Consumer loans: rankings by country 2026
We compare banks and other lenders licensed by their country's central bank or financial regulator, using only facts that can be checked in official lists and on the lenders' own sites: the licence, the published rate of a standard unsecured cash loan, fees, early repayment, the amount and term range, published documents, the complaints procedure and support hours. Microfinance and payday lenders, high-interest short-term credit, intermediaries and comparison sites are excluded. Every fact links to its source and shows the date we checked it. A loan is a financial obligation: you must repay it with interest, and missed payments can bring extra costs and harm your credit history. The published rate is an example; the rate you are offered depends on you, and the lender decides whether to approve. This ranking is not a recommendation or financial advice and promises neither approval nor a rate. Score is not for sale; paid placements, if any appear, will be a separate labelled block.
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Frequently asked questions
Is this a recommendation to take a loan?
No. The ranking compares lenders on published facts. It is not financial advice and does not say whether a loan suits you. A loan is a financial obligation that must be repaid with interest.
Will I get the rate shown?
Not necessarily. The published rate is an example or a lowest rate, and yours depends on you and on the lender's decision. We promise neither approval nor a rate.
Who is included?
Only banks and lenders licensed by the central bank or financial regulator of their country. Microfinance and payday lenders, high-interest short-term credit, intermediaries and comparison sites are excluded.
Why is the rate shown as a percentage?
Each country publishes rates on its own basis: RRSO in Poland, the two-thirds example in Germany, representative APR in the UK, lowest advertised APR in the US, GESV in Kazakhstan, the nominal rate in Belarus. We show the rate relative to a country reference, the median at launch. The original rate with its example is on the card.
Why does cost weigh less than licence and transparency?
A low advertised rate says little if the fees are hidden or the rules are unclear. So licence and transparency together weigh 65%, and cost 25%. The weights are public and the same for all lenders.
Why do some lenders have no data?
Some sites are closed to automated reading or do not publish a fact. We leave it empty rather than guess, and an empty fact earns no points. Large lenders can be missing for the same reason, which does not say anything about their quality.
Can I compare countries?
No. Rates, laws and data sources differ, so compare Scores only within one country.
Can a lender buy a place?
No. Score is calculated by one formula and is not for sale. Paid placements, if any appear, will be a separate labelled block and do not affect Score.