Is an online loan safe?

A loan from a licensed lender is subject to the same federal and Florida law as one from a branch: Truth-in-Lending disclosures before signing, Equal Credit Opportunity Act protections, and Fair Credit Reporting Act rights if you are declined. Check the licence number before you apply — that is the part that matters, not whether there is a building.

Do I need to visit an office to sign?

No. Disclosures and the promissory note are e-signed, and there is nowhere to visit — StrideFi has no branch locations.

Why do you need to connect my bank account?

Read-only bank data verifies your identity, balance and income, and identifies the account funds are sent to. It replaces paper statements. We do not gain the ability to move money out of the account through that connection.

Which parts of Florida can apply?

All of them. A statewide licence and an online process mean every Florida resident applies through the same page on the same terms.

Online loans in Florida

StrideFi has no branches. The application, identity check, bank connection, disclosures and signature all happen online, and funds arrive by ACH — which means the process is identical whether you are in Pensacola or Key West.

Check your eligibility

How an online lender differs from a storefront

No branch, so no distance problem. A statewide licence and an online process mean rural counties get the same product and the same rates as Miami-Dade.
Bank data instead of paper. Connecting your account through Plaid gives read-only verification of income and balances. No printed statements, no pay stubs to fax.
Rates set by underwriting, not footfall. A storefront’s pricing carries the cost of the storefront. Ours does not.
A signed record of everything. Your Truth-in-Lending disclosure and promissory note are presented and e-signed before disbursement, and stay available to you afterwards.

What "online" does not mean

It does not mean automated end to end. Every approval is reviewed by a person before funds move — that is a deliberate control, and it is why we do not advertise instant decisions.

It does not mean instant money. ACH transfers settle on banking days. Funding typically arrives 1–2 business days after e-signing, and never on a weekend or federal holiday.

It does not mean fewer requirements. Identity verification, bank-account verification, and income verification are all still required, and a licensed lender that skipped them would not be one for long.

Checking that an online lender is licensed

Any lender charging Florida Chapter 516 rates must hold an active consumer finance licence from the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. Lending at those rates without one is criminal usury under Chapter 687, so the licence is not a formality.

Our licence number is printed in the footer of every page on this site and on our licensing page, and it is verifiable in the OFR’s public licensee search. Any online lender that will not give you a licence number is one to walk away from.

What it costs

Representative 12-month payment examples
Loan amount	APR	Term	Monthly payment	Finance charge	Total of payments
$2,000	35.99%	12 mo	$200.91	$410.92	$2,410.92
$5,000	31.99%	12 mo	$492.34	$908.08	$5,908.08
$10,000	28.99%	12 mo	$969.91	$1,638.92	$11,638.92

Representative examples only, not an offer of credit. Each row assumes a 12-month term, on-time payments, and the APR StrideFi currently quotes at that amount; your APR, term, and payment depend on underwriting. Interest accrues daily on the unpaid principal balance, so paying early reduces the finance charge below the figure shown, and paying late increases it. There is no prepayment penalty.

Frequently asked questions

Is an online loan safe?: A loan from a licensed lender is subject to the same federal and Florida law as one from a branch: Truth-in-Lending disclosures before signing, Equal Credit Opportunity Act protections, and Fair Credit Reporting Act rights if you are declined. Check the licence number before you apply — that is the part that matters, not whether there is a building.
Do I need to visit an office to sign?: No. Disclosures and the promissory note are e-signed, and there is nowhere to visit — StrideFi has no branch locations.
Why do you need to connect my bank account?: Read-only bank data verifies your identity, balance and income, and identifies the account funds are sent to. It replaces paper statements. We do not gain the ability to move money out of the account through that connection.
Which parts of Florida can apply?: All of them. A statewide licence and an online process mean every Florida resident applies through the same page on the same terms.

StrideFi is an online lender — we have no branch locations. Loans made by Stride Financial LLC under the Florida Consumer Finance Act (Chapter 516) to Florida residents statewide. Amounts from $2,000 to $10,000; APR 28.99%–35.99%; terms up to 12months; no prepayment penalty. Approval, loan amount, APR, and term depend on underwriting, including identity, income, and bank-account verification — not every applicant qualifies, and applying is not a guarantee of credit. Funding times depend on your bank's ACH processing.