logo

The Best Loan Apps to Start a Biz in Kenya

The Best Loan Apps to Start a Biz in Kenya

Kupata loan app poa kausaidia bizz yako naku tranform it ni poa.

But pia uki pick the wrong loan app could also ruin it. Na with so many loan apps and organizations in Kenya promising instant access to cash,utajuaje wagani ndio legit ?

Tuliuliza ,our MESH community members wa share experiences zao za the most well-known loan apps. They told us about the application process, repayments, how to use cash from a loan to grow your biz – na hadi which loan apps to avoid!

But First: At MESH, sis hu team up na loan providers and asset finance companies ku offer the best rates for Kenyan hustlers.

Kama, 0% interest on backup power financing. (ndio your online biz never goes dark)

Cheki our latest opportunities to find solution poa for you.

What to look for in a business loan app

What to look for in a business loan app

Here is a quick checklist to use any time unataka kuomba loan app in Kenya:

● Interest Rates: Hii ni one of the biggest costs of borrowing money. Apps zenye low interest rates will save you more in the long run. So jaribu ku find rates under 10% per month. ● Fees: Apps zingine hu charge processing fees, late payment fees, na other hidden costs. Ukielewa hizo zote before uchuke the better hautakua surprised in future.

● Fees: Apps zingine hu charge processing fees, late payment fees, na other hidden costs. Ukielewa hizo zote before uchuke the better hautakua surprised in future.

● Loan Amounts: Make sure hiyo app zina offer loan sizes suitable for your business needs, whether it's KES 10,000 au KES 500,000. Only borrow what you can reasonably repay.

● Repayment Terms: Pia tafuta offers zenye ziko flexible kwa repayment plan yao yenye pia ina match your cash flow, kama weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly installments over 3 to 12 months.

● Eligibility Criteria: Check vizuri ume meet the requirements around age, M-Pesa registration, business documentation, credit history etc vitu ka hizo,If for example you apply na huja qualify itakua ngori au hata ukose chance yakuomba in future.

● Customer Reviews: Pia nipoa kuskiza views za wasee wenye wametumia hii apps kuskiza story zao na experience na feedback: approval process, customer support, na repayment issues. Reviews most zikiwa negative iyo sasa ni red flag. Na pia zile app ziko na 5 stars only might also be using fake reviews.

Je, bado hauko sure about a loan app ata baada ya ku reviewing everything kwa that list?

Unaweza uliza our MESHers for their experiences. The community is free to join, na pia tuna 150,000 hustlers kama wewe offering advice every day.

Pia tuna partner na low-interest credit providers to offer the best rates in Kenya. Check out our latest opportunities to see how we can help you start your biz.

TALA

● Best for: Short-term working capital needs, emergency funds

● Interest rates: 15-20% per month.

● Repayment terms: 6 to 30 days.

● Lowest and highest amounts: KES 500 to KES 50,000.

● Requirements: M-Pesa account, ID, allow access to phone data.

Pros

● Pesa inakua released haraka.

● Hakuna story mob za paperwork.

● Credit history yako ina build.

Cons

● Kuna High interest rates.

● Time ya ku repay ni very short.

Tala inajulikana sana Kenya. Na it provides instant loans wakitumia proprietary scoring technology to determine your creditworthiness based on mobile data records.

Tala's flexibility and straightforward loan structure ni poa for immediate funding with a clear, short-term repayment strategy. Ju, high interest rates sio poa for long-term borrowing.

M-SHWARI BY SAFARICOM

● Best for: Emergency loans linked to you M-Pesa account.

● Interest rates: 7.5% per month.

● Repayment terms: 30 days.

● Lowest and highest amounts: KES 100 to KES 50,000.

● Requirements: Active M-Pesa account, good M-Shwari savings history.

Pros

● Pesa ni instant kwa Mpesa.

● Hakuna story mob za paperwork.

● Unaweza lipa daily.

Cons

● Lower limits.

● Kuna higher interest for longer loans.

M-Shwari loans are designed to provide quick, hassle-free access ya maitaji ndogo ndogo ya kilasiku. Loans zinakua approved instantly based on your infor za M-Pesa kama vile airtime purchases and transfers.

The 7.5% interest covers borrowing for 30 days only. If utaitaji ku extend malipo yako past 30 days, the interest increases substantially, making longer-term borrowing expensive.

M-Shwari ni poa kwa maitaji ya short term not ya lager business loans. But the good thing ni its seamless M-Pesa integration na minimal requirements make it an easy, familiar option for many Kenyans.

BRANCH

● Best for: Small business loans for longer periods, buy-now-pay-later financing, bill payment services.

● Interest rates: 8-15%.

● Repayment terms: 2 weeks to 12 months.

● Lowest and highest amounts: KES 1,000 to KES 200,000.

● Requirements: M-Pesa, ID, proof of income or business permit.

Pros

● Higher loan limits.

● Longer terms.

● Build credit score.

Cons

● Income documentation inaitajika.

● Processes yaku get approved ni strict.

Branch ina stand out for its customer-centric approach. Hii ina focus on building long-term relationships by offering progressively better terms based on repayment history. Hii model ina makes it a robust tool for sustained personal and business finance management.

Branch inatumia data ya smartphone ku analys na machine learning ku evaluate your creditworthiness ndio ikupe loan ya a certain amount based on the information yako imepata.By doing that ina allow more affordable rates to lower-risk borrowers.

Loans zao zina allow anyone from different sector to accses kama, such as retail, services, and agriculture. Pesa hizo pia zinaweza tumika kwa inventory, equipment, expansion, and other operational needs.

Ukiwa succsesful kupata hizo pesa unazipata instantly kwa M-Pesa.

ZENKA

● Best for: Short-term working capital needs, inventory financing.

● Interest rates: 9-14%.

● Repayment terms: 1 to 6 months.

● Lowest and highest amounts: KES 10,000 to KES 5,000,000.

● Requirements: Business permit, 6 months operations, bank statements.

Pros

● Quick online application.

● Haina collateral.

● Limits ni juu.

Cons

● Document za income itakua required.

● Permit ya biz zinahitajika.

● Cost of credit still ziko juu.

Zenka in mostly deal na financing solutions ya micro, small, and medium businesses in Kenya. products zao ni business loans, invoice financing, and merchant cash advances.

If approved, unapata hizo pesa in 1-2 days, making Zenka ideal for short-term inventory or cash flow needs. Repayments za hizo pesa ni monthly na unalipa through M-Pesa ama bank transfer.

Ingawa, interest rates za Zenka ni lowe ukilinganisha na zingine, the costs can still be high for smaller businesses operating on thin margins. Lakini, Zenka ina provide alternative if you’re struggling to meet bank requirements.

LENDPLUS

● Best for: Small business owners wenye wangependa kupata loans ya products, including longer-term and larger loans.

● Interest rates: 10-18%.

● Repayment terms: 2 weeks to 6 months.

● Lowest and highest amounts: KES 1,000 to KES 100,000.

● Requirements: M-Pesa account, ID, allow phone data access.

Pros

● Fast online approval.

● Unaipata in one hour.

● Haina collateral.

Cons

● Higher rates for businesses.

● Limited loan sizes.

LendPlus inatumia mobile scoring technology to evaluate creditworthiness based on smartphone data like texts, calls, locations, etc. Hii inawa allow ku peana loans haraka bila paper work mob.

Business loans inaitaji infor kama the nature of your business na cash flow information during the application process. Funds can be used for restocking inventory, paying salaries, and more.

While convenient, the interest rates ya LendPlus' business loans inaweza kua juu , especially for longer terms.

What About The Hustler Fund?As of 2024, the government’s Hustler Fund is still disbursing loans to small business owners. If you’re considering it instead of a loan app, here’s the basic rules:

● Interest-free loans ni between KES 500 to KES 50,000.

● Repayment periods ni between 14 days hadi 6 months.

● Apply via USSD code ama mobile app.

● Eligibility for any Kenyan citizens aged 18 to 65 with a national ID.

● Hakuna collateral inaitajika, na credit scores ziko determined by mobile data analysis.

● Grace periods for late payments without penalties.

Interest rates on the Hustler Fund are also much lower than some private loan apps. But ni less flexible na ziko subject to delays and changes from the government.

Je,ungependa ku learn more?

Tume simplify everything in our complete guide to the Hust...

Text graphic to download the MESH app on playstore , it's 2MB

Our Least Favorite Loan Apps in 2024

Members wetu wa MESH community,flagged the following apps for lack of transparency, high interest rates, aggressive tactics, history of fraud, high application fees, ama lots of hidden charges:

👉 Okash.

👉 Ophesa.

👉 Sokolenders.

Skip these loan apps na uji save stress mob! Our MESH member-approved loan apps are the most trustworthy in Kenya.

Pick The Best Biz Loan App

The right loan app can make a big difference kwa biz yako. But also ile wrong inaweza destroy your chances for success.

Wasee 5 wa MESH wame-approved loan apps na ku offer the best terms for hustlers in Kenya. Lakini pia wewe kama biz owner fanya research ya each one na uone which one inakufa wewe.

Kama still kuna any questions, join the community today. Sisi ni the the biggest group of Kenyan hustlers online, na we can support you katika every step ya journey ya biz yako.

● Data Practices: Some apps zinaitaji infor most personal from your phone, like contacts na location. Ni poa uki understand privacy policies yao.

In this article, we want to look at some of the signs that will help you to know that uko ready to take a loan.

Have you ever wondered what uta-need in order to apply for a biz loan? Hii article itakuprepare so that you know what you will be expected to have.