Compare legal limits, fees and the true cost of small loans in your state before you talk to any lender. Compare legal limits, fees and the true cost of small loans in your state.
Credit Unions vs Payday Loans in Tempe, AZ
1 credit union is headquartered in Tempe, with 15,054 members. Credit unions are member-owned and often offer small personal loans and payday alternative loans (PALs) at far lower rates than payday lenders.
- Credit unions
- 1
- Members
- 15,054
- Federal
- 0
- State-chartered
- 1
Credit unions vs payday loan stores in Tempe
Tempe has 9 payday, installment and title loan stores but only 1 credit unions headquartered here — about 9.0 loan stores for every credit union. Local credit unions count 15,054 members — roughly 8 memberships per 100 residents.
Credit unions
1
0.5 per 100k residents
15,054 members
Payday & loan stores
9
4.7 per 100k residents
6 store chains
Biggest loan store chains in Tempe: TitleMax (3), OneMain Financial (2), ACE Cash Express (1), CASH 1 Loans (1), Lendmark Financial Services (1).
Borrowing $500 for 6 months in Tempe
| Option | Payment | Total cost of borrowing |
|---|---|---|
| Installment loan at the Arizona rate cap (36% APR) | $92.30/mo | $53.79 |
| Credit union PAL (28% APR) | $90.27/mo | $41.62 |
| Payday loan renewed every 2 weeks (typical $15 per $100, not available in Arizona) | $75.00 every 2 weeks | $975.00 |
- Monthly payment at the Arizona rate cap vs median monthly household income
- 1.4%
Example calculation with fixed monthly payments; the payday row shows typical out-of-state pricing for comparison. Actual rates and terms vary by lender.
What it means for a household in Tempe
- Median household income
- $79,956
- A $400 emergency equals
- 1.8 days of income
- Households earning under $25,000
- 14.2%
- Residents below the poverty line
- 16.8%
Income and poverty: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, by ZIP code; figures for Tempe are population-weighted and approximate. Hours of work are based on the median individual income.
Payday loans vs credit union PALs: the rules in Arizona
| Payday loan in AZ | Credit union PAL | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal status | Not allowed — storefront payday loans are banned | Offered by many federal credit unions |
| Rate cap | Capped at 36% APR | Up to 28% |
| Term | Usually 2–4 weeks, due in one payment | 1 to 12 months, in installments |
| Credit check | Usually none; a bank account and income are required | Membership required; payments can be reported to credit bureaus |
Payday rules: Arizona law as summarized on our Arizona payday page. PAL rules: National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) rules for federal credit unions (PAL I and PAL II); state-chartered credit unions may offer similar small loans.
Credit unions headquartered in Tempe
| Credit union | Address | Members | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landings Credit UnionState-chartered | 2800 S Mill Ave Tempe, AZ 85282 | 15,054 | landingscu.org |
Payday and installment loan stores in Tempe
For comparison: storefront payday, installment and title lenders in Tempe with addresses, phone numbers and hours. Check a credit union first — a PAL or small personal loan usually costs far less.
| Address | Phone | Hours | Google rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1821 W Baseline Rd Guadalupe, AZ 85283 | (480) 897-2360 | — | 5.0 |
| 19 E Broadway Rd Tempe, AZ 85282 | (480) 968-1401 | — | 5.0 |
| 2404 N Scottsdale Rd Tempe, AZ 85288 | (480) 990-1875 | — | 4.9 |
| 4920 S Wendler Dr Ste 125 Tempe, AZ 85282 | (480) 933-9303 | — | 3.5 |
| 950 W Elliot Rd Ste 214 Tempe, AZ 85284 | (480) 899-2350 | — | 3.1 |
| 1750 S Rural Rd #101 Tempe, AZ 85281 | (480) 517-9770 | — | 4.9 |
| 1405 W Southern Ave Ste 1 Tempe, AZ 85282 | (480) 736-1125 | — | 4.9 |
| Elliot Road Retail Center, 744 W Elliot Rd #104 Tempe, AZ 85284 | (480) 413-9664 | — | 2.4 |
| 605 W Knox Rd #106 Tempe, AZ 85284 | (480) 327-4600 | — | 4.9 |
More about Tempe
Only credit union headquarters are listed, with the address on file with the NCUA; phone numbers and branch locations are on each credit union’s website. Many credit unions also have branches in Tempe and nearby — check membership requirements, as some are open to anyone who lives or works in the area. Loan stores: storefront locations of major payday, installment and title lenders; call ahead to confirm hours.