Are you looking forward to taking a personal loan in Singapore? One of the most important factors to consider is the interest rate or the cost of the loan. Your primary goal should be identifying a personal loan provider with a low-interest rate because it directly impacts the total amount payable by the close of the loan term. All about the loan interest rate in Singapore.

To help you identify the best personal loan, it is prudent to start by answering the main question, "What is the average personal loan interest rate in Singapore in 2024?" This post takes a closer look at personal loan interest rates in Singapore to help you understand how they are determined. You will also learn the best way to pick the best personal loan provider in Singapore.

A Closer Look at the Average Interest Rates for Personal Loans

In Singapore, the interest rates that borrowers pay on personal loans depend on individual loan providers. This is why you should consider working with a premium loan comparison site like Lendela to help you check the bank with better terms and conditions.When focusing on interest rates, you need to appreciate that it is broken down into two groups, annual flat rate, and effective interest rate.

Flat Rate

Effective Interest Rate

  • A flat rate of approximately 5.6% is charged annually on the principal of the loan.

  •  As an example: A personal loan of S$60,000 at a flat rate of 6% for three years, the annual interest rate will be S$3,600. 

  • So, the monthly payment will be divided into equal parts, including the interest (divided for 12 months) and the principal (divided by the entire loan term – 36 months).

  • An effective interest rate of 11% and 14% is charged.

  • Effective interest rate reflects the actual cost of taking a personal loan.

  • Banks may add other costs, such as administration within the effective interest rate.

  • As you repay the loan, the principal that you owe the bank decreases. The effective interest rate is adjusted progressively to reflect this fact.

To further demonstrate the difference between effective interest rates and flat rates for personal loans in Singapore, here are the main estimates for 2021. Note that they are borrowed from different loan providers in the country to help you make the right borrowing decision:

Loan Term (Years)

Annual Flat Rate (Average)

Effective Interest Rate (Average)

One

5.44%

10.23%

Two

5.82%

9.65%

Three

5.96%

9.47%

Four

6.01%

9.41%

Five

6.03%

9.28%

Table 1: Annual average flat rates and effective interest rates for personal loans in Singapore

Loan interest rate Singapore

How Banks in Singapore Determine the Personal Loan Interest Rates

Now that you know the average interest rates for taking a personal loan in Singapore, the next question might be, "How do banks determine what to charge clients?" Well, they review every application and use the following factors.

Applicant’s Annual Income

Principal

Loan Term

  • Banks in Singapore only approve loans to applicants earning more than S$30,000 per annum

  • Annual income of less than S$30,000 can incur an effective interest rate of up to 26%

  • For low-cost credit, consider building your annual income over time or have additional and consistent revenue streams

  • Higher incomes can borrow larger amounts, which also attracts lower interest rates

  • Loan providers in Singapore allow borrowers to ask for up to eight times their monthly income

  • Personal loans with longer terms tend to attract lower annual interest rates

  • Be aware that the amount payable ends up being more when compared to borrowing the same amount over a shorter period

If you check Table 1 above on the Average Cost of Personal Loans in Singapore, you will notice that the average effective interest rate declines as the period of the loan increases. This can be confusing to some borrowers as they wonder whether to go for loans with longer terms to enjoy low-interest rates or short periods and clear them fast.

When it comes to loans, the rule of thumb is to try and get them cleared as fast as possible. So, if you can afford it, try to clear the personal loan as fast as possible. By paying the loan fast, you have the opportunity of regaining full control over personal finances. It is also an awesome method of improving your credit score.

Loan Interest Rate in Singapore: Loan Fees

What are some of the loan fees you should be aware of?

Processing Fee

Late Fee

Early Repayment Fee

  • The loan processing fee is between 1% and 2% of the amount you are borrowing

  • Used to cover the costs associated with reviewing the applicant’s documents and other related costs

  • Most banks will charge you about 25% as a penalty fee on the overdue amount

  • It is wise to follow the agreed loan payment schedule strictly to avoid the late fee

  • Most loan providers charge about 3% for loans that are paid earlier than expected.

  • Before deciding to pay early, compare the amount you would have paid by sticking to the loan limit with the early repayment fee

Personal loan interest rate in Singapore

The Easy Way to Get a Personal Loan with Low-Interest Rate

The overall cost of a personal loan in Singapore is determined by adding the processing fees and interest payments within the tenure of the loan. If other fees are applicable along the way, make sure also to include them.

Because different banks have varying terms and conditions, narrowing down to the one with the best is never easy. Instead of having to review dozens of loan providers, running multiple calculations, and sending many applications, there is a simpler method – using Lendela.

Lendela is a loan comparison service that is committed to making the process of identifying the bank with lower interest rates easy and fast. Here, you only need to take a few minutes to submit an application for a personal loan and leave the rest to Lendela. We are here to help you get the best loan interest rate in Singapore.

Lendela will check with different banks and financial institutions to get you the best offers, alert you to pick the preferred choice and book you an appointment to sign the personal loan agreement. It is that simple.

In this post, we have demonstrated how average interest rates for personal loans in Singapore work. We have also shown you how banks determine the interest rates to charge every applicant. More importantly, it would be best if you considered working with loan comparison sites, such as Lendela, to easily identify Singapore banks with good terms and conditions, such as low-interest rates.

Key Takeaways

  • Consider working with a loan comparison site like Lendela to help you check the bank with better terms and conditions.
  • Compare annual flat rate and effective interest rate loan options from banks and loan providers.
  • Check and compare loan fees (processing, late, and early repayment fees) from banks and loan providers that you are interested in borrowing from.
  • To qualify for low-cost credit, consider building your annual income over time or have additional and consistent revenue streams.