How it works
Four steps, and you can stop at any of them
CashOtter collects one request and shares it with our lender-network partner. Here is exactly what happens, in order.
Ready when you are
About three minutes, and you see the payment first.
No fee to submit. No obligation. Applying does not affect your FICO® Score.
Before you borrow
Loans available through our network are typically offered in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, depending on eligibility. Short-term or small-dollar loans are not intended to be long-term financial solutions and should be used responsibly.
The process
From your first click to the lender's decision
Step 1: Tell us what you need
Pick an amount, then answer eleven short questions about you, your income and the checking account the money would go to. It takes about three minutes.
You can stop part-way. We give you a save-and-return link that stays valid for seven days, so you do not have to start again.
Step 2: We share your request with our lender-network partner
Your request is shared with our lender-network partner, one or more lenders in the network review it, and you may be sent on to the lender that can continue.
That is the whole of CashOtter's role. We do not make credit decisions and we do not set your rate.
Step 3: The lender decides and shows the terms
The lender reviews the request and, if it makes an offer, shows the rate, the payment schedule and the total before anything is signed. A decision usually comes the same day.
You may be contacted to verify your identity, your income or your banking details. If the request is declined, the lender tells you the reason.
How applicants are verified is set by the lender and shown in your loan agreement.
Step 4: You decide
There is no deadline and no pressure. Declining costs nothing, and nothing is owed unless you sign a loan agreement.
Before you start
What you'll need
Nothing here is a promise of approval. It is the list the lender applies before it will look at a request at all.
- You are at least 18. Any higher age requirement is set by the lender and shown in your loan agreement.
- You live in a state we currently serve: CA, FL, MI, LA, MO, TN, SC, AL, KY, DE, SD, WI, UT, ID, NV.
- An active checking account that accepts ACH credits and debits. Savings accounts and prepaid cards are not accepted.
- Regular, verifiable income, a job or another dependable source.
- A working email address.
- A phone number where you can be reached.
After you sign
Funding, repayment and your right to cancel
Personal installment loan terms range from 61 days to 72 months. Examples use monthly payments.
When the money arrives
Loan applications submitted through this website are reviewed directly by participating lenders. Approval decisions are made solely by the lender. If approved, some lenders may transmit funds as soon as the same business day; however, actual funding times depend on lender processing and the policies of your financial institution.
How you repay
Payment methods and due dates are set by the lender and shown in your loan agreement.
Early repayment
Early repayment terms and any prepayment fee are set by the lender and shown in your loan agreement.
Review early repayment options and any charges in the loan agreement.
Your right to cancel
Any right to cancel is set by the lender and shown in your loan agreement.
If it goes wrong
If you can't pay
Talk to the lender before the due date. It is the single thing that most changes how this ends.
Contact the lender first
Contact the lender before the payment fails, the details are in your loan agreement and on the lender's own site. A conversation before the payment fails is worth far more than one after.
What escalation can mean
- More interest and fees as the balance stays outstanding.
- Late payments, missed payments, or failure to repay the loan in full may result in additional fees, penalties, or other consequences as described in the lender's agreement.
- In-house collections contact from the lender.
- No new loans from the lender until the balance is settled.
- CashOtter is not involved in loan servicing or debt collection activities. All servicing and collection practices are handled directly by the lender in accordance with their agreement and applicable law. Borrowers with questions regarding payment schedules, servicing, or collections should contact the lender directly using the information provided in their loan documents.
- Non-payment may be reported to consumer reporting agencies, which can make future borrowing harder or more expensive. How this works is set by the lender and shown in your loan agreement.
If debt is a recurring problem rather than a one-off gap, a nonprofit credit counselor is a better first call than another loan: nfcc.org.
Personal installment loans: $1,000 – $5,000. Full figures on the rates and costs page.
Start your request
You will see the scheduled payment and the total cost before the lender sees anything.
No fee to submit. No obligation. Applying does not affect your FICO® Score.