Payday Loan APR Calculator
Annualized Rate Warning:
Charging a fee of ₹500 on borrowing ₹5,000 for just 14 days represents a flat fee rate of **10%**. Annualizing this rate yields a staggering true interest rate of 260.71% APR p.a.
- Total payoff: ₹5,500.
- Typical high-rate credit card APR: 36% - 42% p.a.
What to do next
Based on your Payday Loan APR Calculator, here are the tools you should try next:
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Payday Loan APR Formula
Uncovers the annualized percentage rate (APR) of short-term payday loans, exposing their extremely high rates.
Worked Example: A ₹5,000 payday loan with a ₹500 fee for 14 days
Payday Loans: Exposing the massive APR hidden behind small fees
Vinay faced a cash shortage before payday and took a short-term cash loan of ₹5,000. The lender charged a flat ₹500 fee for a 14-day repayment term. Vinay assumed a 10% fee was a reasonable rate for quick cash.
Using the Payday Loan APR Calculator, he discovered that a ₹500 fee on ₹5,000 for 14 days equates to an annual percentage rate (APR) of 260.7% p.a.! The loan was extremely expensive compared to credit card cash advances (approx 45% APR).
Payday loans charge flat fees for short terms, masking extremely high annualized rates. They frequently lead users into a cycle of recurring debt.
Avoid payday loans entirely. Use emergency savings, salary advances, or low-cost credit cards to cover temporary cash shortfalls without high costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a payday loan?
A payday loan is a high-cost, short-term cash loan, typically due on your next payday. Lenders charge flat transaction fees for short terms.
How high is payday loan interest?
Because payday loans charge flat transaction fees for short tenures (e.g. ₹500 fee on ₹5,000 for 14 days), their annualized percentage rate (APR) is extremely high, often exceeding 250% p.a.
Why are payday loans risky?
Their high APR makes repayment difficult, trapping borrowers in a rollover cycle where they borrow new payday loans to pay off older ones, accumulating heavy debt.
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