Credit-builder cost calculator
Put in your own numbers and see the arithmetic laid out line by line. Each market has its own version in its own currency.
Pick your edition
Each one uses that market’s published prices and opens at our reference profile, which you can change.
Credit-builder cost calculator for the US
Opens with: a $1,000 credit-builder loan at 15.61% APR over 48 months (an illustration, not a quote; an APR already includes the lender’s fees)
UK edition · poundsCredit-builder cost calculator for the UK
Opens with: an illustrative £500 over 12 months with no interest or fees
How it works
The calculator uses only figures each provider publishes. Where a fee is not published, the row says so and the figure leaves it out, which is why such a row ranks after every fully priced one. Introductory discounts are ignored because they end; tax is excluded because it depends on you.
This is a planning tool: it works on the numbers you enter and does not rank providers. The comparisons explain how their lists are ordered, and the full method is on how we rank.
Credit-builder apps and loans in the US (2026): costs compared
Credit-builder loans, plans and reporting tools compared on yearly cost, the bureaus they report to and whether they run a credit check.
UK comparisonCredit-building tools in the UK (2026): rent and bill reporting compared
UK tools for building a credit file compared on cost and which credit reference agencies they report to.
Guide · US & UKHow credit-builder loans work, and what they really cost
A credit-builder loan holds the money you borrow as savings until you have repaid it. Here is how it works, what it costs, what the research found, and the alternatives.