Home/Money IQ

Money IQ

The editorial side of compareloanapps.com. Plain-English guides on how loan apps actually price, where they are legal, which ones to avoid, and the math behind the marketing.

All APR & economics Basics Scams & traps State guide
App Store vs. Google Play Loan App Policies: How the Two Stores Police Small-Dollar Lending
Scams & traps

App Store vs. Google Play Loan App Policies: How the Two Stores Police Small-Dollar Lending

Apple and Google enforce very different rules on loan apps. The gaps are where the predatory products live.

Portrait of Ray Delacruz By Ray Delacruz · 10 min
How to Spot a Fake Loan App: The Pipeline, the Tells, and the Fees That Give It Away
Scams & traps

How to Spot a Fake Loan App: The Pipeline, the Tells, and the Fees That Give It Away

Fake loan apps follow the same pipeline every time: unsolicited SMS, sideloaded install, ID upload, advance fee, silence. The five tells to catch it early.

Portrait of Ray Delacruz By Ray Delacruz · 9 min
Loan App Data Privacy: What These Apps Actually Collect, and Who They Share It With
Scams & traps

Loan App Data Privacy: What These Apps Actually Collect, and Who They Share It With

Loan apps pull bank transactions, contacts, location, and device IDs. Where that data actually goes, and how to pull it back with Plaid Portal.

Portrait of Ray Delacruz By Ray Delacruz · 10 min
Tip-Based Loan Apps: The True Cost Behind the "Optional" Tip Prompt
Scams & traps

Tip-Based Loan Apps: The True Cost Behind the "Optional" Tip Prompt

The tip is labeled optional, but 73% of users tip when prompted. How the UI drives uptake and what the annualised cost really looks like.

Portrait of Ray Delacruz By Ray Delacruz · 9 min