Short-term loans in South Africa
Short-term credit under the National Credit Act means an agreement of no more than R8 000 repaid within six months. It is the product category that covers payday loans, one-month cash loans and small multi-month loans, and it carries its own fee caps — higher monthly interest than a bank personal loan, but a fixed, legally limited ceiling you can check yourself.
Short-term credit providers, sorted by what they disclose
ordered by what each discloses · how we rank| Lender · NCR registration | Amount | Term | Interest | Basis | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boodle NCRCP5361 | R500 – R8 000 | 1–6 months | Up to 5%/mo capped | ✓ Lender-confirmed | View details |
| Atlas Finance NCRCP3994 | R500 – R20 000 | 1–9 months | Up to 5%/mo capped | ✓ Lender-confirmed | View details |
| Letsatsi Finance NCRCP895 | R500 – R7 000 | 1–6 months | Up to 5%/mo capped | ✓ Lender-confirmed | View details |
| DirectAxis NCRCP20 | R5 000 – R350 000 | 24–72 months | Annual, risk-based | ✓ Lender-confirmed | View details |
| Wonga NCRCP12875 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Up to 5%/mo capped | ✓ Lender-confirmed | View details |
| Lime24 NCRCP8077 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Up to 5%/mo capped | ✓ Lender-confirmed | View details |
| FinChoice NCRCP8162 / NCRCP23514 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Up to 5%/mo capped | ✓ Lender-confirmed | View details |
| Barko NCRCP1764 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Up to 5%/mo capped | ✓ Lender-confirmed | View details |
| African Bank Not disclosed | R2 000 – R350 000 | 7–72 months | Annual, risk-based | Snapshot only | View details |
| Nedbank Not disclosed | R2 000 – R400 000 | 6–84 months | Annual, risk-based | Snapshot only | View details |
| Sanlam Not disclosed | R5 000 – R350 000 | 12–84 months | Annual, risk-based | Snapshot only | View details |
- Boodle✓ Lender-confirmedNCRCP5361
- Amount
- R500 – R8 000
- Term
- 1–6 months
- Interest
- Up to 5%/mo capped
- Provider
- Boodle (Pty) Ltd
- Atlas Finance✓ Lender-confirmedNCRCP3994
- Amount
- R500 – R20 000
- Term
- 1–9 months
- Interest
- Up to 5%/mo capped
- Provider
- Atlas Finance
- Letsatsi Finance✓ Lender-confirmedNCRCP895
- Amount
- R500 – R7 000
- Term
- 1–6 months
- Interest
- Up to 5%/mo capped
- Provider
- Letsatsi Finance and Loan (Pty) Ltd
- DirectAxis✓ Lender-confirmedNCRCP20
- Amount
- R5 000 – R350 000
- Term
- 24–72 months
- Interest
- Annual, risk-based
- Provider
- FirstRand Bank Limited
- Wonga✓ Lender-confirmedNCRCP12875
- Amount
- Not disclosed
- Term
- Not disclosed
- Interest
- Up to 5%/mo capped
- Provider
- Wonga Online (Pty) Ltd
- Lime24✓ Lender-confirmedNCRCP8077
- Amount
- Not disclosed
- Term
- Not disclosed
- Interest
- Up to 5%/mo capped
- Provider
- Lime Loans South Africa (Pty) Ltd
- FinChoice✓ Lender-confirmedNCRCP8162 / NCRCP23514
- Amount
- Not disclosed
- Term
- Not disclosed
- Interest
- Up to 5%/mo capped
- Provider
- FinChoice Africa Ltd / FinChoice Finance (Pty) Ltd
- Barko✓ Lender-confirmedNCRCP1764
- Amount
- Not disclosed
- Term
- Not disclosed
- Interest
- Up to 5%/mo capped
- Provider
- Barko Financial Services (Pty) Ltd
- African BankSnapshot onlyNot disclosed
- Amount
- R2 000 – R350 000
- Term
- 7–72 months
- Interest
- Annual, risk-based
- Provider
- African Bank Limited
- NedbankSnapshot onlyNot disclosed
- Amount
- R2 000 – R400 000
- Term
- 6–84 months
- Interest
- Annual, risk-based
- Provider
- Nedbank Limited
- SanlamSnapshot onlyNot disclosed
- Amount
- R5 000 – R350 000
- Term
- 12–84 months
- Interest
- Annual, risk-based
- Provider
- Sanlam group entity
Every figure is transcribed from the provider’s own published material. Where a provider does not disclose something, this table says so rather than estimating it. Last checked 10 August 2026. ZarCash may earn a commission when you apply through a partner — it never changes this order. Affiliate disclosure
What it costs — work it out
Set the amount and the term and see the instalment and the total repayable, with every fee the National Credit Act allows and VAT included. An estimate at the legal maximum — not a quote, and not an offer.
Rates and fees use the NCA caps for short-term credit agreements: interest 5%/month (3% repeat), initiation fee R165 + 10% of the amount over R1 000 (max R1 050), service fee R60/month, VAT 15% on fees.
| Principal — what you receive | R3 000 |
|---|---|
| Interest (5%/mo × 3 months) | R450 |
| Initiation fee | R365 |
| Service fee (3 × R60) | R180 |
| VAT on fees (15%) | R82 |
| Total cost of credit | R1 077 |
Check these three things before you sign — here or anywhere
- The lender’s NCRCP number is published on its own site, and it checks out in the National Credit Regulator’s register.
- The pre-agreement quote breaks out the total cost of credit: interest, initiation fee, service fee and VAT — as one figure you can compare.
- Nobody asks you for an upfront “release fee”. A registered credit provider never charges you before it pays out.
What R5 000 over 3 months actually costs
At the NCA maximum for a first short-term loan (5% a month). An illustration, not a quote.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Amount borrowed | R5 000 |
| Interest (5% × 3 months) | R750 |
| Initiation fee | R565 |
| Service fee (R60 × 3) | R180 |
| VAT on fees (15%) | R112 |
| Total you repay | R6 607 |
| Monthly instalment | R2 202 |
Cost of credit: R1 607 on R5 000 borrowed. Figures are calculated at the statutory maximum — your own quote may be cheaper, and must be shown to you in full before you sign.
What the National Credit Act allows a lender to charge
Maximums for short-term credit under the National Credit Act 34 of 2005. A registered lender may charge less — never more.
| Charge | Legal maximum | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Interest — first loan | 5% per month | Applies to your first short-term loan in a calendar year. |
| Interest — repeat loan | 3% per month | Applies to further short-term loans taken in the same calendar year. |
| Initiation fee | R165 + 10% above R1 000, capped at R1 050 | Charged once, on the amount you borrow. Excludes VAT. |
| Service fee | R60 per month | Charged monthly for the life of the loan. Excludes VAT. |
| VAT | 15% on the fees | Added to the initiation and service fees — not to interest. |
Fee caps are published excluding VAT. With 15% VAT a R1 050 initiation fee costs you R1 207,50 and a R60 service fee costs R69 a month. Always compare the VAT-inclusive figure on your pre-agreement quote.
Why the term you choose matters more than the rate
Short-term lenders compete on speed and approval odds far more than on price, because the price is largely fixed by law. Most registered providers quote at or near the 5% monthly cap on a first loan. The variable you actually control is the term.
Every extra month adds interest on the full original amount — short-term interest is charged on the initial balance, not on a reducing one — and adds another R60 service fee plus VAT. Stretching R5 000 from three months to six adds R750 in interest and R207 in service fees and VAT, for the same money in your pocket.
The counter-argument is real: a shorter term means a bigger instalment, and an instalment you cannot meet costs far more than the interest you saved. Work out the instalment first, check it against what you genuinely have spare each month, and choose the shortest term that clears that test.
How repayment actually happens
Nearly all South African short-term lenders collect by debit order, and most now use DebiCheck — an authenticated mandate you approve once, through your banking app or by USSD, before the first collection. A DebiCheck mandate cannot be loaded without your approval, which is exactly why a lender will ask for it and why you should be suspicious of one that does not.
Settling early is your right. On short-term credit the National Credit Act lets you pay the outstanding balance at any time, and you only owe interest up to the settlement date — so early repayment genuinely reduces what you pay. Ask for a settlement quote rather than guessing the figure.
Short-term loan questions
A credit agreement of R8 000 or less, repayable within six months. That definition is what triggers the specific fee caps — 5% monthly interest on a first loan, 3% on a repeat loan in the same calendar year, and the capped initiation and service fees. A larger or longer agreement is a different product with different, generally lower, rate caps.
Not quite, and the difference matters. Short-term interest is charged on the original amount for each month of the term, so R5 000 over three months costs R750 — not compounded. Annualising a one-month product produces a headline number that overstates what you actually pay on a loan you clear in weeks. Compare the rand total repayable instead.
Legally nothing prevents it, but the affordability assessment usually will — your existing instalment shows on your bank statements and credit record, and a second lender must count it. If you are looking at a second loan to cover the first, that is the point to speak to a debt counsellor rather than another lender.
Related
Sources and last checked
- National Credit Act 34 of 2005 and its regulations — Government, as at 10 August 2026.
- National Credit Regulator — register of credit providers — Regulator, as at 10 August 2026.
- NCR Consumer Credit Market Report, Q2 2025 — Regulator report, as at 30 June 2025.
Page last checked 10 August 2026. Statutory caps and lender terms change — confirm anything you intend to rely on with the provider or the National Credit Regulator. Found something wrong? Tell us and we will correct it.