Warning: Late repayment can cause you serious money problems. For help, go to moneyhelper.org.uk.
Please note: High-cost short-term credit is unsuitable for sustained borrowing over long periods and would be expensive as a means of longer-term borrowing.
Learn more about how we chose our “best” short term lenders
We all experience times in life when we need money quickly, but if possible, it’s best to avoid payday loans. Before you start comparing payday and short term lenders, you should make sure you’ve exhausted other options.
Here’s a handy list which includes obvious suggestions like deferring your expenses or borrowing from friends, but also less obvious ideas like arranging a payment plan with your creditors or requesting an overdraft limit increase.
But if you’ve already considered these and have decided to take out a short term loan, how do you find the best one? Or, with the eye-watering interest rates involved, should that be the least-worst one? We’ve pulled out some picks from the lenders we work with. But generally, the best loan is the cheapest you can get approved for, and you can use our table to compare typical rates.
If you need money at extremely short notice, it’s possible to get approved for a loan and funded within minutes. Providers like Lending Stream offer flexible loan amounts, instant decisions, and extremely quick funding, so you can have the money almost immediately, but may not be receiving the best rate available to you.
Representative example: Borrow £200 for 6 months at a rate of 292% p.a. (fixed). Representative 1,333% APR and total payable £386.61 in 6 monthly payments of £64.44.
If you need ongoing access to additional funds but want to avoid the hassle of having to apply for a new loan, you could consider flexible revolving credit facilities like Drafty. Instead of borrowing a single lump sum, Drafty will allow you to borrow up to your credit limit as often as you want, as long as your account is in good standing and you are on-top of repayments.
Representative Example: Assumed credit limit: £1200. Representative 96.2% APR (variable). Annual interest rate 69.4% (variable).
If you have bad credit, it can be hard to get approved for a loan with a traditional lender. However, short term loan companies like QuidMarket are still willing to lend to you even if you have poor credit history, and offer loans up to £1,500 with no additional fees.
Representative example: Borrow £300 for 3 months at a rate of 292% p.a. (fixed). Representative APR 1297.5% and total payable £454.38 in 3 instalments of £151.46.
Most payday lenders let you repay early without penalty, but the best lenders only charge interest on the days you borrow, which is a little different. That means that repaying early offers guaranteed savings, which is pretty handy when you could be paying up to 0.8% interest each day.
Representative example: Borrow £200 for 122 days at a rate of 208% p.a. (fixed). Representative 504.7% APR and total payable £286.62 in 4 monthly payments of £71.71.
No, taking out a payday or short term loan will not necessarily ruin your credit score, as long as you repay the loan in full and on time. In fact, if you successfully pay off a short term loan this will demonstrate to lenders that you can be a responsible borrower, which can actually help improve your credit rating.
However, taking out a payday loan that you then fail to repay on time, or applying for multiple payday loans, can have a large negative impact on your credit score. So if you need money quickly, it’s important to make sure you’ll be able to pay off your loan before you apply, as otherwise you may find it even harder to get a loan in future.
Almost all payday loan providers offer their loans online, and many will only let you apply for a loan online and not in person. Most payday lenders will also let you apply online in minutes, and generally give you a decision on your application almost instantly, so it’s hard to separate the “best” online payday loan.
Instead, you should look for the payday loan that best suits your financial situation, which generally means the loan that lets you borrow as much as you need, at the best rate, and with favourable repayment terms.
Here are ten simple questions you can ask while searching for a short term loan:
Here are some loan providers you can apply with. Note that the max loan amount is based on the lender’s max amount and will vary based on your state.
Before you apply, ensure that you won’t have problems repaying the loan. If you think you might have trouble, don’t take out the loan. Late or missed payments usually lead to fees and additional interest, and negatively impact your credit profile. Always work the repayment schedule into your budget, and the best loans will remain the best.
Even the best short term loans can end up costing much more than originally anticipated, especially if you don’t repay your loan on time.
Bear in mind that while the best short term loans will give you quick access to the money you need, there are a number of competing short term loan providers vying for your attention, so compare all your options before applying.
We understand that you may be cautious when applying for short term loans. Here are some of the frequent questions our users have asked.
Credio was a popular source of short-term credit online until the lender stopped issuing loans in 2018.
Looking for loans like Cashasap? Check out our list of UK lenders offering similar payday loans and services to Cashasap.
Had a payday/short-term loan application declined? Wondering why? We take you through the top reasons payday lenders say “no” plus what to do next.
If you’re experiencing a financial shortfall, you might be considering a six-month loan. Use our guide to compare loan rates and overall costs from a range of lenders, and to learn more about how short-term loans work.
Looking for sites offering similar loans to Cashfloat’s? Browse popular short-term lenders offering a comparable service. Compare rates, fees, eligibility and estimate the total cost of borrowing.
Experiencing unexpected costs and considering a £1,000 short-term loan? Use our in-depth guide to compare rates between lenders and to get a fast and simple estimate of costs.
Sometimes unexpected costs pop up and leave us temporarily short of cash. If you need a helping hand for three months then you might be considering a short-term/payday loan. Use our guide to compare rates and total costs of borrowing from a range of UK lenders and to find out more about how short-term loans work.
It’s not always possible to see what costs are around the corner. If you’ve found yourself £300 short then you might be considering a payday/short-term loan. Use our guide to learn more about payday loans, to compare lenders and to calculate the cost of a £300 loan.
Need £100 to cover an unexpected shortfall? Before taking out a payday/short-term loan it’s smart to compare rates from a range of lenders. Use our fast and simple repayment calculation and learn more about short-term loans.
Why not repay your payday loan early if you can? Find lenders that let you close your loan early without charging you a penalty or fee.