Updated September 28, 2026 · BorrowCue Editorial Team
Izwe Zambia vs Optimise
Izwe Zambia vs Optimise: the differences
| Compare |  Izwe Zambia |  Optimise |
|---|---|---|
| Loan amount | ZMW 150,000 | £10,000 to £500,000 |
| Term | 60 months | 36 to 360 monthsHigher |
| Arrangement fee | 0 ZMW | No upfront fees; broker fee added on completion (up to 12.5% of secured loan) |
| Funding time | Within 24 hours of approval, paid via EFT | Funds typically released within two weeks |
| Rate type | Fixed | Variable |
| Lender type | Direct lender | Broker |
| Eligibility | Permanently employed Zambian government employees, Zambia Air Force (ZAF) and Zambia National Service (ZNS), plus private sector employees; salary advances require banking with Absa, Atlas Mara, Indo, Natsave or Zanaco | Homeowners (mortgaged or own outright); employed, self-employed, retired or benefits-based incomes; all credit scores considered |
| Origination fee (%) | 0% | 0% to 12.5% |
| Loan types | Personal, Payday, Cash advance, Secured, Car, Business | Secured, Personal, Debt consolidation, Business, Bridging |
| APR | Not confirmed | 9.49% to 12.6% |
| Credit check | Not confirmed | Soft prequal |
| Representative example | Not confirmed | Borrow 30,000 over 180 months at 9.25% fixed for 5 years then 9.75% variable; 12.6% APRC, total payable 64,878.60 incl. broker fee 3,750 and lender fee 600 |
| Free early repayment | No | Not confirmed |
| Credit needed | Not confirmed | Poor |
Same on both: Use cases (Home improvement).
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Key differences
- Izwe Zambia scores higher overall: 9.2 vs 9.0.
- Founded is lower at Izwe Zambia: 2008 vs 2009.
- Term is higher at Optimise: 36 to 360 months vs 60 months.
- Support channels: only Izwe Zambia offers Help centre, Chat.
- Loan types: only Izwe Zambia offers Payday, Cash advance, Car.
- Loan types: only Optimise offers Debt consolidation, Bridging.
Our verdict on each
Izwe Zambia
Izwe Zambia lends directly in Zambia, with personal loans up to ZMW 150,000 on fixed rates. It suits permanently employed government, Air Force, National Service and private sector staff, and money lands Within 24 hours of approval, paid via EFT.
Optimise
Optimise is a UK broker for property-backed lending, built for homeowners whether mortgaged or owning outright, and for borrowers with a poorer credit history. Borrowing of £10,000 to £500,000 is available at 9.49% to 12.6% APR, with terms of 36 to 360, though a broker fee of 0% to 12.5% can be added on completion.
Score breakdown
| Area | Izwe Zambia | Optimise |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.9Arrangement fee 0 ZMW and product fee ZMW 0 on personal loans, with fixed pricing fixed. | 9.2Higher |
| Offer | 9.8Higher | 9.3Offer strength comes from a secured loan with soft prequalification at soft prequal, so property carries the risk instead of a hard credit check. |
| Trust | 9.1Higher | 8.6 |
Feature by feature
| Loan types | Izwe Zambia | Optimise |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | Yes | Yes |
| Payday | Yes | No |
| Debt consolidation | No | Yes |
| Secured | Yes | Yes |
| Car | Yes | No |
| Business | Yes | Yes |
| Cash advance | Yes | No |
| Bridging | No | Yes |
| Use cases | Izwe Zambia | Optimise |
|---|---|---|
| Home improvement | Yes | Yes |
How they place
| Ranking | Izwe Zambia | Optimise |
|---|---|---|
| Personal loans | 418 of 1932 | 691 of 1932 |
| Secured loans | 101 of 472 | 204 of 472 |
| Mortgages | 122 of 719 | 248 of 719 |
| Business loans | 88 of 435 | 164 of 435 |
| Home improvement loans | 164 of 562 | 314 of 562 |
| Equity release | 5 of 32 | 13 of 32 |
What we checked
Izwe Zambia
- izwezambia.com: 17 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Optimise
- optimisefinance.co.uk: 19 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Izwe Zambia | Optimise |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Fixed rate | Fixed rate |
| Features | Same day funding | Not confirmed |
| Legal entity | Izwe Loans Zambia PLC | Optimise Finance |
| Headquarters | Zambia | United Kingdom |
| Founded | 2008Lower | 2009 |
| Support channels | Email, Phone, Help centre, ChatCovers more | Email, Phone |
Mortgages
| Fact | Izwe Zambia | Optimise |
|---|---|---|
| Initial rate | Not confirmed | 6.59% to 26.3% |
| APRC | Not confirmed | 12.6% |
| Fixed period | 5 years | 5 years |
| Product fee | ZMW 0 | £3,750 |
| Purpose | Equity release | Purchase, Remortgage, First time buyer, Buy to let, Equity releaseCovers more |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Izwe Zambia | Optimise | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| APR | Not confirmed | 9.49% to 12.6%above the median | 8.99 |
| Term | 60 monthsat the median | 36 to 360 monthshighest quarter | 60 months |
| Origination fee (%) | 0%below the median | 0% to 12.5%below the median | 0.25% |
Median across 1005 listed lenders.
Pros and cons
Izwe Zambia
Pros
- Arrangement fee 0 ZMW and product fee ZMW 0 on personal loans, so no upfront charge to weigh
- Direct lender direct lender under the Bank of Zambia, with the legal entity Izwe Loans Zambia PLC
- Funding Within 24 hours of approval, paid via EFT, and same day funding same day funding is listed on personal loans
Cons
- Free early repayment is no, so settling the loan early carries a cost
- Eligibility is narrow: permanently employed government, ZAF and ZNS staff plus private sector employees
- Salary advances need banking with Absa, Atlas Mara, Indo, Natsave or Zanaco
Optimise
Pros
- Loans of £10,000 to £500,000 at 9.49% to 12.6% APR, with terms running 36 to 360.
- A fixed rate for 5 before the pricing changes, which suits planned work.
- Every credit score is considered, and the credit profile that fits is poor, so a thinner file is still workable.
Cons
- A broker fee of 0% to 12.5% is added on completion, so the total cost sits above the quoted rate alone.
- The eligibility criteria cover property owners, mortgaged or outright, which narrows the pool of applicants considerably.
- Money moves slowly: Funds typically released within two weeks, so this is no route to funds in the same week.
Who each suits
Izwe Zambia
Who it suits
- Borrowers after personal, payday, cash advance, secured, car or business lending, personal, payday and cash advance
- People who want the money paid into their bank account by EFT, Within 24 hours of approval, paid via EFT
Who should look elsewhere
- Self-employed or contract workers outside the listed employers
- Anyone planning to repay early, since free early repayment is no
- Borrowers needing loan types outside personal, payday and cash advance
Optimise
Who it suits
- Homeowners with a mortgage or a home owned outright, funding home improvement work.
- Borrowers whose credit profile is poor, since all credit scores are considered.
- Employed, self-employed, retired and benefits-based earners in the UK.
Who should look elsewhere
- Renters and first-time buyers with nothing to pledge: eligibility is limited to homeowners who are mortgaged or own outright.
- Borrowers chasing a quick fix, because Funds typically released within two weeks sets the wait.
- Readers who want a lender's own rate table: Monzo Flex publishes 10% to 23% directly, an easy side by side check.
Country by country
| Country | Izwe Zambia | Optimise |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | No | Yes |
| Zambia | Yes | No |
Questions about each
Izwe Zambia
What does Izwe Zambia charge in fees?+
On personal loans the arrangement fee is 0 ZMW and the product fee is ZMW 0. Interest is charged on a fixed rate, fixed, so your repayments do not move with the market. Repaying early is not free, so the cost of settling up front is worth checking before you apply.
How much can I borrow and for how long?+
Loans run up to ZMW 150,000, over a term of 60. The range covers personal, payday, cash advance, secured, car and business lending, personal, payday and cash advance. The personal loan pages also list home improvement as a use, home improvement, and landed property borrowing is an equity release product, equity release.
Optimise
What rate will I pay, and what does the APR include?+
Advertised rates run 9.49% to 12.6% APR, and the worked example is shown at 12.6% APRC. The APRC is the figure that folds in the broker and lender fees, so it is the better number to compare, while the rate itself is what drives the monthly payment.
Is there an arrangement fee or upfront charge?+
There are no upfront fees. What you pay is a broker fee added on completion of 0% to 12.5%, plus lender fees, and the homeowner loans page quotes a product fee of £3,750. The cost does not appear in your first payment, so the completion stage is where it lands.
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