South Africa · Registered lenders, checked · Matching services labelled
Compare loans on what they really cost.
Interest is the small part of a short loan. We show the fees, the legal maximum, and which registered lenders sit below it — then you decide.
What R2 000 is legally allowed to cost
Legal maximum · NCA caps- Loan
- R2 000
- Interest (5%/mo)
- R100.00
- Fees incl. VAT
- R373.75
- Total to repay
- R2 473.75
Fees: initiation R304.75 (R165 + 10% above R1 000, capped at R1 050, plus VAT) and service fees R69.00 (R60 plus VAT per month). Interest is the small part of a short loan; fees are the part to compare.
Caps per NCA regulations effective 6 May 2016; repo rate 7.00% since 28 May 2026. Last checked 25 August 2026.
Compare by what you need
Payday loans in South Africa
Compare payday loans from registered lenders. See the legal maximum a payday loan can cost, how repayment works, and which lenders pay out the same day.
Short-term loans: compare registered lenders
Compare short-term loans of up to R8 000 from registered lenders. Legal maximum costs by amount and term, same-day payout, and how to avoid a debt spiral.
Personal loans in South Africa
Compare unsecured personal loans from banks and NCR-registered lenders. Interest caps, fees, what a R20 000 loan really costs, and how to get a lower rate.
Loans for blacklisted and bad credit borrowers
There is no blacklist. What a bad credit record means, which registered lenders consider impaired records, and how to borrow without being exploited.
No credit check loans: why no registered lender can offer one
Registered lenders must assess affordability, which includes a credit check. Here is what 'no credit check' adverts really mean and what a soft check is.
Loans while under debt review: what is and isn't possible
A consumer under debt review cannot take new credit until cleared. What the law says, how debt review ends, and the options that actually exist.
1-hour payday loans: who actually pays out that fast
Which registered lenders pay out within an hour of approval, what 'no credit check' really means here, and the legal maximum a one-month loan can cost.
Instant cash loans: what 'in 5 minutes' really means
Instant cash loans decide in minutes; the money moves at your bank's speed. The quickest registered lenders, eWallet payouts, and the legal cost of speed.
Long-term loans in South Africa: 12 to 72 months
Compare long-term personal loans over 12 to 72 months: the legal maximum rate, what a longer term does to the total you repay, and who covers your amount.
Cash advance in South Africa: the three kinds, and what each costs
Salary advance, card advance or a short loan from a lender: what each costs, the legal maximum on small amounts, and which registered lenders lend R500.
Loans for SASSA grant recipients
SASSA does not offer loans. Which grants count as income for a lender, why 'SASSA loan via cellphone' adverts are a red flag, and what protects a grant.
Or by amount
Calculators
Built on the SARS tables and the National Credit Act caps, with the date of every figure shown.
Short-term lenders we work with
All companies, rated
NCR NCRCP22362Fast, small and clearly registered; ask for the quotation before you count on the amount.
- Amount
- R500 – R5 000
- Payout
- Decision in 10–25 minutes; transfers typically post within 5 minutes, same or next business day at the latest
CreditBar3.0NCR NCRCP23238The fastest payout on the list, on the shortest terms — expensive per rand, fine for a genuine one-off.
- Amount
- R500 – R5 000
- Term
- 7 days – 45 days
- Payout
- Within about an hour of approval in business hours; decisions in about 15 minutes
LendPlus3.5NCR NCRCP17814Publishes its full pricing and pays out at weekends via eWallet; the price is near the legal cap.
- Amount
- R500 – R4 000
- Term
- 66 days – 3 months
- Payout
- 15 minutes to 2 hours in business hours; instant to an eWallet at any time
CrediWise4.0NCR NCRCP22496Goes to the full R8 000 short-term ceiling with the same fast platform as LendPlus.
- Amount
- R500 – R8 000
- Payout
- 15 minutes to 2 hours in business hours; instant to an eWallet at any time
PrimeLoans4.0NCR NCRCP20937The clearest pricing on the list — a full worked example with VAT — and two to three months to repay.
- Amount
- R500 – R4 000
- Term
- 2 months – 3 months
- Payout
- 15 minutes to 2 hours in business hours; instant to an eWallet at any time
NCR NCRCP20790Full short-term range and a mandate-first approach; its own site prints its NCR number two different ways.
- Amount
- R500 – R8 000
- Payout
- Same business day once the DebiCheck mandate is confirmed
| Lender | Rating | Amount | Term | Payout | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jabulani Money NCR NCRCP22362 | 3.5 Fast, small and clearly registered; ask for the quotation before you count on the amount. | R500 – R5 000 | — | Decision in 10–25 minutes; transfers typically post within 5 minutes, same or next business day at the latest | Apply |
CreditBar NCR NCRCP23238 | 3.0 The fastest payout on the list, on the shortest terms — expensive per rand, fine for a genuine one-off. | R500 – R5 000 | 7 days – 45 days | Within about an hour of approval in business hours; decisions in about 15 minutes | Apply |
LendPlus NCR NCRCP17814 | 3.5 Publishes its full pricing and pays out at weekends via eWallet; the price is near the legal cap. | R500 – R4 000 | 66 days – 3 months | 15 minutes to 2 hours in business hours; instant to an eWallet at any time | Apply |
CrediWise NCR NCRCP22496 | 4.0 Goes to the full R8 000 short-term ceiling with the same fast platform as LendPlus. | R500 – R8 000 | — | 15 minutes to 2 hours in business hours; instant to an eWallet at any time | Apply |
PrimeLoans NCR NCRCP20937 | 4.0 The clearest pricing on the list — a full worked example with VAT — and two to three months to repay. | R500 – R4 000 | 2 months – 3 months | 15 minutes to 2 hours in business hours; instant to an eWallet at any time | Apply |
Century Financial Services NCR NCRCP20790 | 3.5 Full short-term range and a mandate-first approach; its own site prints its NCR number two different ways. | R500 – R8 000 | — | Same business day once the DebiCheck mandate is confirmed | Apply |
Borrowing money costs money — only borrow what you can afford to repay. Lenders listed here publish a National Credit Regulator registration; matching services are not lenders and are labelled as such. The order of our lists reflects our partner agreements; the star ratings are our own. Costs shown as "legal maximum" are the caps set by the National Credit Act, not a lender's price.
Matching services: one form, several lenders
These are not lenders. Each takes one application and passes it to a panel of registered credit providers, who then decide, quote and pay out. The agreement you sign is with the lender, and every lender still runs an affordability assessment.
Letocredit3.0Matching service · not a lenderA quick way to see several small-loan lenders at once; ignore the 'no credit check' line on its homepage.
- Amount
- R500 – R15 000
- Term
- 2 months – 12 months
- Payout
- Same day for most partner lenders; often 15–30 minutes after confirmation
MoneyHello4.0Matching service · not a lenderThe most transparent matching service on this list: names every partner lender and its NCRCP number.
- Term
- 3 months – 72 months
- Payout
- Set by the lender you choose after matching
Binixo2.5Matching service · not a lenderA second front door to lenders already on this list; its own legal text contradicts itself.
- Amount
- R1 000 – R50 000
- Term
- 3 months – 6 months
- Payout
- Set by the lender you choose; the site says same day
Finpug3.0Matching service · not a lenderLetocredit's sister site with a wider amount slider; it openly encourages applying to several lenders at once.
- Amount
- R500 – R50 000
- Term
- 2 months – 12 months
- Payout
- Usually within 30 minutes of a partner lender's approval in business hours
Creditomax2.5Matching service · not a lenderA matching service that publishes less about itself than any other entry here — apply through it only if you already know the lender.
Crezu4.0Matching service · not a lenderNames its operator, publishes its terms and an example, and covers everything from R500 to a consolidation loan.
- Amount
- R500 – R350 000
- Term
- 6 months – 72 months
- Payout
- Offers in about 2 minutes; the site says funds within 15 minutes of a lender's approval
Creditum3.5Matching service · not a lenderArcadia's twin from a Finnish publisher, on the same Myloan panel, with the same clear example.
- Amount
- R500 – R350 000
- Term
- 6 months – 72 months
- Payout
- Non-binding offers in seconds; payout set by the lender you choose
Matching service · not a lenderThe longest-running matching service here, with a real review record and the widest term range.
- Amount
- R100 – R350 000
- Term
- 3 months – 72 months
- Payout
- Offers immediately after the form; payout set by the lender you choose
Dengoo2.5Matching service · not a lenderNames no company behind it and promises 'no checks required' — treat it as a form that reaches LendPlus, Lime24 and the Myloan panel.
- Amount
- up to R350 000
- Term
- up to 12 months
- Payout
- Site says up to 15 minutes after the partner lender's approval
CreditNice3.0Matching service · not a lenderA Ukrainian-run matching form for small, short loans; it names its operator but not its South African partners.
- Amount
- R1 000 – R10 000
- Term
- 7 days – 2 months
- Payout
- Matching in minutes; payout set by the lender that responds
Borrowing money costs money — only borrow what you can afford to repay. Lenders listed here publish a National Credit Regulator registration; matching services are not lenders and are labelled as such. The order of our lists reflects our partner agreements; the star ratings are our own. Costs shown as "legal maximum" are the caps set by the National Credit Act, not a lender's price.
How this site makes money, and what it doesn't change
When you apply through a lender link we may earn a commission. Lenders never pay to rank higher, we list registered lenders that pay us nothing when they're worth listing, matching services are never mixed into the lender tables, and the legal-maximum figures come from the regulations, not from any lender. Read how we work.