Pros
- Low min. income requirement: $1,000/month
- No origination fees
- No prepayment fees
- Funding as soon as the same day you are approved
Cons
- Extremely expensive APRs
- Small loan amounts: $500 - $5,000
- Only available in 26 states
- Minimum credit score not disclosed
- Returned payment fee
- Subpar reputation
Plain Green Loan Review Summary
Plain Green loans are extremely expensive short-term loans offered by the Chippewa Cree Tribe, a sovereign nation within the U.S. Their interest rates range from 210% - 428%, and the loans must be paid back within 10 - 26 months. Although they don’t charge fees aside from a returned payment fee, they remain very costly. People with damaged credit who need an emergency loan should instead try less expensive lenders that will accept applicants with bad credit or visit their local credit unions to see if any are willing to work with a low credit score.
The only real draw of Plain Green loans is a swift payout, as they provide funding as soon as the same day you are approved. However, there are plenty of other online lenders that offer the same quick approval and funding without the sky-high interest rates. Plus, Plain Green only services 26 states. Some states they don’t do business in include New York, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Below, you can see how WalletHub rates Plain Green personal loans in three major categories: Terms, Requirements & Application, and Reviews & Transparency.
Plain Green Personal Loan Terms
 | |
| APRs | 210% - 428% |
| Loan Amount | $500 - $5,000 |
| Loan Terms | 10 - 26 months |
| Origination Fee | None |
| Prepayment Fee | None |
| Late Fee | None |
| Minimum Credit Score | Not disclosed* |
| Minimum Income | $1,000 / month |
| Loan Purpose | Other |
| Time to Receive Loan Money | 1 - 2 business days |
| Other Requirements |
|
Plain Green Loans Rates, Fees & Other Terms
Category Rating: 26% (1.3 out of 5)
- Overall APR range: Plain Green personal loans have interest rates of 210% - 428%. Plain Green loans are incredibly expensive because they are designed to be “emergency” loans for people who have no other options.
- How rates are determined: The exact rate you will get depends on your credit score, income, and existing debts, among other factors.
- Fees: Plain Green does not have any origination or early repayment fees. They may charge fees for late and returned payments, which will be disclosed in the loan agreement.
- Loan amounts & timelines: Plain Green loans range from $500 - $5,000 overall. However, the maximum loan amount for first-time customers is lower than for returning customers. Repayment terms of 10 - 26 months are available.
Plain Green Loan Requirements & Application Info
Category Rating: 50% (2.5 out of 5)
- Minimum credit score: Not disclosed, but Plain Green says they cater to “subprime” customers, meaning people with damaged credit.
- Minimum income: Plain Green’s minimum income requirement is $1,000 per month.
- Age: You must be at least 18 years old (19 years old in Alabama, Nevada, and Virginia).
- Citizenship: You must be a U.S citizen or permanent resident.
- State: You must live in one of the 24 states where Plain Green does business.
- Identification: You must have a Social Security number.
- Checking account: You must have an active and valid checking account.
- Pre-qualification: Plain Green does not offer a true pre-qualification process. However, it does have an online calculator that can estimate your loan’s potential interest rate, payment size, and number of payments based on your desired loan amount and how often you get paid.
- Ways to apply: If you decide to apply for a Plain Green loan, you can submit an online application.
- Application timeline: You should receive a decision within one business day. You can get your loan funded as soon as the same day you are approved.
Plain Green Loans Reviews & Transparency
Category Rating: 1.5/5
Plain Green does not have the greatest reputation. It has a subpar Better Business Bureau rating and has undergone legal battles over whether its interest rates violate state usury laws.
- Better Business Bureau: Plain Green is not BBB accredited and only receives a B rating.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: The CFPB does not have Plain Green listed as a company in their database, but it does have a few complaints registered that mention “Plain Green.” Most have to do with high interest rates or debt collection practices.
- WalletHub: Plain Green has a score of 2.1/5, but there are only 14 reviews contributing to this score.
- Transparency: Plain Green is transparent about their high interest rates, and even says on their website that they are an “expensive” lending option. However, they do not disclose information about fees or certain requirements like having an SSN on their website. Representatives provided information about these details over the phone when asked, though.
Overall, Plain Green’s score suffers in this category because of their subpar reputation and mediocre transparency.
Summary: Plain Green Loans Score by Review Category
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Rates, Fees & Other Terms | 1.3/5 |
| Requirements & Application Info | 2.5/5 |
| Reviews & Transparency | 1.5/5 |
| OVERALL | 5.3/15 |
Plain Green Loans vs. Popular Competitors
| Info | Plain Green | Avant | FreedomPlus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reviews | |||
| APRs | 210% - 428% | 9.95% - 35.99% | 7.99% - 29.99% |
| Loan Amounts | $500 - $5,000 | $2,000 - $35,000 | $5,000 - $50,000 |
| Loan Terms | 10 - 26 months | 24 - 60 months | 24 - 60 months |
| Minimum Credit Score | Not disclosed* | Bad* | Bad* |
| Winner |  FreedomPlus | ||
Methodology
In order to provide the most accurate review of Plain Green personal loans, WalletHub used 17 key metrics grouped into three overall sections: Terms, Requirements & Application, and Reviews & Transparency. We rated each section on a scale of 0 to 5, with 5 being the best, and then averaged the scores of the three sections to produce an overall rating for the loan.
- The “Terms” section includes information about how expensive the loan is, including rates and fees. It also takes into consideration how much consumers can borrow and how quickly they must pay it back.For companies where APR and fee ranges differ greatly by state, we used data from the most populous state serviced by the company. Plain Green personal loan terms do not fluctuate significantly by state, however.
- The “Requirements & Application” section examines how easy it is to apply for a loan and how long it takes to receive the money. It also looks at exactly who is eligible to apply.
- The “Reviews & Transparency” section measures the loan provider’s reputation as well as how clearly the lender discloses its terms and requirements. This takes into account user reviews and information from watchdog organizations.
The average of these three scores reflects how close a loan offer is to WalletHub’s definition of a 5-star loan. For more information, please read WalletHub’s full methodology.
