Getting a loan or credit card is hard if you have no credit or bad credit. Even using a secured credit card, you must deposit money first. Luckily, Self, formerly Self Lender (a credit-builder loan), solves this problem by allowing you to boost or restore lousy credit. You need not have money first before you can do this.
Unlike other credit-builder loans that require money deposits, Self provides a platform that holds your payments in a certificate of deposit.
While building your credits or restoring bad credits, Self offers you a deposit certificate at the program’s end. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp ensures this certificate of deposit for you. Upon completion of your payments, you will receive all your money.
The reviews of the Self (formerly Self Lender) explains how it works, how to open a Self account, and the benefits therein. You will also know the pros and cons of Self Lender from the reviews and decide if it’s legit or a scam.
Table of contents
What is Self?
Self is a fin-tech firm that lets people build credit if they have no credit or wish to restore damaged credit. It usually involves a credit-builder account supported by the FDIC recognized financial institutions with which they have collaborated.
On the other hand, a credit-builder account is a little loan that Self takes out on your behalf. Once this happens, the Self holds the loan by putting your money into a certificate of deposit instead of giving you the money.
A certificate of deposit is a certificate that a financial institution issues to someone. This certificate lasts for a certain period of time afterward you are free to withdraw your funds with interest. Additionally, funds that a certificate of deposit covers carry a higher interest rate than savings accounts.
Self is unique such that each time you make an on-time payment, all three credit bureaus will receive a report on it. The credit bureaus include Equifax, Experian, and Transunion.
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How does Self Lender work?
The moment you open a Self account, you’ll agree on the terms of service with the bank that Self matches you with. Afterward, you can start making payments on a monthly basis into the account. All the money in the account will be put into a certificate of deposit (CD).
Once you make all necessary payments, you will receive the money minus the finance charges. If you wish to close the account before the end of the term, you will have to get your money in the certificate of deposit, excluding the amount you owe.
Self, on the other hand, offers customers one-and two-year terms based on what they want their payments every month to be. The lowest monthly amount the Self can pay you is $25. You can choose payments ranging from $35, $48, or $150 monthly.
The financial charges you’ll have to pay vary, but the highest amount you can pay is $15. According to the Self, its APRs are not over 16%.
After making your payments, the Self will report your payments to three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and Transunion). If you don’t have a FISCO score, all your repayments will generate a FISCO score after about six (6) months.
The Self process works like this:
| Monthly Payment | How many months | Activation | Your total cost5 | You get at end6 |
| $25/month | 24 months | $12 | $612 | $525 plus CD interest |
| $48/month | 12 months | $15 | $591 | $545 plus CD interest |
| $89/month | 12 months | $15 | $1083 | $1000 plus CD interest |
| $150/month | 12 months | $15 | $815 | $1700 plus CD interest |
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How does Self work better than a Secured Card, Co-Signed Loan, or Prepaid Card?
There are other platforms where you can build credit or restore bad credits but it involves cards. They include secured card, co-signed card, and prepaid card.
By using the secured card, you’ll enjoy the benefits that a Self offers. The same way you use a regular credit card is the same way you will use the secured card.
A secured card has an edge over the Self such that you can use the card as a credit card. However, you will be required to pay interest on the secured card, which can be higher than Self’s APR charges.
The only problem with a secured card is that you must have a fully funded savings account that will act as a security.
You can only get the card if you have money, and you cannot take the money inside the account until you pay for the card or your bank releases the security line on your account.
On the other hand, you can build credits using a co-signer. By using this, you’ll have better terms but lower interest rates. You’ll need a co-signer with credit ready to cosign for this to work.
If you fail to pay on time or default on the loan plan, it will influence your co-signers credit, and the person will have to pay the remaining balance.
Prepaid cards serve as a means by which you can improve your credit ratings. Although prepaid cards act like credit cards, you cannot build your credit history using them. You cannot spend more than the amount on your card too.
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Self Lender Reviews: How do I open a Self account?
It will take you not up to eight minutes to open a Self account. Below are the requirements for opening a Self account:
- Customers must be at least eighteen (18) years of age.
- They must be a permanent resident of the United States and possess a valid U.S address.
- Consumers should possess a bank account or debit card or prepaid card.
- They must have a Social Security number, email address, and phone number.
While opening a Self account, you are required to provide a linked bank account so that money will be paid each month electronically. Alternatively, you can use a debit card but it will attract a charge of $0.30 plus 2.99% of the amount of the money.
The Self Pros and Cons
From the customer reviews gathered, below are the pros and cons of the Self Lender app:
Pros
Cons
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Self-Lender Reviews: Is the Self legit or a scam?
Several reviews from the Self shows that it is an excellent credit builder for anyone that does not have money for a secured credit card. It is also suitable for a qualified and willing co-signer to cosign a loan.
One of the Self Lender reviews which were shared by a customer shows that in the end, you’ll get all the fully funded CD even though there is an activation fee and an APR.
Self will help you to build your credit rating as well as your savings. Since they offer these two services, you can always own both at the same time.
However, Self accounts are not for emergency reasons. You cannot access the funds immediately if you need money urgently.
Because people are always on the losing end due to poor credit, the Self aims to help customers continually.
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Conclusion
The Self helps customers to build credit as well as restore damaged credit. Even if you do not have a secured credit card, the Self will get you covered.
The Self continues to show that it can help customers to achieve their credit rating through its access to approved FDIC banks and an easy online platform.
By reading this review on the Self, you can determine if it is legit or a scam.
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