Legit Loan Apps sa Pilipinas (2026): SEC-Checked List na may Totoong Interest

Type "legit loan app" into the Play Store and you'll get dozens of results with peso-sign logos and five-star ratings. Some are real lending companies. Some are copies of real ones. Others have never been registered at all. The SEC posts new warnings often, and in 2026 it has already flagged fake apps and Facebook pages using the names of Finbro, MoneyCat, Tala and Cash-Express.

So this page does two things. First, it gives you a list of well-known loan apps that we cross-checked against the SEC's own list. Second, it shows you how to check any app yourself, and how to work out the real cost before you sign. Mabilis lang ito, mga dalawang minuto.

PersonalLoans.ph is a comparison website, not a lender. We may earn a commission when you apply through some links on this page. Being on our list doesn't mean you'll be approved. The lender decides.

What "legit" actually means for a loan app

In the Philippines, a company that lends money to the public as a business has to be one of these:

• A lending company under the Lending Company Regulation Act of 2007 (RA 9474), registered with and licensed by the SEC.
• A financing company under the Financing Company Act of 1998 (RA 8556), also under the SEC.
• A bank, including a digital bank, supervised by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

For an app run by a lending or financing company, "legit" means three separate things are true:

1. The company is registered with the SEC as a corporation. That gives it an SEC Registration No.
2. The company holds a Certificate of Authority (CA) to operate as a lending or financing company. Registration alone isn't enough to lend.
3. The exact app or website you're using is on the SEC's List of Recorded Online Lending Platforms under that company.

Number 3 is the one people skip. Scammers love to copy a real company's name, logo and even its SEC number. If the app you downloaded isn't the one the company reported to the SEC, it's not covered, no matter how real it looks.

The SEC list we checked (as of 12 October 2026)

The SEC publishes the List of Recorded Online Lending Platforms on sec.gov.ph, under Lending Companies and Financing Companies. When we opened it on 20 October 2026, the newest version was dated 12 October 2026 and was "reported pursuant to SEC MC 20, series of 2026". It names 133 lending and financing companies and 203 apps and websites.

Two quick notes before the list:

• The SEC list shows the company's SEC Registration No., not its CA No. The CA No. should appear in the app, on the lender's website footer, or in its ads.
• SEC Memorandum Circular No. 20, series of 2026 (signed 7 July 2026) lifted the moratorium on new online lending platforms that had been in place since November 2021. It also limits each company to five platforms. So new apps can now appear on the list, and some companies will drop extra apps. Always check the date at the top of the list.

Legit loan apps on the SEC list: our cross-check

These are apps many Filipinos already know. Each one appears on the SEC list dated 12 October 2026, under the company shown. We copied the company names and numbers from the SEC list, shortened where the SEC lists a long "doing business as" name.

This isn't the full list, and it isn't a ranking. If your app isn't here, search the SEC list itself.

For the lenders in our own data, we also matched the CA No. on the lender's website (checked 20 October 2026, Home Credit checked 11 October 2026):

A real company's name isn't proof

The SEC list includes some app names that scammers have also copied. Copperstone Lending, for example, reported Load Cash and Moca Moca as its platforms, and the SEC later warned about fake apps using those same names. Here are 2026 SEC advisories about impostors of apps in our table:

• 30 June and 8 July 2026: unauthorized use of the name of Sofi Financing Inc. (Finbro) by an unrecorded online lending platform and Facebook pages.
• 13 May 2026: fake Facebook pages and an unregistered platform using the name of MoneyCat Financing Inc.
• 9 June 2026: fraudulent platforms and apps using the name of Tala Financing Philippines Inc.
• 7 October 2026: a Facebook page using the corporate identity of Cash-Express Philippines Financing Inc.

The fix is simple. Install apps only from the developer the lender names on its own website, and reach the website by typing the address yourself. Never install a loan app from a link in a text, a Messenger chat or a Facebook comment.

What about banks and digital banks?

Banks don't appear on the SEC's lending list because the BSP supervises them. The BSP's list of banks as of 30 June 2026 shows six digital banks: GoTyme Bank Corporation, Maya Bank, Inc., Overseas Filipino Bank, Inc. (a digital bank of LANDBANK), Tonik Digital Bank, Inc., Union Digital Bank and UNObank, Inc. In July 2026 the BSP approved MariBank Philippines as the seventh digital bank. If a bank app offers you a loan, check that the bank is on the BSP's directory at bsp.gov.ph, then compare its rates on the bank's own site.

Apps you can apply to through our site

We only link to lenders we have a partnership with, and only through our tracked links. Both of these are on the SEC list above. Rates below are copied from each lender's own homepage on the date shown. Your actual rate and fees will be in the disclosure statement the lender shows you before you accept.

For comparison, Cash-Express (which we don't link to) publishes ₱1,000 to ₱50,000 over 180 to 365 days, a ₱1,000 issuance fee and a maximum APR of 726.35% on cash-express.ph, checked 20 October 2026. Same SEC list, very different price. That's why "legit" and "cheap" are two different questions.

See all our partner lenders side by side on the compare page, with SEC details for each.

Magkano ang totoong interest? The caps and how to check

Here's the part most loan ads don't explain. For small, short loans from lending and financing companies, the BSP set price ceilings in BSP Circular No. 1133 (2021), and the SEC put them into effect through SEC Memorandum Circular No. 3, series of 2022, starting 3 March 2022.

Which loans are covered: unsecured, general-purpose loans from lending companies, financing companies and their apps, of ₱10,000 or less with a term of up to 4 months.

The ceilings for those loans:

SEC MC 20 of 2026 lists which older rules it repeals or changes. For MC 3 of 2022, it names only the business plan part, so as far as we can tell from the SEC's text, these ceilings still apply. Loans above ₱10,000 or longer than 4 months aren't covered by these ceilings. Bank loans follow BSP rules instead.

A worked example (example only)

Say you borrow ₱5,000 for one month from an app. The app charges 6% interest and deducts a ₱300 processing fee before release.

• Interest: ₱5,000 × 6% = ₱300
• You receive: ₱5,000 minus ₱300 fee = ₱4,700
• You repay after a month: ₱5,000 plus ₱300 = ₱5,300
• Real cost: ₱5,300 minus ₱4,700 = ₱600
• Real monthly rate on the money you actually got: ₱600 ÷ ₱4,700 = about 12.8% per month

The ad said 6%. Your real cost is more than double that, because of the deducted fee. It's still under the 15% ceiling, so it's allowed, but now you know what you're actually paying.

The 100% cap works as a hard stop. On that ₱5,000 loan, all interest, fees and penalties added together can never go above ₱5,000, even if you're months late.

The 3-number check

Before you tap "Accept", write down three numbers from the disclosure statement:

1. Net proceeds: how much lands in your GCash, Maya or bank account.
2. Total to repay: every hulog added up.
3. Term: days or months until fully paid.

Total to repay minus net proceeds is your real cost. Divide it by the net proceeds to see the cost as a percentage. If the loan is ₱10,000 or less and 4 months or shorter, compare that monthly figure to the 15% ceiling. For anything else, compare total cost across offers for the same amount and term. Our interest rates, EIR and fees guide walks through add-on versus diminishing-balance interest and longer loans, with peso examples.

How to check any loan app in 2 minutes

Don't rely on our list or anyone else's. Do this every time, even for an app a friend recommended.

1. Find the three details. Look in the app's About screen, the website footer or the Play Store listing for the full corporate name, the SEC Registration No. and the CA No. A brand name alone isn't enough.
2. Open the SEC list yourself. Type sec.gov.ph into your browser, go to Lending Companies and Financing Companies, then List of Recorded Online Lending Platforms. Use "Find in page" for the company name and the app name.
3. Match everything. The company, the SEC number and the app name should all be on the same line. If the company is listed but your app isn't, stop.
4. Check the warnings. Search the SEC's Advisories page for the app name, and check the list of revoked and suspended lending companies. The SEC Check App at checkwithsec.sec.gov.ph can look up a company too.
5. Check the app's permissions before you install. A loan app needs your ID, a selfie and a way to send you money. It doesn't need your contact list, your photo gallery or your text messages.
6. Read the disclosure statement before you accept. If the app won't show you the total to repay before you sign, don't sign.

If you'd rather read this in Taglish, our guide on paano malaman kung SEC-registered ang lending app covers the same steps. The English version, SEC registered lending apps list and flagged apps, also lists the apps the SEC named in its August 2026 advisories.

Red flags: signs a loan app is fake or abusive

Any one of these is enough to walk away.

• A fee before release. "Processing fee", "insurance", "unlock fee" or "verification deposit" paid by GCash or remittance before you get the loan. Legit lenders deduct fees from the proceeds or add them to the balance. They don't ask you to send money first.
• No corporate name, SEC No. or CA No. anywhere, or numbers that belong to a different company.
• The app isn't on the SEC list, even if the company is.
• Loans offered on Telegram, Viber or Messenger. On 15 May 2026 the SEC warned the public to be careful with loan transactions through Telegram and other messaging apps.
• "Guaranteed approval" or "no requirements". No real lender can promise approval before it looks at your application.
• Permissions it doesn't need, like access to your contacts, gallery or messages.
• A look-alike name. A real brand with one extra word or a changed letter. Check the developer name in the app store against the lender's website.
• A short term and a huge rate hidden in daily terms. A "1.5% per day" loan is about 45% a month. If it's ₱10,000 or less and 4 months or shorter, that's over the ceiling.
• Pressure. "Offer expires in 10 minutes" or an approved amount bigger than what you asked for.

If a loan app harasses you

Owing money doesn't take away your rights. Under SEC Memorandum Circular No. 18, series of 2019, lending and financing companies and the collectors they hire may not:

• Threaten violence or other criminal means to harm you, your reputation or your property
• Threaten action that can't legally be taken
• Use obscenities, insults or profane language
• Disclose or publish your name and personal information as a borrower who supposedly refuses to pay
• Give false information about your loan to anyone, or use false or deceptive means to collect
• Contact you before 6:00 a.m. or after 10:00 p.m., unless the account is more than 15 days past due or you agreed in writing to those times

The SEC, DICT and National Privacy Commission also said in a joint advisory dated 18 March 2026 that lenders may contact only your guarantors about your loan, and that using your contact list to shame you is prohibited.

What to do: screenshot every message with the number and time, keep paying only through the lender's official channels, and file complaints with the SEC (unfair collection), the National Privacy Commission (misuse of your data) and the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group or NBI if there are threats. The full step-by-step is in our guide to loan app harassment and your rights.

Before you borrow from any app

A legit app can still be the wrong loan. Cheaper options to try first:

• SSS or Pag-IBIG salary and calamity loans if you're a member with enough contributions.
• Your employer if it offers salary loans or cash advances through payroll.
• A bank or digital bank personal loan if you can wait a few days for approval and need more than ₱10,000.

If you need cash today, read our emergency loans guide for the order to try things in. First time borrowing at all? The first-time borrower guide explains how loans work, and the valid IDs guide shows which IDs apps accept. Not sure what "hulugan", "tubo" or "kabuuang babayaran" mean on a loan form? See the Tagalog loan terms glossary.

Borrow only what fits your sweldo. If the hulog on the 15th and 30th would leave you short for rent and food, borrow less or wait.

Where these facts come from

We checked these official sources on 20 October 2026:

• SEC List of Recorded Online Lending Platforms (opens in new tab), as of 12 October 2026
• SEC Memorandum Circular No. 20, series of 2026 (signed 7 July 2026), on SEC Memorandum Circulars 2026 (opens in new tab)
• BSP Circular No. 1133, series of 2021 (opens in new tab), ceilings on interest rates and fees, implemented by SEC Memorandum Circular No. 3, series of 2022
• SEC Memorandum Circular No. 18, series of 2019 (opens in new tab), unfair debt collection practices
• SEC Advisories 2026 (opens in new tab), including the advisories dated 13 May, 15 May, 9 June, 30 June, 8 July and 7 October 2026
• BSP list of banks with FCDU authority, as of 30 June 2026, for the six digital banks, from the BSP directories and lists (opens in new tab)
• The homepages of finbro.ph, moneycat.ph and cash-express.ph for corporate details and published rates, checked 20 October 2026

If the SEC or BSP says something different from this page, follow the regulator.

Frequently asked questions

What are the legit loan apps in the Philippines?

A loan app is legit if its company has an SEC Certificate of Authority and the app itself is on the SEC List of Recorded Online Lending Platforms. The list dated 12 October 2026 has 203 apps and sites from 133 companies, including Tala, JuanHand, Cashalo, BillEase, Atome PH, My Home Credit, SPayLater, Akulaku, Finbro and MoneyCat.

Ano ang legit na pautang online?

Legit ang pautang online kung ang app ay pag-aari ng lending o financing company na may Certificate of Authority mula sa SEC, at nakalista mismo ang app sa SEC List of Recorded Online Lending Platforms. I-check mo ito sa sec.gov.ph bago ka mag-apply, at huwag kailanman magbayad ng fee bago ma-release ang loan.

Which legit loan app has the lowest interest?

There's no single answer, because rates depend on the amount, the term and your profile. For loans of ₱10,000 or less up to 4 months, the all-in cost is capped at 15% a month. Compare the total amount to repay from each disclosure statement for the same amount and term. The lowest total wins.

Is there an official SEC registered loan app list?

Yes. It's the SEC List of Recorded Online Lending Platforms on sec.gov.ph, under Lending Companies and Financing Companies. The version we checked on 20 October 2026 was dated 12 October 2026.

Is a loan app legit if it's on the Play Store?

Not necessarily. The SEC has warned about many apps that were on Google Play or the App Store without authority, and about fakes using real lenders' names. Check that the exact app and its company are on the SEC list, and that the developer matches the one named on the lender's website.

Can a loan app charge more than 6% interest a month?

For unsecured loans of ₱10,000 or less with terms up to 4 months from lending or financing companies, the nominal rate is capped at 6% a month and the all-in rate at 15% a month. Larger or longer loans aren't covered by those caps, so check the disclosure statement.

What should I do if a loan app isn't on the SEC list?

Don't borrow from it and don't send your ID or selfie. Report it to the SEC through the complaint channels on sec.gov.ph. If you've already shared your data and you're being harassed, follow the steps in our harassment guide.