Alma review

Updated September 28, 2026 · BorrowCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026

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Our verdict

Alma lends in short instalments of €50 to €2,000 to adults paying by credit card, and takes 0 EUR in fees. It suits readers splitting a purchase over 2 to 4 with Instant funding, not anyone after a large sum or a long repayment period.

Key facts

Best for
Splitting a small purchase into a few short instalments.
Loan amount
€50 to €2,000 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Term
2 to 4 months (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Arrangement fee
0 EUR (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Credit check
Hard (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Funding time
Instant (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Lender type
Direct lender (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Free early repayment
Yes (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Eligibility
18+; must pay with a valid credit card, prepaid and single-use virtual cards declined (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Loan types
BNPL (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Legal entity
ALMA (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Headquarters
France (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Support channels
Email, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Features
Same-day funding
Official website
almapay.com

Apps and profiles

Get the app
Google Play
Elsewhere
LinkedInwelcometothejungle.comfacebook.cominstagram.com

Pros and cons

Pros

  • The origination fee is 0 EUR, so opening a plan costs nothing.
  • Money lands Instant for the plans that qualify.
  • Free early repayment means a plan can be cleared early without charge.
  • Alma is a direct lender, so the contract sits with one company rather than a broker.

Cons

  • The credit check is hard, so an application puts a full search on file.
  • Support runs on email and help centre only, with no phone line or live chat listed.
  • Payment needs a valid credit card, and prepaid or single-use virtual cards are declined.
Alma

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Scored 9.0 / 10 by BorrowCue.

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Who it suits

  • Readers splitting a modest purchase into a few instalments who pay by credit card.
  • Shoppers who want the money quickly and can clear the plan ahead of schedule.

Who should look elsewhere

  • Borrowers chasing a bigger sum, where Oney Préstamos ES goes to €1,000 to €45,000.
  • Readers in another market, since Solcredito MX offers up to MXN 100,000.

Safety and regulation

Alma is a direct lender: you deal with the company that issues the plan, not a broker who passes your application on. Its permissions list the PSD_PI FR_ACPR!90786 licence, held under the French authority that supervises the lender. Only one counterparty sits behind the plan.

Who runs it

The legal entity behind the plans is ALMA, based in France. Support runs on email and help centre, so questions are handled in writing through the help centre and by email rather than by phone. The same company carries the PSD_PI FR_ACPR!90786 licence, the French permission listed against it, which ties the brand to the French market.

How Alma compares

Where Alma is available

Available
Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain
Licence in France
FR_ACPR (PSD_PI FR_ACPR!90786), checked September 26, 2026, also valid in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia

Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)

Frequently asked questions

What does Alma charge to set up a plan?+

The origination fee is 0 EUR, so opening a plan carries no setup cost. Paying early is also free, which means a plan cleared sooner adds nothing. It suits readers who want to see the total cost before committing to a purchase.

How much can I borrow from Alma and over what term?+

Plans run €50 to €2,000 and are repaid over 2 to 4, so this suits a single purchase rather than long borrowing. Anything bigger or longer needs a different provider, and a missed instalment lands sooner than on a longer schedule.

How quickly does the money arrive?+

Funding is Instant for the plans that qualify, and same day funding sits among the features listed for the account. The instalments are then collected inside the short window that 2 to 4 allows, so the debt clears quickly.

Is Alma regulated, and who holds the contract?+

Alma appears under the PSD_PI FR_ACPR!90786 licence, so it sits on a French register rather than running as an informal instalment service. It is a direct lender, which means the contract is with the company that issues the plan.

What credit check does Alma run, and who can apply?+

The credit check is hard, so an application puts a full search on file. Applicants must be adults paying with a valid credit card, and prepaid or single-use virtual cards are declined, so check the card type before applying.

How do I reach Alma if something goes wrong?+

Support runs on email and help centre, so questions go by email or through the online help centre. No phone line or live chat is listed, which suits readers who prefer to keep the record of a query in writing.

Who runs Alma?+

The contracting company is ALMA, based in France, and the brand holds the PSD_PI FR_ACPR!90786 licence. That entity is the party named on the plan, so a complaint goes to the French company rather than a separate servicer.

How does Alma compare with Kviku and Oney Préstamos ES?+

Kviku also caps at up to €2,000, so both sit in the same instalment range, while Oney Préstamos ES offers €1,000 to €45,000 for a larger sum. Alma stays the shortest on term at 2 to 4.

Sources

Compiled from 6 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.

Not confirmed yet: APR, Representative example.

Alma

Alma

Splitting a small purchase into a few short instalments.

9.0/10See alternatives

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