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Your Guide to Online Loans with Monthly Payments

Written by Marc Guberti

Marc Guberti is a Certified Personal Finance Counselor who has been a finance freelance writer
for five years. He has covered personal finance, investing, banking, credit cards, business
financing, and other topics.
Marc’s work has appeared in US News & World Report, USA Today, Investor Place, and other
publications. He graduated from Fordham University with a finance degree and resides in
Scarsdale, New York.
When he’s not writing, Marc enjoys spending time with the family and watching movies with
them (mostly from the 1930s and 40s). Marc is an avid runner who aims to run over 100
marathons in his lifetime.

Updated May 29, 2023​

5 min. read​

Most people turn to loans when they need extra cash. These financial products let you use leverage to purchase goods and services sooner. You don’t have to wait until you’ve accumulated enough funds from your paychecks to get enough capital. Installment loans are a popular choice for borrowers who need financing. These loans have a monthly payment structure. You can get these loans from a traditional bank or online lender, but these loans have the same core components. After going through this guide, you’ll know the key details about online loans with monthly payments.

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What are Installment Loans?

Installment loans are financial products that address cash needs. Borrowers use these loans to cover financial gaps and make loan repayments over monthly installments. You don’t have to inform the lender about how you will use these funds. Borrowers can use the money in any way they please as long as they repay the loan. 

Installment loans are popular among consumers for their attractive interest rates and terms. However, other types of financing are more expensive, such as credit card cash advances and payday loans. You can find installment loans for any credit score, but a higher score will give you more choices and more attractive terms.

How Do Installment Loans Work?

What happens after you borrow money for your installment loan? You will have to pay it back, but the monthly payments depend on several factors. Each loan has an interest rate and a lower interest rate results in a lower monthly payment. The loan’s term also plays a crucial role in your monthly payments. Opting for a longer loan term will reduce your monthly payments since you spread the principal over more intervals. A shorter loan duration increases your monthly payments, but you get out of debt sooner and pay less interest in the long run.

What are the Benefits of Installment Loans?

Installment loans provide extra cash that you can use for any expense. This advantage makes any loan attractive, but installment loans also have competitive rates and predictable payments. Alternative loans usually have higher interest rates which raise monthly payments. Interest rates on installment loans have less of a shock factor, and you can make fixed monthly payments if you opt for a fixed-rate loan. The predictability makes it easier to anticipate the monthly loan repayment in your budget and plan accordingly.

Is It Possible to Get Installment Loans Online?

You don’t have to visit your local branch or even make a phone call to get an installment loan. Online lenders make it easy to qualify for financing. You can fill out forms on their websites, provide the required information, and receive loan offers in your inbox. In addition, many online lenders provide same-day funding, something you won’t get at a traditional bank.

Types of Online Loans with Monthly Payments

Loans provide quick cash, and monthly payments help with financial stability. Installment loans are a popular product, and these options can help you get started.

Traditional Online Installment Loan

A traditional online installment loan follows the core concept. You borrow money today and repay the loan over monthly installments. The loan’s length and interest rate impact how much you will pay over the loan’s lifetime. 

No-Credit-Check Installment Loan

Most lenders will check your credit score before giving you a loan. So it makes sense for a lender to request this information. In addition, your credit score is a snapshot of your debt management skills. A higher credit score tells financial institutions that you can juggle multiple types of debt and pay on time. 

Unfortunately, not everyone has good credit, but consumers with poor credit scores still need loans. No credit check installment loans provide a viable solution. These loans work like regular installment loans, but you don’t have to provide your credit score. You will avoid the hard credit check and won’t get shut out of a loan if you have a bad credit score. These loans have higher interest rates since the lender assumes more risk, but each loan repayment will improve your score. You can use one of these loans to get the financing you need and improve your score, so you get better loan terms in the future.

Credit Builder Loans

Loan repayments improve your payment history, a category that makes up 35% of your credit score. Some people take out loans with no intent of using the extra funds to cover any expenses. These borrowers take out loans to strengthen their payment history. You can follow this strategy with any loan, but credit builder loans are niche financial products specifically for this purpose. Credit builder loans have low principals, typically ranging from $500 to $1,000. Credit builder lenders often use 12-24 month terms for repayment. The lender reports each payment to the major credit bureaus, giving you the opportunity to improve your credit score.

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What to Consider When Getting Online Loans with Monthly Payments

Online loans give consumers more opportunities to borrow money at competitive rates and terms that align with their finances. You’ll come across several online lenders, but if you keep these factors in mind, you will know how to detect promising loan offers.

Eligibility Requirements

Some lenders have eligibility requirements that limit who can access financing. For example, credit score and debt-to-income ratio requirements are common, but some lenders waive most of these eligibility requirements. 

Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

Most consumers use APR to guide their loan application process, and for a good reason. The APR impacts how much you will owe each month, and a higher APR will take more money out of your pocket. No credit check loans have easy eligibility requirements, but they have higher APRs since the lender doesn’t ask about your credit score. If you need a no-credit-check loan, compare your choices so you find a loan that matches your qualifications and has a lower rate than the others.

Speed of Approval and Funding

You can get same-day funding on an online loan. This significant advantage allows you to cover emergency expenses that can’t wait much longer. You may have to wait a week to get a loan from a traditional bank, and not everyone can wait that long. 

Accessibility

You should have easy access to the loan’s proceeds. Many online lenders will deposit the funds into your bank account so that you can use them right away. However, if you have to log into a platform and jump through several hoops to access your approved loan, you may want to consider another lender.

Repayment Terms

Loan repayments will take up space in your monthly budget, but the repayment terms determine how much you’ll have to allocate for the loan. Some lenders offer flexibility with repayment terms. For example, you can get a loan with a short duration to get out of debt sooner. Borrowers can also opt for a longer term to reduce their monthly repayment. 

Credit-building Feature

Loan payments can raise your credit score by demonstrating on-time payments. This payment history will make lenders feel more confident working with you, and it can help you get better rates in the future. You should only work with a lender that reports your payment history to the major credit bureaus. If your payment history does not get reported, it will not impact your credit score. You cannot report your payment history to the credit bureaus, so you have to pick a trustworthy lender to see any impact on your score. Some lenders have additional credit-building features that go beyond reporting to the major bureaus. 

Is an Installment Loan Right for You?

An installment loan helps you address expenses when your bank account balance can’t cover the difference. These loans have competitive interest rates, and flexible repayment terms give you more control over your monthly repayment. An installment loan can provide a financial buffer to cover expenses as you wait for your next paycheck. You can repay the balance over monthly increments and allocate a portion of each paycheck to the balance. Installment loans let you make purchases now instead of waiting months to gather enough funds. These financial products are popular resources and a great backup choice in case you need funds quickly.

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