What is a personal loan?

A personal loan is a credit product offered by banks and NBFCs in India to eligible credit consumers based on their credit profile. In general, lenders provide personal loans without any security. The borrower (consumer) pays back the loaned amount in Equated Monthly Instalments (EMIs), and there is a cost of borrowing charged as interest and other applicable charges.

IndiaLends is India's largest online personal loan provider, with more than 70+ RBI-approved lending partners (banks & NBFCs) offering tailor-made online personal loans to more than 3 million customers. Here are some notable features of the best personal loans available on the IndiaLends platform.

Personal loan features & benefits

An online/digital personal loan gives you quick and easy access to money in your bank account in times of emergency, cash crunches, making high-ticket purchases, funding life goals and many other purposes. Unlike special purpose loans such as home loans or car loans , there are no restrictions on the purpose of personal loans; hence the nomenclature – personal loans.

Flexible loan amount – The flexibility of choosing a desired loan amount is one of the most coveted features of online personal loans available at IndiaLends. You can choose from your available quick personal loan offers from multiple lenders and apply for an online personal loan for any amount you need.

Lowest interest rates – Apart from the total loan amount, lenders charge the borrower a certain interest amount calculated as per monthly or annual rate of interest. The lower the rate of interest, the lesser the charge you pay, along with the monthly EMI. With multiple online loan offers to choose from, IndiaLends is your go-to online marketplace for getting a fast personal loan at the lowest personal loan interest rate.

No collateral required – This is perhaps the best personal loan benefit. Personal loans are available without any collateral or security. Instead, your creditworthiness is assessed by lenders based on your creditworthiness when you apply for an online personal loan.

Flexible EMI tenure – Depending on the loan amount, IndiaLends offer the flexibility of choosing your loan repayment tenure from multiple offers from various banks & NBFCs. In general, one can choose from 3 months to 5 years or more to repay back the loan in monthly instalments.

Quick approval & fast disbursal – Gone are the days when loan approvals and amount disbursals used to take weeks. With a 100% digital application process and minimal to zero paperwork involved, personal loan approvals and disbursals are inherently quick and easy with IndiaLends.

Instant personal loan

Instant personal loans are short-term loans with the benefits of fast approval and quick disbursal of loan amounts. Instant loans are a lifesaver when it comes to emergency funds. Like general personal loans, quick loans do not require collateral, and one can choose from flexible loan amounts and repayment tenures.

Instant personal loan approval is generally given based on your credit profile. You can get an instant loan online if you have a decent credit history and a good credit score. With IndiaLends, getting instant personal loan approvalfrom 70+ lending partners is quick & hassle-free. You can choose from instant loan offers from multiple lenders and apply online for instant approval and disbursal within a few hours.

Eligibility criteria for personal loan approval

Your credit profile is one of the key determinants of your eligibility for an online personal loan. Having said that, lenders set out their own policy guidelines to qualify potential consumers as eligible for an online personal loan. Some general parameters include age, income source, monthly income, city of residence, credit score, past dues, etc.

While instant personal loan eligibility may vary from lender to lender, some of the prevalent basic eligibility criteria for an online personal loan include the following.

• Age between 21 years and 60 years

• Minimum CIBIL score 720 & above.

• Monthly income of ₹20,000 or more

Apart from such basic eligibility criteria, banks & NBFCs also determine your instant personal loan approval based on their internal policies. You must pay your dues on time and regularly check your credit history to qualify for any online personal loan at the lowest interest rates.

Documents required to apply for an online personal loan

In the age of digitalization, online personal loan applications have become a minimal paperwork process. However, one must have the following general documents to apply for a personal loan online.

• KYC documents, e.g., PAN Card, Voter ID, Aadhar Card, Passport, Driving License etc.

• Residential proof, e.g., Aadhar Card, Voter ID, DL, Rent Agreement, Postpaid bills etc.

• Income proof, e.g., last three months' salary slip, ITR documents, bank statements, etc.

How to apply for an online personal loan?

Whether you are looking for a long-term personal loan for a higher amount or a quick and instant personal loan for a shorter period, the personal loan application process is completely online on the IndiaLends website. This means that you don't have to make bank visits, and the application process is easier, faster and more efficient than traditional loan applications.

Apply for an online personal loan in a few simple steps:

Step 1 – Check your eligibility in 2 steps by filling out the application form above.

Step 2 – Submit your application online to view your personal loan offers from 70+ lending partners on this platform.

Step 3 – Select your best offer and proceed to fill up the rest of the online application form.

Step 4 – Complete your eKYC online.

Step 5 – Get instant approval from the lender & your offer amount is disbursed directly into your bank account.

Personal loan interest rates

Several factors come into play when determining your personal loan interest rate. As such, the interest rates vary from lender to lender, depending on your creditworthiness. Typically, loan rates begin at approximately 10.25%.

However, you may qualify for even lower rates when selecting lenders based on your credit history & credit score. Maintaining a strong credit history is advisable to increase the chances of obtaining a loan at a lower interest rate. Ideally, a CIBIL score of 750 or more is considered favourable.

Low-interest personal loan

At IndiaLends, we employ various algorithms to offer you online personal loans at the most competitive interest rates. However, a lot depends on your credit history, as elaborated in the preceding section.

You can easily compare instant personal loan offers from 70+ RBI-approved banks & NBFCs on the IndiaLends platform and select the one with the lowest personal loan interest rate.

Personal loan repayment tenure

The tenure of a personal loan is the total time for which you will pay back the lender in EMIs after taking a personal loan. One of the best features of the IndiaLends online personal loan is the flexibility of choosing your personal loan tenure.

Ideally, fast personal loans for smaller loan amounts are provided for shorter tenures in the range of 3 months to 36 months (3 years). On the other hand, you can also choose higher repayment tenures, such as 4 or 5 years, when obtaining higher amounts of personal loans from top banks & NBFCs.

Choosing a suitable repayment tenure when applying for an online personal loan will help you manage your finances efficiently during the entire repayment period. It is advisable to take into consideration factors such as final EMI amount, your existing EMIs, total interest to be paid, etc., while choosing your personal loan repayment tenure.

Personal loan with no foreclosure charges

Under various circumstances, foreclosing an active personal loan by paying off the dues before the total repayment tenure is over may work for you. While some lenders may have a lock-in period (before the completion of which the borrower is not allowed to make any part or full payment), there are various lenders on the IndiaLends platform offering online personal loans with zero foreclosure charges.

When you obtain an instant personal loan with zero foreclosure charges, you can pay off the entire loaned amount in one go without paying any extra charges. As such, understanding the foreclosure charges & part-payment features become relevant if you are planning to foreclose your loan.

Personal loans from banks

Financial institutions registered with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) engage in a range of activities, such as the acceptance of deposits and provision of loans. Apart from universal banks, the RBI has recently introduced payment banks and small finance banks. It's noteworthy that only universal banks and small finance banks have the authority to provide online personal loans to individuals.

For a hassle-free process of obtaining an instant personal loan from prominent banks in the country, applying through IndiaLends is the most straightforward approach. IndiaLends has established partnerships with well-known banks and NBFCs, including HDFC, ICICI, RBL, IndusInd, Kotak, Yes Bank, and others.

Personal loans from NBFCs

Non-banking financial institutions (NBFCs) are financial entities registered with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), specializing in lending to both individuals and businesses. In contrast to traditional banks, NBFCs typically lack the authorization to accept customer deposits. Instead, they depend on securing funds through borrowing from banks to support their lending operations. This reliance often leads to the provision of personal loans with relatively higher interest rates compared to those offered by conventional banks. Furthermore, NBFCs often serve a customer segment with a higher risk profile, resulting in increased acceptance rates for loan applications.

New to credit loans

While CIBIL and Experian maintain records for a vast number exceeding 150 million individuals, a substantial majority among them have never engaged in borrowing from an RBI-regulated financial institution affiliated with a credit bureau. Consequently, these individuals do not possess a credit bureau record indicating an absence of any credit history or score.

Given the lack of a credit file, these individuals frequently encounter challenges when attempting to secure loans from financial institutions. Nevertheless, IndiaLends has established unique collaborations with multiple banks, allowing them to aid individuals who are new to credit, possessing thin credit files, in accessing personal loans with favorable interest rates.

Is my credit score important for getting an online personal loan?

Personal loans are usually unsecured loans. The lender doesn't ask for any collateral just in case the borrower is unable to pay back the loaned amount. Hence, instant personal loan approval is largely dependent on the borrower's credit score and overall credit health.

Your credit score is one of the most important determining factors for getting online personal loan approval. One of the best ways to maintain a healthy credit profile is to check your credit score at least once every month. You can easily check your score and download your detailed & free credit report on the IndiaLends website.