An unsecured loan is approved on your income and credit record alone. no car, house or guarantor required. Compare NCR-registered lenders and see real costs before you sign.
No collateral means the lender takes your word as the security. and prices the risk accordingly. Know the trade before you make it.
With a secured loan, the bank can recover an asset if you default. that recourse is worth a lower rate. Unsecured lending has no such safety net, so the risk premium is built into the price: rates run from near-prime for excellent profiles up to the legal ceiling of repo + 21% for the rest. Nothing you own is directly at risk, but your credit file and future borrowing power absolutely are.
Income stability beats almost everything: how long you've been employed, how consistently salary lands, what your bank statements say about spending discipline. Then payment history, existing debt load, and the amount and term requested. A clean 12 months can outweigh old defaults; a recent missed payment on anything can outweigh years of quiet competence.
Early settlement: the NCA gives you the right to settle early with interest recalculation. confirm the process in writing. Credit life insurance: often bundled at a premium; you're entitled to substitute your own policy. Debit-order date: align it to your salary date; misalignment is the most common unsecured-loan failure mode.
Editorial ranking by approval odds, total cost and payout speed. *Same-day payout assumes a complete application before ~3pm on a business day.
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Fintech Group
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Rates on unsecured credit vary widely between providers. A two-minute comparison on a R30,000 loan can save thousands over the term.
Have your ID, latest payslip and three months of bank statements ready. complete files skip manual review and pay out faster.
Initiation fees and service fees add up. The NCA forces lenders to show the total repayment. compare that number across offers.
All amounts in ZAR. Confirm final costs in your loan agreement before signing.
| Lender | Amount | Term | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Century | R500 to R8,000 | 5 to 180 days | ★★★★★ 4.8 | Get Offer |
| LendPlus | R500 to R4,000 | 5 to 35 days | ★★★★★ 4.7 | Get Offer |
| Primeloans | R500 to R4,000 | 5 to 35 days | ★★★★★ 4.6 | Get Offer |
| Creditbar | R500 to R5,000 | 7 to 45 days | ★★★★★ 4.6 | Get Offer |
| JabulaniMoney | R500 to R4,000 | Until payday | ★★★★☆ 4.5 | Get Offer |
| Cashgist | R500 to R4,000 | Short-term | ★★★★☆ 4.5 | Get Offer |
| Crediwise | R500 to R4,000 | 5 to 35 days | ★★★★☆ 4.4 | Get Offer |
| Letocredit | R500 to R150,000 | Varies by offer | ★★★★☆ 4.3 | Get Offer |
| CreditGenius | R500 to R350,000 | Up to 24 months | ★★★★☆ 4.2 | Get Offer |
A secured loan is backed by an asset the lender can repossess if you default, which lowers the rate. Unsecured loans rely purely on your income and credit record, so rates run higher but nothing you own is at risk.
Typically R1,000 to R350,000 depending on income and credit score. Amounts above roughly R50,000 trigger stricter affordability checks and may require a longer credit history.
There is no single cut-off. Short-term lenders accept weaker files at higher rates, while prime unsecured rates usually need a score in the good range with clean recent payment history.
No, granting new credit to someone under debt review is illegal under the NCA. Complete the process, obtain your clearance certificate, then reapply.