A micro loan covers a genuine, one-off cash crunch with €100 to €1,500 over 30 days. It is not a lifestyle tool and not a fix for recurring shortfalls. If you run short before payday every month, you do not need another loan - you need free debt counseling. This guide shows the actual costs, the regulated Austrian providers (Cashper, cashpresso) and the path to debt counseling if a loan is the wrong answer.
The honest answer
A micro loan in Austria is a state-regulated, short-term consumer loan of €100 to €1,500 with a 30-day term. It is only the right product when you have a specific, one-off liquidity need and full repayment on day X is certain. Two providers operate in Austria: Cashper (Novum Bank, MFSA-licensed) with an effective rate from 13.46% p.a. and cashpresso (Raiffeisen Bank International, FMA-regulated). If you already have an open obligation, a negative KSV entry or monthly cash-flow gaps, contact the free Arbeiterkammer or ASB debt counseling first - not another loan.
At a glance
- Amount: €100 to €1,500, term 30 days (cashpresso operates as a flexible credit line).
- Effective annual rate from 13.46% at Cashper - low for the EU range, but the express fee of €39 to €99 can cost more than the interest on small loans.
- A credit check (Bonitätsprüfung) is legally required under VKrG. Providers advertising "no credit check" are not reputable.
- Ads such as "no schufa", "guaranteed approval" or "no credit check" violate § 28 VKrG and § 2 UWG (unfair competition law).
- The initial rate inquiry is KSV-neutral - only the signed contract is recorded.
- Avoid the debt trap: if you run short every month before payday, you need debt counseling, not another loan.
- Free debt counseling in Austria: Arbeiterkammer or ASB (schuldenberatung.at). Use it before signing.
What is a micro loan?
A micro loan (Minikredit) is a short-term consumer loan between €100 and €1,500 regulated under the Austrian Consumer Credit Act (VKrG). 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 from 5.47% p.a. 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 |
| Income | regular net income, threshold set by the provider |
| Residency | Austrian Meldezettel required |
| Bank account | Austrian IBAN (starting with AT) |
| Credit check (KSV) | Mandatory by law (§ 7 VKrG), rate inquiry credit-neutral |
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 (Cashper, as of September 2026). 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 to €99 extra. For small loans, that fee can cost more than the interest itself.
What micro loans deliver - and what they do not
- 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 is recorded.
- Open to residents: Available to anyone with Austrian residency (Meldezettel), including expats and EU citizens.
When a micro loan actually makes sense
- One-off, clearly defined shortfall (e.g. unexpected car repair)
- Full repayment within 30 days is secure (payday, scheduled deposit)
- No existing open loan or KSV negative entry
- You actively checked whether the express fee is worth it - standard payout is often the smarter choice
- You compared cheaper alternatives (overdraft, family loan, retailer installment plan)
When a micro loan is the wrong answer
- Recurring gap every month before payday - debt counseling helps here, not another loan
- Existing open loan or cashpresso line not yet repaid
- Current reminders or a negative KSV entry
- Wanting consumer items (smartphone, holiday, furniture) - an installment loan or saving is more sensible
- Amounts over €1,500 or repayment beyond 30 days - an installment loan from 5.47% p.a. is cheaper
Important notes on costs and risks
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 at 5.47% p.a. and gives you 12 to 120 months to repay. Providers advertising "no credit check", "schufa-free" or "guaranteed approval" violate § 28 VKrG (advertising prohibitions) and § 2 UWG (unfair competition law) - these providers should be avoided.
Cashper vs cashpresso: the two options
Austria has two micro loan providers: Cashper (Novum Bank, MFSA-licensed, Malta) and cashpresso (Raiffeisen Bank International, FMA-regulated).
- 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 the rate inquiry. Only the signed 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 is a different product class and should be evaluated separately.
Cashper alternatives and cashpresso alternatives in Austria
If you are looking for an alternative to Cashper, there are three realistic routes. First, the overdraft on your own salary account: usually 7 to 13 percent interest, no fees, available immediately. Second, cashpresso as a revolving credit line without an express fee if you want to repay over several months. Third, from €500 upwards, a small installment loan with monthly rates, which is far cheaper per euro than any micro loan. Conversely, Cashper is the alternative to cashpresso if you can repay the full amount after 30 days and do not want an open credit line. A micro loan without a credit check is not an alternative but a warning sign.
Cost matrix: interest and express fee at Cashper
Calculated with the representative effective annual rate of 13.46% (cashper.at, as of September 2026). The express fee is an optional extra and is not part of the annual rate; according to the provider it is €39 to €99 depending on the amount.
| Amount | Interest 30 days | Interest 60 days (guide) | With express fee (from €39) |
|---|---|---|---|
| €100 | €1.11 | €2.21 | from €40.11 |
| €300 | €3.32 | €6.64 | from €42.32 |
| €500 | €5.53 | €11.06 | from €44.53 |
| €1,000 | €11.06 | €22.13 | from €50.06 |
| €1,500 | €16.59 | €33.19 | from €55.59 |
Interest as simple daily interest (amount x 13.46% x days / 365), rounded; the binding figure is the one in your contract. For €100 with express, the fee is 35 times the interest.
Alternatives to a micro loan
Overdraft
If your salary account has an overdraft facility, it is almost always the cheapest option for a few weeks: no application, no fees, repayment with the next salary.
Ask the creditor for a deferral
Utilities, landlords and many service providers grant a few days of deferral on request, often free of charge. One phone call replaces many a loan.
Installment loan from €500
For amounts you cannot repay within 30 days: terms of 6 to 36 months, interest depending on creditworthiness and far below a micro loan per euro.
Free debt counseling
If your finances are strained in general: ASB Schuldnerberatung and the Arbeiterkammer advise free of charge and confidentially.
Legal situation: credit checks and the 2026 reform
A creditworthiness check before lending is mandatory under § 7 of the Austrian Consumer Credit Act (VKrG), even for €100. The EU Consumer Credit Directive 2023/2225 must be transposed into national law by 20 November 2026; in Austria the ministerial draft of the Consumer Credit Law Amendment Act 2026 (VerKRÄG 2026) is on the table. Among other things it provides extended information duties for amounts below €200. Status: September 2026.
Deeper guide: Micro Loan Austria 2026
Detailed analysis of costs, provider comparison (Cashper vs cashpresso), application process, KSV impact and concrete debt-counseling steps - in the current blog guide.
Read the full Micro Loan Austria 2026 guideMicro loan guides
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durchblicker.at brokers micro loans from €100 and, for larger amounts, installment loans with monthly rates; the rate check is non-binding. For the classic Cashper micro loan you can go directly to the provider, but only if repayment on the due date is certain. Free debt-counseling resources are listed at the top of this guide.
Advertising disclosure: the durchblicker.at link is an affiliate link and we earn a commission on contracts. The Cashper link is not an affiliate link. The credit check is conducted by the respective provider. Conditions may change.