Updated September 28, 2026 · BorrowCue Editorial Team
Cathay United Bank vs Smava
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Cathay United Bank |  Smava |
|---|---|---|
| APR | 1.88% | -0.4% to 19.9%Lower |
| Loan amount | NT$5,000,000 | €1,000 to €120,000 |
| Term | 84 months | 6 to 120 monthsHigher |
| Arrangement fee | Account management fee NT$9,000 for new personal loan cases | 0 EUR |
| Credit check | Hard | Soft prequal |
| Lender type | Direct lender | Marketplace |
| Loan types | Personal, Secured, Credit line | Personal, Car, Debt consolidation, Business |
| Funding time | Not confirmed | Within a few working days; with digital account check and video ident some banks disburse the same day |
| Representative example | Not confirmed | Ratenkredit: EUR 50,000 net loan, 60 months, 8.70% effective annual rate, 60 monthly instalments of EUR 1,022.73, total EUR 61,363.57, Vereinigte Volksbank Raiffeisenbank eG |
| Rate type | Not confirmed | Fixed |
| Free early repayment | Not confirmed | No |
| Eligibility | Not confirmed | At least 18 years old, main residence in Germany, current account at a German bank, regular income, sufficient creditworthiness |
| Credit needed | Not confirmed | Fair |
| Use cases | Not confirmed | Home improvement |
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Key differences
- Cathay United Bank scores higher overall: 9.6 vs 8.9.
- Founded is lower at Cathay United Bank: 1975 vs 2007.
- APR is lower at Smava: -0.4% to 19.9% vs 1.88%.
- Term is higher at Smava: 6 to 120 months vs 84 months.
- Support channels: only Cathay United Bank offers Chat.
- Features: only Cathay United Bank offers Credit line.
- Features: only Smava offers Same day funding.
- Loan types: only Cathay United Bank offers Secured, Credit line.
- Loan types: only Smava offers Car, Debt consolidation, Business.
Our verdict on each
Cathay United Bank
Cathay United Bank suits borrowers in Taiwan who want a large personal or secured loan from the lender itself, and it prices well against the field at an APR of 1.88%. The catch is the account management fee that comes with a new personal loan case.
Smava
Smava suits German borrowers who want one comparison across personal, car, consolidation and business loans, plus home finance, without paying a setup fee. It scores 6 overall, with -0.4% to 19.9% on loans and 3.2% on home finance, but early repayment is not free.
Score breakdown
| Area | Cathay United Bank | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.7HigherDirect lending at an APR of 1.88%, up to TWD 5,000,000, plus an account management fee on new personal loan cases. | 9.1 |
| Offer | 9.8Higher | 9.1Amounts of €1,000 to €120,000, rates of -0.4% to 19.9%, no origination fee of 0 EUR and same day funding. |
| Trust | 9.4Higher | 8.5 |
Licences and countries
| Country | Cathay United Bank | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | Not confirmed |
Additional countries for Cathay United Bank: 1. Additional countries for Smava: 1.
What each covers
| Loan types | Cathay United Bank | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | Yes | Yes |
| Debt consolidation | No | Yes |
| Credit line | Yes | No |
| Secured | Yes | No |
| Car | No | Yes |
| Business | No | Yes |
Which one suits you
Pick Cathay United Bank if cost, offer, and trust matter most.
Pick Smava if apr and term matter most.
How they place
| Ranking | Cathay United Bank | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| Personal loans | 236 of 1932 | 118 of 1932 |
| Mortgages | 28 of 719 | 17 of 719 |
| Remortgage deals | 15 of 351 | 14 of 351 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Cathay United Bank | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Not confirmed | Fixed rate |
| Features | Credit line | Same day funding |
| Legal entity | Cathay United Bank Co., Ltd. | smava GmbH (HRB 97913, Amtsgericht Charlottenburg) |
| Headquarters | Taiwan | Germany |
| Founded | 1975Lower | 2007 |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more | Email, Phone, Help centre |
Mortgages
| Fact | Cathay United Bank | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| Initial rate | Not confirmed | 3.2% |
| APRC | Not confirmed | 3.2% |
| Fixed period | Not confirmed | 10 years |
| Maximum loan to value | Not confirmed | 110% |
| Product fee | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Purpose | Purchase, Remortgage | Purchase, Remortgage |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Cathay United Bank | Smava | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| APR | 1.88%lowest quarter | -0.4% to 19.9%lowest quarter | 8.99% |
| Term | 84 monthsabove the median | 6 to 120 monthshighest quarter | 60 months |
Median across 1005 listed lenders.
Pros and cons
Cathay United Bank
Pros
- Ranks 40 of 350 brands on APR, at 1.88%.
- Borrows up to TWD 5,000,000 for a purchase or a remortgage across a term of 84.
- Covers personal, secured and credit line lending under direct lender, so you deal with the bank rather than a broker.
Cons
- Every case runs a hard credit check, listed as hard.
- New personal loan cases carry an account management fee alongside a rate of 1.88%.
- A term of 84 runs well past the site median, which sits at 36.
Smava
Pros
- Loan amounts run €1,000 to €120,000 with terms of 6 to 120
- Loan types cover personal, car and debt consolidation in one comparison
- A soft prequalification credit check (soft prequal) means you can check rates before a full application
Cons
- Free early repayment: no, so paying a loan off early carries a cost
- Credit needed is fair, and eligibility also requires a German bank account and regular income
- A marketplace, so the rate you get depends on which partner bank responds and the final offer comes from them
Who each suits
Cathay United Bank
Who it suits
- Borrowers in Taiwan who want personal, secured or credit line lending from the lender itself rather than a broker.
- People buying or remortgaging a property, since purchase and remortgage cover both uses.
- Applicants ready for a hard credit check, given hard.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who wants to draw a credit line in stages, since Monzo Flex prices its line at 10% to 23%.
- Borrowers after an app-first application, since Cashspace quotes a range of PHP 12 to PHP 36 on a single market.
- Anyone whose own market rate sits low, since Cashspace ES is listed at 0%.
Smava
Who it suits
- Adults in Germany with a current account at a German bank and regular income
- Anyone consolidating debts, funding a car or improving a home who wants to compare offers rather than one lender
- Borrowers who want a fixed rate over 6 to 120 on a personal loan
Who should look elsewhere
- People who want to repay a loan early at no cost
- Borrowers without regular income or a German current account
- Anyone needing a variable-rate loan, since the model is fixed rate
Current offers
Smava
Current offer
Bonus
500 EUR Amazon.de voucher on taking out a loan: 500 EUR Amazon.de voucher
Loan of at least EUR 30,000 concluded via the 'Zum Kreditvergleich mit Gutschein' button only; voucher sent by email after the 14-day withdrawal period has passed; restrictions apply per amazon.de/gc-legal
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Discount code
Cheaper-goes-does-not-exist guarantee: One-off compensation of the difference if a comparable domestic bank offer is cheaper
Applies to loans brokered via smava; amount follows the offers received in the smava credit comparison, stated without hidden conditions
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Cathay United Bank | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | No | Yes |
| Taiwan | Yes | No |
Questions about each
Cathay United Bank
What rate does Cathay United Bank charge on a personal loan?+
The bank quotes an APR of 1.88% on its personal loan product, well below where most of the lenders on the site sit. The site median runs at 12%, so the gap is wide. Loans reach TWD 5,000,000 over a term of 84.
What fees come with a new personal loan?+
New personal loan cases pay an account management fee, alongside a rate of 1.88% on the product page. The published charge is written for new cases, so anyone already banking with the bank should check the current terms. Budget for the fee as well as the interest when you compare.
Smava
What does Smava charge for setting up a loan?+
There is no origination fee on the personal loan: the arrangement fee is 0 EUR, and the product fee is €0. What you pay instead is interest on the borrowed amount, which is priced at -0.4% to 19.9% for your own profile.
How much can I borrow and over what term?+
Loan amounts run €1,000 to €120,000, and terms run 6 to 120. The rate model is fixed, so the figure you are offered is set at the start and does not drift with market moves.