Guides to borrowing in Switzerland
Plain answers to the questions people ask before, during and after a loan. Each guide explains the Swiss rules, uses the Swiss terms, and ends with one next step.
If Swiss loans are new to you, start with “Taking out a personal loan in Switzerland”.
Start with your situation
I want to borrow
How loans work in Switzerland, what they cost and how to compare offers.
I’m not sure I qualify
What lenders look at, and what each rule means for you.
I already have a loan
Combining credits, paying back early, withdrawing from a contract.
Money is tight
Free help first. A loan is not always the answer.
All topics
Personal loans explained
Taking out a personal loan in Switzerland
How a personal loan works in Switzerland, from the Consumer Credit Act and the 10 % rate cap to the credit check, your rights and every step to payout.
How to apply for a personal loan: steps and documents
What applying for a personal loan in Switzerland involves: the checks the law requires, the documents to have ready, and Swizeo’s six steps online.
How much can I borrow?
How Swiss law decides how much you can borrow: your Existenzminimum, rent, taxes, other credits and the 36-month rule, and how to work out your own figure.
Paying a loan back early in Switzerland
You can repay a Swiss consumer credit before its end and owe no interest for the time left. What the law says, what you save and how to do it.
The right to withdraw from a loan in Switzerland
In Switzerland you have 14 days to withdraw from a consumer credit contract, in writing. When the days start, how to withdraw and what you pay back.
Loan, leasing, credit card or pay later
Loan, leasing, credit card or pay later in Switzerland: which ones the Consumer Credit Act covers, what each can cost, and who owns what you buy.
Costs, rates and comparing
Personal loan rates and costs in Switzerland
What a personal loan costs in Switzerland: the effective annual rate, the 10 % legal maximum, how the term changes the total, and which costs to check.
How to compare personal loans in Switzerland
Compare personal loans in Switzerland on the effective annual rate and the total to repay, then check extra costs, flexibility and who you deal with.
Maximum rate and effective annual rate
The legal maximum for a Swiss cash loan is 10 % a year since 1 January 2026. How it is set, what the effective annual rate includes, what to check.
«Instant» loans: what fast really means
Swiss consumer credit law requires a credit check, a written contract and 14 days to withdraw. What «instant» can mean, and why fast offers deserve care.
Refinancing and consolidating
Refinancing and consolidating loans in Switzerland
Combining credits into one loan can lower your monthly payment and still cost more in total. How refinancing works in Switzerland, and when to get help.
Replacing an existing loan in Switzerland
Replacing a loan means a new one pays off what you still owe. When it saves money in Switzerland, what the new lender checks and how to switch safely.
Who can borrow
Loan requirements in Switzerland
What you need for a personal loan in Switzerland: the credit check the law sets, age, permit, income, ZEK, IKO and Betreibung records, and documents.
Loans with a residence permit (B, C, L)
A B, C or L permit does not rule out a loan in Switzerland. What the law asks of every borrower, what changes with a permit, and what to ask a lender.
Loans for the self-employed
The self-employed can apply for a personal loan in Switzerland. The credit check the law sets, the documents that show your income, and what to ask.
Loans in retirement
Swiss law sets no upper age for a loan. How the credit check treats AHV and pension fund pensions, what to plan for, and where to get free advice.
Loans for young adults and apprentices
At 18 you can sign a loan alone; under 18 it needs written consent. What the Swiss credit check means for an apprentice’s wage, and what to know first.
Credit checks, ZEK and Betreibung
What lenders check: credit record, ZEK and Betreibung
Switzerland has no single credit score set by law. What lenders check (IKO, ZEK, the Betreibung register, your budget) and how to see your own records.
Getting a loan with a Betreibung
A Betreibung does not rule out a loan by law. What a lender sees on your extract, how entries go, and when debt advice should come before a loan.
ZEK and IKO explained
ZEK and IKO are the two Swiss credit databases lenders use. What each one records, how long entries stay and how to order your free extract.
How to order a debt collection extract in Switzerland
Order your Swiss debt collection extract (Betreibungsauszug): which office, online, by post or at the counter, the CHF 17 fee, and what it shows.
Loans «without a credit check»: what’s true
Swiss law makes a lender check that you can afford a consumer credit before you sign. What «no credit check» offers really mean, and how to stay safe.
Spotting loan scams
How loan scams work in Switzerland: a fee before the payout, a request for your bank login, a loan with no credit check. The warning signs and what to do.
Loan rejected: what now
Turned down for a loan in Switzerland? How to find out why, check your ZEK, IKO and debt collection records, fix errors, and decide when to try again.
What people borrow for
Car loan or leasing in Switzerland
Car loan or leasing in Switzerland: who owns the car, what the Consumer Credit Act sets for each, what ending early costs, and what to compare.
Money worries and debt help
Debt help in Switzerland
Every canton has debt advice offices, and the hotline 0800 708 708 is free. What to do first, how debt collection works, and the ways out of debt.
Making a budget
How to make a monthly budget in Switzerland: what to count, how to spread yearly bills, rules of thumb from Budgetberatung Schweiz, and where to get help.
Missed a loan payment
What happens in Switzerland after a missed loan payment, from late interest to the IKO report and debt collection, what to do now and where to get help.
Swiss credit terms, explained
Effective annual rate, ZEK, IKO, Betreibung, withdrawal right and 13 more terms, each in a few lines.