FASTA
Short Term Loans · 55 reviews
#16
Rank
5.2/10
Our Score
Loan Conditions
Amount
R500 – R15 000
Term
1 month – 6 months
Interest Rate
28.75%
First Loan Free
No
Minimal Age
18+
FASTA Loan Calculator
Monthly Payment
R2 652
Total Repayment
R10 606
Total Interest
R606
Estimate for FASTA. Actual amounts may differ based on fees and your credit profile.
Pros & Cons
Advantages
- ✓ Interest rate of 28.75% per annum is low relative to most short-term lenders in this category
- ✓ Loan terms up to 180 days give you more breathing room than a standard 30-day payday loan
- ✓ Fully online application with no branch visits required
- ✓ Loan amounts from R500 mean smaller loans are available, not just big ticket amounts
- ✓ Same-day payout advertised for approved applications
Disadvantages
- ✗ Trust score of 1.9 out of 10 based on customer reviews we collected is genuinely low and raises real questions
- ✗ No first loan free option, which several competitors do offer
- ✗ Ranked 16th out of 37 lenders we assessed, so there are better-rated options available
- ✗ Short-term loan structure means total repayment costs can still add up even at a lower rate if fees are stacked on top of interest
About FASTA
If you need a few thousand rand quickly and you've landed on FASTA, you're probably in a hurry. FASTA is a short-term credit provider aimed at South Africans who need between R500 and R15,000 with repayment terms running from 30 to 180 days. The application is online, the process is meant to be fast, and the loan amounts sit in that uncomfortable middle ground where you need more than a payday advance but less than a personal loan from a bank.
Here's the thing though. We rated FASTA 5.2 out of 10, which puts them at number 16 out of 37 lenders we analysed. That's a middling score. Not terrible, but not a recommendation either. The interest rate of 28.75% per annum is actually on the lower end for short-term lenders, which counts in their favour. What drags the score down is the customer feedback we collected, which gives them a trust score of just 1.9 out of 10. That's hard to ignore.
Our verdict: worth considering if you need a quick loan and the rate works for you, but go in with your eyes open.
How Does FASTA Work?
1. Go to fasta.co.za and complete the online application form. You'll enter your personal details, employment information and the loan amount you want.
2. FASTA uses open banking or bank statement analysis to verify your income and affordability. This happens digitally so you don't need to email documents manually.
3. A credit assessment is run, typically within minutes during business hours, and you get a decision fairly quickly.
4. If approved, you accept the loan agreement electronically. Read it before you sign.
5. Funds are transferred to your bank account. FASTA advertises same-day or next-business-day payouts in most cases.
Requirements
- Must be 18 years or older with a valid South African ID
- Must be employed or have a regular, verifiable income
- A South African bank account that receives your salary or income
- 3 months of recent bank statements or access via open banking link
- A working South African cellphone number and email address
- Must pass FASTA's affordability assessment under NCA guidelines
Who Is FASTA Best For?
FASTA suits a salaried employee who needs between R1,000 and R10,000 to cover an unexpected expense like a car repair or medical bill and can realistically pay it back within one to six months. It's not aimed at people who are already over-indebted or using loans to cover monthly shortfalls. If that's your situation, a loan here will make things worse.
Is FASTA Safe & Legit?
FASTA operates as a registered credit provider under the National Credit Act, which means they are subject to NCR oversight. The NCA sets limits on fees and interest, requires affordability assessments before any loan is approved, and gives you the right to apply for debt counselling if you're over-indebted. As with any registered lender in South Africa, your agreement must include a pre-agreement statement and quotation. Keep a copy of everything you sign.
Registered Credit Provider (NCR)
Our Full Review
Let's start with what FASTA gets right. A 28.75% annual interest rate is actually reasonable for a short-term lender in South Africa. To put that in rand terms, on a R5,000 loan over 30 days at that rate, the interest component alone would be around R120. Now, your total repayment cost will be higher once you add initiation fees and the monthly service fee that the NCA permits lenders to charge, so always ask for the full cost of credit before accepting any offer. But on the interest rate alone, FASTA is not trying to clean you out.
The loan range of R500 to R15,000 with terms between 30 and 180 days is genuinely useful. Six months is long enough to make repayments manageable on a mid-range loan, and that separates FASTA from the pure payday lenders who want their money back in 30 days whether you're ready or not.
So where does it fall apart? The customer reviews we collected tell a different story from the marketing. A trust score of 1.9 out of 10 across 46 reviews is low enough to take seriously. Complaints tend to cluster around communication problems, unexpected deduction amounts and difficulty resolving disputes. That doesn't mean every applicant has a bad experience, but it's a pattern we can't dismiss.
The application itself is digital and generally quick during business hours. Same-day payout is possible but not guaranteed. If you apply late on a Friday, don't count on seeing money before Monday.
Is FASTA the best option on the market right now? Based on everything we looked at, no. The rate is competitive, but 15 lenders in our analysis scored higher overall. If you're set on applying, use the pre-agreement quotation to check the full repayment amount before you commit. Never sign a loan agreement without knowing exactly what you'll pay back.
User Reviews (55)
Average rating: 1.3/5
UNPROFESSIONAL AND POOR BUSINESS ETHIC!!!
Account was paid up to date prior to debit date. Settlement letter received, however tracking and debit order on my account was not stopped. Loan status still remains open on my web profile. No response to emails. Terrible customer service.
Worst loan company
I paid my loan early for good review then they still debit me again the same amount i paid in full and been trying to call and email them for a refund no response
Adrian Wood from Fasta is a ****mer
I have taken a small payday loan from Fasta and have successfully repaid my account, after closer research I noticed a lot of negative reviews and decided that I would like to execute my right to request for a profile closure, I logged a ticket for the request and have been communicating with Adrian Wood, a representative that has refused to honour my request claiming certain legal responsibilities that I have. This is absolutely frustrating as I have no financial responsibility to your company and I have requested further information which was not provided. I do not trust your company and your employees especially Adrian Wood as I have full and detailed understanding of the process as I work in a financial services environment, as an account holder I have every right to disable my account at my own discretion and I have lost trust in your company and need my request to be completed. I understand that certain basic information may be kept on record for a period of 3-5years however a permanent disablement of my account means that no further changes or applications can be added to my account, this is my basic right and trust me, I would be escalating this matter further if this is not resolved. Adrian Wood is looking to **** me out of more money when my account is fully repaid, I am appealing to the public to please stay away from these people.
Problems getting hold of an agent
So generally I have excellent service by Fasta. However today, afta countless emails and trying to get an agent to chat with me, it's very impossible,and frustrating. I settled my account on the 3rd march, and spoke to an agent yesterday to confirm they received payment. She said yes and it will for the latest be updated today. However I need to access urgent funds to repair my vehicle as I need to be on the road tomorrow for work. And nobody is getting back to me, or updating my profile so I can get another quotation for a loan... I just need a time line as to when I am able to apply again..
Stay away
Worst company I've ever had the displeasure of dealing with.
Fasta loans a ****
Stay away from this company, they keep debiting your account even after you have settled them. They change payment dates and randomly debits, they do not update when you have settled them. Making you desperate 😭
Reverse payment
I have been waiting for these guys to do a refund on a debit that went through a day after doing an immediate payment of outstanding funds, nobody has reached out to me, they don't even have a contact number to call them, i have opened multiple tickets on they support email.
Payment Allocation
I am lodging a formal complaint against Fasta Loan regarding the mismanagement of my loan account. On 20th February 2026, I made a manual payment of R693, 34 to Fasta Loan. Despite providing proof of payment, this amount has not been correctly allocated to my account. Instead, Fasta Loan continues to process debit orders against my account, which does not have sufficient funds. This has resulted in repeated failed transactions and unnecessary stress. I have attempted to resolve this matter directly with Fasta Loan, but the issue remains unresolved. I request that: 1. My manual payment be correctly allocated to my loan account immediately. 2. Debit orders against my account be suspended until the payment allocation issue is resolved. 3. Written confirmation be provided to me that the matter has been corrected. This situation reflects poor account management and unfair treatment of customers. I trust HelloPeter will assist in ensuring Fasta Loan addresses this issue urgently and professionally. Regards, David Tsukulu
Pathetic Service
This is in behalf of my partner. He took out a loan and settled it with them as agreed on the 20th of February 2026. They acknowledged receipt of payment, processed and approved another loan but still continued to debit that amount again a few days later. We have been chasing them down for a full refund as they are sitting with funds thar don't belong to them however nobody ever answers from their support team. It's even worse they tell you to wait 48 hours for resolution and never bother to answer any of your follow ups days later...and guess what. Still no refund. They don't even have a number to contact them on. I WANT MY MONEY YOU *******!!
FASTA Cancelled My Loan Due to Their Own Delay – Unfair Treatment
On 14 February 2026, my FASTA loan application was confirmed as complete and progressing well. Later that evening, I was informed that the DebiCheck process could not be completed due to it being late on a Saturday night, and that it would resume at 9am the following morning. Despite this, at approximately 5:15am on 15 February 2026, I received a message stating that my loan application had been cancelled due to being “incomplete.” I had completed all required legal steps on my side. The delay was on FASTA’s side, as DebiCheck could not be processed at that time. Cancelling my application before giving the promised opportunity to resume the process is unfair and unreasonable. I am requesting that FASTA urgently review this matter and either reinstate my application or provide a proper written explanation. I am disappointed with the lack of fairness and communication in this process.
****med by fasta
I paid up fasta loan only for them to debit my money while I am done paying when I try to send the emails they do not respond I would never ever recommend this to anyone
Money debited from account even though loan has been payed off.
I settled my loan with them four days before my scheduled debit order and received a settlement letter. However on the 15 my account was debited and I have lodged a query and 48 hours later I have not received any feedback. I need a refund and they are not assisting me.
Refund without noticing deduction
I had a little issue with them, regarding December deduction of my debut order witch was moved up earlier than expected, I paid it and the deducted anyway, I didn't even notice it and the refunded it, very trustworthy loaners, I'm happy with my experience
Not Happy
They Debited before the debited order date and i occurred chargers. In December they again did the same and debit my account twice and the dont have call center. I have logged a request Ticket #731454 for refund and i have still not received any feedback on their support site while is over 48hrs as per the emails am receiving
NO RESPONSE
I made a payment to Fasta, They haven't confirm payment yet and continue to send me reminders for payment. I e - mailed the proof of payment to them.
FASTA LOANS HORROR SERVICE
I took out a loan from Fasta Loans last month. I was informed that my repayment date would be the 12th of December, as they debit earlier than the actual due date, which is the 27th. I then made arrangements to pay on the 19th of December, as that is when I receive my salary. On the 19th of December, I logged into their website and paid off the loan in full. The system generated a paid-up loan confirmation. After settling the loan, I app**** for a new one. My application was approved, and the funds were deposited into my account. However, immediately after the funds were received, Fasta Loans deducted the amount for the previous loan, which had already been settled. This means I was charged twice for the same loan. I am extremely angry and upset about this situation, especially because they have not responded to my emails. Their service is very poor, as there is no contact number available—only an email address for support. Despite contacting them on the 19th of December, I have received no response up to today, the 23rd of December 2025. This situation has caused me significant inconvenience, and I am very disappointed with their lack of communication and customer service.
COMPLAINT
It's 3 days and I have not yet received a call to sort out my query.I am incurring extra charges each day and my credit report is being impacted negatively.
Update my account PLS
I am dissatisfied with the service from FASTA Loans. I settled my account, yet it has still not been updated. I also sent an email with no response. Could you please advise why this is happening?
Bad company
I have been ****med by fasta how do they process loans and everything with ought talking to us they debited me R5888 for a loan I never took the their consultants didn't even want to hear my story they continue to debit me I even closed my account I had no money for food in November
No settlement letter provided
Settled loan in full via EFT but have not received settlement letter. Instead received an email stating deduction will be early this month. Logged with support and attached proof of payment but no response. Sent numerous emails with proof of payment that have also gone unanswered.
Showing 20 of 55 reviews
Frequently Asked Questions
How much can I borrow from FASTA?
FASTA offers loans from R500 up to R15,000. The amount you're actually approved for depends on your income, credit history and affordability assessment. Don't assume you'll get the maximum on a first application.
What interest rate does FASTA charge?
FASTA charges 28.75% per annum. That's lower than many short-term lenders in South Africa, where rates can push well above 40% annually. Bear in mind that initiation fees and monthly service fees are added on top of interest, so always ask for the total cost of credit in rands.
How fast does FASTA pay out?
FASTA advertises same-day payouts for approved applications. In practice this depends on when you apply and which bank you use. Apply early in the morning on a weekday for the best chance of same-day transfer.
Is FASTA registered with the NCR?
FASTA states it operates as a registered credit provider under the National Credit Act. You can verify any lender's registration directly on the NCR website at ncr.org.za before you apply. We recommend doing this as a standard check with any lender.
Can I get a FASTA loan with bad credit?
FASTA does consider applicants who don't have perfect credit scores, but they still run an affordability and credit check as required by the NCA. Having bad credit won't automatically disqualify you, but it may affect the amount you're offered or whether you're approved at all.
What documents do I need?
You'll typically need your South African ID, proof of a bank account that receives your income, and three months of bank statements. FASTA may use open banking to pull statements directly. Have your cellphone number and email address ready as well.