward-to-servicer transfers; user must explicitly authorize)</li>
<li>Multiple third-party providers each with their own privacy policies that users must accept</li>
<li>Transaction data used for: confirming purchases, records, targeted offers, app analysis, reward program, anonymized aggregate reporting</li>
<li>Explicitly states: Will never sell user data. Uses bank-level 256-bit encryption.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Data collected:</strong> Registration info, financial account data (via Plaid), transaction data, loan servicer data, device info</p>
<p><strong>Data retention:</strong> Not specified publicly.</p>
<p><strong>Security:</strong> 256-bit bank-level encryption. No SOC 2 mention.</p>
<p><strong>Storage location:</strong> Not specified.</p>
<p><strong>FSA ID:</strong> No FSA ID request documented. Uses servicer sync (not studentaid.gov direct access).</p>
<hr>
<h3>CRITICAL PRIVACY COMPARISON TABLE</h3>
<table><thead><tr><th>Issue</th><th>Summer</th><th>Savi</th><th>Chipper</th></tr></thead><tbody>
<tr><td>Asks for FSA ID directly</td><td>No (warns against it)</td><td>No</td><td>No</td></tr>
<tr><td>Uses Plaid for loan data</td><td>Yes (confirmed in PP)</td><td>Yes (primary method)</td><td>For banking only; loan sync method unclear</td></tr>
<tr><td>Employer can see employee data</td><td>Ambiguous in PP</td><td>Explicitly NO</td><td>N/A (B2C only)</td></tr>
<tr><td>Sells data</td><td>No</td><td>Not stated</td><td>No</td></tr>
<tr><td>SOC 2 certified</td><td>Yes (Type 2)</td><td>Not stated</td><td>Not stated</td></tr>
<tr><td>Encryption at rest</td><td>AES-256</td><td>Not specified</td><td>256-bit</td></tr>
<tr><td>Data retention policy</td><td>Open account + legal</td><td>Not specified</td><td>Not specified</td></tr>
<tr><td>Third-party count</td><td>Multiple (incl. analytics)</td><td>Multiple (contractors)</td><td>3+ named vendors each with own PP</td></tr>
<tr><td>Storage location</td><td>Unnamed cloud provider</td><td>Not specified</td><td>Not specified</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<hr>
<h2>E. WHAT SDCC COULD DIFFERENTIATE ON</h2>
<p>SDCC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocacy organization with 2M+ supporters, a decade of policy wins, and no commercial revenue motive. Here are 8 differentiation vectors that these for-profit products cannot match:</p>
<h3>1. FREE FOREVER — NO EMPLOYER REQUIRED</h3>
<p>Summer and Savi are functionally unavailable to the majority of borrowers without an employer sponsor. Chipper charges $4/mo for auto-enrollment. SDCC can offer the core eligibility scan, plan comparison, AND form-filing guidance free to any borrower, anywhere — funded by donations and grants, not SaaS fees. The commercial products have structural reasons they cannot do this at scale without a paying customer upstream.</p>
<h3>2. ZERO DATA RETENTION / PRIVACY-FIRST ARCHITECTURE</h3>
<p>All three competitors collect SSNs, loan data, income, employment history, and retain it indefinitely (or unspecified periods). They share data with analytics partners, employers (Summer), and multiple third-party vendors each with their own privacy policies (Chipper). SDCC could offer a stateless or session-only architecture: run eligibility analysis in-browser without server-side storage; no SSN collected; no account required. This is technically feasible for a read-only tool that points borrowers to studentaid.gov actions.</p>
<h3>3. POLICY + ADVOCACY INTEGRATION WITHIN THE TOOL</h3>
<p>The commercial products explicitly avoid advocacy — it would create conflict with their employer customers (hospitals, universities, corporations). SDCC can embed:</p>
<ul>
<li>"Sign this petition to preserve PSLF" immediately after a borrower learns they qualify</li>
<li>Live court docket tracking for SAVE/IDR litigation so borrowers know which plans are paused</li>
<li>Bill tracker for One Big Beautiful Bill Act provisions affecting their specific plan</li>
<li>Email your representative with one click after calculating your forgiveness amount</li>
</ul>
<p>None of the three competitors can do this without alienating employer clients.</p>
<h3>4. BORROWER DEFENSE TO REPAYMENT FILING ASSISTANCE</h3>
<p>None of the three competitors document any support for Borrower Defense to Repayment (BDR) claims — the discharge pathway for students defrauded by predatory schools (Corinthian, ITT Tech, etc.). SDCC has the institutional knowledge of predatory school collapses. An eligibility checker for BDR, with school-name lookup and pre-filled claim guidance, would serve a population the fintechs systematically ignore because the claims are complex, low-monetization, and politically contentious.</p>
<h3>5. SAVE LITIGATION STATUS TRACKER / REAL-TIME COURT CALENDAR</h3>
<p>The SAVE plan is under active litigation (5th Circuit, pending Supreme Court review). The RAP plan replacement was legislated in July 2025. Borrowers have no clear, maintained, authoritative non-government source explaining what is currently in effect, what is paused, and what's coming. SDCC's policy team generates this analysis already. Surfacing it as a structured "plan status dashboard" (active / paused / enjoined / replaced) directly within a tool that calculates plan benefits would be unique in the market.</p>
<h3>6. STATE-SPECIFIC GUIDANCE AT DEPTH</h3>
<p>Savi claims to scan "150+ programs" including state programs but provides no UI detail on state-specific guidance. Summer mentions "career-field and state forgiveness" with no depth. SDCC could build state-specific modules — e.g., California's Student Loan Ombudsman, state attorney general complaint links, state-level emergency forbearance programs, state legislature bills — that go far deeper than any for-profit product because there's no commercial incentive to build geographic edge cases.</p>
<h3>7. SPANISH AND MULTILINGUAL SUPPORT</h3>
<p>None of the three products document any multilingual capability. 45 million borrowers include a significant Spanish-speaking population (consistent with SDCC's roots and mission to center marginalized borrowers). A fully Spanish-translated tool — not just the FAQ, but the eligibility wizard, plan comparison, and form guidance — would be a first-mover advantage with no commercial competitor.</p>
<h3>8. BORROWER NARRATIVE + STORYTELLING INTEGRATION</h3>
<p>SDCC already collects borrower stories and shares them with lawmakers and media. The three commercial products have no public-facing narrative collection mechanism — it would create liability and mixed messaging for their employer clients. SDCC can let borrowers submit their story at the end of the eligibility flow ("Share your experience with Congress"), turning a tool visit into an advocacy action. This creates flywheel momentum: more stories → more policy wins → more tool trust → more users.</p>
<hr>
<h2>F. SPECIFIC BUTTONS / WIDGETS TO ADAPT FOR SDCC</h2>
<p>Ten UI elements from the competitor products that would translate directly to SDCC's site:</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Free Savings Calculator (Savi)</strong> — Enter income, loan balance, employer type; get a concrete monthly savings number and lifetime savings estimate. Matters for SDCC because the single biggest conversion driver is showing a borrower a real dollar amount they're leaving on the table. Savi reports $187/mo average savings. Showing "$X,XXX you could save this year" before asking for any personal data is the hook.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Side-by-Side IDR Plan Comparison Table (Chipper)</strong> — All repayment plans in columns: monthly payment, forgiveness timeline, total paid, plan status (active/paused/enjoined). Matters for SDCC because the 2025–2026 legislative landscape has made plan availability deeply confusing. A current-status flag on each plan (color-coded: green=active, red=paused, yellow=litigation pending) would be unique.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>PSLF Qualifying Payment Progress Bar (Summer)</strong> — Visual tracker showing payments made vs. 120 required, estimated forgiveness date. Matters for SDCC because PSLF is the highest-stakes program for public servants; a visual countdown creates urgency and emotional connection that converts borrowers into advocates.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>150+ Program Scanner Results Screen (Savi/Chipper)</strong> — After a brief income/employer/loan input, display a ranked list of programs the borrower qualifies for. Matters for SDCC because most borrowers don't know what they qualify for — revealing 3–5 specific programs with dollar estimates is the "aha moment" that builds trust and drives petition signups.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Enrollment Progress Tracker / Status Badge (Savi)</strong> — Shows paperwork status: submitted → under review → accepted. Matters for SDCC because even if SDCC doesn't file paperwork directly, tracking a borrower's self-directed submissions (with reminders) reduces abandonment. The 30% PSLF application error rate is almost entirely abandonment or incorrect submissions — a status widget reduces both.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Annual Recertification Calendar Reminder (Savi)</strong> — Widget that shows the borrower's recertification deadline date and sends email/SMS reminders as it approaches. Matters for SDCC because IDR recertification failures are one of the top reasons borrowers fall out of forgiveness eligibility. A simple calendar widget with opt-in email reminder has outsized impact at near-zero cost.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Round-Ups Calculator (Chipper)</strong> — Input average daily spending; output estimated extra annual payment and years shaved off repayment. Matters for SDCC not to implement round-ups (that requires fintech infrastructure) but to show borrowers the power of marginal extra payments. A simplified overpayment calculator ("If you pay $50 extra per month, you'll pay off 3 years earlier") is implementable as pure static JS with no backend.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>"Invite HR Leader" Referral CTA (Savi)</strong> — Borrower who found the tool shares it with their employer to sponsor access. For SDCC, this maps to: "Share this tool with your union rep / HR department / coworker." Borrower-driven organic spread to institutions is how Savi built 10,000+ partners. SDCC could use the same pattern to spread to unions, school districts, and nonprofits.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Teacher Loan Forgiveness Checker (Chipper)</strong> — Specific to teachers: school type lookup, TLF amount calculator, application initiation. Matters for SDCC because teachers represent the largest single PSLF/TLF eligible group and are significantly underserved by general tools. A dedicated teacher module (with NEA/AFT branding opportunities) builds a high-trust vertical.</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><strong>Plan Status Dashboard / Court Tracker (no current competitor has this)</strong> — SDCC-unique, inspired by the gap all three competitors leave: a live-updating widget showing which repayment and forgiveness programs are currently active, paused, or under litigation, with links to court docket and estimated resolution date. Matters because in 2025–2026, this is the #1 question borrowers have that no tool answers. SDCC's policy team already has this knowledge; surfacing it as a structured UI element turns SDCC's advocacy expertise into a product feature no for-profit can replicate.</li>
</ol>
<hr>
<h2>SOURCES CONSULTED</h2>
<ul>
<li>Summer homepage: <a href="https://www.meetsummer.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.meetsummer.com/</a></li>
<li>Summer individuals page: <a href="https://www.meetsummer.com/for-individuals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.meetsummer.com/for-individuals</a></li>
<li>Summer employers page: <a href="https://www.meetsummer.com/employers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.meetsummer.com/employers</a></li>
<li>Summer solutions page: <a href="https://www.meetsummer.com/solutions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.meetsummer.com/solutions</a></li>
<li>Summer financial institutions: <a href="https://www.meetsummer.com/financial-tech-companies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.meetsummer.com/financial-tech-companies</a></li>
<li>Summer PSLF guide: <a href="https://www.meetsummer.com/pslf-guide" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.meetsummer.com/pslf-guide</a></li>
<li>Summer privacy policy: <a href="https://www.meetsummer.com/utility/privacy-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.meetsummer.com/utility/privacy-policy</a></li>
<li>Summer security policy: <a href="https://www.meetsummer.com/utility/security" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.meetsummer.com/utility/security</a></li>
<li>Summer NYC page: <a href="https://www.meetsummer.com/nyc-saveoncollege" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.meetsummer.com/nyc-saveoncollege</a></li>
<li>LendEDU Summer review: <a href="https://lendedu.com/blog/summer-student-loan-tool-review/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://lendedu.com/blog/summer-student-loan-tool-review/</a></li>
<li>Savi homepage: <a href="https://www.bysavi.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.bysavi.com/</a></li>
<li>Savi borrowers page: <a href="https://www.bysavi.com/borrowers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.bysavi.com/borrowers</a></li>
<li>Savi about page: <a href="https://www.bysavi.com/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.bysavi.com/about</a></li>
<li>Savi privacy policy: <a href="https://www.bysavi.com/privacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.bysavi.com/privacy</a></li>
<li>Plaid Savi case study: <a href="https://plaid.com/blog/savi-customer-story/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://plaid.com/blog/savi-customer-story/</a></li>
<li>Chipper homepage: <a href="https://www.chipper.app/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.chipper.app/</a></li>
<li>Chipper Round-Ups: <a href="https://www.chipper.app/round-ups" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.chipper.app/round-ups</a></li>
<li>Chipper Round-Ups Calculator: <a href="https://www.chipper.app/calculators/round-ups-calculator" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.chipper.app/calculators/round-ups-calculator</a></li>
<li>Money Crashers Chipper review: <a href="https://www.moneycrashers.com/chipper-app-review/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.moneycrashers.com/chipper-app-review/</a></li>
<li>SDCC Resources page: <a href="https://www.studentdebtcrisis.org/resources" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.studentdebtcrisis.org/resources</a></li>
<li>University of Colorado Savi page: <a href="https://www.cu.edu/employee-services/benefits-wellness/student-loan-forgiveness-tool-savi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.cu.edu/employee-services/benefits-wellness/student-loan-forgiveness-tool-savi</a></li>
<li>University of Delaware Savi FAQ: <a href="https://www.udel.edu/content/dam/udelImages/human-resources/benefits/virtual-fair/PSLF_FAQ_UDEL.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.udel.edu/content/dam/udelImages/human-resources/benefits/virtual-fair/PSLF_FAQ_UDEL.pdf</a></li>
</ul>
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