Logically, a lower APR should mean that you end up paying less. If you were applying for a personal loan or a credit card, it would be impossible to disagree with this. However, when you’re searching for a payday loan, there are other factors to consider.
Whilst the interest rate might be significantly lower than other providers, charges could well be much higher. This is where reading the fine print and calculating all costs is so important. Whilst it is by no means uncommon for companies to charge, this is only likely to be a minor administrative fee. However, under no circumstances should you pay anything upfront. This is a practice that hasn’t died out, despite clearly being unethical. There should be nothing to pay until you have had the chance to apply and accept a proposal.
One of the major problems with using APR as a guideline is the fact that there is no allowance for the length of the borrowing period. As an obvious example, those who charge a flat fee on all loans will always have a lower APR than any that appy interest daily. This is simply because of the flexibility of the loan, and the potential for it to run over a complete month. But if you were simply looking for a little cash to get you through to the end of the week, the likelihood is that it would be significantly more cost-effective.
Let’s take a look at how this works out. Whilst monthly rates of interest are likely to be around the 25% mark, payday loans that are charged daily go up in increments of around 1% per day. Let’s say you just want a loan for a week, the standard payday loan would still be 25%, whilst a flexible daily option would actually only be 7%. Consequently, the day-to-day payday loan would be significantly cheaper in these circumstances. Of course the situation will immediately reverse whenever the lending period is extended, but this is why it is important that you take all factors into account before you come to apply for a loan.
This is yet another example of just why APR shouldn’t be used as the de facto point of reference when you’re on the lookout for any kind of short-term loan. Any percentage below four figures is exceptionally rare, which is a source of significant controversy. The true cost of borrowing is significantly lower of course, with APR skewing this. It is for this reason that you can’t take the interest rate at face value and should look to calculate the actual cost, rather than the distorted APR.
Of course, in a like for like comparison, lenders offering lower APRs should be cheaper, but even this could be a simplification too far. As a general, initial measurement it certainly isn’t the worst to use. However, it is important that you take a wider view, taking into account the levels of service that they provide for customers and their reputation within the industry. The cheapest company might offer lousy service that actually ends up costing you more in the long run. Therefore, don’t allow yourself to be hoodwinked by a headline APR figure, find out what it will actually cost you and make an informed decision on that basis.
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