The two main consumer-credit categories in Romania are the personal bank loan and the fast loan (NBFI — non-bank financial institution). They differ fundamentally in cost, approval speed and required documents. The right choice depends on amount, urgency and your repayment capacity.
Personal bank loan
Offered by banks (BCR, BT, ING, Raiffeisen, BRD, etc.), with interest rates between 7% and 13% and APRs between 8% and 16% in 2026. Amounts up to 120,000 lei, term up to 60-84 months. Requires detailed income proof, a Credit Bureau declaration and sometimes guarantees (co-borrower or guarantor).
Approval takes 1 to 5 business days. Main advantage: lower cost. Disadvantage: paperwork and speed.
Fast loan (NBFI)
Offered by NBR-registered NBFIs (TBI, Provident, Hora Credit, Viva Credit, etc.), with interest 18% to 45% and APR 22% to 65%. Amounts smaller (500 - 30,000 lei) and term shorter (3 - 36 months).
Approval takes minutes, money arrives same day. Documents required are minimal — sometimes only an ID. Advantage: speed and accessibility for low incomes or imperfect history. Disadvantage: much higher total cost.
When to pick which
Pick the bank loan if: you have time (1-5 days), the amount exceeds 15,000 lei, you have stable income proof, your credit score is good. You'll pay significantly less long-term.
Pick the fast loan (NBFI) if: you need money today, the amount is small (under 10,000 lei), you lack the documents banks require, or your history doesn't pass at a bank. You pay more but get money without bureaucracy.
Combining — a risk
A common but risky pattern: people with multiple simultaneous small NBFI loans reach debt ratios above 50%, completely outside the NBR 40% cap. If you find yourself paying 4-5 NBFI instalments at once, consolidating into a single bank loan is almost always cheaper.
Compare all types on Kreditano and choose based on amount, urgency and total cost.