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Online Payday Loans
How applying online works, what lenders check, how much you can borrow in your province and what repayment looks like.
Payday loan referrals since 2012
Payday Loans in Canada From Licensed Lenders
CCFD is a free referral service that connects you with a payday lender licensed in your province. Borrow $100 to $1,500 online, see the full cost before you sign, and receive approved funds by Interac e-Transfer, often within minutes.
Provincially Licensed Lenders
$14 per $100 Maximum
Bad Credit Considered
No Faxing
Interac e-Transfer
$14
Max cost per $100
$1,500
Maximum loan
9
Provinces license payday loans
2012
Serving Canadians since
See the Cost First
Move the slider to see the legal maximum cost
Loan amount (CAD)
$500
$100 min · $1,500 max
$100$1,500
Max cost
$70
Max to repay
$570
Term
Up to 62 days
Delivery
Interac e-Transfer
Costs shown at the $14 per $100 legal maximum. Your lender's offer and terms depend on your province and income. Free to apply, no obligation to accept.
Payday loans in Canada: the short answer
A payday loan is a short-term loan of $100 to $1,500 that you repay from your next paycheque or over a few pay periods, within 62 days at most. In the nine provinces that license payday lending, the total cost is capped at $14 for every $100 borrowed, and every lender must hold a provincial licence. Payday loans are expensive, so they fit a one-time shortfall you can clearly repay, not an ongoing gap.
CCFD is not a lender. We pass your free application to a lender licensed where you live, and you decide whether to accept its offer.
How It Works
From Application to e-Transfer in Four Steps
Everything happens online. You'll see the full cost and every due date before anything is final.
Apply Online
About five minutes on any phone or computer: contact details, income and the bank account you'd like paid into. Nothing to print or fax.
Matched With a Licensed Lender
We send your application to a lender licensed in your province. Most lenders confirm income through a secure, read-only bank connection, and many decide within minutes.
Review the Agreement
Check the amount, total cost, annual rate and due dates against your pay schedule. If it doesn't fit your budget, decline. There's no charge.
Receive Your e-Transfer
After you sign electronically, approved funds are usually sent by Interac e-Transfer, often within about 15 minutes. Evenings and weekends are common, though your bank can add time.
Costs & Rules
What a Payday Loan Costs in Canada
Since January 1, 2025, federal rules hold licensed payday loans to a maximum of $14 per $100 borrowed, including every fee. That ceiling now applies in all nine provinces that license payday lending.
| You borrow | Maximum cost | Maximum to repay |
|---|---|---|
| $200 | $28 | $228 |
| $300 | $42 | $342 |
| $500 | $70 | $570 |
| $1,000 | $140 | $1,140 |
| $1,500 | $210 | $1,710 |
What $14 per $100 Really Means
On a two-week loan, $14 per $100 works out to an annual percentage rate of about 365%. That's far more than a credit card or a bank line of credit. Your loan agreement must show the exact rate, and borrowing a smaller amount is the simplest way to pay less.
| Province | Share-of-pay limit | Notable rule |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta | None set | Repaid in instalments over 42 to 62 days |
| British Columbia | 50% of net pay | 2 business days to cancel |
| Ontario | 50% of net pay | Extended payment plan on a 3rd loan within 63 days |
| Saskatchewan | 50% of net pay | Licensed by the Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority |
| Manitoba | 30% of net pay | Licensed by the Consumer Protection Office |
Rules that apply everywhere payday loans are licensed: no rollovers into a new loan to pay off the old one, no upfront fees to get a loan, a short cooling-off period to cancel after signing, and a licence number on every agreement. Never pay anyone a fee before you receive a loan.
Guides
Payday Loan Options, Explained
These are all the same regulated product. Each guide explains one part of how it works, so you know what to expect before you apply.
Getting paid
E-Transfer Payday Loans
How Interac e-Transfer funding works, typical timing, and what can delay a deposit.
Learn more →Credit history
Bad Credit & Credit Checks
Why lenders focus on income and bank activity, and what a low score does and doesn't change.
Learn more →Declined before?
After a Refusal
Common reasons for a decline, and when applying to another licensed lender makes sense. No lender can guarantee approval.
Learn more →Paperwork
Faxless Payday Loans
How lenders verify income online instead of asking for faxed pay stubs.
Learn more →
Why CCFD
We Educate, Then We Serve
Our slogan sets the order: you should understand the cost and the rules in your province before you borrow.
Licensed Lenders Only
We only refer applications to lenders that hold a payday loan licence in the borrower's province. You can confirm any lender's licence with your provincial regulator, and the licence number must appear on your agreement.
Provincial licence
Disclosed costs
No upfront fees
What We Check Before Working With a Lender
Valid provincial payday loan licence
Costs within the $14 per $100 limit
Plain-language agreements with cancellation rights
The Full Cost, Before You Sign
Your agreement shows the amount, total cost, annual percentage rate and every due date. Read it, compare it with your pay schedule, and walk away if it doesn't fit. Applying through CCFD is free, and you're never obliged to accept.
Clear disclosure
Free to apply
No obligation
Fast, but Never Rushed
The application takes about five minutes, many decisions arrive within minutes, and e-Transfers are often sent soon after you sign. Speed should never replace a careful read of the terms, so take the time you need.
5-minute form
Interac e-Transfer
Online 24/7
About CCFD
Who We Are and How We Work
Since 2012
A Referral Service, Not a Lender
CCFD has connected Canadians with licensed payday lenders since 2012. We don't make credit decisions, set loan terms or hold your money. The lender you're matched with does that, under your province's payday loan law.
Education
Guides Before Applications
Our province and city guides explain costs, limits and cancellation rights in plain language, and we review them as rules change.
Privacy
Your Data, Protected
Applications are sent over an encrypted connection. We don't sell your personal information; it's shared only with the lender that reviews your application.
Help
Free Advice Is Available
If debts are building up, a non-profit credit counsellor can help at no cost. See our responsible borrowing guide.
Borrow Smart
Is a Payday Loan the Right Choice?
A payday loan makes sense for a single, urgent expense when you know exactly where the repayment is coming from. These cheaper options are worth a quick check first.
Ask for a payment plan
Utilities, landlords and repair shops often split a bill if you call before it's overdue.
Employer pay advance
Some employers will advance wages you've already earned at little or no cost.
Overdraft or credit card
Even at card rates, a few weeks of interest usually costs far less than $14 per $100.
Credit counselling
If you're borrowing to repay other debt, free non-profit advice can help break the cycle.
Requirements
Who Can Apply for a Payday Loan
The basics are simple. Final approval and the amount offered are always up to the lender.
- You've reached the age of majority in your province (18 or 19) and live in a province that licenses payday lending
- Regular income deposited to your bank: wages, EI, CPP, pension, disability benefits or steady self-employment income
- An active Canadian chequing account that accepts Interac e-Transfers
- A working phone number and email address
- Past credit problems, such as collections or a consumer proposal, don't automatically rule you out, but approval is never guaranteed
How Much Can I Borrow?
Depends on your province's rules and your income
$100
Minimum
$1,500
Maximum
$14
Max per $100
62
Max days
Free to apply · No obligation to accept
Common Questions
Payday Loan Questions, Answered Plainly
Since January 1, 2025, a licensed payday loan can cost no more than $14 for every $100 borrowed, including all fees. A $500 loan costs at most $70, so you repay no more than $570. Late payments and returned payments can add extra charges set by provincial rules.
Payday lending is licensed in nine provinces: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan. Quebec has no licensed payday lenders because of its 35% annual rate limit, and Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut have no payday lending licensing system.
No. CCFD is a free referral service. It passes your application to a lender licensed in your province, and that lender makes the credit decision and sets the terms. You are never obliged to accept an offer.
Payday lenders mainly look at your income and recent bank account activity, so a low credit score doesn't automatically disqualify you. Some lenders may still review your credit file, and approval is never guaranteed.
Many applicants get a decision within minutes. After you sign the agreement, approved funds are usually sent by Interac e-Transfer, often within about 15 minutes, though your bank or a verification step can add time.
Yes. Every province that licenses payday lending gives you a short cooling-off period after signing, typically two business days, to cancel by returning the money without paying the fee. Check your province's exact rule on its CCFD guide.
Payday loans range from $100 to $1,500. Several provinces also cap the loan at a share of your net pay, such as 50% in Ontario, British Columbia and Saskatchewan, and 30% in Manitoba. Lenders often approve less on a first loan.
Still Have Questions?
Read the guide for your province, or contact us before you apply. Understanding the terms comes first.
Apply Now — Free Contact our team →Important: Payday loans are high-cost credit for short-term emergencies, not a long-term solution. Borrow only what you can repay on time. CCFD is a referral service; all loans are issued by licensed third-party lenders.
Reviewed October 2026 by the CCFD Editorial Team against provincial regulator guidance, including the Government of Alberta, Consumer Protection BC and the Government of Ontario, and the federal Criminal Interest Rate Regulations in force since January 1, 2025.
By Province
Payday Loan Rules Where You Live
Rules on how much you can borrow, how you repay and how to cancel differ by province. Choose yours for the details.
Provinces that license payday lending
Quebec and the territories
Payday loans aren't licensed here. These guides explain the local rules and lower-cost alternatives.
Need a Short Bridge to Payday? Know the Cost First.
Free to apply, licensed lenders in your province, the full cost shown before you sign, and funds by Interac e-Transfer.