Comparison

first direct vs Mr Payday Loans UK

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

first direct

Manage your finances on the go with this intuitive mobile banking application. Easily check balances, view transactions, and transfer funds to friends and family. This app simplifies everyday money management, with more enhancements planned for the future.

Highlights
  • Check account balances
  • View transaction history
  • Pay family and friends
  • Simplified money management
  • Mobile banking convenience
Features
Read full description

Your everyday just got a whole lot easier. Even better banking has arrived. At the coffee shop, deciding if it’s a skinny soy latte or a cup of tea. In a taxi stuck in traffic, wondering how much you’ve saved for your trip to Machu Picchu. On a rollercoaster, planning the decorations for your dog’s third birthday party… Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, our new and improved mobile app makes banking even simpler. From checking your balances and viewing transactions to paying family and friends, mobile banking takes all the hassle out of everyday money stuff. You can now do more than ever from the comfort of your own phone - and if that’s not exciting enough, this is just the start of our mini digital revolution, with loads more improvements on the way. So go on. Get yourself up to date. Update now >> • Free to use, but providers may charge for download and usage • Use in accordance with local laws and check charges if using abroad • Use in accordance with our App terms and conditions • Use in accordance with Apple terms and conditions • This app may be withdrawn at any time, but we’ll always keep you in the loop.

About

Mr Payday Loans UK

This app connects you with UK lenders for short-term loans between £100 and £1000. It facilitates a quick application process, aiming to get funds into your bank account within hours, subject to lender approval. Information is stored securely for future applications.

Highlights
  • Short-term loans from £100 to £1000
  • Connects with over 70 UK lenders
  • Fast, two-minute application
  • Money in hours (subject to approval)
  • Securely stored application information
  • Review paperwork before signing
Features
Read full description

Short term loans, from our lenders, are designed to be paid back on your next pay day - we can accept applications from £100 through to £1000. We will then search the UK lender market for you. Warning: Late repayment can cause you serious money problems. For help, go to moneyadviceservice.org.uk Representative APR: 1192% (variable). Representative Example: Loan amount £100 for 30days. Total amount repayable £124.00. Interest 292% p.a. (variable). Representative 1192% APR Need money and need it fast, then you are in the right place. At Mr.Payday Loans we work with over 70 Pay day lenders to get you the correct loan. We get the payday lenders to battle over your business. We use a special lending tree to find you the loan you need. It’s all done in real time, meaning in most cases you can complete the whole application from start to finish in one easy process. You could have your money in hours. * *subject to lenders requirements and approval. The application lets you store your information for easy second time applications and all is pin protected. The loans rates are dictated on your credit history and are very competitive. We hope you find this app helpful and easy to use. Mr. Payday Loans benefits: • Get £100 to £1000 delivered straight into your bank account • Tree with over 70 lenders • Review paper work before you sign • Easy Two Minute application Thanks Mr.Payday We may receive a fee/commission for either referral or completion of your loan application. We do not charge a fee to the applicant. We will send your details to a licensed credit broker who will endeavour to get your loan. We cannot lend you finance ourselves - only refer you to a lender who can. Payday Loans should be used for short term lender purposes only - not as part of a longer term financial option. Not all lenders will offer a 100% online decision - some may require to speak to you or require further forms of identification or details to check affordability. You will be credit checked by lender(s) to determine if you can be approved a loan.

Screenshots

first direct4 screens
Mr Payday Loans UK4 screens

Verdict

The call

first direct and Mr Payday Loans UK both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 77% of first direct's written reviews are positive against 0% of Mr Payday Loans UK's. first direct also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 11 months) and ratings volume (2K vs 39). Mr Payday Loans UK's advantage is iOS requirement (9.1 vs 15.0). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for first direct against 4.9 for Mr Payday Loans UK. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: first direct has 2K ratings behind it against 39, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 77% of first direct's written reviews are positive against 0% of Mr Payday Loans UK's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

first direct ships an update monthly, Mr Payday Loans UK every 11 months. Both last shipped on October 22, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
first direct versus Mr Payday Loans UK: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameterfirst directMr Payday Loans UK
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (2K ratings)4.9 (39 ratings) — better
Positive reviews76.5% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2K — better39
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 11 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.09.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size271 MB23 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developerfirst directRainbow UK Ltd

Customer experience

first direct

All ratings1,964 ratings
Positive97.3%
Neutral1.0%
Negative1.7%
Written reviews996 reviews
Positive76.5%
Neutral5.0%
Negative18.5%

Mr Payday Loans UK

All ratings39 ratings
Positive97.4%
Neutral2.6%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Bugs and requests

first direct

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App freezing and crashing
  • Issues with cheque deposit functionality
  • Problems with multi-device authentication
  • Inconsistent behavior when updating payee details

Requested features

5 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Improved transaction history and insights
  • Ability to edit scheduled payments and payees
  • Streamlined payment flow
  • Better categorization and budgeting tools

Mr Payday Loans UK

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

first direct

No in-app purchases

None

Mr Payday Loans UK

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is first direct free?
first direct is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Mr Payday Loans UK free?
Mr Payday Loans UK is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, first direct or Mr Payday Loans UK?
Mr Payday Loans UK is rated higher. first direct averages 4.9 out of 5 from 2K ratings, while Mr Payday Loans UK averages 4.9 from 39 ratings.
Do first direct or Mr Payday Loans UK have ads?
Neither first direct nor Mr Payday Loans UK shows ads.
Which is updated more often, first direct or Mr Payday Loans UK?
first direct ships an update monthly, and Mr Payday Loans UK every 11 months. Most recently, first direct was updated on October 22, 2026 and Mr Payday Loans UK on October 22, 2026.

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