Short-term loans: compare registered lenders
Short-term credit is the National Credit Act's name for a loan of up to R8 000 repaid within six months. It covers everything from a one-week payday advance to a R6 000 loan paid off over half a year. What sets it apart from a personal loan is how the interest is capped: per month, at 5% on your first short-term loan in a calendar year and 3% on any after that, instead of the annual rate that applies to bigger loans.
Interest sits near the cap almost everywhere, so lenders differ less on the rate than on fees, first-loan limits and how they handle a missed date — compare the total repayable, not the percentage. The registered lenders we work with are listed below, with the matching services that cover this size in their own block underneath. This page shows the legal maximum for any amount and term, and explains when it makes sense to step up to a personal loan instead.
Registered lenders, ranked
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.
Interest is capped per month, fees are what add up
Because the monthly rate is fixed by regulation, the total cost of a short-term loan is driven by fees and by how long you take. The initiation fee is charged once per loan: R165 plus 10% of the amount above R1 000, capped at R1 050, plus VAT. The service fee is charged every month: up to R60 plus VAT. On R3 000 over three months at the legal maximum, interest comes to roughly R300, the initiation fee about R420 with VAT, and service fees R207 — a total near R3 930.
The lesson: for the same amount, a two- or three-month loan costs more in interest than a 30-day loan but is usually easier to repay, and if it stops you taking a second loan it is far cheaper overall, because you pay the initiation fee once.
First loan versus repeat loan
The 5% monthly cap applies to the first short-term loan you take in a calendar year. From the second one onwards, in the same year, the cap drops to 3%. Lenders track this, and a few have used it in marketing. If you borrow short-term more than once a year, ask the lender to confirm which rate applies before signing the pre-agreement quotation.
Same-day payout, and what it depends on
Online lenders decide within minutes and release funds the same day, but the money arrives when your bank processes the transfer. Payments to the major banks usually clear within hours on a business day; a Friday-evening approval can mean Monday money. If timing matters, apply in the morning.
When to choose a personal loan instead
Above R8 000, or beyond six months, the loan becomes unsecured credit with an annual interest cap of the repo rate plus 21%. For amounts near the top of the short-term range, a personal loan from a bank or an instalment lender is often cheaper per month, and the initiation fee cap is the same. If you are borrowing to cover other loans, look at debt consolidation rather than another short-term loan.
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
Caps per NCA regulations effective 6 May 2016; repo rate 7.00% since 28 May 2026. Last checked 25 August 2026.
Questions people ask
›What is the maximum short-term loan amount?
R8 000, repayable within six months. Larger or longer loans fall under the unsecured-credit rules with an annual interest cap.
›Which is cheaper, a 30-day loan or a 3-month loan?
The 30-day loan is cheaper in total if you can repay it in one go. The 3-month loan costs more interest but spreads the instalment and avoids a second initiation fee if you would otherwise borrow again.
›Do short-term lenders check credit records?
Every registered lender must run an affordability assessment, which includes a credit check. Some accept weaker records at lower amounts; none can skip the check.
›Can I settle a short-term loan early?
Yes. The Act lets you settle any credit agreement early, and on a short-term loan there is no early-settlement penalty; you pay interest only up to the settlement date.
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.