Written by Bryan Daly

Best Personal Loans Kitchener (Online) January 2021

Lender directory

Compare the best lenders in this region

		Loan Amount	Rate	Term (Months)	Rating
0	0	Up to $50,000	2.00% – 46.96%	3-60 months	N/A (Intermediary) Up to $50,000
17	1607558400	$500 - $50,000	6.99% - 46.99%	12 - 36	$500 - $50,000
100	1598918400	$1,000 - $15,000	-	-	$1,000 - $15,000
100	1598832000	$500 – $15,000	+ 25.99%	9 - 60	$500 – $15,000
100	1595980800	$200 - $1,200	25% - 32%	-	$200 - $1,200
100	1551830400	Up to $500,000	5.75% – 9.9%	negotiable	Up to $500,000
100	1594684800	up to $2,000	0%	-	up to $2,000
11	1593561600	-	0+	2 - 60	-
12	1589155200	$2,500	15.65% AIR	13 - 26	$2,500
8	1588809600	$49.99 - $99.99	0%	12	$49.99 - $99.99
100	1582243200	-	-	Up to 60	-
100	1581033600	$5,000+	-	Up to 60	$5,000+
100	1580947200	-	-	-	-
7	1580860800	$500 - $5,000	-	12 - 24	$500 - $5,000
100	1580860800	$350 - $1,000	-	2 - 12 weeks	$350 - $1,000
2	1580860800	$1,600 - $25,000	9.47% - 20.07% APR	36 - 60	$1,600 - $25,000
10	1580774400	$1,000 - $25,000	7.5% - 31.5% APR	36 - 60	$1,000 - $25,000
100	1579478400	$100 - $1,500	-	-	$100 - $1,500
100	1579478400	Up to $3,200	-	-	Up to $3,200
100	1579219200	$100 - $25,000	+4.9%	-	$100 - $25,000
100	1579219200	-	15% - 19%	-	-
100	1576713600	-	Up to 35%	-	-
18	1576713600	$500 - $100,000	6.99% - 14.99%	12 - 240	$500 - $100,000
100	1611099088		-	-
100	1575590400	1800- 2900	15.99%	23 - 36	1800- 2900
100	1562198400	$500 - $15,000	15.99 - 39.99%	6 - 60	$500 - $15,000
13	1560124800	Up to $15,000	29.99% - 46.96%	9 - 60	Up to $15,000
9	1545955200	Up to $20,000	19.44% and 31.90%	36 - 84	Up to $20,000
8	1552262400	$1,000 - $15,000	19.90% - 46.90%	12 - 60	$1,000 - $15,000
100	1551830400	$100 - $1,000	546% APR	14 days	$100 - $1,000
100	1569974400	$500 - $50,000	15 - 30%	-	$500 - $50,000
100	1551830400	$1,000 - $15,000	19% - 46.95%	6 - 60	$1,000 - $15,000
100	1551398400	Up to $1,500	15% - 19%	14 days	Up to $1,500
100	1551398400	$100 - $1,500	15% - 17%	14 -31 days	$100 - $1,500
100	1551398400	$500 - $1,000	28% - 32%	-	$500 - $1,000
100	1551398400	-	-	14 days	-
100	1541030400	Up to $35,000	5.15%+	-	Up to $35,000
15	1546128000	Up to $5,000	19.9% - 45.9% APR	6 - 36	Up to $5,000
100	1551139200	$250 -$1,250	29%	3 - 6	$250 -$1,250
100	1551139200	$5,000 - $35,000	9.9%+ APR	36 - 60	$5,000 - $35,000
100	1551139200	Up to $15,000	19.99% APR	Open-end	Up to $15,000
100	1550534400	$300 - $25,000	7.95%+	36 - 60	$300 - $25,000
100	1550534400	$100 - $1,500	-	14 days	$100 - $1,500
100	1569974400	Up to $1,500	15% - 23%	-	Up to $1,500
100	1550534400	Up to $1,500	Up to 59% APR	14 days	Up to $1,500
19	1550534400	$2,500 +	-	-	$2,500 +
100	1550534400	$500 - $1,000	28% - 32%	3 -5	$500 - $1,000
100	1550534400	$300 - $1,000	38% APR	3 - 4	$300 - $1,000
100	1549411200	$100 - $1,000	546% APR	14 days	$100 - $1,000
100	1549411200	$1,000 -$15,000	46.93%	12 - 60	$1,000 -$15,000
100	1549238400	$500 - $1,000	28% - 32%	4 - 5	$500 - $1,000
100	1549238400	$100 - $1,500	90% - 390% APR	14 days	$100 - $1,500
100	1549238400	$250 - $1,000	29% APR	3 - 4	$250 - $1,000
20	1548720000	$500 - $1,000,000	12%	12	$500 - $1,000,000
100	1548720000	$1,000 - $50,000	4.6% – 49.96%	3 - 60	$1,000 - $50,000
100	1548633600	$300 - $7,500	29.9% - 39.9%	6 - 60	$300 - $7,500
100	1548633600	$50 - $1,500	-	14 days	$50 - $1,500
100	1545955200	Up to $20,000	19% - 49%	36 - 48	Up to $20,000
16	1545264000	$2,000 - $10,000	18.9% - 54.9%	12 - 60	$2,000 - $10,000
100	1545264000	$500 - $10,000	12.99% – 39.99%	9 – 36	$500 - $10,000
100	1545264000	$500 – $10,000	Starting at 9.90%	12 - 36	$500 – $10,000
1	1543622400	Up to $35,000	26.99% – 39.99%	6 - 60	Up to $35,000
3	1545177600	$2,000 – $10,000	34.9% – 43%	12 - 60	$2,000 – $10,000
100	1545264000	$500 - $12,500	19.99%+	12 - 60	$500 - $12,500
100	1545350400	Up to $1000	30%	3 - 5	Up to $1000
100	1545350400	Up to $5,000	60%	6 - 60	Up to $5,000
100	1545350400	Up to $3,000	22% - 35%	3 - 4	Up to $3,000
100	1545350400	Up to $7,000	-	6 – 60	Up to $7,000
100	1545350400	$500 - $2,500	29% - 46.95%	6 - 36	$500 - $2,500
100	1545350400	$500-$1000	28%-32%	3	$500-$1000
100	1545350400	$500 – $750	28% – 34.4%	3	$500 – $750
100	1545350400	$500 – $750	23% - 34.4%	3 – 12	$500 – $750
100	1545350400	$300 - $1500	27% - 35%	3 - 4	$300 - $1500
6	1545264000	$500 - $35,000	29.99% – 46.96%	9 - 60	$500 - $35,000
4	1545264000	$300 – $35,000	5.9% to 47.72%	24 - 60	$300 – $35,000
100	1568937600	$50 – $10,000	-	Up to 62 days	$50 – $10,000
5	1545177600	$1,000 - $35,000	5.99% to 29.19%	36 - 60	$1,000 - $35,000
14	1545177600	Up to $20,000	19.99% - 46.8%	6 - 60	Up to $20,000

		Loan Amount	Rate	Term (Months)	Rating
0	0	Up to $50,000	2.00% – 46.96%	3-60 months	N/A (Intermediary) Up to $50,000
17	1607558400	$500 - $50,000	6.99% - 46.99%	6 - 36	$500 - $50,000
100	1603756800	-	-	-	-
100	1598918400		-	-
100	1592438400	-	-	-	-
100	1585612800	-	0.9% - 12%	6 months - 5 years	-
100	1581984000	$10,000 - $10,000,000	6% - 12.5%	-	$10,000 - $10,000,000
100	1581292800	-	-	-	-
100	1581033600	-	-	-	-
100	1581033600	-	-	-	-
100	1581033600	-	-	-	-
100	1580947200	-	-	-	-
100	1580947200	$10,000 - $1,000,000	-	-	$10,000 - $1,000,000
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	$5,000 - $1,000,000	-	-	$5,000 - $1,000,000
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	up to $250,000	-	-	up to $250,000
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580688000	Up to $10,000	-	-	Up to $10,000
100	1580256000	$5,000 - $500,000	-	6 - 18 months	$5,000 - $500,000
100	1579478400	-	-	-	-
100	1579478400	$10,000- $30,000,000	Min 4.95%	-	$10,000- $30,000,000
100	1579478400	-	-	12 - 120	-
100	1579478400	-	-	24 to 60	-
100	1579478400	-	-	-	-
100	1579478400	-	-	-	-
100	1579046400	-	-	-	-
100	1578873600	-	-	-	-
100	1577059200	-	-	-	-
100	1577059200	-	-	-	-
100	1577059200	-	-	-	-
100	1575849600	$5,000 - $150,000	15% +	6 - 24	$5,000 - $150,000
100	1575849600	Up to $250,000	-	-	Up to $250,000
100	1575590400	-	-	-	-
100	1575590400	-	-	-	-
1	1545955200	$5,000 - $150,000	Fee-Based: Starting at 9%	12 - 60	$5,000 - $150,000
100	1552262400	$500,000 - $10,000,000	-	-	$500,000 - $10,000,000
100	1552262400	-	Competitive	-	-
100	1541030400	Up to $35,000	-	-	Up to $35,000
100	1552262400	-	-	-	-
100	1552262400	Up to $250,000	-	Up to 10 years	Up to $250,000
100	1552262400	-	-	-	-
100	1552262400	Up to $1,000,000	-	-	Up to $1,000,000
100	1551830400	Up to $100,000	-	-	Up to $100,000
100	1551830400	$10,000+	-	Up to 15 years	$10,000+
100	1551830400	Up to $1,000,000	-	Up to 15 years	Up to $1,000,000
100	1551830400	Up to $500,000	-	Up to 10 years	Up to $500,000
100	1551830400	$5,000 - $10,000	-	Up to 7 years	$5,000 - $10,000
100	1551398400	$3,500+	-	-	$3,500+
100	1551398400	$5,000+	4.9% - 24.99%	18 - 48	$5,000+
100	1551398400	$10,000 - $1,000,000	4% - 14%	12 - 84	$10,000 - $1,000,000
100	1551139200	Up to $75,000	-	Up to 18	Up to $75,000
100	1550534400	$500-$50,000	0.5% weekly	12 week cycles	$500-$50,000
100	1550534400	$1,000 - $1,000,000	6% - 20%	-	$1,000 - $1,000,000
100	1550534400	Up to $5,000,000	4.5%	24 - 72	Up to $5,000,000
100	1550534400	$5,000 - $200,000	-	-	$5,000 - $200,000
100	1549411200	$50,000 - $12,000,000	-	24 - 96	$50,000 - $12,000,000
100	1549411200	$5,000 - $1,000,000+	-	1 - 60	$5,000 - $1,000,000+
100	1549238400	$5,000 - $1,000,000	-	3 - 24	$5,000 - $1,000,000
100	1548720000	$5,000 - $5,000,000	-	4 - 18	$5,000 - $5,000,000
100	1548720000	Up to $100,000	6.05% +	60	Up to $100,000
100	1548720000	$10,000+	18% - 22%	-	$10,000+
100	1548720000	$10,000 - $300,000	4.70% - 5.45%	-	$10,000 - $300,000
100	1548633600	Up to $5,000,000	5% - 10%	12 - 60	Up to $5,000,000
5	1545177600	$1,000 - $35,000	5.6% – 25.5%	36 – 60	$1,000 - $35,000
100	1545264000	$5,000 - $250,000	-	3-18	$5,000 - $250,000
100	1545264000	$5,000 - $150,000	-	3 - 24	$5,000 - $150,000
100	1545350400	$5,000 – $100,000	15% +	12 – 18	$5,000 – $100,000
100	1545264000	$5,000 – $100,000	Starting at 6.87%	3 – 18	$5,000 – $100,000
100	1545177600	$5,000-$250,000	8% - 29% APR	6 - 18	$5,000-$250,000
100	1545177600	$5,000 – $500,000	Starting at 5.9%	3 – 60	$5,000 – $500,000
100	1545264000	$500 - $10,000	12.99% – 39.99%	9 – 36	$500 - $10,000
100	1561507200	Up to $300,000	-	-	Up to $300,000

		Loan Amount	Rate	Term (Months)	Rating
0	0	Up to $50,000	2.00% – 46.96%	3-60 months	N/A (Intermediary) Up to $50,000
100	1610409600	-	-	-	-
17	1607558400	$500 - $50,000	-	24 - 60	$500 - $50,000
3	1606435200	$500 - $10,000	+ 29.95%	up to 48	$500 - $10,000
100	1594339200	-	-	-	-
100	1582761600	-	-	12 - 96	-
4	1582761600	-	11.9% - 22.9%	Up to 84	-
100	1582761600	-	0% - 29.5%	-	-
100	1581033600	-	+ 4.9%	-	-
100	1581033600	-	-	-	-
100	1580688000	-	-	-	-
100	1579478400	-	-	-	-
100	1579478400	-	-	-	-
100	1579478400	-	-	-	-
100	1579219200	-	-	-	-
100	1578873600	-	+8.99%	-	-
100	1578873600	-	-	-	-
100	1551830400	$5,000 - $10,000	-	up to 84	$5,000 - $10,000
100	1552262400	Up to $250,000	-	12 - 60	Up to $250,000
100	1552262400	Up to $1,000,000	-	up to 96	Up to $1,000,000
100	1551830400	Up to $100,000	-	6 - 96	Up to $100,000
100	1551830400	$10,000+	-	12 - 96	$10,000+
100	1551830400	Up to $1,000,000	-	up to 96	Up to $1,000,000
100	1577059200	-	-	up to 72	-
100	1577059200	-	-	-	-
100	1575849600	-	-	-	-
100	1575849600	$5000 - $45,000	4.90 % - 29.95% APR	36 - 72	$5000 - $45,000
100	1575849600	-	-	-	-
100	1575590400	-	-	-	-
100	1575504000	-	-	-	-
2	1569974400	$7500 - $59,995	3.95% +	12 - 96	$7500 - $59,995
100	1562112000	-	Up to 49.9%	-	-
100	1561507200	-	-	-	-
100	1561507200	-	-	Up to 84	-
1	1560124800	$500 - $35,000	$29.99% – 46.96%	9 - 60	$500 - $35,000
100	1551830400	Up to $30,000	-	-	Up to $30,000
100	1551830400	Up to $500,000	5.75% – 9.9%	negotiable	Up to $500,000
100	1550534400	-	-	-	-
100	1548720000	-	-	-	-
100	1548633600	-	4.2%+	-	-
100	1545955200	Up to $20,000	19% - 49%	36 - 48	Up to $20,000
100	1545264000	$500 - $10,000	12.99% – 39.99%	9 – 36	$500 - $10,000
100	1545177600	Up to $50,000	-	-	Up to $50,000
100	1545177600	$5,000 – $40,000	-	12 – 72	$5,000 – $40,000
100	1545177600	-	-	Maximum 84	-

		Loan Amount	Rate	Term (Months)	Rating
0	0	Up to $50,000	2.00% – 46.96%	3-60 months	N/A (Intermediary) Up to $50,000
100	1578873600	$1,000 - $35,000	-	24 - 60	$1,000 - $35,000
100	1545955200	Up to $20,000	19% - 49%	36 - 48	Up to $20,000
100	1545264000	$500 – $10,000	Starting at 9.90%	12 - 36	$500 – $10,000
100	1545264000	Up to $25,000	-	12 - 60	Up to $25,000

		Loan Amount	Rate	Term (Months)	Rating
0	0	Up to $50,000	2.00% – 46.96%	3-60 months	N/A (Intermediary) Up to $50,000
100	1551830400	Up to $500,000	5.75% – 9.9%	negotiable	Up to $500,000
100	1581033600	-	2.74% - 6.30%	12 - 120	-
100	1580947200	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	-	2.64% - 4.45%	12 - 120	-
100	1580860800	$50,000+	2.74% - 3.49%	12- 120	$50,000+
100	1580860800	-	-	36 - 60	-
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580688000	-	2.79% - 6.00%	6 - 60	-
100	1580688000	-	2.74% - 4.45%	12 - 120	-
100	1580688000	-	-	-	-
100	1579478400	-	2.74% - 3.70%	6 - 120	-
100	1579132800	-	2.79% - 4.45%	-	-
100	1578873600	-	-	-	-
100	1578873600	-	2.69% - 3.95%	6 - 120	-
100	1578268800	up to 4,000,000	3.49% - 5.49%	12 - 300	up to 4,000,000
100	1577059200	$25,000 - $800,000	4.59% - 5.64%	6 - 60	$25,000 - $800,000
100	1577059200	-	-	-	-
100	1577059200	-	--	-	-
100	1577059200	-	2.84% - 7.30%	-	-
100	1574985600	$100,000 - $750,000	-	12 - 120	$100,000 - $750,000
100	1574899200	min 25,000	4.99% - 5.59%	6 - 60	min 25,000
100	1574899200	-	2.23% - 4.45%	-	-
100	1560124800	-	2.89% - 3.79%	-	-
100	1548806400	$10,000 - $1,500,000	Varies	12 - 24	$10,000 - $1,500,000
100	1548806400	-	-	-	-
100	1548720000	-	2.41% - 3.84%	-	-
100	1548720000	-	-	-	-
100	1548633600	-	-	-	-

		Services	Rating
0	0	Debt Consolidation Program, Debt Settlement Program, Consumer Proposal, Bankruptcy Consultation	N/A (Intermediary) Debt Consolidation Program, Debt Settlem...
100	1576540800	Credit Counselling, Bankruptcy, Consumer Proposal	Credit Counselling, Bankruptcy, Consumer...
100	1576540800	Bankruptcy, Consumer Proposal	Bankruptcy, Consumer Proposal...
100	1576540800	Credit Counselling, Debt Management Program	Credit Counselling, Debt Management Prog...
100	1576368000	Credit Counselling, Debt Management Program	Credit Counselling, Debt Management Prog...
100	1576454400	Debt Restructuring, After Care - Credit Rebuilding Program, Corporate Debt Restructuring	Debt Restructuring, After Care - Credit ...

Kitchener, like most of Ontario, has a great but expensive quality of living and sometimes your daily expenses can be too cumbersome to manage with only your credit cards and savings. Don’t worry, because you can always try this third payment option, which is known as a personal loan.

Not sure what this credit product is or how it can provide you with some financial relief? Keep reading to find out.

How to Get Approved For the Right Personal Loan

Essentially, acquiring a favourable personal loan is all about timing and financial aptitude. In other words, the more qualified you are to handle the money that’s involved, the easier it will be to get approved for a large loan with a low-interest rate and an affordable repayment plan.

That said, every lender has a different process for approving or denying potential clients, which is why it’s important to take these measures before applying:

Look for a legitimate lender that has good customer reviews and rates
Find a full-time job and work there for at least a few months
Open a bank account that has direct deposit and automatic payments
Save up as much income as possible
Check your credit report for any mistakes or signs of identity theft
Increase your credit score so it’s in the good-to-excellent range (660-900)
Gather any necessary personal or financial information (bank statements, etc.)

If you fill out your application correctly and your lender concludes that you have a strong chance of paying your final loan balance on schedule, they should approve you and deposit the funds as a lump sum into your bank account within a few business days.

You’ll then repay the borrowed funds through several months, possibly several years worth of divided installments, including interest and possible fees.

Cosigners and Loan Security

If you don’t have stellar finances and credit or you’re applying for a particularly large personal loan, it might be smart to offer your lender some reassurance that you can make payments as planned. As a result, you could have a better shot at approval for favourable rates and loan conditions:

A cosigner is a stronger borrower that agrees to take over your repayment plan if you can’t manage it, thereby helping you avoid any defaulting penalties. To qualify, they must be financially stable and well aware of the liability they’re about to take on.

Collateral is when you offer up one of your assets in exchange for a ‘secured’ loan (not offered by all lenders). The more value your security holds the larger and more affordable your loan would be. However, this can be very risky because the lender will retain temporary ownership over your asset until you’ve fully paid back your loan and may decide to sell it if you miss too many payments.

How Best to Use Your Personal Loan Funds

No matter where you acquire your personal loan in Kitchener, it’s best to be aware of how much of a responsibility this type of product can be. You must also keep your current and future financial health in mind. After all, any missing payments or late payments could have a hefty toll on your savings and credit.

Due to these risks, you should only apply for a personal loan if you can afford every cost involved and plan to use the funds for things that are worth it, such as:

Planned or unexpected travel costs (flights, hotels, etc.)
Educational necessities (tuition, books, etc.)
Vehicle-related costs (gas, repairs, etc.)
Household costs (utilities, groceries, etc.)
Large purchases (appliances, big gifts, etc.)
Medical expenses (elective surgeries, medications, etc.)
Consolidating high-interest debt
Financial emergencies

When Personal Loans Are Better Than Credit Cards (and Vice Versa)

Although personal loans and credit cards are sometimes offered by the same lenders, there are definitely certain situations where one is a better option over the other.

While this product comes with its own risks, it’s more common among credit users in Kitchener and maybe a better choice than a personal loan because:

There are many different types of cards you can access
Getting approved is faster and easier than with most loan products
You’re allowed to make minimum or partial monthly balance payments
You can also make more than one payment per month
Some cards come with rewards (travel points, insurance, etc.)
If you’re unsatisfied, you can simply pay your balance and cancel the card
Defaulting does slightly less harm to your finances and credit
You won’t have to use up actual cash until your monthly payments are due

Overall, a credit card is a somewhat safer option when paying for smaller and less necessary expenses, such as your cell phone plan, subscriptions, clothes, and other consumer goods/services. It can also be a more efficient way of building your credit history and improving your credit score.

With a personal loan, however, full payments are mandatory and can result in debt collection penalties if you default too often. It’s also harder to get approved and requires more financial attention to avoid any problems.

Nonetheless, there are plenty of reasons why a credit card would be a less effective and riskier tool than a personal loan, such as:

You may not be able to access as much credit
It can be easy to max out your credit limit and rack up unmanageable debt
Interest rates are often higher and harder to calculate (variable rather than fixed)
You have to pay interest on your unpaid balances
Carrying too much debt can slowly decrease your credit score
Constantly applying for and cancelling new cards can also damage your credit

In the end, a personal loan is probably a better way to pay for larger, more important expenses. Under the right circumstances, it can also diversify your credit report and make you more creditworthy when you apply for credit products in the future.

Using Your Personal Loan to Improve Your Credit

Speaking of credit products, let’s talk about one of the most significant benefits that can come about once you’re approved for a personal loan in Kitchener. Although some lenders don’t do this, most report their clients’ activity to at least one of Canada’s major credit bureaus; Equifax or TransUnion.

Here’s what could happen when you apply and after you get approved:

First, a hard inquiry will be added to your credit history and decrease your credit score by a few points (temporarily).
For the next few years, the loan will appear on your credit report and affect your credit score, as well as the credit rating associated with the account.
If you make all your payments on time and in full until the completion of your plan, your credit will gradually improve.
Once that score is within the good to excellent range, you should have no problem getting approved for favourable credit products down the line.
However, if you consistently default on payments, all these elements will decline until your credit score falls to the bad range (300-600)
If that happens, it will become very difficult to get approved with any lender, especially a prime source like a bank or credit union
If you don’t work to improve things, you may only be accepted with bad credit lenders, where loans will be much smaller and have far higher rates.
That type of credit damage can be very troublesome to reverse and could remain on your report for years at a time.

All this is why it’s so important to apply when you have good credit, a solid income, and the overall ability to manage your loan payments responsibly. When all is said and done, good credit is one of the best ways to maintain healthy finances later in life.

Looking For a Personal Loan?

Loans Canada can set you up with the most effective personal loans in Kitchener and the rest of Ontario. Submit an application to get matched with a lender that meets your needs.

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