Free to ask · Free to walk
Turn the light on
before you borrow.
Choose a figure. CashLantern lays out the lender's payment, rate and total in plain numbers — then you decide whether the request goes anywhere.
- ≈3
- Minutes
- $0
- Upfront cost
- None
- Documents
Turn it up to
—
$200 to $5,000 — tap a rung, or use the arrow keys.
- One short form
- Payment shown before you send
- No fee to submit
- Nothing owed if you walk away
- Lenders decide, not us
Rates & costs
Read the numbers before the pitch
Both options side by side. Open whichever line you want examined.
Compare loan options
First-time installment loan
- Amount
- $200 – $500
- Term
- 224 days
- APR
- 779.97%
- Best for
- A first loan with the lender, where no borrowing history exists yet
Returning customer installment loan
- Amount
- $501 – $5,000
- Term
- 224 days
- APR
- 259.94% – 779.97%
- Best for
- Repeat borrowers, whose rate falls with payment history and Loyalty Program status
APR varies by amount, term and your qualifications. The lender must show your actual APR and total cost before you agree to anything.
How it works
Four steps. Exit at any one.
We collect the request; the lender makes the decision. Nothing binds you until their agreement is signed.
- 1
Set your amount
Eleven short questions after that. Save and return whenever you like.
About 3 minutes
- 2
It goes to the lender
One lender, every time. No marketplace, no shopping your details around.
Immediately
- 3
The lender answers
Any offer arrives with the rate, the schedule and the total, before signing.
Usually the same day
- 4
Your call
Signing is optional. Saying no costs nothing at any point.
No deadline
Pack the bag
Six things and you're through
Gather them first and the whole thing takes about three minutes.
18 or older
19 in Alabama and Nebraska, 21 in Mississippi, where state law says so.
A state we cover
Not covered: PA, CT, MN, NY, VT, VA, WV, IL, GA. We check it on the first screen.
A checking account
It has to take ACH both ways. Savings and prepaid cards can't be used.
Income that can be checked
A job or another regular, verifiable source of income, plus an active checking account that accepts ACH credits and debits. Savings and prepaid accounts are not accepted.
An email you read
Agreements and notices arrive there, not in the post.
A phone that rings
Used to confirm the request. Marketing contact stays opt-in.
Spotless credit isn't on the list, and nothing needs uploading to begin.
Honest fit
A narrow fit, on purpose
High-cost credit suits a few situations. It worsens most of the rest.
Reasonable when
- A one-off dated bill — car repair, deposit, shut-off notice
- You can name the payday that clears it
- Thin or damaged credit, and mainstream lenders said no
- You have weighed this cost against leaving the bill unpaid
Please avoid it for
- Clearing another short-term loan — that is how cycles start
- A monthly gap between income and outgoings
- Anything a card or a biller payment plan could cover
- Nice-to-haves, or a purchase that can wait a few weeks
Tight every month? Get free advice first
Nonprofit counsellors go through your budget and deal with creditors, free or near it. Accredited ones are listed at nfcc.org. Nobody pays us for that pointer.
Amount realism
$5,000 is a ceiling, not an expectation
That figure caps the whole product. First requests land far below it.
First loan
$200 – $500
A first loan with the lender, where no borrowing history exists yet
After one repaid
$501 – $5,000
Repeat borrowers, whose rate falls with payment history and Loyalty Program status
Each APR is stated once, in rates and costs. Bigger amounts and better rates come from repayment history with the lender. Asking high on a first request changes nothing, and over-borrowing is the costliest mistake on offer here.
Know what you're getting
This is an installment loan, not a payday loan
Both carry high APRs. They fail in different ways, and the difference changes what you should plan for.
| Payday loan | This installment loan | |
|---|---|---|
| How you repay | One lump sum, usually on your next payday | Scheduled payments every two weeks across the whole term |
| How long you have | Two to four weeks | 224 days |
| The usual failure mode | You can't cover the lump sum, so you roll it over and pay again | A missed payment triggers fees and collection, but the schedule doesn't reset |
| Cost | High | Also high — a longer term means more payments |
After you submit
What happens next
Written down, so the moment after submitting is not a guess.
- Who contacts you
- The lender, plus us about the request itself. Your details are not passed down a chain of unrelated buyers.
- How they contact you
- Email and phone, using what you entered. Skip the marketing box and contact stays limited to this request.
- How long it takes
- Applications approved before 3pm EST Monday to Friday are typically funded the next business day. Deposit times vary by bank.
- If you are approved
- An agreement arrives with the APR, every payment date and the total. That document binds you — this page does not.
- If you are declined
- You are told plainly. We file nothing on your credit report, and you are free to look elsewhere.
- Your data
- Stop the selling or sharing whenever you want via the Do Not Sell link in the footer. It works today.
Questions
Six real questions
Including the one this category usually dodges.
Before you borrow
These short-term loans are designed for immediate needs such as an emergency repair or an unexpected bill. They are not a long-term financial solution. Please review the APR, fees and repayment schedule in your loan agreement before you sign.
If the payment still sits right, send it.
Three minutes, nothing to pay, nothing promised — and you can stop halfway.
APR Disclosure
Some states have laws limiting the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) that a lender can charge you. APRs for cash advance loans range from 200% to 1386%, APRs for installment loans range from 6.63% to 485%, and APRs for personal loans range from 4.99% to 450% and vary by lender. Depending on your state, credit profile and the lender you are connected with, a 36% APR option or other state-regulated rate may be available. Loans that carry a 36% APR or less are generally considered the regulated cap in many jurisdictions. The specific options currently shown through this site are: First-time installment loan: 779.97% APR; Returning customer installment loan: 259.94% to 779.97% APR. The APR is the rate at which your loan accrues interest and is based upon the amount, cost and term of your loan, repayment amounts and timing of payments. The lender is legally required to show you the APR and other terms of your loan before you execute a loan agreement. APR rates are subject to change.
Material Disclosure
The operator of this website is a referral service, not a lender, loan broker or agent for any lender or loan broker. We connect consumers with independent, participating lenders and lending partners in our network that may be able to provide installment loans between $200 and $5,000. Approval is determined by the lender based on its criteria. This service does not constitute an offer or solicitation for loan products which are prohibited by any state law. This is not a solicitation for a particular loan and is not an offer to lend. We do not endorse or charge you for any service or product. Any compensation received is paid by participating lenders and lending partners and only for advertising services provided — CashLantern and the lender are affiliated. CashLantern is paid when a request it sends is accepted.This service and offer are void where prohibited. Each lender sets its own terms and policies. We do not have access to the full terms of your loan before you receive an offer, including the final APR. For details, questions or concerns regarding your loan please contact your lender directly. Only your lender can provide you with information about your specific loan terms, their current rates and charges, renewal, payments and the implications for non-payment or skipped payments. The registration information submitted by you on this website will be shared with one or more participating lenders so they can review your request. You are under no obligation to use our service to initiate contact with a lender, register for credit or any loan product, or accept a loan. Cash transfer times and repayment terms are set by the lender. Repayment terms may be regulated by state, local and federal laws. Be sure to review our FAQs for additional information on issues such as credit and late payment implications. These disclosures are provided to you for information purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. Use of this service is subject to this site's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Exclusions
Residents of some states are not eligible for the loans offered through this website. Residents of Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Illinois, Georgia are not eligible to use this website or service. The states serviced by this website may change from time to time, without notice.
Credit Implications
The operator of this website does not make any credit decisions. Participating lenders or lending partners you may be connected with may perform credit checks with credit reporting bureaus or obtain consumer reports, typically through alternative providers such as Clarity Services, to determine credit worthiness, credit standing and/or credit capacity. By submitting your information, you agree to allow participating lenders to verify your information and check your credit. Loans offered through this website are designed to provide cash to you to be repaid within a short amount of time. They are not a long-term financial solution. Only borrow an amount that can be repaid according to the schedule in your loan agreement. Consider seeking professional advice regarding your financial needs, risks and alternatives to short-term loans. Late payments of loans may result in additional fees or collection activities, or both, and non-payment may be reported to consumer reporting agencies. Each lender has its own terms and conditions; review your lender's policies for further information.