Updated September 29, 2026 · BorrowCue Editorial Team
Cool Credit vs LendKey
Where Cool Credit and LendKey differ
| Compare |  Cool Credit |  LendKey |
|---|---|---|
| APR | 3,091% to 416,607% | 2.09% to 15.54%Lower |
| Loan amount | CZK 1,000 to CZK 30,000 | from $1,000 |
| Term | 5 to 93 months | 60 to 180 monthsHigher |
| Arrangement fee | Loan provision fee 375 CZK on 1,000 CZK for 30 days; 6,750 CZK on 9,000 CZK for 93 days | 0 USD |
| Funding time | Within 10 minutes of loan approval | Funds sent directly to the school after certification, generally under 30 days |
| Lender type | Direct lender | Marketplace |
| Eligibility | Individuals aged 18+ with permanent or temporary residence in the Czech Republic, own Czech bank account, mobile phone and email | Enrolled at least half-time in a degree-granting program at an eligible school; U.S. citizen or permanent resident; at least the age of majority; credit-based so a cosigner may be needed |
| Loan types | Personal, Payday, Car, Student, Business | Student, Debt consolidation |
| Representative example | 1,000 CZK for 30 days, fixed 0% rate, loan provision fee 375 CZK, RPSN 4,716%, total repayable 1,375 CZK | Not confirmed |
| Origination fee (%) | Not confirmed | 0% |
| Credit needed | Not confirmed | Fair |
| Use cases | Not confirmed | Home improvement |
Same on both: Credit check (Hard), Rate type (Fixed), Free early repayment (Yes).
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Key differences
- LendKey scores higher overall: 9.0 vs 8.8.
- Founded is lower at LendKey: 2009 vs 2013.
- APR is lower at LendKey: 2.09% to 15.54% vs 3,091% to 416,607%.
- Term is higher at LendKey: 60 to 180 months vs 5 to 93 months.
- Support channels: only Cool Credit offers Chat.
- Loan types: only Cool Credit offers Personal, Payday, Car.
- Loan types: only LendKey offers Debt consolidation.
Our verdict on each
Cool Credit
Cool Credit suits Czech residents who need a small fixed-rate loan released quickly, and offers personal, payday, car, student and business lending under one licence.
LendKey
LendKey is a US private student loan marketplace for students and families covering a gap in study costs, and it suits borrowers whose own credit can carry a fixed rate. Offers are priced at 2.09% to 15.54% with terms of 60 to 180 months, and rates stay fixed for the life of the loan.
Score breakdown
| Area | Cool Credit | LendKey |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.6 | 9.5HigherRates of 2.09% to 15.54% on fixed rate lending, with an origination fee of 0 USD and a percentage charge of 0%. |
| Offer | 8.9Fixed rates on CZK 1,000 to CZK 30,000 for 5 to 93, same-day funding Within 10 minutes of loan approval. | 9.4Higher |
| Trust | 8.9Higher | 8.4 |
Feature by feature
| Loan types | Cool Credit | LendKey |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | Yes | No |
| Payday | Yes | No |
| Debt consolidation | No | Yes |
| Car | Yes | No |
| Business | Yes | No |
| Student | Yes | Yes |
From lowest to highest
| Fact | Cool Credit | LendKey |
|---|---|---|
| APR | 3,091% to 416,607% | 2.09% to 15.54% |
| Term | 5 to 93 months | 60 to 180 months |
How they place
| Ranking | Cool Credit | LendKey |
|---|---|---|
| Private student loans | 11 of 167 | 9 of 167 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Cool Credit | LendKey |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Fixed rate | Fixed rate |
| Features | Same day funding | Not confirmed |
| Legal entity | COOL CREDIT, s.r.o. (IČ 02112621) | LendKey Technologies, Inc. |
| Headquarters | Czechia | United States |
| Founded | 2013 | 2009Lower |
| Support channels | Phone, Email, Chat, Help centreCovers more | Phone, Email, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Cool Credit | LendKey | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| APR | 3,091% to 416,607%highest quarter | 2.09% to 15.54%lowest quarter | 8.99 |
| Term | 5 to 93 monthsabove the median | 60 to 180 monthshighest quarter | 60 |
| Origination fee (%) | Not confirmed | 0%below the median | 0.25% |
Median across 1005 listed lenders.
Pros and cons
Cool Credit
Pros
- Funds arrive Within 10 minutes of loan approval, which is quick for a direct lender
- A direct lender, not a broker, so you deal with the entity that makes the decision
- Free early repayment, so settling early costs nothing extra
Cons
- An APR of 3,091% to 416,607% makes anything beyond a short bridge very expensive
- A hard credit check, which is the market's most common type of check and leaves a mark on the file
- A loan provision fee is charged on top of the interest rate, so the example total is far above the amount borrowed
LendKey
Pros
- A marketplace model puts partner lenders in competition for a single application.
- Both origination charges are 0 USD and 0%, so nothing is added upfront.
- Early repayment is free, so the balance can be cleared sooner than the term allows.
Cons
- A hard credit search runs at application, and a decline can leave a mark on the file.
- The minimum loan is from $1,000 and the term runs 60 to 180 months, so smaller needs still mean a long repayment stretch.
- Pricing is fixed rate only, so there is no variable-rate option for a cheaper start.
Who each suits
Cool Credit
Who it suits
- Czech residents with permanent or temporary residence in the country and a Czech bank account
- Adults with a mobile phone and email, which every applicant needs here
- Borrowers covering a short gap who can clear the balance within the term
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone planning a long repayment, because the term runs 5 to 93 and the APR is high
- Monzo Flex, if you want a longer fixed-rate loan at a rate that stays sane for years
- Cashspace ES, where the listed APR is far lower, though it sits in a different market
LendKey
Who it suits
- Students at eligible schools who can support a fixed rate with their own credit or a cosigner's.
- Parents and relatives acting as a cosigner when a student's own file is thin.
- Borrowers folding student debt into one balance, since student and debt consolidation covers consolidation.
Who should look elsewhere
- Not for euro borrowers: Creduma ES sets a floor of from €12,000, a separate currency and market.
- Not for Spanish borrowers: Sofkredit prices at 10.74% to 18.06% and lends outside the US system.
Current offers
Cool Credit
Current offer
Discount code
20% discount for the loan for Slovaks: 20% off with discount code SLOV
Applies to the loan for Slovaks without permanent residence in the Czech Republic
Source, checked September 26, 2026
LendKey
Current offer
Discount code
0.25% autopay interest rate reduction on private student loans: 0.25% APR reduction
Enrol in automatic monthly payments from a checking or savings account with the lender; the reduction is removed and the rate raised by 0.25% on cancellation or failed collection
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Cool Credit | LendKey |
|---|---|---|
| Czechia | Yes | No |
| United States | No | Yes |
Questions about each
Cool Credit
What rate will I pay on a Cool Credit loan?+
The advertised APR runs 3,091% to 416,607%, which spans a very wide band. The published example pairs a low fixed rate with a loan provision fee, so the headline rate understates what you repay. Always read the example against the fee rather than the rate alone.
What does Cool Credit charge to arrange a loan?+
A loan provision fee is added to the amount borrowed. The published figures show a fee on a small loan over a short period and a larger fee on a bigger loan over a longer one, so the charge scales with how much you take and how long you keep it.
LendKey
What rate will I pay on a LendKey private student loan?+
Prices depend on your own credit, though published offers run at 2.09% to 15.54%. The rate type is fixed, so once a partner lender takes your application the figure holds across the term of 60 to 180 months rather than resetting as market rates move.
What fees are charged for taking out the loan?+
The origination fee is 0 USD and the percentage origination charge is 0%, so arranging the loan adds little. The cost to plan around is the interest on the balance you keep, which runs across a term of 60 to 180 months.