Payday Loan Calculator 2026 — Cost and APR

The cost depends on the commission and interest set by the lender. With an amount of PLN 2,000, total fees of PLN 200 and a 30-day period, you repay PLN 2,200. The total cost is PLN 200, and the simplified APR is about 122% per year.

The APR (Annual Percentage Rate of Charge) is the yearly cost of a loan as a percentage, covering interest and all fees. For short-term payday loans the APR can be very high (even several hundred percent) because the cost is annualised. It is a key metric for comparing loan offers.

Anti-usury law caps the maximum non-interest credit costs (commissions, fees). In 2026 the limit is 10% of the loan amount as a fixed cost plus 10% per year of lending, totalling no more than 45% of the total loan amount. This protects against excessive debt.

Many firms offer a first loan at 0% APR for new customers — you repay only the borrowed amount with no extra cost, provided you repay on time. Past the deadline, late interest and collection fees apply. Subsequent loans are paid.

After the deadline, penalty interest applies (up to twice the statutory late interest, about 14–16% per year) plus reminder and collection fees. The debt is reported to credit bureaus and debtor registers, making future loans and credit harder to obtain.

A payday loan is a short-term non-bank loan (usually up to 30–60 days) with a fast decision and a high annual cost. A personal loan is granted by a bank over a longer period (months, years) in instalments, with a lower APR, but requires greater creditworthiness and a longer process.

Most firms allow repayment to be extended (refinanced) for an extra fee. This increases the total loan cost and can lead to a debt spiral. Refinancing should be treated as a last resort, and its cost compared with other options.

Some lenders check credit bureaus and debtor registers; others grant loans "without a credit check" to people with a poor history — usually at a higher cost. Since 2023 the obligation to assess creditworthiness also applies to non-bank firms, so checks are increasingly common.

Choose 0% first-loan offers, always repay on time, and avoid extensions and refinancing. Compare offers by APR and total cost, not just the instalment amount. For larger needs, consider a cheaper personal loan or a credit card with a grace period.

No — the calculator uses a simplified APR formula: (fees / amount) × (365 / days) × 100. The real contract APR is calculated by the compound method under consumer credit law and may differ. Always check the APR and total amount payable stated in the contract.