Your rent deposit lands two weeks before payday. The dentist says €350, payable upfront. These are the situations micro loans exist for: you borrow a small amount, pay it back in 30 days, and move on. Two providers operate in Austria, Cashper and cashpresso, and they work quite differently.
What is a micro loan?
A micro loan (Minikredit) is a short-term consumer loan between €100 and €1,500. You borrow the money, repay it in a single lump sum after 15, 30, or 60 days, and the entire process happens online. Think of it as a financial band-aid, not a long-term solution. For larger amounts or longer repayment periods, an installment loan (Ratenkredit) with monthly payments is almost always cheaper.
Requirements at a glance
| Loan amount | €100 to €1,500 |
| Term | 15, 30, or 60 days |
| Effective annual rate | from 13.46% p.a. (Cashper) |
| Minimum age | 18 years |
| Minimum income | €700 net/month |
| Residency | Austrian Meldezettel required |
| Bank account | Austrian IBAN (starting with AT) |
| KSV credit check | Credit-neutral rate inquiry |
What it actually costs
The annual rate sounds high, but you are not borrowing for a year. A €300 loan for 30 days at Cashper's representative rate of 13.46% p.a. costs about €3.13 in interest. Total repayment: €303.13. That is less than a coffee and cake at a Viennese cafe. But watch out for the express fee: if you need the money the next business day instead of waiting 3-7 days, Cashper charges €39-€99 extra. For small loans, that fee can cost more than the interest itself.
Why people choose micro loans
Speed
Credit decision in minutes. Standard payout in 3-7 business days, express next business day.
Fully online
No branch visit, no paper forms. Application, identity check, and signing all happen digitally.
KSV-neutral inquiry
Checking your rate does not leave a mark on your credit file. Only the signed contract gets recorded.
Open to residents
Available to anyone with Austrian residency (Meldezettel), including expats and EU citizens.
When a micro loan makes sense
- Covering a gap until payday (a few days to two weeks away)
- An urgent repair bill you cannot postpone (car, appliance, plumbing)
- A time-sensitive payment with a hard deadline
- A one-time shortfall where you can reliably repay on schedule
When you should look elsewhere
If you need more than €1,500 or cannot repay within 30-60 days, a micro loan is the wrong product. An installment loan from an Austrian bank starts from 5.47% p.a. and gives you 12 to 120 months to repay. If you find yourself short before payday every month, that points to a budget issue, not a loan opportunity. Free debt counseling is available at schuldenberatung.at.
Cashper vs cashpresso: the two options
Austria has two micro loan providers. They target different needs, so pick the one that fits your situation.
- Cashper: Classic micro loan. €100-€1,500, fixed term (30 or 60 days), one-time repayment. Operated by Novum Bank (Malta, MFSA-licensed). Representative rate: 13.46% p.a. Standard payout: 3-7 business days. Express (next day): €39-€99 extra.
- cashpresso: Revolving credit line. Up to €1,500 for new customers, up to €7,000 for existing ones. Monthly minimum payments, no fixed end date. Backed by Raiffeisen Bank International, regulated by Austria's FMA. No express fee, typically same-day payout.
- Both providers run a KSV-neutral credit check for rate inquiries. The actual loan contract gets recorded in your KSV file.
- For traditional micro loans with a clear end date, Cashper is the straightforward choice. For flexible spending with monthly payments, cashpresso works differently but may suit ongoing needs.
Micro loan guides
Related loan topics
Latest finance guides
Online Loans in Austria 2026: How Digital Lending Works
Online loans in Austria from 5.47% APR. How digital applications work, which banks offer instant decisions, and what documents you need.
Read more →
Mortgages in Austria 2026: Rates, Rules & Expat Guide
Mortgages in Austria 2026: current rates from 3.1%, WIK lending rules, 20% equity guideline, closing costs, and how expats can qualify.
Read more →Mortgage Rates Austria 2026: Fixed vs Variable Compared
Current mortgage rates in Austria 2026: fixed from 3.2%, variable from 3.1%. How rates work, what affects yours, and when to lock in.
Read more →Check your rate
Non-binding, KSV-neutral rate inquiry at Cashper. No commitment, no effect on your credit score.