Installment describes repayment over a schedule. It is not a promise of a low rate, a fixed payment or approval. Personal loans, car loans and mortgages can all use installments while having very different costs, security and rules.

How the borrowing arrangement works

Read how often a payment is due and what happens to the balance after each payment. For a fixed-rate, fully amortizing loan, the scheduled payments repay the balance by the end of the term. Ask whether the agreement instead includes a balloon payment or an interest-only period.

Costs and repayment

Compare the entire schedule. A longer term can reduce an individual payment while extending the time you pay interest. Check fees separately and ask which charges are included in the disclosed APR.

Preparing to compare offers

• Request a schedule showing the first payment, regular payments and final payment.
• Ask whether the rate is fixed and whether any payment covers interest without reducing principal.
• Check how an extra payment is applied and whether it reduces principal, advances the due date or incurs a charge.

Questions worth asking

• Are payments weekly, biweekly or monthly?
• Does the rate change during the term?
• Is there a larger final payment?

A balloon payment needs its own plan

If the regular payments leave a final balance, identify how you would pay it without assuming that a new lender will refinance it. Ask for the final dollar amount in writing.

Are installment loans the same as personal loans?

The terms overlap. Personal describes a product or use; installment describes scheduled repayment.

Does paying in installments make a loan affordable?

Not by itself. Affordability depends on the payment, full cost and the other expenses you need to cover.

BorrowCompass provides a guide to this topic at what to check before taking out an online installment loan. Review current provider terms before making a borrowing decision. BorrowCompass does not issue loans or guarantee approval.