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 Bryan, TX
1 credit union is headquartered in Bryan, with 495 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
- 495
- Federal
- 0
- State-chartered
- 1
Credit unions vs payday loan stores in Bryan
Bryan 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 495 members — roughly 0 memberships per 100 residents.
Credit unions
1
1.0 per 100k residents
495 members
Payday & loan stores
9
9.0 per 100k residents
9 store chains
Biggest loan store chains in Bryan: ACE Cash Express (1), B&F Finance (1), Check 'n Go (1), Lendmark Financial Services (1), OneMain Financial (1).
What a $500 loan costs over 3 months
| Option | Payment | Total cost |
|---|---|---|
| Payday loan, re-borrowed 6 times (~662%+ 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 (TX 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 Bryan
- Median household income
- $63,227
- Payday fee of $75, share of two weeks' income
- 3.1%
- Hours of work to pay the $75 fee
- 4.4 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
- 20.9%
- Residents below the poverty line
- 21.3%
Income and poverty: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, by ZIP code; figures for Bryan are population-weighted and approximate. Hours of work are based on the median individual income.
Payday loans vs credit union PALs: the rules in Texas
| Payday loan in TX | Credit union PAL | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal status | Allowed | Offered by many federal credit unions |
| Loan amount | No limit (CSO Model) | $200 – $2,000 |
| Fee limit | No state cap (fees set by city ordinances) (Varies) | Application fee up to $20 |
| Typical APR | ~662%+ | 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: Texas law as summarized on our Texas 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 Bryan
| Credit union | Address | Members | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thd District 17 Credit UnionState-chartered | PO Box 1312 Bryan, TX 77806 | 495 | — |
Payday and installment loan stores in Bryan
For comparison: storefront payday, installment and title lenders in Bryan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3304 E 29th St Bryan, TX 77802 | (979) 774-7450 | — | 4.8 |
| 215 S Main St Bryan, TX 77803 | (979) 361-0001 | — | 5.0 |
| 724 E Villa Maria Rd Suite 400 Bryan, TX 77802 | (979) 361-0502 | — | 5.0 |
| 725 E Villa Maria Rd Ste 2100 Bryan, TX 77802 | (979) 775-1859 | — | 4.5 |
| 3001 Wildflower Dr #911 Bryan, TX 77802 | (979) 774-0194 | — | 4.4 |
| 211 S Main St Bryan, TX 77803 | (979) 775-0574 | — | 5.0 |
| 302 N Main St Bryan, TX 77803 | (979) 779-8133 | — | 4.9 |
| 6224 FM1179 Bryan, TX 77802 | (979) 731-1408 | — | 4.9 |
| Western Finance 810 E Villa Maria Rd Bryan, TX 77802 | (979) 823-8705 | — | 4.9 |
More about Bryan
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 Bryan 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.