Get Pre-Approved for a Loan Today
- Quick pre-approved loan offers & payments
- No paperwork, no guarantors
- Apply directly & safely online
Compare top lenders
Together with our partners, we provide access to up to 19 reputable banks and lenders. Explore offers tailored to your needs and choose the most suitable offer. Each lender abides by the regulations outlined by the South African National Credit Regulator (NCR).
Apply for a loan in minutes and get matched with real offers right away—find the best option for you!
What Is What is the difference between pre-qualified, pre-approved and approved?
Only an approved loan is a decision. Pre-qualified and “pre-approved” are early estimates that a lender can still change or decline.
| Stage | What is checked | Is it a decision? |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-qualified | Only the information you give, such as your income | No, it is a rough estimate |
| “Pre-approved” | Limited information, sometimes a basic credit check | No, the lender can still decline or change the terms |
| Approved | Full credit and affordability assessment by the lender | Yes, you receive a formal offer in writing |
An approved offer shows the interest rate, the fees and the repayment term in writing, so you can see the total cost before you sign.
Why can only a lender approve your loan?
The law puts the approval decision with the credit provider, after a full assessment. Under the National Credit Act, a registered credit provider must assess your income, expenses, existing debts and credit record before it grants a loan. This protects you from taking on repayments you cannot afford. Until that assessment is done, nobody can tell you that your loan is approved.
Arcadia Finance is a comparison service, not a lender. We do not approve loans. Our partners send your application to lenders registered with the National Credit Regulator, and each lender makes its own decision. Read more about what the NCR does.
No hidden fees, free application – no commitment
What does a non-binding loan offer mean?
A non-binding offer is a lender’s proposal that you are free to accept or decline. When you apply through Arcadia Finance, the lenders that can help you send personalised offers showing the amount, the repayment term and the total cost. You can compare them, accept one, or decline them all.
Before accepting, check:
- the interest rate, and whether it is monthly or annual
- the initiation fee and the monthly service fee
- the total amount you will repay
- whether the monthly repayment fits your budget
See how lenders calculate loan interest before you compare offers.
19
Banks & Brokers
Comparing
85%
South Africans
Approved for Loans
1 500 000
Users Compared Loans Through Arcadia
Does checking your loan options affect your credit score?
No. Checking your options with Arcadia Finance is free and won’t impact your credit score. How you manage a loan after it is granted has the biggest effect on your score. You can check your credit score for free and see what the credit bureaus in South Africa hold about you.
How can you improve your chances of being approved?
Lenders look at whether the repayments fit your budget and how you have handled credit before, so these steps help:
- Apply for an amount you can comfortably repay. Through Arcadia Finance, the loan should not be more than 8 times your monthly income.
- Pay your existing accounts on time.
- Check your credit report for errors before you apply. You can get one free credit report a year from each credit bureau.
- Avoid many credit applications in a short period.
Read our tips to improve your credit rating. To apply through Arcadia Finance, you must be over 18 and have been employed for more than 6 months.
If repayments are already stretching your budget, speak to an NCR-registered debt counsellor before you take on new credit. Our guide to debt review in South Africa explains how it works.
Compare Loans Online in 3 Easy Steps
FILL IN OUR APPLICATION
Complete our loan application in minutes. Just enter your details and choose your desired loan amount.
CHOOSE A LOAN OFFER
Based on your responses, you will receive a variety of personalised offers from up to 19 lenders.
GET YOUR MONEY
You are free to accept or decline the offers as you please. The offers are non-binding.
Flexible repayment from 6 to 72 months. Maximum APR 28%, as regulated by the NCR. Lender fees (initiation and monthly service) may apply. Checking your options with Arcadia Finance is free and won’t impact your credit score.
Do Pre-Qualifications and Pre-Approvals Affect Your Credit Score?
A soft credit check is typically used when assessing whether you qualify for a pre-approved or pre-qualified loan offer, and this does not impact your credit score. However, if you decide to apply after receiving an offer, the lender will perform a hard credit inquiry, that may cause a short-term dip in your credit score.
Financial services provide a full breakdown of your credit profile, including recent inquiries and active credit accounts linked to your name.
Your eligibility for a loan or credit facility is determined by the results of the credit assessment. If you are approved, the lender must provide the same loan terms and conditions stated in the pre-approval or pre-qualification offer. However, your final eligibility may change if there are significant updates to your credit profile between the pre-approval stage and the formal application. For example, if your income decreases, employment status changes, or your outstanding debt increases, the lender may revise or withdraw the offer.
Why Use Arcadia Finance?
- 100% free: The application is free and does not include any hidden fees.
- Quick & easy: The whole application process is done online in minutes.
- Convenient: Compare up to 19 banks & lenders with one application.
- Non-binding: You decide if you want to accept or decline your offers.
- Safe: Your personal data is safe with us.
What is Arcadia Finance?
Arcadia Finance helps South Africans in the search for loans from different banks and lenders through our loan broker partners. We provide access to up to 19 reputable banks and lenders. By completing our loan application you will get multiple loan offers, which you can compare and select the most suitable offer. The service we offer is completely free of charge and you will not commit to anything by requesting loan offers via Arcadia Finance. We only work with trusted loan brokers who collaborate with NCR licensed banks and lenders in South Africa.
Secure your loan effortlessly with Arcadia Finance
The loan application is free, and you can pick from a variety of 19 respected lenders. We only work with trusted loan brokers who collaborate with NCR licensed banks and lenders in South Africa.
After submitting your loan application to us, we will send it through our loan broker partners to a number of different banks and lenders for review. Within minutes, you’ll receive a variety of loan options that are available for you. Select the one that best fits your needs.
Remember, all offers are no-binding, so if you don’t find what you’re looking for, you’re free to decline.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A loan is only approved after the lender’s full credit and affordability assessment, and the lender can still decline or change the terms.
No. Arcadia Finance is a free comparison service, not a lender. NCR-registered lenders make their own decisions.
Be careful. Registered lenders must assess you before approving a loan. Check that the lender is registered with the National Credit Regulator, and never pay an upfront fee or share your bank PIN to “unlock” a loan.
Pre-qualified is an estimate based only on what you tell a lender. “Pre-approved” may include a basic check, but neither is a final decision.
Lenders that can help you usually respond after you complete the online application. Timing depends on each lender.
