Updated September 29, 2026 · BorrowCue Editorial Team
AIB vs Sofkredit
What sets them apart
| Compare |  AIB |  Sofkredit |
|---|---|---|
| Initial rate | 3%Lower | 8% to 14% |
| APRC | 3.6%Lower | 10.74% to 18.06% |
| Fixed period | 3 years | 0.5 to 20 yearsHigher |
| Maximum loan to value | 90%Higher | 30% |
| Purpose | Purchase, Remortgage, First time buyer, Buy to let, Home equityCovers more | Home equity, Remortgage |
| Lender type | Direct lender | Broker |
| Product fee | Not confirmed | €900 to €1,350 |
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Key differences
- AIB scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 8.6.
- Sofkredit is licensed in 1 more country.
- Sofkredit is available in 2 more countries.
- Initial rate is lower at AIB: 3% vs 8% to 14%.
- APRC is lower at AIB: 3.6% vs 10.74% to 18.06%.
- Fixed period is higher at Sofkredit: 0.5 to 20 years vs 3 years.
- Maximum loan to value is higher at AIB: 90% vs 30%.
- Support channels: only AIB offers Chat.
- Support channels: only Sofkredit offers Email.
- Purpose: only AIB offers Purchase, First time buyer, Buy to let.
Our verdict on each
AIB
Irish retail banks suit borrowers who want a single established bank for home and personal borrowing rather than the widest choice. A home loan initial rate of 3%, an APRC of 3.6% and a personal loan APR of 8.95% keep the cost picture competitive, with a fixed period of 3.
Sofkredit
Sofkredit suits Spanish borrowers who want property backed finance and can wait for a notary appointment. The headline cost is an arrangement fee of 6% to 9% of the loan, while Sofkredit's own service adds nothing beyond it.
Score breakdown
| Area | AIB | Sofkredit |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.7Higher | 8.5 |
| Offer | 9.0 | 9.3HigherRanges cover €12,000 to €300,000, 6 to 240 and 10.74% to 18.06%, with home equity and remortgage and home improvement on the same application. |
| Trust | 9.3Higher | 8.3 |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | AIB | Sofkredit |
|---|---|---|
| Mortgages | 48 of 719 | 1 of 719 |
| Remortgage deals | 32 of 351 | 1 of 351 |
| Home equity loans and HELOCs | 13 of 110 | 1 of 110 |
| Home improvement loans | 79 of 562 | 2 of 562 |
Licences and countries
| Country | AIB | Sofkredit |
|---|---|---|
| Ireland | Not confirmed | |
| Italy | Not confirmed | |
| Spain | Not confirmed | Banco de Espana E020 |
Additional countries for AIB: 1. Additional countries for Sofkredit: 3.
What it costs in practice
200,000 over 25 years, first year
AIB
11,381.07
11,381.07
Sofkredit
18,523.59 to 28,890.27
18,523.59 to 28,890.27
AIB comes out 7,142.52 lower in this example.
Excludes product fee (not stated by AIB). Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it. Facts checked September 26, 2026.
If neither fits
Prestalo has fixed period at 25 years, against 3 years for AIB and 0.5 to 20 years for Sofkredit.
Prestalo reviewEvery fact side by side
| Fact | AIB | Sofkredit |
|---|---|---|
| Legal entity | Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c. | Kova Finance, S.L. |
| Headquarters | Ireland | Spain |
| Founded | 1966 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Phone, Chat, Help centre | Email, Phone, Help centre |
Loans
| Fact | AIB | Sofkredit |
|---|---|---|
| APR | 8.95%Lower | 10.74% to 18.06% |
| Loan amount | €1,000 to €75,000 | €12,000 to €300,000Higher |
| Term | 12 to 60 months | 6 to 240 monthsHigher |
| Arrangement fee | Not confirmed | 6% to 9% of the loan; on a 15,000 EUR mortgage-guaranteed loan the commission is 900 EUR minimum and 1,350 EUR maximum, charged by the collaborating lender; Sofkredit's own service costs the user nothing |
| Credit check | Hard | Soft prequal |
| Funding time | Decision within 3 hours; money paid into your Current Account | 15-20 days after approval; same day as the notary signing, about one week if documentation is sent quickly |
| Representative example | AIB standard personal loan: €1,500 over 1 year at 8.65% variable interest rate and 8.95% APR, 12 monthly instalments of €130.48, total cost of credit €65.76, total repayable €1,565.76 | a 15,000 EUR loan at 9% interest over 5 years returns a total of 21,750 EUR |
| Features | Credit line | Same day funding |
| Rate type | Variable | Not confirmed |
| Free early repayment | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Eligibility | Over 18s only, subject to approval; Irish residents need a PPSN, residents outside Ireland a PPSN or non-Irish TRN | Natural or legal persons of legal age (+18) with Spanish nationality or residence, holder of a bank account; for mortgage-guaranteed loans a property must be owned, free of charges or with at least 70% of the mortgage repaid |
| Origination fee (%) | Not confirmed | 6% to 9% |
| Loan types | Personal, Car, Student, Credit line | Secured, Debt consolidation, Business |
| Credit needed | Not confirmed | Poor |
| Use cases | Home improvement | Home improvement |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | AIB | Sofkredit | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial rate | 3%lowest quarter | 8% to 14%highest quarter | 4.425% |
| APRC | 3.6%lowest quarter | 10.74% to 18.06%highest quarter | 5.04% |
| Fixed period | 3 yearslowest quarter | 0.5 to 20 yearsabove the median | 10 years |
| Maximum loan to value | 90%at the median | 30%lowest quarter | 90% |
| Product fee | Not confirmed | €900 to €1,350highest quarter | €0 |
Median across 238 listed lenders.
Pros and cons
AIB
Pros
- Home loan cost sits inside the site range: initial rate 3% against a site median of 4.35%, and APRC 3.6% against 4.9%.
- A single lender covers personal, car and student, and mortgage purposes run to purchase, remortgage and first time buyer.
- Early repayment on the personal loan is free, so borrowing can be cleared ahead of schedule.
Cons
- The fixed period of 3 is short beside a site median of 6.5.
- The credit check is hard, and with the Central Bank of Ireland as regulator an application is recorded.
- Home equity lending is offered, but home loans are capped at a 90% loan to value.
Sofkredit
Pros
- Sofkredit's own service costs nothing, so the only charge to weigh is the lender's arrangement fee of 6% to 9%.
- The loan range €12,000 to €300,000 and the term range 6 to 240 suit both renovation projects and debt consolidation.
- Eligibility leans towards weaker files, with the credit needed listed as poor, and the credit check is soft prequal.
Cons
- The arrangement fee of 6% to 9% is a large share of the loan, and the product fee on a small mortgage guaranteed loan runs €900 to €1,350.
- Maximum loan to value is 30%, well below the 90% across listed lenders, so equity of your own is required.
- Sofkredit is a broker, so the contract sits with the collaborating lender rather than the site you apply through.
Who each suits
AIB
Who it suits
- Buyers and movers in Ireland who want a mainstream bank for the home loan and a personal loan alongside it.
- Borrowers planning home improvement work, which the personal loan is aimed at.
- People who prefer a long established direct lender over a broker or marketplace.
Who should look elsewhere
- Borrowers chasing the longest rate fix, since the fixed period of 3 falls well below the site median of 6.5.
- Applicants with thin files, because the credit check is hard.
- Those wanting a credit line option wider than the single credit line listed, though Sofkredit and Creditilia ES quote lower headline rates.
Sofkredit
Who it suits
- Spanish residents and nationals who own a property that is free of charges or has most of its mortgage repaid
- Borrowers consolidating several debts into one payment, since debt consolidation is among the secured, debt consolidation and business
- Homeowners funding renovation work, as home improvement is the main listed use case
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who needs money the same week without a notary appointment, against the stated funding time
- Borrowers who want to borrow more than a low share of their property's value, given the 30% cap
- Small lenders wanting a quick online application rather than the documentation and notary steps this route involves
Current offers
AIB
Current offer
Bonus
AIB switcher cash offer: 3000
Switchers availing of the Higher Value 4 year fixed rate can benefit of the EUR3,000 switcher cash offer; available for Private Dwelling House (PDH) mortgages only, switching to Fixed or Variable rates, borrowing at least EUR250,000
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | AIB | Sofkredit |
|---|---|---|
| France | No | Yes |
| Ireland | Yes | No |
| Italy | No | Yes |
| Spain | No | Yes |
Questions about each
AIB
What does a home loan from these banks cost?+
The initial rate is 3% and the APRC is 3.6%, which sits below the site median of 4.9% for that measure. Loans are arranged at a maximum loan to value of 90%, and the rate is held for 3.
What does a personal loan cost?+
The APR is 8.95% on a variable rate, with borrowing running from €1,000 to €75,000 over terms of 12 to 60. The published example shows monthly instalments and a total cost of credit, and early repayment is free.
Sofkredit
What does Sofkredit charge to arrange a loan?+
The arrangement fee runs 6% to 9% of the loan and is charged by the collaborating lender. On a small mortgage guaranteed loan the commission falls within €900 to €1,350. Sofkredit's own service costs the borrower nothing beyond that lender charge.
How much can I borrow and for how long?+
Loan amounts run €12,000 to €300,000 and terms run 6 to 240, so the range is wide enough for a renovation or a debt consolidation. Terms and amounts are set by the collaborating lender rather than by the site you apply through.
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