GEFA review

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

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Our verdict

GEFA is a German bank lending to businesses that buy a financed object, on a fixed rate with terms of 24 to 96. It suits established SMEs that value a lender trading since 1949 and want a facility tied to the asset rather than a personal loan.

Key facts

Best for
Fixed-rate, secured business lending for German SMEs buying equipment.
Loan amount
from €5,000 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Term
24 to 96 months (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Funding time
Same-day response possible for financing requests up to 250,000 EUR (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Rate type
Fixed (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Lender type
Direct lender (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Free early repayment
Yes (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Eligibility
Business customers in Germany (German SME sector); financed object purchase price of at least 5,000 EUR (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Loan types
Business, Secured (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Legal entity
GEFA BANK GmbH (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Headquarters
Germany (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Founded
1949 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Support channels
Email, Phone, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Pricing model
Fixed rate
Official website
gefa-bank.de

Apps and profiles

Get the app
App Store
Elsewhere
LinkedInyoutube.com

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Early repayment carries no charge, so settling the facility ahead of schedule costs nothing extra.
  • The rate is fixed, so the monthly payment holds steady for the life of the facility.
  • GEFA lends to business customers in Germany specifically, so the assessment looks at the business rather than a personal file.

Cons

  • The minimum loan is from €5,000, well above the €876.96 median across lenders on the site.
  • Terms stop at 24 to 96, shorter than the longest secured loans tracked, which reach 360.
  • Support runs on email, phone and help centre only, with no live chat for quick questions.
GEFA

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Scored 9.4 / 10 by BorrowCue.

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Who it suits

  • A German SME buying equipment outright, where a fixed rate structure keeps the monthly payment predictable across the whole term.
  • Businesses planning a larger purchase who want another lender to weigh up, such as Sofkredit with €12,000 to €300,000.
  • Companies that value an established counterparty: GEFA has traded since 1949 under GEFA BANK GmbH.

Who should look elsewhere

  • Borrowers after a small personal sum: the floor is from €5,000, and Creduma ES starts at from €12,000.
  • Businesses that want a revolving credit line or a variable rate, since GEFA offers fixed rate only.
  • Companies applying from outside Germany, where Solcredito MX lends up to MXN 100,000 instead.

How your money is protected

GEFA is a direct lender, so the credit decision and the lending risk sit with the bank rather than with a broker or an investment platform. The European Central Bank is the regulator named for Germany. For a facility secured on equipment you intend to keep using, that structure keeps the counterparty simple: you contract with the bank itself rather than an intermediary.

The company behind it

The lender behind the facility is GEFA BANK GmbH, based in Germany and trading since 1949, which puts a long institutional history behind a business loan. Questions go through email, phone and help centre, so a company can pick up the phone, send an email or browse the help centre instead of relying on a single channel.

How GEFA compares

Where GEFA is available

Available
Germany
Licence in Germany
European Central Bank, checked September 26, 2026

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

Frequently asked questions

What is the smallest loan GEFA lends?+

The minimum facility is from €5,000, so the product is built for asset purchases rather than small personal sums. Terms then run 24 to 96, which lets a business spread a machine or vehicle cost over a sensible period. Anything below that floor sits outside the product.

Is the GEFA rate fixed or variable?+

The rate is fixed, described as fixed rate. In practice that means the monthly payment is set when the facility is drawn down and does not shift when market rates move, which suits a business that budgets from cash flow. There is no variable element to reprice mid-term.

Can I repay a GEFA loan early without a charge?+

Early repayment is free, so nothing is deducted when you settle the facility ahead of schedule. It works cleanly because the loan is fixed across 24 to 96, with no rate to reprice and no penalty to negotiate. Repaying early simply shortens what is left to pay.

Who can apply for a GEFA loan?+

Eligibility is limited to business customers in Germany, and the financed object has to be a genuine purchase. The lending on offer covers business and secured purposes, so an SME buying a machine, vehicle or piece of equipment fits the profile. Personal borrowing sits outside the range.

How are my money and the loan protected?+

GEFA is a direct lender, so the bank lends from its own balance sheet rather than passing your application to an outside investor. The European Central Bank is the regulator named for Germany. The facility is also secured on the object being bought, which is why the price of that object drives the decision.

How fast can I get an answer from GEFA?+

GEFA says a same-day response is possible on larger financing requests. The counterparty throughout is GEFA BANK GmbH, the bank itself, so a request does not pass through a broker or a comparison site. The rest of the timetable depends on how quickly your business documents reach them.

How do I get hold of GEFA?+

Support runs on email, phone and help centre, which covers a phone line, an email address and a help centre. For a business loan the phone line is the quickest route when you are chasing a decision, and the help centre helps with the questions that come up once the facility is running. The lender is GEFA BANK GmbH.

Sources

Compiled from 4 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.

Not confirmed yet: APR, Arrangement fee, Credit check, Representative example.

GEFA

GEFA

Fixed-rate, secured business lending for German SMEs buying equipment.

9.4/10See alternatives

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