Updated September 28, 2026 · BorrowCue Editorial Team
MoneyHero vs Smava
MoneyHero vs Smava: the differences
| Compare |  MoneyHero |  Smava |
|---|---|---|
| APR | 1% to 17.81% | -0.4% to 19.9%Lower |
| Loan amount | HK$100,000 to HK$3,000,000 | €1,000 to €120,000 |
| Arrangement fee | HKD 0 (comparison service is free of charge; no fee charged to users) | 0 EUR |
| Lender type | Broker | Marketplace |
| Eligibility | Hong Kong residents aged 18 or over; products do not apply to persons outside the Hong Kong SAR or minors | At least 18 years old, main residence in Germany, current account at a German bank, regular income, sufficient creditworthiness |
| Loan types | Personal, Debt consolidation, Credit line, Car | Personal, Car, Debt consolidation, Business |
| Term | Not confirmed | 6 to 120 months |
| Funding time | Not confirmed | Within a few working days; with digital account check and video ident some banks disburse the same day |
| Representative example | Not confirmed | Ratenkredit: EUR 50,000 net loan, 60 months, 8.70% effective annual rate, 60 monthly instalments of EUR 1,022.73, total EUR 61,363.57, Vereinigte Volksbank Raiffeisenbank eG |
| Free early repayment | Not confirmed | No |
Same on both: Credit check (Soft prequal), Rate type (Fixed), Credit needed (Fair), Use cases (Home improvement).
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Key differences
- MoneyHero scores higher overall: 9.0 vs 8.9.
- Founded is lower at Smava: 2007 vs 2015.
- APR is lower at Smava: -0.4% to 19.9% vs 1% to 17.81%.
- Support channels: only Smava offers Phone.
- Features: only MoneyHero offers Credit line.
- Features: only Smava offers Same day funding.
- Loan types: only MoneyHero offers Credit line.
- Loan types: only Smava offers Business.
Our verdict on each
MoneyHero
MoneyHero is a Hong Kong comparison broker for residents who want a single fee-free search across personal loans, debt consolidation, credit lines and car finance. Loan amounts run HKD 100,000 to HKD 3,000,000 and APR run 1% to 17.81%, and a soft prequal check sits at the quote stage.
Smava
Smava suits German borrowers who want one comparison across personal, car, consolidation and business loans, plus home finance, without paying a setup fee. It scores 6 overall, with -0.4% to 19.9% on loans and 3.2% on home finance, but early repayment is not free.
Score breakdown
| Area | MoneyHero | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.7Higher | 9.1 |
| Offer | 9.1Fixed-rate products start at an initial rate of 1.88% with an APRC of 1.88%, and both remortgage and home equity sit in range. | 9.1Amounts of €1,000 to €120,000, rates of -0.4% to 19.9%, no origination fee of 0 EUR and same day funding. |
| Trust | 8.4 | 8.5Higher |
Ranges side by side
| Fact | MoneyHero | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| APR | 1% to 17.81% | -0.4% to 19.9% |
How they place
| Ranking | MoneyHero | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| Personal loans | 104 of 1932 | 118 of 1932 |
| Loans for bad credit | 56 of 275 | 63 of 275 |
| Debt consolidation loans | 40 of 425 | 48 of 425 |
| Mortgages | 13 of 719 | 17 of 719 |
| Remortgage deals | 12 of 351 | 14 of 351 |
| Car loans | 25 of 431 | 31 of 431 |
| Home improvement loans | 49 of 562 | 56 of 562 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | MoneyHero | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Fixed rate | Fixed rate |
| Features | Credit line | Same day funding |
| Legal entity | MoneyHero Global Limited | smava GmbH (HRB 97913, Amtsgericht Charlottenburg) |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong | Germany |
| Founded | 2015 | 2007Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Help centre | Email, Phone, Help centreCovers more |
Mortgages
| Fact | MoneyHero | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| Initial rate | 1.88%Lower | 3.2% |
| APRC | 1.88%Lower | 3.2% |
| Fixed period | Not confirmed | 10 years |
| Maximum loan to value | 80% | 110%Higher |
| Product fee | HK$0 | €0 |
| Purpose | Home equity, Remortgage | Purchase, Remortgage |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | MoneyHero | Smava | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| APR | 1% to 17.81%lowest quarter | -0.4% to 19.9%lowest quarter | 8.99 |
| Term | Not confirmed | 6 to 120 monthshighest quarter | 60 |
Median across 1005 listed lenders.
Pros and cons
MoneyHero
Pros
- The comparison service is free of charge and no fee is charged to users, so searching costs nothing.
- Applications run a soft prequal, so an early look does not need a full credit file.
- Loan amounts run HKD 100,000 to HKD 3,000,000, well past the €876.96 typical amount on the site.
Cons
- Support runs on email and help centre only, so questions on a live application have no phone route.
- MoneyHero is a broker, so the approval decision and the final contract sit with the partner bank rather than the site.
- The dearest end of 1% to 17.81% sits above the 12% site median, and the products ask for fair credit.
Smava
Pros
- Loan amounts run €1,000 to €120,000 with terms of 6 to 120
- Loan types cover personal, car and debt consolidation in one comparison
- A soft prequalification credit check (soft prequal) means you can check rates before a full application
Cons
- Free early repayment: no, so paying a loan off early carries a cost
- Credit needed is fair, and eligibility also requires a German bank account and regular income
- A marketplace, so the rate you get depends on which partner bank responds and the final offer comes from them
Who each suits
MoneyHero
Who it suits
- Hong Kong residents who are adults and want a fee-free search across personal loans, debt consolidation, credit lines and car finance.
- Borrowers who would rather compare partner bank offers once than apply to a single lender.
- Homeowners with equity to release, since the range also covers home equity and remortgage.
Who should look elsewhere
- Borrowers chasing the cheapest headline rate: Cashspace quotes APR of PHP 12 to PHP 36.
- People who want to deal with a single lender instead of a comparison service: Monzo Flex quotes APR of 10% to 23%, while MoneyHero works as a broker.
- Applicants outside the Hong Kong SAR, and minors, since the eligibility terms apply to Hong Kong residents who are adults.
Smava
Who it suits
- Adults in Germany with a current account at a German bank and regular income
- Anyone consolidating debts, funding a car or improving a home who wants to compare offers rather than one lender
- Borrowers who want a fixed rate over 6 to 120 on a personal loan
Who should look elsewhere
- People who want to repay a loan early at no cost
- Borrowers without regular income or a German current account
- Anyone needing a variable-rate loan, since the model is fixed rate
Current offers
MoneyHero
Current offer
Bonus
September tax season thank-you festival, CNCBI $mart Plus instalment loan: HKD 3,300
Apply via MoneyHero during the September tax season campaign; page updated 21 September 2026; subject to terms and conditions
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Smava
Current offer
Bonus
500 EUR Amazon.de voucher on taking out a loan: 500 EUR Amazon.de voucher
Loan of at least EUR 30,000 concluded via the 'Zum Kreditvergleich mit Gutschein' button only; voucher sent by email after the 14-day withdrawal period has passed; restrictions apply per amazon.de/gc-legal
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Discount code
Cheaper-goes-does-not-exist guarantee: One-off compensation of the difference if a comparable domestic bank offer is cheaper
Applies to loans brokered via smava; amount follows the offers received in the smava credit comparison, stated without hidden conditions
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | MoneyHero | Smava |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | No | Yes |
| Hong Kong | Yes | No |
Questions about each
MoneyHero
Does MoneyHero charge an arrangement fee?+
The comparison service is free of charge and no fee is charged to users, so nothing is payable for the search itself. On the home equity and remortgage products, the product fee is listed as HKD 0.
Is MoneyHero a lender?+
MoneyHero is a broker, run by MoneyHero Global Limited. That means the site places offers from several partner banks next to each other, and the bank you apply to is the one that decides the rate, the approval and the contract.
Smava
What does Smava charge for setting up a loan?+
There is no origination fee on the personal loan: the arrangement fee is 0 EUR, and the product fee is €0. What you pay instead is interest on the borrowed amount, which is priced at -0.4% to 19.9% for your own profile.
How much can I borrow and over what term?+
Loan amounts run €1,000 to €120,000, and terms run 6 to 120. The rate model is fixed, so the figure you are offered is set at the start and does not drift with market moves.
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