Updated September 28, 2026 · BorrowCue Editorial Team
Discovery Bank vs LEND.ch
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Discovery Bank |  LEND.ch |
|---|---|---|
| Loan amount | ZAR 15,000 to ZAR 500,000 | from CHF 10,000 |
| Term | 6 to 72 months | 12 to 84 monthsHigher |
| Arrangement fee | Once-off credit initiation fee set by National Credit Act guidelines (amount confirmed in offer), plus R69 monthly credit service fee | One-off origination fee, score-dependent, charged for the whole loan term and deducted from the payout (e.g. CHF 130 per year for 36 months, CHF 390 total on CHF 20,000) |
| Lender type | Direct lender | Marketplace |
| Eligibility | 18 years or older, valid South African identity document, proof of residence not older than three months, proof of income | Of legal age, resident in Switzerland, holder of a Swiss bank account, with a regular income (Swiss residents with permanent employment) |
| Loan types | Personal, Credit line | Personal, Debt consolidation, Car, Student, Business, Secured, Bridging |
| APR | Not confirmed | 4.3% to 9.96% |
| Funding time | within 48 hours | Not confirmed |
| Representative example | Not confirmed | Personal loan CHF 20'000 over 36 months, score A+: annual fee CHF 130, total fee CHF 390, payout CHF 19'610; effective interest rate 4.30% to 9.96% |
| Rate type | Variable | Not confirmed |
| Credit needed | Good | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Credit check (Hard), Free early repayment (Yes), Use cases (Home improvement).
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Key differences
- Discovery Bank scores higher overall: 9.2 vs 8.9.
- Term is higher at LEND.ch: 12 to 84 months vs 6 to 72 months.
- Support channels: only Discovery Bank offers Phone.
- Support channels: only LEND.ch offers Email.
- Loan types: only Discovery Bank offers Credit line.
- Loan types: only LEND.ch offers Debt consolidation, Car, Student.
Our verdict on each
Discovery Bank
Discovery Bank suits South African adults with a good credit record who want a personal loan or a revolving credit line from a direct lender, and it holds up well for anyone who plans to clear a loan early.
LEND.ch
LEND.ch suits Swiss residents in permanent employment who want a marketplace loan at rates of 4.3% to 9.96%, well under the 12% site median. The trade-off is the fee, which is score dependent, spread across the whole term and taken from the payout, so what lands in your account is less than what you borrow.
Score breakdown
| Area | Discovery Bank | LEND.ch |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.2 | 9.3Higher |
| Offer | 9.1 | 9.4Higher |
| Trust | 9.2Higher | 8.3 |
Choosing between them
Pick Discovery Bank if trust matter most.
Pick LEND.ch if offer and term matter most.
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | Discovery Bank | LEND.ch |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | Not confirmed | |
| Switzerland | Not confirmed |
Additional countries for Discovery Bank: 1. Additional countries for LEND.ch: 1.
How they place
| Ranking | Discovery Bank | LEND.ch |
|---|---|---|
| Personal loans | 420 of 1932 | 113 of 1932 |
| Mortgages | 124 of 719 | 16 of 719 |
| Home improvement loans | 166 of 562 | 54 of 562 |
| Equity release | 6 of 32 | 1 of 32 |
If neither fits
Sofkredit has term at 6 to 240 months, against 6 to 72 months for Discovery Bank and 12 to 84 months for LEND.ch.
Sofkredit reviewEvery fact side by side
| Fact | Discovery Bank | LEND.ch |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Credit line | Not confirmed |
| Legal entity | Discovery Bank Limited | Switzerlend AG (CHE-456.445.646) |
| Headquarters | South Africa | Switzerland |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2015 |
| Support channels | Chat, Phone, Help centre | Email, Chat, Help centre |
Mortgages
| Fact | Discovery Bank | LEND.ch |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed period | 30 years | Not confirmed |
| Maximum loan to value | 100% | Not confirmed |
| Product fee | ZAR 6,037.50 | Not confirmed |
| Purpose | Purchase, Remortgage, First time buyer, Equity release | Purchase, Equity release, Home equity |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Discovery Bank | LEND.ch | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| APR | Not confirmed | 4.3% to 9.96%lowest quarter | 8.99 |
| Term | 6 to 72 monthsabove the median | 12 to 84 monthsabove the median | 60 |
Median across 1005 listed lenders.
Pros and cons
Discovery Bank
Pros
- Free early repayment: settling a personal loan early adds no charge, which is true of 81.2% of the listings.
- Lending runs ZAR 15,000 to ZAR 500,000, well past Monzo Flex at £10,000 to £35,000 and Cashspace ES at €100 to €5,000.
- A personal loan and a revolving credit line sit with the same lender (personal and credit line), so a staged home improvement draws only what the work needs.
Cons
- A variable rate leaves the final cost open until rates move, and the field leans the other way at 80.5%.
- The credit check is hard and the record needed is good, so a thin file has to clear a full assessment before an offer.
- The arrangement fee adds a monthly credit service fee on top of the once-off credit initiation fee, so a small balance still carries a monthly charge.
LEND.ch
Pros
- Rates of 4.3% to 9.96% sit below the 12% median across loans on the site and below the 10% to 23% range at Monzo Flex.
- Early repayment is free, matching 81.2% of the loans across the site, so a fee spread over the term can be cut short without a charge.
- A single application can cover personal, debt consolidation and car under the same marketplace structure, rather than a separate search for each purpose.
Cons
- The arrangement fee is score dependent and charged across the whole term, so a weaker profile pays more for the same 4.3% to 9.96%.
- The fee is deducted from the payout, as the representative example shows, so the amount landing in the account is lower than the amount borrowed and 4.3% to 9.96% understates the cost.
- The credit check is hard, so a search is on the file before any offer, and hard searches account for 72.7% of the loans on the site.
Who each suits
Discovery Bank
Who it suits
- South African adults with a good credit record who can show a valid identity document, recent proof of residence and proof of income.
- Borrowers funding home improvements who want a revolving credit line for staged work as well as a personal loan.
- Homebuyers, since lending covers purchase, remortgage and first time buyer and a home loan runs to 100%.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone after a small one-off sum: Cashspace ES runs €100 to €5,000 and Cashspace runs PHP 500 to PHP 25,000, both far below ZAR 15,000 to ZAR 500,000.
- Borrowers who need a fixed rate to plan ahead: Discovery Bank is variable while 80.5% of the listings are fixed.
- Borrowers outside a single market: the bank is based in South Africa, so Monzo Flex at £10,000 to £35,000 suits a sterling customer better.
LEND.ch
Who it suits
- Swiss residents in permanent employment who hold a Swiss bank account and a regular income, which is the stated eligibility.
- Borrowers after a personal or consolidation loan at 4.3% to 9.96% who can carry a hard credit search.
- People funding home improvement or a car purchase who want a single marketplace to quote them.
Who should look elsewhere
- Borrowers who want an interest-free loan should try Cashspace ES, which lists 0%, rather than the 4.3% to 9.96% band here.
- UK borrowers who prefer a 10% to 23% band to 4.3% to 9.96% should look at Monzo Flex, since LEND.ch lends only to residents in Switzerland with a Swiss bank account.
- Borrowers priced out by the PHP 12 to PHP 36 band at Cashspace have room here, where rates run 4.3% to 9.96%.
Current offers
Discovery Bank
Current offer
Bonus
Join Discovery Bank and get 75% off Virgin Active gym fees: 75% off Virgin Active gym fees
Add Vitality; applies to a local club membership; terms and conditions apply
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Bonus
Save up to 5% on your monthly personal loan repayments: up to 5% interest rate discount on personal loans
Limited offer; discount set by Vitality Money status at application and fixed for the full loan term; terms and conditions apply
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Discovery Bank | LEND.ch |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | Yes | No |
| Switzerland | No | Yes |
Questions about each
Discovery Bank
Who regulates Discovery Bank, and does that protect the loan?+
Discovery Bank is authorised as an authorised financial services provider by the Financial Services Conduct Authority under FSP48657, and registered as a credit provider with the National Credit Regulator under NCRCP9997. Lending is direct, so the bank is the counterparty on the balance. Ask the bank directly what applies to a loan in good standing.
How quickly is a Discovery Bank personal loan funded?+
Money is released within 48 hours of the application being approved. Terms run 6 to 72 and the amount runs ZAR 15,000 to ZAR 500,000, so a home improvement can be covered in one draw once the paperwork is in. Applications ask for proof of income and recent proof of residence, which adds handling time before the clock starts.
LEND.ch
What rate am I likely to be offered?+
Rates run 4.3% to 9.96%, which sits below the 12% median across loans on the site and well under the 10% to 23% range at Monzo Flex. The band is a range rather than a single price because the offer depends on your profile, so a weaker file sits nearer the top of it. The score band you land in also sets the fee.
How much is the arrangement fee and when is it taken?+
It is a single origination charge, it depends on your credit score, it is spread across the whole loan term and it is taken out of the payout rather than invoiced separately. The representative example shows the shape: an annual fee on the top score band and a total fee on a personal loan, with the payout reduced by both. Check the payout figure against the amount you asked to borrow.
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