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Irish Personal Loans: Rate, Term and Eligibility Comparison
Compare seven Irish personal loans from 5.0% to 19.9% APR, including fixed-rate certainty, green lending and credit union rebates.
Quick Picks
Best for large loans: Avant Money Personal Loan, with a 6.1% fixed APR on loans over €30,000.
Best for existing bank customers: PTSB Personal Loan, with 6.2% variable APR from €25,000.
Best for flexibility: Credit Union Personal Loan, where a year-end interest rebate may reduce the effective cost.
I compared the published APR ranges, borrowing limits, repayment terms and access conditions across seven Irish personal-loan providers. The cheapest headline rate is not automatically the cheapest loan: amount thresholds, variable pricing and account requirements can change the result.
Rates and terms shown are representative. Your actual rate depends on your credit profile and circumstances. This is not financial advice — always read the lender's terms before applying.
What changed in the rate comparison
The published starting rates now separate sharply by loan size and purpose. BOI advertises a graduate rate from 5.0% for up to €5,000, Avant Money lists 6.1% fixed for loans above €30,000, and PTSB lists 6.2% variable from €25,000. Those figures are not interchangeable: a borrower seeking €6,000 cannot simply claim the lowest large-loan rate.
Purpose-specific pricing also matters. AIB lists a 6.4% Green Loan for qualifying purchases such as solar panels, electric vehicles and energy-efficient heating, below its standard 8.65–8.95% variable APR range. According to AIB's personal-loan page, the product choice affects the rate as much as the borrower's profile.
The other trend is digital access. PTSB offers in-app instant approval for existing customers, AIB says online approval can take under three hours for loans below €30,000, and Revolut keeps the application entirely in-app. Speed is useful, but it should not distract from the repayment amount or the risk of a variable rate.
Lowest published rates, with important conditions
The lowest figures in this comparison come with thresholds or eligibility rules. Read the amount band first, then the APR.
Avant Money Personal Loan
Avant Money is my rate-certainty pick for borrowing above €30,000. Its published 6.1% APR is fixed, so the monthly repayment does not move if market rates rise; that is a meaningful difference from PTSB, AIB and BOI variable-rate loans. Terms extend to 10 years for larger amounts, which can lower the monthly bill but increases total interest. The limitation is the threshold: this headline rate does not help someone borrowing €8,000, and the provider charges higher rates for smaller amounts. There is no branch network, only online and phone service. Best for a borrower taking at least €30,000 who values a fixed repayment more than the possibility of benefiting from future rate cuts.
PTSB Personal Loan
PTSB comes close to Avant Money at 6.2% APR, but the pricing is variable and applies to loans from €25,000 to €75,000. The published tiers are 8.8% up to €9,999 and 7.2% from €10,000 to €24,999, so the advertised rate is reserved for a relatively large borrowing amount. Existing customers get the most convenient route: instant approval through the app, provided they have a PTSB current account and Open24 access. A five-year term is available, extending to 10 years for home improvements, and variable-rate loans have no early-repayment penalty. Best for an existing PTSB customer borrowing €25,000 or more who accepts repayment risk in exchange for a low starting rate.
Avant Money wins on fixed-rate certainty; PTSB wins on digital access for qualifying customers. Neither is the obvious answer for a small loan, where the rate bands become much less attractive. That is where purpose-based discounts and lower minimums deserve attention.
Smaller borrowing and purpose-led discounts
A €3,000 or €8,000 loan should be judged on its actual band, not a lender's lowest headline. AIB and BOI have the most interesting small-loan exceptions, while Revolut trades a lower maximum for a fully digital process.
Bank of Ireland Personal Loan
BOI has the most striking small-loan rate in the group: graduates may access pricing from 5.0% APR on up to €5,000. That is below the large-loan rates from PTSB and Avant Money, but the eligibility gate is narrow because a graduate current account is required. Standard personal-loan pricing runs from 7.1% to 8.9% variable APR, and the option to defer the first three monthly repayments can help cash flow without changing the underlying cost. Existing customers can complete an online application in about 15 minutes, according to the bank's published information. Best for a recent graduate with the qualifying BOI account who needs no more than €5,000 and can manage a variable repayment.
AIB Personal Loan
AIB's standard 8.65–8.95% variable APR is not the cheapest here, but the 6.4% Green Loan changes the calculation for qualifying purchases. Solar panels, an electric vehicle or energy-efficient heating may receive pricing well below the standard product. The €1,000 minimum is the lowest in this comparison, and AIB says loans under €30,000 can receive online approval in under three hours. The trade-offs are a required AIB current account for online applications and variable repayments with no fixed-rate certainty. Best for an AIB customer borrowing at least €1,000 for an eligible home or transport upgrade rather than an ordinary holiday or general purchase.
Revolut Personal Loan
Revolut keeps the process inside its app and publishes a 6.5–12.99% variable APR range for €2,000 to €30,000. That starting rate is lower than AIB's standard personal loan and below BOI's standard range, but approval and pricing still depend on the applicant's profile. The maximum is €30,000, less than the €75,000 available from most bank and credit-union options, and a Revolut account is required. There is no fixed-rate alternative, so the monthly payment can change. The provider also warns that missed repayments can put the account into arrears and affect the borrower's credit position, a detail applicants should not skim past. Best for an existing Revolut customer borrowing between €2,000 and €30,000 who values an app-only application and can tolerate variable pricing.
BOI is the specialist pick for eligible graduates, AIB makes sense for qualifying green spending, and Revolut prioritises app convenience over borrowing capacity. The published pages also show why eligibility cannot be reduced to a credit score: account ownership, loan purpose, amount and repayment term all affect the available offer. See the official PTSB personal-loan information and Revolut's Irish personal-loan page before relying on any advertised starting rate.
Flexible access versus the widest pricing range
The final comparison is less about the lowest number and more about how the lender handles access, membership and repayment structure. Credit unions and An Post cover borrowers who may not want a conventional bank relationship, but their rate ranges need closer inspection.
Credit Union Personal Loans in Ireland
Credit unions publish rates from 8.0% to 12.68% APR, with borrowing from €1,000 to €75,000 and terms reaching 10 years for larger amounts. That is not the cheapest headline pricing, yet the year-end interest rebate can reduce the effective cost below the quoted APR depending on the individual credit union's policy. Membership is required, and rates vary materially between branches, so a borrower should request a written repayment schedule rather than assume the national range applies. Face-to-face service, cash or cheque repayment and potentially more flexible assessment may matter to applicants who do not fit a bank's digital process. Best for a borrower who values local service or may struggle with traditional bank eligibility, provided the rebate and final APR are confirmed in writing.
An Post Personal Loan
An Post Money fills a specific gap: applicants do not need an existing bank account with the provider, and loans run from €5,000 to €75,000 over one to seven years. The advertised range is wide at 6.9–19.9% APR, so the top-line rate says little about what a weaker credit profile may receive. The €5,000 minimum also rules it out for small emergency borrowing, where BOI, AIB or Revolut start lower. Its online application and national postal-service association may appeal to borrowers who want an alternative to the main banks, but the digital platform is less established than the large-bank apps. Best for a borrower needing at least €5,000 who lacks a relationship with a traditional bank and is prepared to compare the personalised APR carefully.
Comparison table
| Loan | Published APR | Amount | Term | Key eligibility or condition | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avant Money | From 6.1% fixed | €5,000–€75,000 | Up to 10 years | Lowest fixed rate applies above €30,000 | Large loans and fixed repayments |
| PTSB | 6.2%–8.8% variable | Amount bands up to €75,000 | Up to 5 years; 10 for home improvements | 6.2% band starts at €25,000; current account for instant app approval | Existing PTSB customers borrowing €25,000+ |
| BOI | From 5.0%; standard 7.1%–8.9% variable | €2,000–€75,000 | Not specified in supplied data | 5.0% graduate rate requires qualifying graduate account | Recent graduates needing up to €5,000 |
| AIB | 8.65%–8.95% standard; 6.4% Green Loan | €1,000–€75,000 | Not specified in supplied data | AIB current account for online applications; green-purpose eligibility | Green purchases and small loans |
| Revolut | 6.5%–12.99% variable | €2,000–€30,000 | Not specified in supplied data | Revolut account required | Fully digital borrowing up to €30,000 |
| Credit Union | 8.0%–12.68% | €1,000–€75,000 | Up to 10 years | Membership required; rebate varies by credit union | Local service and flexible assessment |
| An Post Money | 6.9%–19.9% | €5,000–€75,000 | 1–7 years | No existing bank account with provider required | Alternative access for non-bank customers |
For a €30,000 loan, the difference between a 6.1% fixed rate and a much higher personalised APR can materially change the monthly repayment and total interest. Use each lender's calculator, confirm whether the quote is fixed or variable, and check the exact amount band before applying.
Which Irish personal loan should you choose?
Choose Avant Money if you need more than €30,000 and want repayment certainty. Choose PTSB for a qualifying large loan when app approval matters more than a fixed rate. A recent graduate should investigate BOI's 5.0% rate, while an AIB customer financing solar panels, an electric vehicle or efficient heating should price the 6.4% Green Loan before considering the standard product.
Revolut is the cleanest digital route up to €30,000, but not the choice for a fixed payment. Credit unions deserve a quote when local service, membership benefits or a potential interest rebate matter. An Post Money is the alternative for borrowers without an existing bank relationship, although its 19.9% upper APR makes personalised pricing essential.
Before submitting applications, compare the total repayable amount, not just the starting APR. If your income is irregular, the next comparison is especially relevant: Top Personal Loans for Freelancers in October examines how lenders assess self-employed and freelance borrowers.