Questions? We've got you.

No. InstantFund is a free online referral service. We send your one application to a panel of NCR-registered South African lenders. Any credit agreement is between you and the lender.

No. The referral service is free for applicants. Partner lenders pay us a referral fee when they fund an applicant, and that doesn’t change the price your lender quotes you.

You need a South African ID, to be 18 or older, regular income you can show, and an active SA bank account in your name. The lender then runs its own affordability check.

Not necessarily. Lenders on our panel weigh what you earn and spend, not just a credit score, so applicants with rough credit can still be considered. Approval is never guaranteed: each lender decides.

It can be possible. Many lenders accept three months of bank statements instead of payslips, as long as they show regular income. See our no-payslip page.

A grant paid on a regular monthly schedule can count towards your income, and you’ll need proof of it.

Many short-term lenders won’t lend against a grant alone, so approval depends on your full affordability check.

From R500 to R8,000. The lender sets the final amount based on affordability. First-time applicants are often offered less.

Usually one to six months. You request a term and the lender confirms it in the agreement. Shorter terms cost less in total interest.

Eighteen. NCR-registered lenders cannot lend to minors, whatever their income.

Yes. If you have a South African ID and an SA bank account, you can apply from anywhere in the country.

The form takes about 5 minutes with your ID and bank details handy. Lenders often come back within minutes to about 20 minutes in business hours, but timing varies and approval is never guaranteed.

Your SA ID, your last three payslips (or three months of bank statements if you’re self-employed), and proof of an active SA bank account in your name.

Applying once through a panel keeps credit enquiries few. Many lenders start with a soft search, which doesn’t affect your score.

A full credit enquiry is recorded before a loan is granted, usually once you go ahead with an offer.

Yes. The form works on any phone, tablet or laptop. You can photograph your documents and upload them right there.

The form is open 24/7. Lenders usually process applications and payouts on weekdays between 8am and 6pm, so applications made outside those hours wait for the next business day.

You can, but wait at least 30 days unless something has changed. Applying again straight away with the same income and profile usually gets the same answer. If your circumstances change, contact us.

Each lender sets its own rate within the NCA caps, up to 5% a month. As an example, R3,000 over 3 months at the cap is about R450 in interest.

Your lender’s pre-agreement quote shows the exact figure before you sign.

Lenders can charge a once-off initiation fee (capped at R165 plus 10% of any amount above R1,000, and never more than R1,050) and a service fee of up to R60 a month. Many charge less. The quote itemises them.

The NCA requires lenders to itemise every cost in the pre-agreement quote before you sign.

Read it carefully: the total repayable is what you agree to. If you miss payments, fees allowed under the NCA can apply.

By debit order to your lender, on a date you agree when you sign, usually just after payday. Repayment is between you and the lender. InstantFund doesn’t collect anything.

Yes, at any time. The NCA gives you this right and does not allow early-settlement penalties on short-term credit. Ask your lender for the exact settlement balance.

No. NCR-registered lenders cannot legally charge an early-settlement penalty on short-term credit, and interest and fees are worked out only to the day you settle.

Often, yes. Many lenders allow a date change if you ask early. Contact your lender directly, or call 0860 INSTANT and we’ll point you to them.

Many lenders send an SMS or email before each collection. Check your agreement for how yours handles this.

Once you sign, payout is often the same day during business hours (Mon–Fri, 8am–6pm). It isn’t guaranteed: your bank may take longer to show the money, and late-afternoon approvals can land the next morning.

Most major South African banks, including Capitec, FNB, Standard Bank, Absa, Nedbank, African Bank, TymeBank, Bidvest and Discovery Bank. If your bank is in SA, your lender can likely pay into it.

Many lenders send a confirmation SMS when they release payment. Your bank may then take a while (often 30 to 60 minutes) to show it.

No. The bank account must be in your own name. This protects you from fraud.

Not usually. South African EFT clearing runs on business days, so payouts wait for the next business day. If timing matters, apply early in the week and in the morning.

Call your lender before the due date. That is the most important rule. Many lenders will move the date or arrange a short plan, while ignoring it makes things worse.

Don’t know how to reach them? Call 0860 INSTANT and we’ll point you to them.

The lender may retry the debit. A bounced debit can bring late fees allowed under the NCA and, if left unresolved, can be reported to the credit bureaus. Talk to your lender first.

The NCA gives a five-business-day cooling-off right on credit agreements signed away from the lender’s premises, which can include agreements signed online. Ask your lender how it applies to yours.

If you cancel, you pay back what you received plus any costs to that date.

Only after a long default and only under the NCA’s rules. Lenders generally prefer to sort things out with you directly, which is why contacting them early matters.

Use our complaints page or email [email protected]. We aim to respond within 5 working days and to resolve the complaint within 20.

Raise it with the lender first: every NCR-registered credit provider has a complaints process. If it isn’t resolved within 20 business days, you can escalate to the Credit Ombud at no cost.

Call us right away on 0860 INSTANT. We’ll help you alert the lenders involved and report it to the SAFPS fraud register.

No. InstantFund is a free online referral service. We don’t lend money or make credit decisions. We connect you to NCR-registered third-party lenders who do.

Every lender on our panel is registered with the National Credit Regulator (NCR). You can verify any lender on the NCR public register at ncr.org.za.

Our head office is in Sandton City, Johannesburg.

Your data travels over 256-bit SSL and is handled in line with POPIA. We only share it with the lenders considering your application, and we don’t sell it. See our privacy policy.

Once you take a loan, the lender reports payment behaviour to the credit bureaus, like every NCR-registered credit provider. Paying on time can help your credit profile.

Every lender on the panel must stay within the NCA caps on interest and fees for short-term credit. Your pre-agreement quote shows the exact figures.

The National Credit Regulator (NCR) regulates credit providers. For unresolved lender complaints the Credit Ombud is the next step, and for data issues the Information Regulator handles POPIA.