Online loans have revolutionised the financial services industry, enabling borrowers to research and apply for loans more quickly than ever before. Tools to enable lenders to make faster decisions and approvals have also transformed the online loans process.

Established banks and societies have, for some time, maintained a strong Internet presence to sell online loans but the growing popularity of the Web as a financial services shopping channel has helped to create a new wave of online loans providers. These online loans companies and brokers who source online loans for clients see the Web as a cost-effective way of reaching millions of customers without distributing notorious junk mail or paying huge rents for expensive retail premises in the High Street.

The online loans boom means it is easier for borrowers to review a wider range of online loans providers to compare the value of online loans from various lenders.

Online loans: winners
The easiest way to find online loans is via one of the search engines, with Google being the most influential. A Google search for