M-Shwari is a lending platform in Kenya that combines savings and loan features to offer credit solutions directly from a mobile device.

It is available to registered Safaricom subscribers with active M-pesa lines.

With its partnership with Safaricom, M-Shwari allows users to save, earn interest, and access loans instantly, making financial services more accessible to Kenyans.

A good loan limit on M-Shwari platform is important as it determines the amount of money one can borrow, directly showing that you have previously made repayments on time and transacted with M-pesa services efficiently. 

However, starting with a zero loan limit can be frustrating or a major setback, especially in times of urgent need. This article aims to guide those facing a zero M-Shwari loan limit on how to enhance their borrowing capacity. 

M-shwari Loan Limit

M-shwari loan limit is the highest loan amount you can get from the platform. You can access as low as Ksh. 100 and up to Ksh 50,000.

M-Shwari platform determines loan limits for its users based on several key factors to evaluate their creditworthiness and ensure responsible lending, and frequent M-Pesa transaction history. This entails the consistent use of M-Pesa services for transactions such as sending and receiving money, paying bills, and buying airtime. These activities give M-Shwari platform insights into your financial activity and your reliability.

Another factor is the timely repayment of previous loans with M-Shwari or other lending platforms monitored by credit reference bureaus. Late payments impact negatively on your loan limit.

Other factors like your savings behavior which demonstrates financial discipline and stability, overall financial health, and your blacklist status also influence your limits.

By understanding and optimizing these factors, you can work towards increasing your M-Shwari loan limits.

How to Check Your M-shwari Loan Limit

To check your M-shwari loan limit, follow the steps below:

1. Locate your “M-Pesa” menu.
2. Choose “Loans and Savings”
3. Select “M-Shwari” 
4. Choose “Loans” 
5. Then, click on where you have “Check limit” and the platform will display your loan limit immediately.

Why Your M-Shwari Loan Limits is Zero

Your M-Shwari loan limit might be zero due to factors like;

• Lack of sufficient and consistent transaction history with M-Pesa services.
• Poor repayment history with M-Shwari or other financial lenders in Kenya
• Minimal or no savings in your M-Shwari account
• Not using M-Shwari’s services for up to a period of 6 months.
• Being blacklisted for loan default.

How to Unlock M-shwari Loan Limit

To unlock or increase your M-Shwari loan limit, consider these factors:

• Increase M-Pesa Activity: We recommend that you regularly use M-Pesa for up to 6 months for transactions like buying and sending airtime and paying bills. Actively sending and receiving money through M-Pesa will help you establish a solid transaction history.
• Maintain Positive Repayment Behavior: Ensure to always repay your M-Shwari loans on time and in full. Don’t ever delay, see it as an urgent obligation. Late repayments negatively impact your creditworthiness and can decrease your loan limit on their app.
• Save Consistently with M-Shwari: Show M-shwari your responsible financial management by regularly saving money in your account. A high saving amount and consistent savings record can positively influence your loan limit by demonstrating financial stability.

How to Restore M-shwari Loan Limits

To restore your M-Shwari loan limits, do the following things below:

• Ensure you have used your line for up to six months
• Deposit high amounts and save consistently on M-shwari platform
• Send and receive money more on M-pesa as much as you can to keep it running and active.
• Use other M-shwari services to keep your line active by topping up data and airtime via Mpesa.
• To build a higher loan limit, send large amounts on your Mpesa regularly.
• Ensure you don’t have an outstanding loan both with M-Shwari or elsewhere. If you do, pay off all your outstanding loans.
• Make sure your name is not blacklisted by CRB.

How to Check your M-Shwari Loan Limits

Follow the steps below to check your M-shwari loan limits:

• Locate your “M-Pesa” menu.
• Choose “Loans and Savings”
• Select “M-Shwari”
• Choose “Loans”
• Then, click on where you have “Check limit” and the platform will display your loan limit immediately.

Conclusion

In conclusion, increasing your M-Shwari loan limit from zero entails working on your M-Pesa activity, maintaining a positive loan repayment history, and consistently saving a good amount with M-Shwari. 

While these actions can improve your chances, M-Shwari doesn’t guarantee you a higher limit when you achieve some of them. It’s important to manage your finances wisely, make use of M-Shwari loans responsibly, and remember that consistent, positive credit behavior is key to your financial life.

The Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) loan is an innovation that allows mobile phone users who may not be able to access mobile applications on their phones to apply for and receive a loan straight to their M-Pesa account within minutes. Recently, they even rolled out a *334# that allows users to access all M-Pesa services in a single code, making it a convenient option for many Kenyans seeking quick and easy access to loans.

It is often referred to as “Quick Codes”; a solution that saves time and is available for mostly Safaricom SIM cards and Airtel lines. In this article, I will show you 18 popular M-Pesa loan codes and reveal how you can access all services with a single *334# code.

15 quick USSD loan Code to M-Pesa

The following are some M-Pesa USSD loan codes you can access;

1. *879*99#: Bayes
2. *618#: HF Whizz
3. *844#: KCB M-Pesa
4. *682#: Okoa Mia
5. *660#: Okoa Thao
6. *269#: Pesa Pata
7. *339#: Pesa ChapChap
8. *841#: Zenka
9. *848#: Timiza
10. *243*90#: Sotiwa
11. *322#: Zazipay
12. *842#: Okolea
13. *234#: Fuliza
14. *222#: Mfanisi
15. *654#: NCBA Loop
16. *334#: M-Shwari
17. 21991 (SMS Number): Tala
18. *667#: Mco-opCash

What is M-Pesa?

M-Pesa is a Vodafone group plc and Safaricom product launched in 2007, which centers on a phone-based money transfer service. It is the most used account by loan providers in Kenya for disbursement of funds.

What is the M-Pesa Code?

An M-Pesa code is a unique USSD code that allows you to access specific M-Pesa services directly from your phone. By dialing the M-Pesa code *334#, you access a menu-based system that interacts with your mobile network provider and lets you perform various M-Pesa actions, including:

1. Sending and receiving money
2. Checking your M-Pesa balance
3. Paying bills
4. Buying airtime
5. Accessing loans (as highlighted in this blog post)

There are two main categories of M-Pesa Codes:

General M-Pesa Code: The general M-Pesa code *334# provides access to core M-Pesa services and is offered by Safaricom, the main mobile network provider supporting M-Pesa.

M-Pesa Partner Codes: These codes are offered by individual banks, microfinance institutions, and other organizations that provide services through M-Pesa. These codes will grant access to specific services offered by that partner. For example, the code for Equity Bank’s loan service (Timiza) is different from the general M-Pesa loan menu offered by Safaricom (Fuliza) as highlighted in the first section of this article.

How Does the M-Pesa Loan USSD Code Work?

USSD codes provide a menu-based interface for interacting with services on your phone. Here’s a simplified breakdown of how M-Pesa Loan USSD codes work;

1. Dial the *334# Code to initiate the process
2. Follow Menu Prompts: You’ll see a series of on-screen menus with options like “Send Money”, “Loans and Savings” or “Lipa Na M-PESA”
3. Select your desired option

Pros and Cons of Using USSD Code to Get M-pesa Loans

Pros:

1. It makes loan access easy 
2. No collateral is needed for USSD M-pesa loans
3. No internet connection needed to access the loan
4. You can easily use a Kabambe phone to get the loan. Smartphones are not necessarily needed.

Cons

1. Mobile USSD loans are expensive
2. Ussd loan amount is small
3. Sometimes it consumes airtime/credit, which can be costlier than buying Tunukiwa bundles.
4. It has a short repayment duration
5. Most times it comes with annoying reminders to pay up the loan before the due date.

How to repay loans using the quick USSD loan codes to M-Pesa

To learn how to repay your loan using the USSD code, contact the loan application customer service and verify whether you can repay using the USSD code. Before that, you must have funded your M-Pesa account or any other related accounts.

Conclusion 

Kindly note that you can access an instant M-Pesa loan when you don’t have a smartphone or have access to the internet.

When you need a simple emergency loan, worry less that you don’t have access to downloading a loan app when you don’t use a smartphone. Remember, the USSD code is the quick code for you.

Tough times have been the issue why people borrow. With Dave, obtaining financial support for your loan and budget won’t be a problem. You plan for upcoming expenses by using loan apps like Dave. Borrowing is also one peculiar thing you can do on these apps. These applications are all about financial management and support. 

Therefore, loan apps like Daves share almost the same features with Dave.

All You Need to Know About Loans Apps Like Dave

Loan apps like Dave only charge you a monthly subscription fee or a one time fee. Some do not charge at all. You do not have to worry about paying back a fixed and variable interest. Individuals can borrow up to a large minimum they need instantly.

Moreso, loan apps like Dave are majorly the best payday loan lenders.

Pros:

1. No fixed interest rates, management and support fee
2. Centers on financial management
3. No credit checks to determine your creditworthiness
4. You can borrow even if your credit score is not good.

4 Loan Apps Like Dave

Other Loan Apps Like Dave

We will jointly explore and discuss 6 other loan apps like Dave:

1. Branch International
2. Brigit
3. Sofi
4. Avant
5. Speedy Cash
6. ACE cash express

Branch International

They give users easy access to loans. Using the app, you can sign up for financial help, apply for loans and receive it within minutes. The app also helps you create a budget and access your earnings.

Brigit

This application is similar to Dave. It allows you to get up to $250 loans. You can budget and save on the app. With these you can get a clear view on your spending habits and keep track of the daily and monthly bills. Brigit gives a no-interest loan, flexible repayment and extension on advances.

Sofi

They offer many financial solutions to customers. The app gives you access to loan, trading of shares, stocks and cryptocurrencies. You are given a debit card which allows you to earn a reward when you spend on company’s brands.

Avant

You can use this loan app to borrow, see upcoming repayments and your payment history. Loan of up to $35,000 can be accessed. These loans can be processed within minutes.

Speedy Cash 

Speedy cash is one of the lending loan apps like Dave that provided access to different types of loans. The application allows you to manage your payday, credit or extra cash on your existing loans. You can borrow a minimum of $50 to $26,000 on the app.

ACE Cash Express

They give you a loan, manage it and refine it in fast and flexible steps. You can use the app to make repayments, schedule recurring expenses and plan on payments.

How you can get loans from these loan apps like Dave

Getting loans from these applications are simple and very flexible. The steps are:

1. Download the loans app
2. Install the app on your smartphone 
3. Register on the app and supply other required personal information 
4. Apply for the loan limit available for your through the “Apply” tab

Read up on how Dave Loan App reviews and how it works.

Who needs loan apps like Dave

1. Those with steady paycheck
2. Individuals who wish to get out of financial crises. These apps will help you to plan and budget
3. People who wants to assess their spending and borrowing habits
4. customers who need quick cash to settle emergency expenses.

You can also get a loan from the powerhouse National Bank of Kenya.

Conclusion

Loan apps like Dave make it easier for consumers to manage finances and get support when they need it. Some pay you cash advances based on money you earn, offer loans without interest, rewards for using the app, and so on. Finally, you can use these applications for planning, budgeting and many other things.

Ipesa offers instant loans without collateral.  Ipesa loan review is what this article targeted, and we discovered it is one of the best loan lender apps in Kenya. They provide quick loans to the citizens, both salary earners and business owners. Just be sure that you have a good credit score and proceed for the loans.

We will review Ipesa loans and we believe that all the information gathered will do a lot for you.

About Ipesa loans

Ipesa loan is owned by Osome Fintech Company, whose office is in Kenya. It is among the best and leading financial apps in Kenya. They are currently receiving a lot of positive reviews, rating and good accolades online. The system uses algorithms to track your creditworthiness. It scans your mobile phone information to determine your readiness to repay loans on time.

What you need to know about Ipesa loans

Ipesa uses data on your phone to verify your identity to make lending approval decisions. Follow a few steps and you are ready to be a beneficiary of Ipesa loans. The steps are:

1. Download and install the app on your mobile
2. Create an account on the app
3. Enter your details where necessary 
4. View your loan limit. You can apply immediately if you wish
5. Loan disbursement is directly paid into your M-Pesa account 
6. Make early repayment and increase your loan limits.

Minimum and maximum Amount to borrow 

The minimum amount to borrow ranges from ksh.500 to Ksh.50,000. Repayment duration also ranges from 91 days to 180 days. In addition, Ipesa maximum APR on loans is 36%.

How to get Ipesa loans

To get Ipesa loans, follow the procedures below:

1. Download the app on google play store
2. Create an account with your Safaricom phone number 
3. Input all your personal information 
4. View the loan amount you qualify for and fill the application form
5. Select your loan repayment duration 
6. If approved, you will receive your loan within minutes.

Interest rates for Ipesa loans

For a loan duration of 14days, Ipesa will charge you 15% taking so many factors into consideration. Their average interest rate is 12% APR. They also have 0% service charge. The charges also depend on your repayment history and lending cost.

Ipesa loan requirements 

To obtain loan through Ipesa, you have to provide the following requirements;

1. Posses a Safaricom phone number linked to your M-Pesa account 
2. Have a national ID
3. Open an M-Pesa account 
4. A smart android phone 
5. Be willing to grant Ipesa access to read your phone data.

Ipesa loan app

Features of Ipesa loan app range from:

1. 23,067 reviews on Google play store
2. 4.2 star ratings
3. Has over 1million downloads on Google play store 
4. Memory space of 7.0MB.

Benefits of Ipesa loans

The various things you would gain why using Ipesa app are:

1. No sort of hidden  or secret extra charges 
2. They do not need collateral or any form of documents 
3. You data and processed information is secured
4. They have good customer support team
5. As you pay up your loan, you can borrow up to Ksh. 50,000

How to repay Ipesa loans

Follow through the steps on how to repay your Ipesa loans;

1. Launch your M-Pesa account 
2. Choose lips na M-Pesa and select paybill 
3. Input paybill number as 192010
4. On the account number section,  enter only your M-Pesa number linked to your account 
5. Type in the amount you wish to repay
6. Enter your M-Pesa pin
7. Confirm details you provided press Ok
8. Receive SMS for successful repayment 

Frequently asked questions and answers

What should I do when my payment does not reflect. 

When payment is made and it doesn’t reflect,  contact the customer care immediately.  Note down your transaction information. Wait for few hours to get feedback. 

What happens when I overpay 

Try as much as possible to contact the support team. They will work on your account and reconcile all excesses and deposit it to your M-Pesa account within  15 days.

What happens during late repayments

2% fee is charged per day on the principal amount. You are urged to repay your loans early so as not to exceed the due date. Exceeding the due date will lower your creditworthiness. 

Example: 

Assuming you borrowed Ksh. 1000 to pay back within 180 days and you exceeded with a week, you will pay the following:

Interest: 1000 x 12% = Ksh. 120

Penalty: 1000 x 2% x 7days = Ksh. 140

Total Amount = Principal + interest = penalty

= 1000 + 120 + 140 = Ksh. 1,260

This is what the analysis looks like but you can avoid all of these if you try as much as possible to repay early.

When you don’t repay early your name and other details will be forwarded to the Credit Reference Bureau (CRB). It will affect your next borrowing and you won’t even be able to borrow from other lending app.

Can I request to repay later aside from the date.

The answer is No. Start early to pay in bits so you can pay off all debt before the duration date. Avoid borrowing amount that you can’t repay

How to contact Ipesa loans

To contact Ipesa loans, reach them out on their customer care service on +05488888888. You can also email them at help@ipesa.cc. Contact them on Facebook @ Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/iPesaKenya/

You can also visit their office at: ADLIFE PLAZA, CHANIA AVENUE, NAIROBI.

Conclusion 

Ipesa is one of the best lending apps in Kenya, they take loan repayments with utmost importance. As a result, endeavour to repay your loan as at when due to avoid any sort of penalties. Your loan limit also progresses as you borrow and repay early. It is a convenient, easy, fast, and reliable lending agency. Besides, the steps taken to borrow loans are quick.

Shika platform understands that even if you are employed, sometimes you need some extra cash to take care of some needs and waiting for payday could seem like forever, hence Shika empowers you financially to keep you going.

Shika, as a loan access platform, understands the need to lower the barriers preventing accessibility of credit and hence offers swift and flexible access to loans irrespective of your class without jeopardizing credit risk/loss. 

There are more interesting things about the Shika loan app that we’ll let you know in this article.

About Shika Loan

Shika Loan and its app was the first product of Alternative Circle founded by Kevin Mutiso in March 2016 with a mission to render financial access to over 200 million people worldwide. 

Shika is a lending platform that provides instant access to micro loans and flexible repayment plans for people who meet their basic eligibility criteria.

Customers using Shika are able to know their loan limits before taking loans. Shika only requires you to have an active M-Pesa mobile money account registered with a Safaricom number.

The platform is also available for financial institutions who can leverage on it to reach potential borrowers.

Maximum and Minimum Loan to Get From Shika Loan App

Shika loan app offers its customers a minimum of Kshs. 500 and up to Kshs. 10,000 which is to be repaid in 30 days with no hidden charges.

Shika will predict your loan limit and how much you would have to repay before you proceed with your loan application. This limit is determined by your credit history. A good loan history earns you higher loan limits.

How to Apply for a Shika Loan.

Getting a loan from Shika is very easy and you can get it within 3 minutes as long as you meet their basic eligibility criteria. You can get a Shika loan through the following steps:

1. Download the Shika Loan App: You can download this application from the website.

2. Create an account: To create an account, you would provide a valid national ID and an M-Pesa account registered with a Safaricom phone number.

3. Apply for a loan: Once you successfully create a Shika account, you can view your loan limits on the dashboard and click on apply for a loan, which is within your eligible loan limit/duration.

4. Upon application, your loan request is sent in for approval and once approved, your loan would be disbursed to your M-Pesa account within three minutes.

Interest Rates

They fix interest rate for Shika loan at a rate of 15% for 30 days irrespective of the loan amount.

Elegibility Criteria

Getting a loan from Shika requires you to meet their basic eligibility criteria. Which are:

1. Signing up for a Shika account already requires you to have an active M-Pesa mobile money account.

2. As a new user on the Shika app, you build your loan eligibility from your M-Pesa transaction history. However, subsequent eligibility is from your reputation on the Shika app which they draw from your frequency of loan requests and repayments.

Note: A good transaction/loan history often qualifies you for higher loan amounts on the Shika app.

Requirements for Taking up Shika Loan

You would need to meet the under listed requirements before you can access Shika loans through its app.

1. Be at least 18 years of age at the time of registration on Shika
2. Have/possess a valid National ID card
3. Have an M-Pesa mobile money account registered with a Safaricom mobile number and have at least 4 months of active M-Pesa transactions.
4. Have an excellent credit history with Shika and other loan providers
5. The Credit Bureau of Kenya must not blacklist you

Shika App Review

Shika loan is ideal for financing your personal or small business needs and can be accessed through the app. With the Shika app, you don’t need to wait for long hours to get a loan. The features of Shika app range from:

1. Easy access and flow of command and response.

2. The intuitive design of the Shika loan application makes loan application, disbursement and repayment process seamless. 

3. Shika app is secured and offers flexible eligibility loan limit repayment options on the dashboard.

How to Repay Your Shika Loan

You can repay loans collected from the Shika app either through M-Pesa or the Shika loan app.

Loan repayments on Shika are flexible, so one can choose to repay in daily or weekly installments as long as the repayment window is not exceeded. For loan repayments via the Shika loan app:

1. Login to the Shika loan app

2. Click on the Repay button on your dashboard

3. Copy the displayed Shika loan number

4. Complete your payment on the displayed M-Pesa page

For loan repayments via M-Pesa:

1.  Login to your M-Pesa account
2. Click on “Lipan a M-Pesa” and select PayBill
3. Enter the Shika loan PayBill number
4. Put in your phone number on the Shika app
5. Enter repayment amount
6. Authorize the transaction with your M-Pesa transaction PIN
7. Check for payment notifications from M-Pesa and Shika

Extra Important Information on Shika Loan and its App

• Please take note and heed that failure to repay a loan within stipulated repayment window attracts extra charges on the collected loan.
• If you do not repay a loan 30 days after the repayment window, they add an extra charge of 10% to the loan amount to repay.
•  Failure to comply and repay the loan after 60 days, they blacklist the customer on the Credit Bureau of Kenya.

How to Reach out Shika Loans 

For more information on Shika loans, you can reach out to their support via email@ shika-app.com or call 0742143999.

Conclusion 

Shika loan app and its platform have proven to be helpful to individuals and businesses who need access to easy finance without going through the stress of tight and stringent documentation obtainable in most financial institutions.

Shika app and its platform also offer one of the competitive rates in the Kenyan micro lending space, there’s no doubt that more individuals and businesses would resort to Shika loan app and its full platform.

If you are looking for fast and convenient means to get loans in times of emergency, Usawa loan app could provide the best alternative. Usawa is one of the best mobile loan service providers in Kenya.

You can apply for a loan from the comfort of your home with your smartphone or mobile device.

However, you must be a Kenyan or live in Kenya to be eligible for Usawa loan. Since its debut, Usawa has received 10,000 downloads with over 1000 active users. 

What you need to apply for Usawa loans 

Most individuals are often sceptical about accessing loans because of the dodgy terms associated with some financial institutions.

That is why we have taken our time to enumerate everything you need to know about Usawa loan to clear your doubts. 

Here are some requirements for applying for Usawa loan.

1. You do not need to have a bank account before applying for Usawa loan.
2. An Android phone to download and install the Usawa mobile app.
3. A registration fee of 400 Kenyan Shillings to activate your account.
4. Aside from the registration fee, they do not require you to bring any form of collateral to acquire the loan.
5. You must be resident in Kenya and have a Kenyan passport or ID number to be eligible for the loan.

How to Apply For Usawa Loans 

Once you have fulfilled the criteria listed before, then you are ready to get your Usawa loan. To successfully apply for a loan on the Usawa mobile app, you need to take the following steps below:

1. Download and install the Usawa mobile app from their website or Google play store
2. Create an account with the necessary information required
3. To activate your account, you must pay the mandatory registration fee of 400 Kenyan Shillings. 
4. Then, you can apply for your loan.
5. Submit your application.
6. When your loan is approved, you will receive a notification. Usawa will then deposit the funds into your M-Pesa wallet on the app. 

As a first time user, you may not be qualified to apply for some loan amounts. Usawa will request that you fill a questionnaire which will determine your loan amount and pay the membership fee as well.

Usawa Membership Fees And Paybill

The Membership fee for Usawa loan is KES 400. All members who pay the membership fees qualify for the first loan. You can pay via M-pesa following the steps below:

1. Launch M-Pesa on your phone 
2. Choose paybill number 
3. Type in the paybill number as 138103
4. Enter your phone number as your account number 
5. Input your M-Pesa pin
6. Wait for a confirmation SMS from M-Pesa

Usawa Loan Interest Rate

The interest rate for the Usawa loan is 12%. They charge this on each amount you apply for.

Usawa Loan Repayment Period

Usawa has a repayment duration of 91 days minimum and 36 months maximum 

Minimum and Maximum Loan Amount For Usawa Loan

The quick Usawa loan platform offers loans ranging from Ksh. 500 to Ksh. 1,000,000. As you progress, the loan limit increases.

Usawa USSD Code

You can dial *483*012# to register and apply for the loan. Those who cannot download the app on their phones or those who do not own a smartphone mainly use the USSD code. 

How to Download Usawa Loan App

The procedure below is the steps you can follow to download Usawa loan app:

1. You can download the Usawa loan app by visiting the website or Google play store.  
2. Click the application and then select install to download the app
3. Proceed to create an account on the app
4. After that, you can start applying for loans.

How to Repay Usawa Loans

Usawa loans are strict with their repayment policy. After receiving your loan, you must pay back on or before the due date as late repayment attracts extra charges.

You can pay back your Usawa loan through your M-Pesa Paybill with these simple steps:  

1. Log into your M-Pesa through your Safaricom SIM Toolkit. 
2. Select the ‘Lipa na M-Pesa’ option on the menu bar.
3. Type your Usawa Paybill Number into the available column. The official Paybill Number for Usawa is 138103. 
4. Input your M-Pesa phone number in place of your account number. 
5. Next, fill the loan amount you want to repay. 
6. Then, type your unique M-Pesa pin. 
7. Cross-check your details before submitting your payment. 

How to Contact Usawa Loans

If you encounter any challenge while applying for your loan, you can contact their customer care agents through these channels:

i. You can call or send an SMS to +254790639990

ii. Or email admin@usawa.co.ke

iii. You can also check out their website.

Conclusion

Usawa serves as a source of financial aid for individuals who cannot meet the rigid terms and conditions of obtaining loans from banks.

It is easily accessible and repaying your Usawa loan on time increases your credibility to acquire more loans. You are also qualified and eligible to apply for larger loan amounts if you pay on time.