Home › Credit › Credit-builder loans & accounts › Self vs Kikoff
Both are meant to help build credit history. Here's what Self and Kikoff each say about cost and reporting.
| Self | Kikoff | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Credit-builder loan (money held, paid out at end) | Credit-builder plans |
| Monthly cost | Plans shown from $25/mo (example: $35/mo for 24 months returns $717) | From $5/mo |
| Other fees / interest | APR up to about 16% depending on plan; $9 nonrefundable admin fee (per Self) | No interest; no hidden fees (per Kikoff) |
| Reports to | All 3 bureaus | All 3 bureaus |
| Credit check to apply | not found | No credit check |
Sources: Self page (checked 2026-10-12) · Kikoff page (checked 2026-10-12)
More on Self · More on Kikoff · All credit-builder loans & accounts
What it is: Self Credit-builder loan (money held, paid out at end), Kikoff Credit-builder plans; Monthly cost: Self Plans shown from $25/mo (example: $35/mo for 24 months returns $717), Kikoff From $5/mo; Other fees / interest: Self APR up to about 16% depending on plan; $9 nonrefundable admin fee (per Self), Kikoff No interest; no hidden fees (per Kikoff); Reports to: Self All 3 bureaus, Kikoff All 3 bureaus; Credit check to apply: Self not found, Kikoff No credit check.
Estimates, not financial advice. Taxes, insurance, PMI and fees vary by lender, county and city; confirm with your lender, dealer and state agency before acting.