Nyble Review: Your Escape From Hungry Loan Sharks?

In the murky waters of private lending, people who are new to credit or have limited credit are fresh meat. Loan sharks circle while the JAWS theme plays faster and louder. Then along comes Nyble, a Canadian personal finance platform turning the tide against a predatory market. With zero interest charges and late fees, you can build credit, check your score, borrow, and escape loan shark-infested waters. Here’s what to know about Nyble, how it works, and if it’s really as good as it seems.  

What is Nyble? 

Founded in 2021, Nyble is a personal finance platform that helps people build credit history, track credit score, and access credit without a prior credit history. The company provides a revolving line of credit if you are unable to access conventional lending services. While these types of loans can be risky, Nyble has created a unique service that offers you a safer and more affordable alternative.

Unlike the other guys who charge outrageous interest rates and stack fees on fees, Nyble does the opposite. They don’t charge any interest at all, nor do they charge any late fees if you fall beyond on repayment. On top of that, it’s also a free credit score app that lets you check your score as often as you want without hurting. Nyble’s credit builder also helps you build credit without a credit check.

How does it work?

At Nyble, you can apply for a line of credit up to $150 and get your money in as little as 30 minutes – that’s faster than your pizza delivery guy! Instead of using your credit score to determine eligibility, the company looks at your unique financial situation instead. Nyble uses your current income and banking transaction history to determine your ability to repay the loan comfortably – without falling into the dreaded debt trap. 

However, the entire amount you borrow must be paid back on a date you select. Nyble will automatically withdraw the funds from your account to cover the full amount you borrowed. At the end of each month, your payment history is then reported to the credit bureau.

Because it’s a line of credit, you always have access to emergency funds when you need them. You can borrow and pay back as many times as you need to. Your payments are reported to the credit bureaus, which can help you build credit with a history of on-time payments.

Keep in mind that late or missed payments are also reported. So if you mismanage your Nyble credit line, you’ll damage your credit. That said, you can always request Nyble to extend your repayment date, and as long as you pay your late balance within 30 days, your credit will not be impacted. 

How much does it cost?

Nyble works on a freemium model in order for you to access a line of credit. Navigating the fee structure is like watching the director’s cut of your favourite movie – there are extras that can make your experience more rewarding, or just more expensive. Nyble doesn’t charge any interest or late fees and it can be used free of charge. However, users can also opt for a paid membership option ($11.99) which comes with access to additional features, including faster funding options, full credit reports, and digital identity protection. The paid membership also comes with a free 30-day trial in case you want to try it out first.

Basic (Free)

• Small credit line up to $150
• Regular funding option in 3 business days
• Credit score tracking and monitoring
• 1x rewards

Paid Membership ($11.99)

• Small credit line up to $150
• Instant funding option in 1-30 minutes
• Credit score tracking and full credit report
• 5x rewards
• $100,000 of digital identity protection

Let’s start with the paid membership fee. Just like a new movie trailer, Nyble teases you with a 30-day free trial. This period lets you dip your toe into the experience. If you like the temperature, you can dive right in. But after the trial ends, membership will cost you $11.99 per month and is deducted from the debit card you used during your application. 

Think of it as a monthly subscription that gives you access to advanced features beyond quick cash, whether you want those features or not. Luckily, if at any point there’s a plot twist that kills your vibe, you can pause or cancel your membership – no questions asked. 

What does Nyble have to offer?

Once you sign up for the full Nyble experience, you get more than just an interest-free line of credit. You also get access to digital protection and tools to build your score and monitor your credit file. This provides a unique level of customer service that not only helps you successfully repay your loan, but can set you on a path to financial security. You don’t even have to take a loan to benefit from what Nyble has to offer.

Say you need help managing expenses or you want to boost your savings, you can reach out to a financial coach for a personalized budget. They’re like the Richard Dreyfuss to your Roy Scheider, helping you escape the jaws of financial insecurity.

Or maybe you have too much debt and it’s seriously stressing you out. Nyble will connect you with a credit counsellor to assess the situation, go over your options, and create a plan. 

Credit Score

If you’re familiar with Borrowell or Credit Karma, then you’ll benefit from the Nyble credit score feature. You can instantly check your score for free as often as you want without affecting it, track your progress, see how your borrowing behaviour impacts your score, and get real-time updates when there are changes on your credit file. With a paid membership, you can also access a full credit report directly from the credit bureau (Equifax).

Credit Counselling

For those struggling with debt, this is a major perk you want to take advantage of. Nyble has partnered with Consolidated Credit, a non-profit organization that helps you get out of debt faster by negotiating lower interest rates with your creditors.

Consolidated Credit can help reduce your total debt payments by up to 30-50%! This is a great option that can help you avoid a consumer proposal or bankruptcy and regain control of your life. No to mention, reducing your monthly expenses with lower payments helps you break free from the cycle of predatory payday loans and cash advances. 

To contact Consolidated Credit, click on “Reduce Debt” on your dashboard, then follow the prompts. You can also call using a special phone number dedicated to Nyble customers: 1-844-201-3371

Lending & Credit Marketplace

Nyble has partnered with Loans Canada, one of the best private lenders for personal loans, to help you find lending and credit management solutions right from your app. Loans Canada is a platform that helps you search for and compare loans from providers across the country so you can find the best rates and terms for your situation. 

From the dashboard, click on “Loans & More,” then choose the loan product or service you’re looking for. Options include personal loans, HELOCs, credit report disputes, debt management, and more!

Protect by Cyberscout

Protect is comprehensive digital insurance provided by Cyberscout, a TransUnion brand, that is automatically included in a paid membership. However, in order to be actively covered, you need to register with the insurance provider after your first membership payment is made.

Digital protection includes identity theft coverage up to $100,000, and ransomware coverage up to $25,000. You’re also covered against social engineering – a tactic where the cybercriminal is a stealth brain ninja rather than a system hacker, tricking you into disclosing sensitive information. Nyble also monitors your credit file, on the lookout for anything suspicious. And should trouble arise, you get 24/7 cyber helpdesk support. 

The downside is that some paid users will end up paying for insurance they neither want or need. But you’re actually getting very expensive coverage for dirt cheap. Similar coverage from traditional lenders typically costs about $20 a month, and Equifax charges $30 a month for $1M worth of coverage.  

Referral Bonus

You can also earn rewards and access a higher credit limit by referring your friends and family to Nyble. For every successful referral, you both get an extra $5 added to your credit limit as well as 200 points. Currently, points can be used to access higher credit limits or redeemed for gift cards.

What are Nyble rewards?

Nyble rewards are points you earn for certain behaviour, like on-time payments and early payments, and when you improve your credit score or reduce debt. Right now, the rewards program has improved from its original version, which was terrible. There are now more ways to earn points, even as a free member.

My personal experience with Nyble

Since I knew there would be no impact on my credit score, I decided to join Nyble and test it out. The sign up process was mind-blowingly easy – seriously! To apply for my line of credit, all I had to do was follow the prompts and provide some personal information. Then I needed to connect my bank account so Nyble could assess my income and transaction history. The entire process from sign-up to credit line approval took less than 5 minutes.

On the down side, I was only approved for a $50 line of credit to start. I saw that $50 hit my bank account within the next 3 days. Obviously, I immediately used it to pay back my line of credit. 

I then pre-qualified for $80 once I established a history of on time payments. But Nyble didn’t tell me how long it would take to establish that history and increase my limit. I’m not sure why my initial credit limit is so low because I maintain a healthy bank balance and have never bounced a payment or been overdrawn.

Is Nyble worth it?

All in all, I give the user experience 5 stars – would definitely recommend. It absolutely is a game changer for anyone who is new to credit or with limited credit who needs hassle-free access to money and wants to build their credit history. And it’s a much safer way to improve your credit score if done strategically. But that doesn’t mean Nyble isn’t without faults. 

I’m not crazy about the membership option. If I want access to my Nyble line of credit on a moment’s notice, I have to pay $11.99 a month whether I borrow the money or not. For the most part, if I don’t need to immediately access money, I can also build credit history and access credit score with the free option alone.

However, it does make sense to borrow and pay back every single month if you’re trying to increase your credit score with a positive payment history, or you’re trying to avoid expensive Non-Sufficient Fund (NSF) fees from your bank. Bills don’t always line up with paydays and NSFs are whopping $48 a pop – way more expensive then your Nyble membership fee.

As with literally every other credit product in the world, use it with extreme care and discipline. 

Nyble pros & cons

How to get a Nyble line of credit

If you need to access fast funds, want to improve your credit score, or all of the above, join Nyble today and apply for a line of credit. To qualify, you need to:

• Be the age of majority in your province or territory
• Provide your name, date of birth, and contact information
• Provide valid government-issued identification
• Have a Canadian bank account with a positive balance
• Receive at least $1,000 of employment income by direct deposit
• Have a phone that can receive texts