Service · Installment loans
Installment loans: months, not weeks
The storefront product most states push instead of payday: 5,414 locations in our 2022-02-20 directory snapshot, repaid over months under each state's own APR ceiling. Below — the legal frame, the chains behind the storefronts, and the checks before you sign.
The legal frame
The ceiling is your state's APR cap
There is no national installment rate. 13 states cap small-loan APR at 36% — there, installment credit is the storefront product by design. In the 24 that allow classic payday pricing, installment lenders sit alongside them under separate rate schedules. This site's fee tables track payday statutes; installment ceilings are a separate schedule, and the regulator linked on every state page is the source of truth.
| State regime | Installment storefronts | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Allowed states | 2,900 | Storefronts compete with payday; compare the APR, not the brand. |
| 36% APR cap states | 684 | Installment credit is the legal small-dollar product; classic payday is priced out. |
| CSO model states | 1,294 | Loans run through licensed brokers — judge the total you repay, not the note rate. |
| Banned states | 536 | Payday is prohibited; licensed installment lenders at ≤36% still operate. |
Directory categories are the source's own — a store counts here when its listing mentions installment products. Verify licensing with the state regulator before borrowing.
Who lends
The chains behind the storefronts
Directory categories at 10 featured chains mention installment products — locations of each are listed on the brand pages.
Where they are
Cities with the most installment storefronts
Houston, TX 122 
Las Vegas, NV 76 
Los Angeles, CA 38 
Albuquerque, NM 37 
Miami, FL 29 
Chicago, IL 26 
Oklahoma City, OK 24 Amount guides
What a specific size costs
Each guide prices one loan size at the 36% benchmark across standard terms — the legal-max math for capped states, the comparison point everywhere else.
Payment calculator
What it costs per month
Pick any guide amount and a term — the calculator prices it at the 36% APR benchmark with standard amortization: the legal-max math in the 13 capped states, the comparison point everywhere else.
Read the numbers against each other: stretching the same loan from 12 to 24 months roughly halves the payment and nearly doubles the finance cost. The full tables live in the amount guides.
Questions people ask about installment loans
How is an installment loan different from a payday loan?
Both are small-dollar loans, but the shape is different: a payday loan is one lump sum repaid on your next payday (weeks), while an installment loan is repaid over months in scheduled payments. Installment terms make each payment smaller — but a longer term also means more total interest if you pay the full schedule.
What APR can an installment lender legally charge?
Whatever your state's ceiling allows — there is no single national rate. 13 states cap small-loan APR at 36%, and in those states installment credit is the storefront product. Others allow higher rates with disclosures that vary by amount and term. The regulator linked on every state page is the source of truth for the exact schedule.
Are installment loans cheaper than payday loans?
Per payment, usually yes; in total, not necessarily. A $1,000 installment loan at a legal state rate costs far less per month than rolling a payday loan — but 12 months of interest adds up. Compare the total of payments, not the monthly number, and treat any rate far above your state's cap as a red flag.
How do I check that an installment lender is licensed?
Every state page on this site links the agency that licenses consumer lenders. Listing in a business directory is not proof of licensing — confirm the license before you sign, and keep the agreement. You can also check whether a storefront chain has pages of unlicensed complaints via the regulator's lookup.
Other services
Explore other loans
Figures are directory facts (2022-02-20) and state law (September 2026) — not offers of credit. Nothing here is legal advice.