River Valley Loans Review: With Up To 700%+ APR, Pick A Better Option

Is River Valley Loans legit?

River Valley may be a “real” lender, but it’s hard to consider APRs exceeding 700% legit. It’s a tribal lender, meaning it doesn’t have to abide by state laws, and it can charge whatever it wants.

If you don’t have good credit and you need a loan fast, try other lenders that offer installment loans with more reasonable rates for borrowers with bad credit.

How River Valley Loans compares to other lenders

5 of 5 results

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Finder Score	Loan amount	Turnaround time	Requirements	bullet point infobox
Promoted Finder score 9.5 Excellent EarnIn	Finder score 9.5 Excellent	Up to $150/day, with a max of $1000 between paydays	1 to 2 business days or within 30 minutes for a fee	At least 18 and a US resident, Valid Social Security number, At least 60 days of banking history, Proof of consistent income, Positive bank balance, Get paid by direct deposit.	Access up to $150 per day, with a max of $1000 between paydays. Subject to EarnIn terms & conditions.	Go to siteMore info Compare product selection Compare	loading
Promoted Finder score 8.7 Great Current	Finder score 8.7 Great	$50 to $750	Up to 3 days or within an hour for a fee	Among other factors, you must receive a monthly total of $500 or more in Eligible Payroll Deposits into your Current Account.	Get up to $750 before payday, once you qualify. Paycheck Advance is an earned wage access service and is not a loan or credit product. Subject to Paycheck Advance Terms and Conditions.	Go to siteMore info Compare product selection Compare	loading
Promoted Finder score 9.4 Excellent OppLoans Installment Loans	Finder score 9.4 Excellent	$500 to $5,000	As soon as the same business day	+18 years old, Receive paychecks through direct deposit, $1,500 minimum monthly income, Live in eligible state	Not available in: CO, CT, GA, IA, MD, MA, NY, SD, VT, WV. Comes with the option to change your due date so you won’t fall behind on repayments.	Go to siteMore info Compare product selection Compare	loading
Finder score 9.1 Excellent CreditNinja Installment loan	Finder score 9.1 Excellent	$300 to $5,000	1 to 2 business days	Checking account at least 60 days old, regular income through direct deposit, resident of eligible state, age of majority in your state	Not available in: AK, CO, CT, FL, GA, IL, IA, KY, ME, MD, MA, MT, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OR, VT, VA, WA, WV. Fast online funding up to $5K, but you won't know about rates and terms until after you apply.	Go to siteMore info Compare product selection Compare	loading
Finder score 8.2 Great Cleo	Finder score 8.2 Great	Up to $250	3 to 4 days or instant for a fee.	Not stated	Automatically monitor your spending plus access cash advances up to $100 at a time.	Go to siteMore info Compare product selection Compare	loading

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How we picked these

What is the Finder Score?

The Finder Score crunches 3+ types of short-term loans across 65+ lenders. It takes into account the product's interest rate, fees and features, as well as the type of loan eg investor, variable, fixed rate - this gives you a simple score out of 10.

To provide a Score, we compare like-for-like loans. So if you're comparing the best short-term loans for all credit types, you can see how each short-term loan stacks up against other short-term loans with the same borrower type, rate type and repayment type.

Read the full breakdown

Where River Valley Loans falls short

Most personal loans cap rates around 36%, although that can vary a bit by state. By comparison, River Valley Loans charges 450%, 750% or more, which are considered predatory rates. Plus, it has a pattern of complaints from customers saying it isn’t transparent about APRs, leading vulnerable customers to sign up without realizing how much the loan costs.

What makes River Valley Loans shine?

The only real redeeming feature of this lender is that it’s willing to extend loans to borrowers with poor credit who may have very few alternatives. If your car breaks down or you have an emergency vet bill, you may be able to get a fast loan from River Valley.

But you should probably consider other possibilities first, such as asking a friend or family member for help. Or, if you only need a small loan before your next paycheck, you may want to opt for a cash advance app instead. With no interest or late fees, a cash advance app is a much less expensive solution, and you typically only need a job and a bank account to qualify. It doesn’t even check your credit.

River Valley Loans details

River Valley Loans contact info

Calculate your monthly loan payment

Use our loan repayment calculator to compare monthly loan payments and the total cost of the loan based on different rates and loan terms.

How to qualify for River Valley Loans

River Valley doesn’t have a minimum credit score to qualify, but it has a few other requirements:

• At least 18 years old
• Valid checking account
• Proof of income
• Verifiable contact information
• Not currently in a bankruptcy proceeding

How to apply

Follow these steps to apply with River Valley Loans:

1. Visit River Valley Loans’ website and fill out the online application.
2. Wait for an email letting you know the status of your application. Some information may need to be verified at this point.
3. Review the loan agreement if approved, and sign if you agree with the terms.
4. Receive your loan funds, which should be deposited on the next business day.

River Valley Loans reviews and complaints

River Valley Loans has an F rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) because it failed to respond to 51 complaints, and it has no positive reviews. Most reviewers complain about its unbelievably high rates and report APRs ranging from 450% to 700% or more. Many customers also maintain that rates were not disclosed prior to signing.

The lender does better on Trustpilot, with customers praising the quick and easy process and fast funding. But even satisfied customers said it should only be used in an emergency and advised paying it off as soon as possible. Others complain about high rates, being approved for less than promised and not qualifying for a second loan after repaying their first one early.