Personal loans in the UAE 2026: licensed banks ranked
A ranking of UAE banks by their standard personal loan in AED, usually a salary transfer loan. For Islamic banks we measure their personal finance (murabaha), which plays the same role. We could not read the Central Bank of the UAE's register automatically, so each licence is taken from the licence statement the bank publishes on its own site or in its Key Facts Statement. Banks here often quote a flat rate alongside a reducing-balance rate; we only use the lowest published reducing-balance rate and show it as a percentage of the reference of 5.50% a year (the median at launch). Flat rates are never mixed in, so a bank that publishes only a flat rate gets no cost score. The lowest rate usually needs a high salary or an approved employer, and many limits are higher for UAE nationals than for expatriates. A loan is a financial obligation: it must be repaid with interest, and the rate depends on the applicant and the bank's decision. This ranking is not a recommendation and promises neither approval nor a rate. Compare Scores only within the UAE. Score is not for sale; paid placements, if any appear, will be a separate labelled block.
| # | Company | Who it serves | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mashreq (loans) | 78 | 1967 | Yes | 109% | Licensed Fees published Online application |
| 2 | Dubai Islamic Bank (loans) | 74 | 1975 | Yes | 109% | Licensed Fees published |
| 3 | Commercial Bank of Dubai (loans) | 73 | 1969 | Yes | 100% | Licensed Fees published |
| 4 | Emirates NBD (loans) | 73 | 2007 | Yes | 91% | Licensed Fees published Online application |
| 5 | National Bank of Fujairah (loans) | 71 | 1982 | Yes | 114% | Licensed Fees published |
| 6 | Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (loans) | 61 | 1998 | Yes | Not verified | Licensed Fees published |
| 7 | Emirates Islamic (loans) | 57 | 2004 | Yes | 86% | Licensed Fees published |
| 8 | Ajman Bank (loans) | 54 | 2009 | Yes | Not verified | Licensed Fees published |
| 9 | First Abu Dhabi Bank (loans) | 52 | 2017 | Yes | 87% | Licensed Online application |
-
- Licensed since
- 1967
- Licensed by the regulator
- Yes
- Published rate, % of country reference
- 109%
Pros
- Long licence history
- Licence confirmed by the official list or a stated licence number
- Fees or full loan terms are readable without login
- Publishes how to complain
Cons
- An arrangement fee can apply
- A charge can apply to early repayment
Details Visit site ↗ 100% backed by facts
-
- Licensed since
- 1975
- Licensed by the regulator
- Yes
- Published rate, % of country reference
- 109%
Pros
- Long licence history
- Licence confirmed by the official list or a stated licence number
- Fees or full loan terms are readable without login
- Publishes how to complain
Cons
- An arrangement fee can apply
- A charge can apply to early repayment
Details Visit site ↗ 96% backed by facts
-
- Licensed since
- 1969
- Licensed by the regulator
- Yes
- Published rate, % of country reference
- 100%
Pros
- Long licence history
- Licence confirmed by the official list or a stated licence number
- Fees or full loan terms are readable without login
- Publishes how to complain
Cons
- An arrangement fee can apply
- A charge can apply to early repayment
Details Visit site ↗ 96% backed by facts
-
- Licensed since
- 2007
- Licensed by the regulator
- Yes
- Published rate, % of country reference
- 91%
Pros
- Licence confirmed by the official list or a stated licence number
- Fees or full loan terms are readable without login
- Publishes how to complain
- New customers can apply online
Cons
- An arrangement fee can apply
- A charge can apply to early repayment
Details Visit site ↗ 100% backed by facts
-
- Licensed since
- 1982
- Licensed by the regulator
- Yes
- Published rate, % of country reference
- 114%
Pros
- Long licence history
- Licence confirmed by the official list or a stated licence number
- Fees or full loan terms are readable without login
- Publishes how to complain
Cons
- An arrangement fee can apply
- A charge can apply to early repayment
Details Visit site ↗ 94% backed by facts
-
- Licensed since
- 1998
- Licensed by the regulator
- Yes
- Published rate, % of country reference
- Not verified
Pros
- Long licence history
- Licence confirmed by the official list or a stated licence number
- Fees or full loan terms are readable without login
- Publishes how to complain
Cons
- An arrangement fee can apply
- A charge can apply to early repayment
Details Visit site ↗ 77% backed by facts
-
- Licensed since
- 2004
- Licensed by the regulator
- Yes
- Published rate, % of country reference
- 86%
Pros
- Licence confirmed by the official list or a stated licence number
- Fees or full loan terms are readable without login
Cons
- An arrangement fee can apply
- A charge can apply to early repayment
Details Visit site ↗ 82% backed by facts
-
- Licensed since
- 2009
- Licensed by the regulator
- Yes
- Published rate, % of country reference
- Not verified
Pros
- Licence confirmed by the official list or a stated licence number
- Fees or full loan terms are readable without login
- Publishes how to complain
- Long support hours
Cons
- An arrangement fee can apply
- A charge can apply to early repayment
Details Visit site ↗ 77% backed by facts
-
- Licensed since
- 2017
- Licensed by the regulator
- Yes
- Published rate, % of country reference
- 87%
Pros
- Licence confirmed by the official list or a stated licence number
- Publishes how to complain
- New customers can apply online
Cons
- An arrangement fee can apply
Details Visit site ↗ 80% backed by facts
Not ranked yet: not enough verified data
These services are known to us, but we haven't verified enough facts to rank them fairly.
- HSBC UAE (loans) (57% backed by facts)
How we calculate the Score
35%
Licence
Whether the lender appears in the regulator's official list, or states its licence number on its site, and how long it has held a licence or registration. Where the register shows no date we use the year stated on the official site, which can be the founding year. A licence means supervision; it does not make a loan cheap or safe for you.
30%
Transparency
Whether a fees document or the full loan terms can be read without logging in, whether the lender publishes how to complain, and whether its terms state that early repayment is free. A statutory early repayment charge counts as a charge.
25%
Cost
The published rate of the standard cash loan as a percentage of the country's reference rate, the median of the rates we collected at launch (100% equals the reference; the score falls from 50% to 200%). The original rate with its example amount and term is shown beside it. The basis differs by country, so compare only within one country. We also count whether the standard terms have no arrangement fee. This factor deliberately weighs less than licence and transparency.
10%
Service
Whether a new customer can apply online, weekly hours of general support, and the maximum amount and term compared within the country. A larger or longer loan is not better for you: more time usually means more interest paid. That is why these two facts carry little weight.
What to check in a loan offer
A loan is an obligation
You commit to fixed payments for the whole term, whatever happens to your income. Late or missed payments can bring extra charges and harm your credit history, and the lender can take legal steps to recover the debt.
Verify the licence
Look the lender up in the official list of the central bank or financial regulator by its exact legal name and compare the website address. Fraudsters copy the names of real lenders. A real lender does not ask for an upfront payment to release a loan.
Read the rate as an example
The published figure is an example or a lowest rate. Your rate depends on your income, credit history, amount and term, and the lender may refuse. Read the individual offer before signing.
Look at the total to repay
Compare the total amount repayable, not only the monthly payment. A longer term lowers the payment but usually raises the interest you pay overall.
Check fees and insurance
Look for arrangement fees, early repayment charges, late payment charges and whether insurance is required. Each of these changes the real cost. The figures must be in the pre-contract information.
Know how to complain
Complain to the lender in writing first and keep the reference. If the reply does not resolve it, contact the financial ombudsman, where one exists, or the regulator. If you have trouble repaying, contact the lender early and consider free independent debt advice where available.
Frequently asked questions
Who regulates banks and personal loans in the UAE?
The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) supervises and regulates the banking sector, and banks need its licence to operate. Every bank in this ranking states on its own site or in its Key Facts Statement that it is licensed or regulated by the CBUAE.
How can I check that a bank is licensed?
Look for the licence statement in the bank's footer or Key Facts Statement, then compare it with the CBUAE's official list of banks and financial institutions, which the UAE government portal u.ae links to. Our robot could not read that register, so on this page the licence comes from the bank's own statement.
Are there legal limits on personal loans in the UAE?
Yes. According to the Central Bank rules summarised on u.ae, a personal loan should not exceed 20 times the borrower's salary or total income, repayment must not exceed 48 months, and the monthly deduction must be no more than half of the salary. That is why most banks here offer up to 48 months, with longer terms only for some military staff.
Why do UAE banks show two rates, and which one do you use?
Many banks advertise a flat rate, calculated on the original amount, which looks lower than the real cost. The rules on u.ae require banks to calculate and declare the interest rate on the reducing balance of the loan on an annual basis. We use only the reducing-balance rate, at the lowest published end of the range. Processing and early settlement fees are shown separately on each card.
Is this a recommendation, and can a lender buy a place?
No. This is not financial advice or a recommendation, and it promises neither approval nor a rate. Score is not for sale: places come only from the published facts and the open method. If paid placements ever appear, they will be a separate block clearly labelled Sponsored.