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 Longview, TX
4 credit unions are headquartered in Longview, with 115,827 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
- 115,827
- Federal
- 1
- State-chartered
- 3
Credit unions vs payday loan stores in Longview
Longview has 10 payday, installment and title loan stores but only 4 credit unions headquartered here — about 2.5 loan stores for every credit union. Local credit unions count 115,827 members — roughly 106 memberships per 100 residents.
Credit unions
4
3.7 per 100k residents
115,827 members
Payday & loan stores
10
9.2 per 100k residents
9 store chains
Biggest loan store chains in Longview: ACE Cash Express (2), 1st Franklin Financial (1), Cash Store (1), Check 'n Go (1), Mariner Finance (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 Longview
- Median household income
- $67,525
- Payday fee of $75, share of two weeks' income
- 2.9%
- Hours of work to pay the $75 fee
- 4.5 hours
- PAL payment of $174.50, share of monthly income
- 3.1%
- A $400 emergency equals
- 2.2 days of income
- Households earning under $25,000
- 17.2%
- Residents below the poverty line
- 16.0%
Income and poverty: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, by ZIP code; figures for Longview 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 Longview
| Credit union | Address | Members | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Texas Professional Credit UnionState-chartered | PO Box 6750 Longview, TX 75608 | 104,913 | etpcu.org |
| Telco Plus Credit UnionState-chartered | PO Box 3099 Longview, TX 75606 | 9,168 | telcoplus.org |
| T & P Longview Federal Credit UnionFederal | 2320 N Eastman Rd Longview, TX 75605 | 1,049 | — |
| Sweetex Credit UnionState-chartered | 4421 W Loop 281 Longview, TX 75604 | 697 | — |
Payday and installment loan stores in Longview
For comparison: storefront payday, installment and title lenders in Longview 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 215 S High St Longview, TX 75601 | (903) 236-3691 | — | 4.9 |
| 2309 Gilmer Rd Longview, TX 75604 | (903) 297-8736 | — | 4.9 |
| 414 W Loop 281 Ste 6 Longview, TX 75605 | (903) 759-9945 | — | 4.9 |
| 2414 Gilmer Rd Ste 6 Longview, TX 75604 | (903) 759-0522 | — | 4.9 |
| 2010 Gilmer Rd Ste 100 Longview, TX 75604 | (903) 236-9196 | — | 5.0 |
| 103 W Loop 281 Ste. 208 Longview, TX 75605 | (903) 295-8071 | — | 4.8 |
| 911 W Loop 281 Ste 202 Longview, TX 75604 | (903) 753-5701 | — | 3.9 |
| 105 E Loop 281 Ste 5 Longview, TX 75605 | (903) 758-6413 | — | 4.8 |
| 1014 W Loop 281 Longview, TX 75604 | (903) 295-8300 | — | 5.0 |
| Shamrock Finance 306 N Spur 63 Longview, TX 75601 | (903) 234-8569 | — | 4.9 |
More about Longview
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 Longview 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.