Lendermarket Review 2026 – More than 14% return from Estonia?
The 5 key facts at a glance
- Lendermarket has been regulated under the ECSP by the Central Bank of Ireland since December 2024.
- A weighted average return of over 13 per cent – some loans offer significantly higher returns at times.
- All loans come with a buy-back guarantee; many also have a group guarantee from the Creditstar Group.
- No secondary market! However, limited exit is possible via the new Auto Invest FLEX product.
- Between 2022 and 2024, there were significant pending payment issues, which were, however, resolved. There has therefore never been a payment default on Lendermarket.
You can find additional tutorials on the homepage of the English section of my blog.
(Bonus conditions: Every registration receives 1.5% cashback on all investments made during the first 90 days.)
Please note my disclaimer. I do not provide any investment advice or make any recommendations. I am personally invested in all the P2P platforms I report on. All information is provided without guarantee. Past performance is not indicative of future results. All links to investment platforms are usually affiliate/advertisement links (possibly marked with *), where you can benefit, and I earn a small commission.
What is Lendermarket?
Lendermarket is a P2P lending platform from Estonia, though it is registered in Ireland. Since 2019, it primarily offers P2P loans in the “Consumer” sector. The P2P platform was what’s called a “Spin Off,” providing virtual access to a traditional lender, similar to Twino with NetCredit. In this case, the underlying lender was the Creditstar Group, which is also listed on platforms like Mintos. Lendermarket is known for offering very high interest rates, which makes it a popular investment choice within the community.
The Creditstar Group is considered one of the more stable but not necessarily the most reliable lenders in Europe. However, in early 2022, the platform underwent a fundamental change, transitioning into a marketplace. They started bringing in companies beyond the Creditstar Group onto the P2P platform to create a broader foundation. However, Lendermarket, along with the relatively new product Monefit SmartSaver (a kind of Bondora Go & Grow clone), remain as financing tools for the group.
In December 2024, the company was also granted the ECSP licence. This is rather unusual in the P2P marketplace sector. Even more unusual is the combination of regulated and unregulated loans from which investors can choose.
Lendermarket at a glance.
Lendermarket Review – All Data at a Glance
Before we delve into the details of my Lendermarket review, here are the key facts conveniently compiled for you in one place.
| Founded: | The Limited was founded in 2016, but has been operational since 2019 |
| Headquarters: | Dublin, Ireland, registered as Limited |
| CEO: | Carles Federico, since 2023 |
| Regulated: | Yes, holder of the ECSP license since 2025. |
| Assets under Management: | Approx. 61,3 million EUR |
| Financed Loan Volume: | Approx. 673 million EUR |
| Number of Investors: | Approx. 30,300 (registered investors, active number unknown) |
| Yield: | 13.46% according to the platform’s official data |
| Buyback Guarantee: | Yes |
| Minimum Investment Amount: | 10 EUR |
| Auto Invest: | Yes |
| Secondary Market: | No |
| Issuance of Tax Certificate: | Yes, download in the form of a PDF is possible |
| Investor Loyalty Program: | No |
| Starting Bonus: | Yes, 1.5% bonus on all investments made during the first 90 days via this link*. |
| Rating: | Included in the Premium Rating, further information in the public Rating. |
| Community Voting: | 13th place out of 61 | See results (in German). |
| Last Financial Report: | The latest audited report was published in 2024. |
Lendermarket experiences of the community
Once a year, I ask our community for their top 5 P2P platforms. In 2025, Lendermarket took 13th place out of 61 with 17.8% of all votes, which can be considered a good result.
I was able to count around 700 votes for 2025.
- Go & Grow* (Daily interest & availability at 6% p.a., €5 starting bonus – start from just €1! Find out more in my Go & Grow review)
- Freedom24* (International broker with access to almost all shares worldwide –> guide to the product).
- LANDE* (Secured agricultural loans with over 10% return and 3% cashback + 5 EUR for free) –> Complete guide to the product in my LANDE review.
- Debitum* (Investing in regulated forestry projects with returns of up to 17%) –> full guide to the product in my Debitum review.
- Monefit SmartSaver* (Liquid and readily available investment alternative with 7.50 – 10.52% return and 0.50% cashback on deposits + 5 EUR startbonus) –> Complete guide to the product.
The history of Lendermarket
Investor Registration
Registering on the P2P platform is not overly complicated. In addition to your name and email address, your phone number and address are required. Another identity verification will then take place using the online service Veriff, for which you will need your passport or ID.
After registration and deposit, you are ready to invest in P2P loans on the platform.
Registering on Lendermarket is very straightforward.
Lendermarket Bonus
Via my link* you will receive 1.5% extra interest on all investments you make in the first 90 days after your registration. If there are any time-limited bonus promotions for the platform, these will always be listed promptly in my P2P platform comparison.
How to deposit Funds
Depositing funds is, as always, the easiest step in investing. In your account, you will see a “deposit funds” button. When you click on it, you will be provided with transfer details that you can use. You can set up a payment template with your bank for this purpose, just like I have done with many other platforms. Please note that transfers must come from a personal bank account. These will also be verified for future withdrawals.
One investor also told me that it is not possible to open an account if you hold a joint account; in such cases, both account holders must be registered investors with Lendermarket. This should be borne in mind when registering.
This is how you need to deposit your money on Lendermarket.
How to withdraw money
If you want to withdraw capital or excess interest from the P2P platform, you can use the “withdraw” button in the bottom right corner of your account summary. There are no fees for withdrawing funds.
The funds can only be withdrawn to the bank account from which the deposit was made. If you wish to register a new account for withdrawals, you need to make a new deposit from a new personal account. Please note that there is a withdrawal minimum of 50 EUR on the platform.
How long does the deposit take?
Based on my Lendermarket review, deposits usually take 1 to 2 business days to appear in your investor account. However, if you use services like Revolut*, the transfer often takes only a few minutes.
Can I deposit and withdraw with a credit card?
Yes, you can also make a deposit using your credit card on Lendermarket. Deposits made by credit card are currently free of charge. In this case, the money will be available in your Lendermarket account within a few seconds.
How does Lendermarket work?
After registration, you have three options to invest your money.
- You can invest money manually via the primary market (you can choose whether to invest in unregulated or regulated loans).
- You can build your portfolio completely automatically using the Auto Invest feature.
- Or you could use the Auto Invest FLEX product (more on that later).
This is how the loans are displayed on Lendermarket.
By clicking on the relevant loan, you’ll get further information about the selected investment.
The details of a Lendermarket loan.
As a passive investor looking to save time, the automatic option would be preferable here, as always.
The Lendermarket Auto Invest
On Lendermarket there is an Auto Invest and you can even create more than one and sort by priority.. With Lendermarket’s automatic portfolio builder, you can specify the countries and interest rates you want to invest in. Additionally, the setup process is very straightforward. You can define the following:
- Portfolio size
- Maximum amount per loan
- Regulated or unregulated loans
- Minimum interest rate
- Term
- and the loan originators (this is not required if you select ‘regulated’ or ‘unregulated’).
- You can also specify whether the system should invest in loans in which you are already invested (e.g. through another strategy or manual purchases).
The Auto Invest of Lendermarket.
Another option is to select predefined configurations.
Pre-configured Auto Invest options. Just click and you’re done.
Auto Invest FLEX
Lendermarket now also offers a feature providing investors with a flexible exit option. This is called Auto Invest FLEX and has been available since 2026. It is a variant of the standard Auto Invest, allowing investors to request a partial or full exit from their active portfolio before the end of the term. Exit is facilitated by replacement funding from other investors and is subject to their availability; there is therefore no guaranteed right to a payout.
If you wish to exit the investment, a flat-rate fee of 3.5 per cent of the exit amount applies. This is the cost of early liquidity. Auto Invest FLEX is therefore primarily an option for investors who prioritise flexibility over returns.
With Auto Invest FLEX, too, you have strategies set out by Lendermarket.
Is there a Secondary Market?
No, Lendermarket does not currently offer a secondary market. The only way you can exit your investments early is via Auto Invest FLEX.
In which countries can you invest?
You primarily invest in P2P loans from the Creditstar Group, which operates in 6 countries: Czech Republic, Finland, Spain, Estonia, Denmark, and Sweden. In addition, there are now other external lenders available, allowing you to invest in additional countries as well. You can find the complete list of loan originators directly on Lendermarket.
Here, too, we have two lists: regulated and unregulated lenders.
What types of loans can you invest in on Lendermarket?
Investors in P2P loans here primarily earn their returns from loans in the consumer sector. Borrowers directly take loans from the Creditstar Group, which are then listed on the platform, and we, as investors, can allocate funds into these loans.
The business models of external lenders are different. Here, too, there are consumer loans, but also real estate loans.
What fees are charged on Lendermarket?
There are no fees for investors related to investments or other actions on the platform. The only costs are incurred in connection with Auto Invest FLEX, and only if you opt for early withdrawal (3.5% of the withdrawal amount).
What is the return on Lendermarket?
The return you can achieve on Lendermarket is quite substantial. The average return usually ranges between 13 and 14%. You can always find the officially communicated average in the table above, updated monthly. You can check the statistics of my own portfolio for my numbers. Currently, it’s quite feasible to get loans with 14% interest.
What is the minimum investment amount on Lendermarket?
You need to invest at least 10 EUR per loan.
Is there a buyback guarantee on Lendermarket?
Yes, the P2P platform provides a buyback guarantee. If the borrower is overdue with their payment for 60 days, the loans, including the accrued interest up to that point, will be repaid. However, the individual policies of specific lenders need to be taken into account. Loans from the lender Creditstar, for instance, can be extended multiple times, resulting in a total loan duration of up to 240 days.
Furthermore, there’s something called a “group guarantee.” This provides an additional layer of protection. It’s an enterprise guarantee from the Creditstar Group, which means that in the event of a lender’s insolvency, the Creditstar Group covers all liabilities arising from the buyback obligations of that lender. You can always check which lender offers what security on the Lendermarket website under the “loan originator” section.
Is there an app for Lendermarket?
No, there is currently no smartphone app available for Lendermarket.
Can you invest money in other currencies?
No, you always invest in euros here.
How does the taxation work for Lendermarket?
The platform doesn’t deduct any taxes on your behalf. You are responsible for reporting your earnings to the tax authorities in your jurisdiction.
Do I pay withholding tax on Lendermarket?
No, on Lendermarket all profits go directly into your own pocket.
Is there a tax certificate on Lendermarket?
Yes, there is now a proper tax certificate available for download as a PDF. You can find it in your profile under the “Tax Report” section.
Here’s how you easily generate a tax report on Lendermarket.
Lendermarket Risk
Based on my Lendermarket review, the P2P platform could be an interesting alternative in a P2P portfolio, but it also has some risks that you should be aware of! However, for many people, it has long been considered one of the riskiest platforms in the P2P space!
How does Lendermarket make money?
The P2P platform’s revenue comes from fees charged by the Creditstar Group. Since both companies are more or less connected, it can be said that they rely on the parent company’s revenues. However, with the transition to a marketplace model in early 2022, additional income streams are added.
Is Lendermarket profitable?
Since 2020, there are audited financial reports available for Lendermarket Limited, separate from the Creditstar Group. The latest report from 2024 shows a negative result, but it’s important to remember that Lendermarket is a growing startup. So, the result shouldn’t be taken too heavily into consideration. In addition, the company still has the strong Creditstar Group behind it, whose annual report is the more important one.
In the 2024 report, the auditor also explicitly points out a “material uncertainty” regarding the company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The company relies on ongoing financial support from its parent company to meet its payment obligations.
Excerpt from the Lendermarket 2024 Financial Report.
What happens if Lendermarket goes bankrupt?
In the event that the P2P platform faces financial difficulties or has to declare bankruptcy, the company will likely be liquidated by a third party, and existing loans will continue to run. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the P2P platform is part of the Creditstar Group. This aspect further reduces the platform risk. However, insolvency is always a risk to your investment.
How reputable is Lendermarket?
Due to the close connection between the P2P platform and the Creditstar Group, which is one of the top lenders on Mintos, it can be assumed that we are dealing with a reputable platform here.
Speaking of Mintos, it’s worth mentioning that in 2022, Mintos investors were kept waiting for many months regarding repayments while the company focused on advancing their own platform. This caused a significant reputation damage that still affects the company.
But that’s not all. In 2023, they played this little game with their own investors as well, a situation that wasn’t resolved until 2025. The amount of the outstanding payments was completely unknown. Private investors are definitely not a priority for Lendermarket or Creditstar, that’s something you should be aware of.
That said, the newly acquired European license naturally lends a certain degree of credibility and security to investors. However, one should not overestimate its significance or rely on it entirely.
How secure is Lendermarket?
Despite a few minor issues, Lendermarket has proven to be a secure platform to date. Investors have not suffered any loss of capital. Even from an outside perspective, everything continues to appear very solid, especially since the company obtained its ECSP license. The Creditstar Group, which operates behind the scenes, has also been in business since 2006.
However, given its financial situation, many people predicted its demise for years. Yet nothing ever happened. Nevertheless, if the worst comes to the worst, it will take Lendermarket down with it.
Is there a deposit insurance on Lendermarket?
No, absolutely not. Lendermarket is not a bank and therefore does not fall under any European deposit insurance. All funds you invest on the platform are subject to a high risk of default.
Lendermarket in Crisis Situations
Investors on Lendermarket have been able to navigate through all crises in a relaxed manner so far.
How did Lendermarket perform during the 2020 COVID-19 crisis?
The platform was only founded in 2019, so it doesn’t have much crisis experience. However, the Creditstar Group in the background managed the situation well!
How did Lendermarket fare during the Ukraine crisis in 2022?
Lendermarket has shown no signs of any problems. However, yields rose significantly, indicating a change in the risk profile of the P2P loans on offer. As with most P2P platforms, there was a brief drop in loan volume, but it was quickly recovered.
The loan volume of Lendermarket. Excerpt from p2pmarketdata.com.
Pros and Cons of Lendermarket
Before we reach a final conclusion about the platform, here is a summary of the pros and cons of my Lendermarket review:
Pros
- Having the backing of the Creditstar Group provides a partner with over 10 years of profitable operation.
- With an average return rate of 13 – 14% and even more, investors here can be quite profitable.
- The website is straightforward and easy to navigate.
- All loans come with a buyback guarantee.
- Lendermarket offers loans from relatively low-risk countries.
- Lendermarket has been licensed as an ECSP since 2025.
- There have been no capital losses on Lendermarket to date.
- The Auto Invest FLEX product, launched in 2026, offers the option of early withdrawal.
Cons
- The P2P platform is also listed on Mintos. If you have both platforms in your portfolio and invest in Creditstar loans on Mintos as well, there’s a risk of concentration.
- Some loans have a rather long duration. Estonian loans on the platform can last up to 7 years.
- Lendermarket does not have a secondary market.
- Communication is definitely not the platform’s strong point.
- It seems that Creditstar is still pulling the strings in the background and Lendermarket has nothing to say in case of doubt.
Conclusion of my Lendermarket review
For a long time, Lendermarket was viewed extremely critically, mainly because of its Creditstar background. Over time, however, it has firmly established itself in the market, which naturally went hand in hand with a reduction in interest rates. With an average return of 13–14 per cent, Lendermarket remains very attractive even today.
I myself was only active on Lendermarket for a short while, but it proved very successful. Thanks to cashback promotions and interest on late payments, my final return ended up at over 22 per cent! Whilst it was clearly a risky venture and a bit of a gamble back then, given that the platform is now regulated, I could well envisage including Lendermarket in my larger portfolio today.
The development of my portfolio on Lendermarket.
However, there are still two things to keep an eye on. Firstly, the performance of Creditstar, which remains Lendermarket’s most important anchor, and secondly, the individual lenders, some of whom are genuinely sound.
If you’d prefer a slightly simpler approach, you can still opt for the Monefit SmartSaver product. It’s aimed more at passive investors, works in a similar way to Go & Grow, and serves as a ‘substitute for a call money account’ for many investors. With Auto Invest FLEX, however, Lendermarket now also offers its own options in the ‘liquidity’ sector.
Is there a Lendermarket forum for discussion?
There are several places where you can engage with other investors and gather Lendermarket experiences. There’s also an international investors’ group on Telegram where you can participate in discussions.
What alternatives are there to Lendermarket?
Lendermarket is a P2P marketplace that has grown from a lender on Mintos. You now have to compete with platforms like Mintos itself. Similarly, alternatives include Bondster and Income.
Then take a look at my P2P platform comparison now. There you will find more information and/or articles about the platforms where I invest.
Lendermarket vs. Mintos
I’m often asked by many how certain platforms compare to Mintos or if they are an alternative. In my opinion, both platforms are not directly comparable. The reasons for this are quite simple:
- Mintos is a marketplace with over 60 loan originators, such as the Creditstar Group, in its portfolio. Lendermarket has only recently started adding external loan originators.
- If the Creditstar Group encounters issues with its loans, it’s highly likely that ALL of your P2P loans on Lendermarket will be affected.
- If a similar scenario occurs on Mintos, only a portion of your portfolio will be affected.
As you can see, it’s an “apples and oranges” comparison. However, you can use Lendermarket as a supplement and, for example, remove the loan originator from Mintos from your portfolio.
FAQ Lendermarket Review
What is Lendermarket?
Is there a secondary market?
What are the costs involved with Lendermarket?
What is the rate of return on Lendermarket?
What is the minimum investment amount on Lendermarket?
About the author
Hi there! I’m Lars Wrobbel, and I’ve been writing on this blog about my experiences with investing in P2P loans since 2015. I also co-authored the German standard work on this topic with Kolja Barghoorn, which became a bestseller on multiple platforms and is regularly updated.
In addition to the blog, I host as well Germany’s largest P2P community, where you can exchange ideas with thousands of other investors when you need quick answers.
Lendermarket Review 2026 - More than 14% Return?
Lendermarket has been regulated under the ECSP by the Central Bank of Ireland since December 2024. With a weighted average return of over 13 per cent, it remains an attractive P2P platform to this day. All loans come with a buy-back guarantee, and many also have a group guarantee from the Creditstar Group. Between 2022 and 2024, there were significant issues with pending payments, but these were successfully resolved. Consequently, there has never been a default on Lendermarket.
3.99