Best personal loans in South Africa
Personal loans run for years and are priced on your credit profile, so a published range tells you less than it appears to. This list makes clear which figures came from the lender and which came from a third-party snapshot.
The shortlist
ordered by what each discloses · how we rank| Lender · NCR registration | Amount | Term | Interest | Basis | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DirectAxis NCRCP20 | R5 000 – R350 000 | 24–72 months | Annual, risk-based | ✓ 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 |
- DirectAxis✓ Lender-confirmedNCRCP20
- Amount
- R5 000 – R350 000
- Term
- 24–72 months
- Interest
- Annual, risk-based
- Provider
- FirstRand Bank Limited
- 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.
Ranked by what each provider discloses
Ordered by disclosure completeness, not by commission. Checked 10 August 2026.
| # | Provider | Legal entity | NCR | Amount | Term | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DirectAxis | FirstRand Bank Limited | NCRCP20 | R5 000 – R350 000 | 24 months – 72 months | Verified on the lender’s own site |
| 2 | African Bank | African Bank Limited | Not disclosed | R2 000 – R350 000 | 7 months – 72 months | Third-party comparison snapshot — not lender-confirmed |
| 3 | Nedbank | Nedbank Limited | Not disclosed | R2 000 – R400 000 | 6 months – 84 months | Third-party comparison snapshot — not lender-confirmed |
| 4 | Sanlam | Sanlam group entity | Not disclosed | R5 000 – R350 000 | 12 months – 84 months | Third-party comparison snapshot — not lender-confirmed |
A high position means the provider is transparent, not that it is right for you. Your rate and amount depend on the affordability assessment, and only the pre-agreement quote is binding.
How this list is ordered
Lenders are ordered by how much they actually disclose, not by what they pay. A provider that publishes its legal entity, NCR number, amount range and term range on its own site ranks above one that publishes a brand name and a phone number, because you can verify the first and not the second.
Where a figure comes from a third-party comparison snapshot rather than the lender, the row says so and ranks below lender-confirmed records. We would rather show you a gap than fill it.
ZarCash may earn a commission when you apply through a link here. That relationship never changes the order — the ordering rule above is applied to the data before any commercial arrangement is considered, and a lender cannot buy a position.
Related
Sources and last checked
- National Credit Regulator — register of credit providers — Regulator, as at 10 August 2026.
- National Credit Act 34 of 2005 and its regulations — Government, as at 10 August 2026.
- DataForSEO — Google South Africa — API documentation, as at 10 August 2026.
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.