Creditum lets you apply once and get matched with offers from NCR-registered lenders for loans between R500 and R500,000, repaid over 6 to 72 months, at an advertised APR of 11% to 28%. It does not lend the money itself. Creditum is a comparison service, built on a partnership with Myloan.co.za, that passes your details to its panel of registered credit providers and shows you which ones are willing to make an offer.
That distinction matters more than it sounds. The rate you see advertised – "from 11%" – is the best case, available only to applicants who clear a specific lender's affordability and credit checks. Most people land somewhere higher in that 11–28% band, and Creditum has no control over where.
How much can you actually borrow, and for how long?
The site's own calculator runs from R500 up to R500,000, with repayment terms of 6 to 72 months. A worked example on the Creditum homepage shows R30,000 over 36 months at the maximum 28% APR coming to roughly R1,360 a month, including an initiation fee and monthly service fees charged by the lender, not by Creditum. That R500,000 ceiling is the highest of the three South African loan-comparison brands currently advertising on this site; Crezu and SecureFinance both cap out at R350,000.
| Figure | Creditum's stated range |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | R500 – R500,000 |
| Term | 6 – 72 months |
| APR | 11% – 28% (set by the matched lender) |
| Cost to apply | Free – "no hidden fees" |
Who can apply?
You need to be at least 18, a South African resident with a valid South African ID number, and reachable on your own phone number and email address. Creditum doesn't publish a minimum income on its homepage; it says lenders look at income, employment stability, existing debt and credit history on a case-by-case basis, sometimes asking for a payslip or bank statement once you're matched. Running the comparison itself doesn't touch your credit score, according to the site.
Is Creditum a direct lender?
No. Creditum states plainly that it is "an online loan comparison tool and not a credit provider" and not a bank or any other financial institution. The operator behind the site is Summarum Media Oy, registered in Helsinki, with the South African side of the comparison run through a partner, Avica Group, in Cape Town. The approving decision, the final rate and the payout all sit with whichever NCR-registered lender takes your application – Creditum lists Lendplus, Prime Loans, Fasta, Crediwise, Jabulani and several others among its visible partners.
One thing worth flagging directly: Creditum's site includes a scam warning saying it never collects personal details through SMS or chat apps, and that applications should only be submitted through creditum.co.za itself. If you're contacted outside that channel claiming to be Creditum, treat it as suspicious.
Creditum vs. Crezu vs. SecureFinance
All three are matching services, not lenders, so the real differences come down to amount, rate ceiling and who they're clearly built for.
- Biggest loan on offer: Creditum's R500,000 ceiling beats Crezu and SecureFinance's R350,000.
- Cheapest best-case rate: Creditum's 11% floor is marginally better than Crezu's 12% and well below SecureFinance's 15%.
- Cheapest worst-case rate: If your profile lands you at the top of the range, SecureFinance's 27.5% ceiling is lower than Creditum's 28% and considerably lower than Crezu's 36%.
- Shortest minimum term: SecureFinance allows a 3-month term; Creditum and Crezu both start at 6 months.
In practice, that makes Creditum the stronger pick if you want the largest possible loan amount and the lowest advertised starting rate, provided your credit profile is strong enough to actually get near that 11% figure.
Who is Creditum a good fit for?
It suits someone who wants a single application sent to a reasonably wide panel of NCR-registered lenders, with a shot at a rate below 15% and a loan amount that can go well above what most comparison sites offer. It's a weaker fit if you have a damaged credit record and want a service that says upfront it works with applicants in that position – Creditum's homepage doesn't make that pitch the way SecureFinance's does. It's also not the fit if you want a named, single lender relationship rather than a referral to one of several partners.
Frequently asked questions
Does Creditum charge a fee to apply?
No. Creditum describes its comparison service to consumers as free of charge; any initiation fee or monthly service fee that appears in a loan quote comes from the lender that makes the offer, not from Creditum.
Will applying through Creditum affect my credit score?
According to the site, comparing offers has no impact on your credit score. A hard credit check would only happen once you accept a specific lender's offer and move forward with that lender.
Does Creditum guarantee approval?
No. It cites a 93% approval rate across its partner lenders as a general figure, but that's not a guarantee for any individual applicant, and submitting an application never obliges you to accept an offer.