Lending Stream

Assessment

Lending Stream is used by UK adults who need a small loan quickly and may not qualify at a bank. It has served more than 1 million customers and approves more than 50,000 applications a month. Its best use cases are emergency costs such as a car repair or a bill, with new customers borrowing $67 to $1,072 and returning customers up to $2,010. At a representative APR of 1,271%, it is one of the most expensive forms of credit, and its main competitors are Creditspring, Fair Finance, Drafty, and payday lenders.

The business has lent since 2008 and is run in the UK by GAIN Credit LLC, formerly Lending Stream LLC, and is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Mark Fiander is group chief executive. A $402 loan over six months at a fixed 292% a year means six payments of $129.14 and $774.89 repaid in total.

It fits a borrower who has been turned down elsewhere, needs money the same day, and has a clear plan to repay. It is a weak fit for anyone who can borrow from a bank, credit union, or Creditspring, all of which cost far less, and for ongoing spending needs.

Rating by criterion

We score each of the eight criteria out of 100.

Sector criteria

Vendor criteria

Against its peers

These are the other companies in lending and credit infrastructure, with their ratings.

User comments

We read Lending Stream’s home page, its fee terms, and its public review summary to see what borrowers value, and set them against the main limit a borrower meets.

• Upside

  “Borrowers rate the speed and the fixed six-month schedule, and the site holds an Excellent rating on Trustpilot from more than 35,000 reviews.”

• Downside

  “The cost is very high, with a representative APR of 1,271%, so a borrower who can get credit elsewhere will pay much less.”

Where customer reviews couldn't be found, our analysts attempted to give a voice to buyer sentiment, drawing on real information from review sites, forums and product documentation.

Based on: Lending Stream home page; Trustpilot, Lending Stream.

Fact file

Competitive landscape

UK short-term and small-sum lenders a borrower would compare with Lending Stream.

• Lending Stream67
• Zopa80
• Abound76
• Creditspring72
• Fair Finance65
• DraftyNot reviewed
• MoneyboatNot reviewed

Comparisons

• Creditspring vs Lending Stream

Key leadership

• Mark Fiander

Mark Fiander is group chief executive of GAIN Credit, which runs Lending Stream. He joined the group in February 2016 from the Money Advice Service, where he was an executive director.

How this review was created

This profile gives our own assessment of Lending Stream to companies selecting a Lending & credit infrastructure provider. The Fintech Index receives nothing for featuring a firm, for sponsorship, or for advertising, and Lending Stream gave us no payment for the profile.

The rating equals the average of eight criteria, with every criterion running from 0 to 100. Four address buyer needs in this sector, and four address the company together with its commercial terms.

Ratings are our editorial judgment, made from public information: pricing and legal pages, product documentation, compliance disclosures, public reviews and filings. Fact-checking took place on November 3, 2026. Figures reported in pounds were converted to US dollars at the Federal Reserve H.10 rate of $1.3398 per pound on October 30, 2026.