Lists of alternative financial services

This is the Consumerium list of alternative financial services lists.

The Finnish language URLs http://velallisten.yhteinen.asia and http://vertaislainaajien.yhteinen.asia redirect here.

Spectrum of consumer finance by the lowest troll

  • Proletariat finance ->
  • Credit card debt ->
  • Bank loan

What is alternative finance? What are alternative financial services?

Alternative Finance refers to financial channels and instruments that have emerged outside of the traditional finance system such as regulated banks and capital markets. Examples of alternative financing activities through 'online marketplaces' are reward-based crowdfunding, equity crowdfunding, peer-to-peer consumer and business lending, invoice trading third party payment platforms.”

Alternative financial services (AFS) are financial services provided outside traditional banking institutions, on which many low-income individuals depend. In developing countries, these services often take the form of microfinance. In developed countries, the services may be similar to those provided by banks and include payday loans, rent-to-own agreements, pawnshops, refund anticipation loans, some subprime mortgage loans and car title loans, and non-bank check cashing, money orders, and money transfers. It also includes traditional moneylending by door-to-door collection.”

Often the spectrum ranges from brute loan sharking in operations known as w:payday loans all the way to almost respectable interest taking of non-collateralized loans.



Peer-to-peer lending, peer-to-peer investing and socially responsible investing

Peer-to-peer lending, abbreviated P2PL, is the practice of lending money to unrelated individuals, or "peers", without going through a traditional financial intermediary such as a bank or other traditional financial institution. P2PL is not to be confused with peer to peer investing (P2PI). This lending takes place online on peer-to-peer lending companies' websites using various different lending platforms and credit checking tools. Many also use the abbreviation "P2P" when discussing the peer-to-peer lending or investing industries more generally. Peer-to-peer lending is also known as crowdlending.”

Peer-to-peer investing (P2PI) is the practice of investing money in notes to borrowers who are requesting a loan without going through a traditional financial intermediary and who are unknown to the investor.”

Socially responsible investing (SRI), also known as sustainable, socially conscious, "green" or ethical investing, is any investment strategy which seeks to consider both financial return and social good.”

Equity crowdfunding is the online offering of private company securities to a group of people to investment.”

“An ethical bank, also known as a social, alternative, civic, or sustainable bank, is a bank concerned with the social and environmental impacts of its investments and loans. The ethical banking movement includes: ethical investment, impact investment, socially responsible investment, corporate social responsibility, and is also related to such movements as the fair trade movement, ethical consumerism, and social enterprise.”

~ Wikipedia on ethical bank

Microfinance and microcredit

Microfinance is a source of financial services for entrepreneurs and small businesses lacking access to banking and related services.”

~ Wikipedia on microfinance

Microcredit is the extension of very small loans (microloans) to impoverished borrowers who typically lack collateral, steady employment and a verifiable credit history.”

~ Wikipedia on microcredit
More reading Impact of microcredit

What is APR, why does it matter?

“APR stands for the annual percentage rate.”

~ everyone on annual percentage rate

“[...] In many countries and jurisdictions, lenders (such as banks) are required to disclose the "cost" of borrowing in some standardized way as a form of consumer protection. APR is intended to make it easier to compare lenders and loan options.”

~ Wikipedia on annual percentage rate

“In EU all loaning operations must show the APR for their example loans that they use to market their services.”

~ European Parliament on law regarding advertisement of loans
  • APR can range from hundreds of percent to few tens of percent. Credit card debt is usually in the 10-15% zone.

Consumerium list of alternative financial services lists edit

Socially Responsible Investing edit

  • https://www.lendahand.com/ is an online impact investing platform where socially conscious investors can invest in entrepreneurs and sustainable
  • Kiva (.org) is an international nonprofit, founded in 2005 and based in San Francisco, with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. It provides P2P microcredits in 82 countries - Their slogan is "To connect people through lending to alleviate poverty"
  • https://www.openinvest.co/ is a w:Public-benefit corporation offering a platform for making socially responsible investments in USD.
  • United Prosperity (.org) is a non-profit organization offering P2P microcredit services and operates with PayPal payments. It does not lend directly to the receiver of the loan, but instead a bank. The microcredit offered by the investors is used as collateral for the bank resulting in the bank effectively loaning almost double the amount of money invested by the investor.
  • Zidisha (.org) is a non-profit P2P microcredit platform for investing in Africa and Asia. It is the first international P2P microcredit platform ever created.

Cryptocurrency based P2P lending services edit


Multiple countries / currencies edit

  • https://www.twino.eu/ is P2P lending service operating in the EU, Latvia, Poland, Russia, Georgia, Denmark, Spain and Kazakhstan. The site is available in English, German and Latvian.

Africa edit

Nigeria edit


Asia edit

List of Lending and financial service in India

Australia edit

List of P2P financial services in Australia edit

China edit

List of P2P financial services in China edit

Hong Kong edit

List of P2P financial services in Hong Kong edit

India edit

List of P2P financial services in India edit

Korea edit

  • 8Percent (.kr)is a korean P2P financing service for businesses
  • Funda (.kr) is a P2P financing service for SMEs
  • Honest Fund (.kr) is a P2P financing service by BMO
  • Lendit (.co.kr) is a korean P2P financing service for consumers
  • Roof Funding (.com) is a Korean P2P financing service for real estate

Marshall islands edit

List of P2P financial services in Marshall Islands edit


New Zealand edit

List of P2P financial services in New Zealand edit

Singapore edit

List of P2P financial services in Singapore edit

Europe edit

List of P2P financial services in Europe edit

Austria edit

List of P2P financial services in Austria edit

Belgium edit

List of P2P financial services in Belgium edit

Bulgaria edit

Cyprus edit

Czech republic edit

List of P2P financial services in Czech republic edit

Estonia edit

List of P2P financial services in Estonia edit

Finland edit

List of Finnish alternative financial services lists edit

View Consumerium list of price comparison services in Finland for more finance related comparison shopping websites].

List of P2P financial services in Finland edit

List of alternative investment schemes in Finland edit


France edit

List of P2P financial services in France edit

Germany edit

List of P2P financial services in Germany edit

List of P2P rental services in Germany edit

Ireland edit

List of P2P financial services in Ireland edit

Italy edit

List of P2P financial services in Italy edit

Latvia edit

List of P2P financial services in Latvia edit

List of investment services in Latvia edit

Lithuania edit

List of P2P financial services in Lithuania edit

Netherlands edit

List of P2P financial services in Netherlands edit

Poland edit

List of P2P financial services in Poland edit

Portugal edit

List of P2P financial services in Portugal edit

  • https://www.raize.pt/ is a Portuguese P2P loan service for SMEs. Raize was the first P2P financial service in Europe to go public with it's IPO in 2018


Slovakia edit

List of P2P financial services in Slovakia edit

Spain edit

List of P2P financial services in Spain edit

Sweden edit

Lists of P2P financial services in Sweden edit

Switzerland edit

UK edit

List of P2P financial services in UK edit

Lists of P2P financial services in UK edit

Middle East edit

Israel edit

List of P2P financial services in Israel edit

United Arab Emirates edit

List of P2P financial services in UAE edit

South America edit

Brasilia edit

List of P2P financial services in Brasilia edit

North America edit

Canada edit

Lists of P2P financial services in Canada edit

USA edit

Lists of P2P financial services in USA edit


Links to useful information on P2P lending edit