Lending Stream loans calculator and review

Lending Stream offers short term loans that you pay back over 6 months, designed as an alternative to traditional "payday" loans.

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Read Terms and Conditions here

Warning: Late repayment can cause you serious money problems. For help, go to moneyhelper.org.uk.

Please note: High-cost short-term credit is unsuitable for sustained borrowing over long periods and would be expensive as a means of longer-term borrowing.

Calculate the cost of a Lending Stream loan

Table: promoted deals, sorted by total payable
How much do you need to borrow?


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1 - 1 of 1
Name Product UKFSL Available Amounts Monthly repayment Total payable Link
Lending Stream Instalment Loan
£50 to £1,500
Go to site
View details
Representative example: Borrow £200 for 6 months at a rate of 292% p.a. (fixed). Representative 1,333% APR and total payable £386.61 in 6 monthly payments of £64.44.
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Important information:
You should always refer to your loan agreement for exact repayment amounts, as they may vary from our results.

We compare payday/short term loans from

Drafty Line of Credit
QuidMarket Short Term Loan
The Money Platform Short Term Loan
Moneyboat Short Term Loan
Lending Stream Instalment Loan

Lending Stream loans overview

Traditional payday loans were designed so that you would borrow for a very short period and make a single repayment on your next payday. However, Lending Stream believes that if you need to borrow hundreds of pounds right now, you may struggle to pay it back in just a few weeks.

As a result, with a Lending Stream loan, borrowers can spread the cost over 6 months – making 6 or 12 smaller monthly payments, with each payment paying off part of the capital (the original amount borrowed) as well as the interest accrued so far.

This means you’ll pay more in interest overall, but it’s also possible to pay back a Lending Stream loan early and save on interest.

Key features of a Lending Stream short term loan

Product NameLending Stream Instalment Loan
Available Amounts£50 to £1,500
Representative APR1,333%
Loan terms6 months
Maximum APR1,721%
Soft search eligibility checkcross
Employer contacted during applicationtick
Funding speedLending Stream says that, in most cases, the loan will be streamed to your bank within minutes of approval, but it may depend on your bank’s policies and procedures.
Repayment period optionsMonthly
Default repayment methodContinuous payment authority
Additional repayment methodsOnline payment,Phone payment,Direct debit
Repay early at any pointtick
Parent companyGAIN Credit
FCA registration number689378

What can I do with the Lending Stream app?

How does a short term loan from Lending Stream work?

Lending Steam offers instalment loans that are paid back in monthly chunks for 6 months, which borrowers may find easier to manage than a single-repayment payday loan.

To secure a loan with Lending Stream, you’ll need to apply online. Once Lending Stream has considered your circumstances and completed its credit and affordability checks, it lets you know online if your application was successful.

Once accepted, your loan can be sent to your bank account in as little as 90 seconds. From then on, you’ll be charged daily interest on your outstanding loan balance. You can repay your loan in monthly instalments or make individual payments online.

Why does Lending Stream want access to my internet banking?

Lending Steam now uses open banking as part of its approval process. To say “yes”, Lending Stream looks at more than just your credit score – evaluating your day-to-day banking transactions to decide if a loan would be affordable for you and to estimate the level of risk involved in lending to you.

What are the different repayment options?

There are 2 main ways to make repayments on your Lending Stream loan:

  • Lending Stream takes out the agreed amount from your nominated account each month. This will happen on a specified date, and you’ll get a reminder so it’s not a surprise. Lending Stream uses a continuous payment authority (CPA) to do this.
  • You make individual payments through your account. You can do this either on the Lending Stream site or through the Lending Stream app. You can also make overpayments using this method, which could save you money in interest.

In addition to the methods above, you can pay by cheque, set up a direct debit or call customer services (0203 808 4440) to make a payment.

Short term loans can be a very expensive way to borrow and are generally best avoided. But if you must use one, borrow as little as possible and always aim to pay the funds back quickly to keep interest charges to a minimum.”

Rachel Wait, financial journalist

Lending Stream loan costs

Lending Stream loans have a representative APR of 1,333%, but the actual cost of your loan is based on the length of your loan term and the amount you borrow. The longer the loan term, the more you’ll pay in interest, but the smaller your monthly repayments will be.

Example

Loan amount: £200
Loan term: 6 months (with monthly repayments)
Interest rate: 292% p.a.
Representative APR: 1,333%

Total cost: £386.61

If you fail to make a repayment on time, you’ll also be charged a late payment fee of up to £12. Late payments can have a negative impact on your credit score.

Pros and cons of Lending Stream loans

Pros

  • You can receive your funds in minutes
  • You could get accepted if you have bad credit
  • Loans are unsecured so you won’t need collateral
  • Repay your loan early with no penalty fees

Cons

  • Late payment fee applies if you miss payments
  • Short term loans can be an expensive way to borrow
  • Smaller loan amounts, so you may not be able to borrow as much as you’d hoped

Lending Stream customer reviews

Lending Stream has received positive reviews from customers, according to review platform Trustpilot. It currently has a Trustpilot rating of 4.8 out of 5, based on over 18,900 reviews (updated April 2024).

Many customers believed the application process was simple and straightforward, and funding was quick. However, some customers raised issues with the complaints system and poor communication from Lending Stream.

What are the eligibility requirements?

ResidencyUK resident
Minimum age18
Min. income£400 a month
Additional eligibility notesYou must have an active bank account and valid debit card

How do I apply for a loan from Lending Stream?

  1. Choose your loan size.
  2. Fill out your personal details.
  3. Wait for your individual situation to be analysed, including through affordability and credit checks.
  4. Receive your online decision.
  5. Accept your loan offer.
  6. Wait for your cash to be streamed to you.

Can I make changes to my Lending Stream loan?

Lending Stream allows customers to apply for more than one short term loan. However, it cannot guarantee your application will be accepted. Remember, short term loans are an expensive way to borrow and should not be used for sustained borrowing over longer periods.

Option to change repayment datetick
Repay early at any pointtick
Repaying early can reduce overall interesttick
Multiple loans allowed at the same timetick
Phone number0203 808 4440

Our verdict

Payday loans and high-cost, short-term credit from companies such as Lending Stream are generally a very expensive method of borrowing and should only be considered as a last resort. They may not solve your money problems and are not a good idea for borrowing over longer periods or sustained borrowing.

Before you apply for a payday or short term loan, make sure you’ve considered other options. Is the expenditure you’re planning absolutely essential? If you can defer a purchase, you could save yourself money in the long run. If you’re struggling to pay a bill, why not talk to your electricity, gas, phone or water provider to see if you can work out a payment plan? Read more about alternatives to payday loans at moneyadviceservice.org.uk.

Frequently Asked Questions

We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables has the source: Moneyfacts Group PLC. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.
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To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been reviewed by Rachel Wait, a member of Finder's Editorial Review Board.
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Written by

Head of publishing

Chris Lilly is Head of publishing at finder.com. He's a specialist in personal finance, from day-to-day banking to investing to borrowing, and is passionate about helping UK consumers make informed decisions about their money. In his spare time Chris likes forcing his kids to exercise more. See full bio

Chris's expertise
Chris has written 613 Finder guides across topics including:
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