Our Review
Article Title: How Does This Lender Stack Up?
Short Description: Greenline offers installment loans to consumers with less than perfect credit. They are owned and operated by the Fort Belknap Indian Community, a sovereign American Indian Tribe. But is a loan from this lender worth it in the end? We investigate...
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Summary
As a tribal lender that offers short term installment loans, they are very quick to approve many borrowers. That isn’t necessarily a good thing. Many customers have credit issues and their likelihood of becoming trapped in a cycle of debt is a real possibility. That said, they offer installment loans with interest rates starting at 762.33% APR. It’s one of the highest interest rate lender’s we’ve come across. If you decide this lender is for you, proceed with caution.
Pros
- Decent option if you’ve exhausted all possible resources
- Funds are deposited within 24 business hours
Cons
- Very expensive. One of the highest tribal loan interest rates we’ve come across. A whopping 762.33% APR
- Not a good solution for large financial purchases
Read This Guide to Greenline Loans Before You Apply!
Millions of Americans each year fall into hard times. And it’s easy to see why. They lose jobs, are hit with unexpected bills, and many simply don’t earn enough money to make ends meet. So what can you do when the bills start stacking up and you don’t know where to turn? For many people, they turn to a bad credit loan from a tribal lender. Greenline Loans offers loans to people with bad credit — and approval is dangerously easy. In fact, it doesn’t matter what your credit score is. The question is: how much will it cost?
Update: What to Do When You Need a Bad Credit Loan Fast
- If you have bad credit and need cash, this type of emergency loan might surprise you
- Here’s a simple and stress free way to climb out of a vicious debt cycle
- How to negotiate with creditors to slash your balance by up to 80% or more
- Only 8% of Americans know about this bad credit loan “loophole”
What is Greenline Loans and How Does it Work?
Greenline Loans is a lender formed under the laws of the Fort Belknap Indian Tribe, a federally-recognized and sovereign American Indian Tribe. The company offers fast access to short term loans, completely online. One of the key benefits of installment loans is the fact that you have more flexibility with repayment terms. Instead of paying off the loan on your next pay period, like many payday loan companies require, you have the flexibility to repay over a longer period of time.
The major drawback of a short term installment loan, however, is you’ll end up paying more in interest and fees the longer you owe a balance. Plus, there are many disadvantages that go hand-in-hand (see below for a list of full disadvantages).
In simple terms, here’s how the loan process works:
- Step 1: Apply for a loan on their website (read terms, conditions and disclosures very carefully)
- Step 2: Once you apply, you should hear back within minutes
- Step 3: If you are approved, review the terms, conditions and disclosures again very carefully (loan APR, repayment terms, additional charges and fees, when Greenline will debit your account for repayment, etc)
- If you are satisfied with the terms and conditions, you will receive your funds within 24 hours
- You will begin repayment on your next pay period, in small installments.
- Tip: to avoid paying excessive interest rates, we recommend paying the loan off faster
Note: You cannot apply for a Greenline loan if you reside in the following states:
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Georgia
- New Hampshire
- New York
- North Carolina
- Pennsylvania
- Maryland
- Minnesota
- Montana
- Puerto Rico
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
The next question is: how much can you borrow?
How Much Can I Borrow From Greenline Loans?
Greenline not only makes it easy to borrow money (they don’t check your credit score to determine eligibility), they also offer decent loan amounts for first-time and returning customers. The minimum and maximum amounts should be more than enough to cover your emergency expense. Just keep this in mind: no matter how much you borrow, you should pay the loan back sooner rather than later. By doing so, you will avoid paying back most of the excessive interest rates.
- The minimum loan amount is $300
- First time borrowers are limited to a maximum loan of $300
- Returning customers can apply for a loan up to $1,000.
How Much Will a Greenline Loan Cost?
This is the most important question that should be going through your head right now. Because the fact is, it’s wicked expensive. The lender doesn’t list a breakdown of the interest rates on their website…only a maximum APR you likely could be charged. It would be helpful if they listed a minimum APR, but it doesn’t appear they publicly state that. However, it is helpful that they tell you the maximum APR you might have to pay.
- APR can reach as high a 762%
- There are zero origination fees
- There are zero pre-payment penalties
Here’s how much a typical Greenline loan could cost you:
Total Payback on a $300 Loan (Paid Back Every Two Weeks)
Amount Financed: $300.00
Payment Every Two Weeks: $77.34
Total of 19 Payments: $1,508.17
Total Interest: $1,208.17
All Payments and Fees: $1,508.17
Total Payback on a $1,000 Loan (Paid Back Every Two Weeks)
Amount Financed: $300.00
Payment Every Two Weeks: $77.34
Total of 19 Payments: $1,508.17
Total Interest: $1,208.17
All Payments and Fees: $1,508.17
Based on this example, 80% of your payments will be applied to interest alone.
How Do I Apply for a Loan?
If you still think Greenline is the right lender (or the only option), here’s a breakdown of how you can apply for a loan online from their website.
Step 1: Are You a New or Existing Customer?
On step 1, click the button that describes you: a new customer or existing customers. Note: the rest of this application tutorial will focus on new customers only.
Step 2: Complete Your Personal Details
Here’s what you need to do on step 2.
- Select Your Desired Loan Amount ($300 up to $1,000)
- First Name
- Last Name
- Email Address
- Physical Address
Step 3: Complete Your Employment, Income and Banking Details
Now, you need to enter your employment, income and banking information. This includes:
- Employer Name
- Income Type: (employed, un-employed, retirement, social security, disability, etc)
- Monthly Income
- Months Employed
- Do You Have Direct Deposit?
- Are You Active Military?
- Bank Name
- Bank Account Type
- Bank Routing #
- Bank Account #
Step 4: Review Terms and Conditions and Submit
After you enter your personal information, employment, income and banking details, you’ll need to review the terms. Please read this section carefully.
What Are The Greenline Loan Terms?
Try not to fall benind on your payments because Greenline will not offer a loan extension or rollover. However, you can call the lender and request a repayment schedule that better suits your needs if it comes to that. If you do fall short on your payments, you will be charged a late payment fee. The late payment fee will not exceed 10% of the payment if received within 5 days of the due date.
Payments can be made via ACH (electronic check), debit card, or you can send a cashier’s check or money order to their PO Box.
The repayment terms are bi-weekly payments for the term of the loan.
The Advantages of Greenline Loans
Short term lenders mostly have a laundry list of disadvantages, but they do have their benefits if you have a bad credit. While Greenline has astronomical interest rates, you should know about the advantages this lender has to offer. One of the key benefits is access to fast cash for emergency bills, regardless of your credit history. The downside to this is you will pay a much higher interest rate than a traditional loan from a bank or credit union.
- Lends money from $300 up to $1,000
- Credit history doesn’t matter for approval (but determines your interest rate)
- Can be repaid in installments over time
- Can help rebuild your credit score and history
- Greenline is a member of the Online Lenders Alliance
- Can deposit approved funds in your bank account within 24 hours
- No prepayment penalty
The Disadvantages of Greenline Loans
Now for the most important part: the disadvantages of Greenline. By now, you already know the interest rates are enough to choke a horse. With a maximum APR of 762%, you will pay back nearly 3x what you borrowed (see payment examples above). Not only that, but there are a few other disadvantages you should be aware of. The thing thaqt gets most borrowers into trouble is they fail to read or acknowledge the loan terms. By the end of the loan term, borrowers are often left confused and angry that they paid 3x what they borrowed.
- Significantly high interest rates (maximum 762% APR)
- If you fall behind on payments, you will have to pay a 10% fee within 5 days of the due date (more if you go beyond this)
- You will pay back nearly 3x of what you borrowed
- You can easily trap yourself in debt
Have you borrowed from Greenline Loans before? If so, leave a review at the end to let potential customers know about your experience!
