Who we are
We make short-term borrowing readable
loan-payday.com exists for one reason: too many people sign loan agreements they don't fully understand. We're a free matching service that connects U.S. borrowers with state-licensed lenders — and we show the full cost of every offer, in plain English, before anyone signs.
We are not a lender. We don't fund loans or make credit decisions. What we do is cut the time and confusion out of finding a legitimate, licensed lender, and surround that process with editorial guidance you can actually trust — including the parts that tell you when not to borrow.
How matching works
One request, the right lenders
You fill out one short, encrypted form — amount, state and income. We pass it only to lenders licensed to operate in your state, and they respond with real offers. You compare the fee, APR, total repayment and due date side by side, then choose one or walk away. Nothing is binding until you e-sign.
- Soft credit check to show your rate — no impact on your FICO® score
- We only match you with lenders licensed in your state
- Every offer states the full cost before you commit
- It's always free to you — lenders pay our referral fee, not you
Our methodology
How we research and fact-check
Payday lending is a "your money or your life" topic, so we hold our content to a higher bar than a typical blog. Every figure on this site — fee caps, maximum terms, rollover rules, APR examples — is traced back to a primary source, usually a state regulator or statute, not another website.
- Primary sources only. State caps come from regulator publications and statutes, which we cite by review date.
- Quarterly review. Rate and law pages are re-checked every quarter and after any known legislative change.
- Named authorship. Every guide carries a real author and a fact-check stamp — no anonymous content.
- Plain-English math. When we show an APR, we show the formula behind it on Rates and Fees, so you can check our work.
- Alternatives first. Where a cheaper option exists, we say so — even when it means recommending against borrowing.
The team
The people behind the guidance
Maria Keller
Consumer credit analyst
Maria has spent over a decade analyzing consumer credit products and translating fine print into language people can act on. She leads our coverage of borrowing smart, alternatives and budgeting, and reviews every rates page before publication. Read Maria's bio →
James Torres
Personal finance writer
James writes our explainers on credit scores, state lending laws and debt help. He's known for digging into statutes most outlets skim past, and for keeping the tone calm when the subject is anything but. Read James's bio →
To be completely clear: we are not a lender
This bears repeating because it changes what you should expect from us. We don't lend money, set interest rates, approve or deny applications, or service loans. We connect you with lenders licensed in your state and present their offers honestly. Once you choose a lender, your loan agreement is with them — and questions about an active loan go to them directly.
Two minutes, no obligation
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No impact on your credit score · No fee to apply · Decline any offer
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