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 Akron, OH
4 credit unions are headquartered in Akron, with 36,460 members in total. 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
- 4
- Members
- 36,460
- Federal
- 3
- State-chartered
- 1
Credit unions vs payday loan stores in Akron
Akron has 6 payday, installment and title loan stores but only 4 credit unions headquartered here — about 1.5 loan stores for every credit union. Local credit unions count 36,460 members — roughly 14 memberships per 100 residents.
Credit unions
4
1.5 per 100k residents
36,460 members
Payday & loan stores
6
2.3 per 100k residents
5 store chains
Biggest loan store chains in Akron: ACE Cash Express (2), Advance America (1), Lendmark Financial Services (1), Mariner Finance (1), OneMain Financial (1).
What a $500 loan costs over 3 months
| Option | Payment | Total cost |
|---|---|---|
| Payday loan, re-borrowed 6 times (~28% APR) | $75.00 every 2 weeks | $450.00 |
| Credit union PAL, 3 monthly payments (28% APR + $20 fee) | $174.50 a month | $43.51 |
- You keep with a credit union PAL over 3 months
- $406.49 payday costs 10× more
Payday: a typical fee of $75 on a $500 loan for 2 weeks (OH limits are not set in dollars), paid 6 times in 3 months. PAL: payday alternative loan from a federal credit union, capped at 28% APR with an application fee of up to $20.
What it means for a household in Akron
- Median household income
- $62,797
- Payday fee of $75, share of two weeks' income
- 3.1%
- Hours of work to pay the $75 fee
- 4.3 hours
- PAL payment of $174.50, share of monthly income
- 3.3%
- A $400 emergency equals
- 2.3 days of income
- Households earning under $25,000
- 22.2%
- Residents below the poverty line
- 18.6%
Income and poverty: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, by ZIP code; figures for Akron are population-weighted and approximate. Hours of work are based on the median individual income.
Payday loans vs credit union PALs: the rules in Ohio
| Payday loan in OH | Credit union PAL | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal status | Allowed | Offered by many federal credit unions |
| Loan amount | $1,000 | $200 – $2,000 |
| Fee limit | 28% APR + max $20 monthly fee (Varies) | Application fee up to $20 |
| Typical APR | ~28% | 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: Ohio law as summarized on our Ohio 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 Akron
| Credit union | Address | Members | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bfg Federal Credit UnionFederal | 445 South Main St Akron, OH 44311 | 20,492 | bfgfcu.org |
| Firestone Federal Credit UnionFederal | 31 Hanna Pkwy Akron, OH 44319 | 7,070 | fstonecu.com |
| Summit Federal Credit UnionFederal | P O Box 1460 Akron, OH 44309 | 4,628 | summitfcu.net |
| Firstenergy Family Credit UnionState-chartered | 575 White Pond Dr Ste E Akron, OH 44320 | 4,270 | fefcu.com |
Payday and installment loan stores in Akron
For comparison: storefront payday, installment and title lenders in Akron 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1420 Brittain Rd Akron, OH 44310 | (330) 634-0340 | — | 4.9 |
| 2723 S Arlington Rd Akron, OH 44312 | (330) 645-9072 | — | 4.8 |
| 1684 West Market Street Akron, OH 44313 | (330) 836-0646 | Mon–Thu 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Fri 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM Sat–Sun closed |
— |
| 55 Ghent Rd Ste 300 Fairlawn, OH 44333 | (330) 864-8053 | — | 4.7 |
| 25 Ghent Rd #121 Fairlawn, OH 44333 | (330) 754-1234 | — | 4.8 |
| 790 Arlington Ridge #243 Akron, OH 44312 | (330) 645-9205 | — | 4.2 |
More about Akron
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 Akron 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.